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House probe on clandestine sale of human organs sought | Philippine News Agency | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:45:12 PST | Facade of the House of Representatives building. (Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives)
Facade of the House of Representatives building. (Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives)
MANILA, Philippines – A bill has been filed at the House of Representatives, urging the appropriate panel to investigate the clandestine trade of human organs after the recent arrest of three individuals allegedly involved in the sale of kidneys in Bulacan.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Bill (HB) 1803 on Thursday afternoon, seeking a crackdown on the illegal sale of human organs, as well as the strict implementation of existing laws to avoid risk to public health and safety.
“Many kidney donors, particularly those from vulnerable communities, such as slums, are often unaware of the risks and side effects of the operation,” Lee said in a news release Friday.
“Sinasamantala ng mga ganitong modus ang mahihirap nating kababayan, lalo na ang mga gipit at desperado, nang kumita para may pantustos sa pangangailangan ng pamilya (This modus operandi takes advantage of our poor countrymen, especially the needy and desperate, to make money to support the needs of their family),” he said.
He also expressed alarm over the alleged involvement of medical practitioners in the illicit practice.
Lee pointed out that the illegal practice of selling kidneys and other internal organs targets poor Filipinos and goes against existing laws, specifically the Organ Donation Act of 1991 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
He said the Bulacan operation, where nine rescued victims were reportedly lured with a payment of P200,000 in exchange for their kidneys, may only be the tip of the iceberg.
The World Health Organization (WHO), he noted, has identified the Philippines as one of the global hotspots for organ trafficking, along with India, Pakistan, China, Egypt, and Colombia.
Lee said the issue needs a thorough investigation to crack down on such exploitative trade and protect the well-being and safety of the general public.
Government policies on organ donation should be reviewed to prevent these risky and illicit transactions, he added.
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GSIS commits to ensuring affordable housing for gov’t workers | Philippine News Agency | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:18:44 PST | FILES
FILES
MANILA, Philippines – The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has expressed commitment to improving housing for government workers, as it ensures that affordable housing programs are available to public servants.
In an interview over PTV’s Pre-SONA Special, GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso explained that the recently launched housing initiative “Maginhawang Pabahay sa Bagong Pilipinas” aims to address the housing needs of government employees, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“Kapag makita mo ang ating mga kasamahan sa gobyerno at sila ay walang matinong natitirahan, mabigat sa puso sapagkat kapag umuulan, tumutulo ang mga bubong at sila ay naninilbihan nang tapat sa ating gobyerno. Dapat mabigyan natin ng kaukulang ginhawa (When you see our colleagues in the government and they don’t have a decent place to stay, it is heavy on the heart because when it rains, the roofs leak and they serve our government faithfully. We should give them the appropriate comfort),” he said.
Veloso noted that the program helps government employees, especially those in the lower salary grade level who could not afford hefty down payments.
The “Maginhawang Pabahay sa Bagong Pilipinas” program features a rent-to-own scheme with no down payment, allowing monthly payments that can be extended up to 25 years.
There will be an option to have a next of kin as a co-borrower for those nearing retirement age who will continue the payment later.
Veloso said the agency has received 1,000 queries about the program since it started last Monday.
He said the GSIS has selected over 3,000 housing units in Bulacan to improve and renovate.
Meanwhile, another GSIS initiative is the Lease with Option to Buy program, which allows the renter to own the property through the Pag-Ibig Fund.
The program, Veloso said, is open to those working in the private sector and the government and has already benefited more than 2,500 individuals.
He also discussed plans for future developments and renovations of GSIS properties that aim to provide government workers with dignified housing solutions.
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He cited the GSIS vacant properties and empty lots, such as those in Fairview in Quezon City and Cogeo in Antipolo, Rizal, which are being developed to become government housing.
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Gout in young adults, explained | No author found | 2024-07-19T05:40:12+00:00 | Gout is a painful form of arthritis. It happens when there is an excess of uric acid in our bodies, a naturally occurring chemical we produce when we break down purine, a compound commonly found in certain types of food.
It is unlike the typical arthritis caused by a gradual breakdown of the joints. Instead, when our bodies accumulate too much uric acid, these form into sharp crystals that build up in the joints, causing excruciating pain and immense swelling to the point that makes it difficult or even impossible to walk.
These buildups typically occur in the big toe but can also appear in other joints including the knee, ankles, hands, wrists, and elbows. When left untreated, gout can lead to permanent joint damage and, not to mention, severe recurring pain.
Middle to older-aged men are more likely to have gout, including women after menopause. However, young adults are not excluded from getting so.
READ: Memory loss in young adults, explained
Gout results from “hyperuricemia,” which means having too much uric acid in your body. Uric acid, contrary to popular opinion, is not found in food but is instead a byproduct made by our bodies after breaking down any purines we consume.
Food rich in purines includes organ meats, beer, sardines and anchovies, and sugary beverages.
But outside food intake, uric acid levels also hinge on how they are naturally removed from the body. It commonly exits through urine and low hydration may lead to uric acid retention, and thus, a heightened risk of gout.
Gout is also known as “the disease of kings” for its prevalence among older, indulgent men. Though, its assumed exclusivity with men around the age of 40 can be attributed to the fact that as we get older, our kidneys become weaker, less efficient, and unable to keep up with a specific lifestyle.
In short, the risk of gout is always present regardless of age—it just so happens that a younger kidney can accommodate a “youthful way of life.”
But, risks of gout can also be increased by a genetic predisposition to the condition and the existence of a metabolic syndrome, which according to a study by Yeonghee Eun, et al., means having three or more of the following: high blood sugar, blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels.
Gout is unfortunately a permanent condition. Once diagnosed, the best bet is symptom maintenance by reducing uric acid levels through a change in lifestyle. Simply enough, the effects of gout can be reduced by just avoiding anything and everything with purine. Though, additional medication for recurrent bouts of pain and generally reducing uric acid in the body is still necessary.
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PRC: 8 of 26 pass veterinary special board exam | Adrian Parungao | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:30:34 PST | MANILA, Philippines — The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said that eight out of 26 examinees passed the Veterinarians Special Professional Licensure Examination.
According to the PRC, the examinations were held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore from June 16 to 18, 2024.
The examinations were administered by Dr. Tomas Acorda, Dr. Agnes Baylon, and Dr. Claro Mingala, members of the Board of Veterinary Medicine.
To see the list of the passers, check this link.
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Paris Olympics 2024: Meet the Philippine boxing team | Rommel Fuertes Jr. | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:06:00 PST | The Philippine boxing team in the Paris Olympics 2024: Aira Villegas, Hergie Bacyadan, Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The Philippine boxing team in the Paris Olympics 2024: Aira Villegas, Hergie Bacyadan, Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
It’s simple, really. The more chances you take, the likelier you will hit your goal.
The Philippine team sent four boxers to Tokyo for the delayed Summer Olympics and came home with two silvers and a bronze.
Who knows what the squad will bring home now that it has five bets in the Paris Olympics 2024.
FILE–Philippines Eumir Felix Marcial r during the Boxing Men’s 71-80Kg Semifinal bout for the 19th Asian Games that ensured his passage to the Paris Olympics 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Eumir Marcial was the first Filipino boxer to punch his tickets to Paris. The 2020 Tokyo Olympian earned an outright berth to the Olympics after defeating Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in the semifinals of last year’s 19th Asian Games.
Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, meanwhile, qualified at the same time in the World Qualification Tournament last March.
READ: Eumir Marcial not losing sight on golden goal in Paris Olympics
Petecio defeated Turkiye’s Esra Yildiz in the tournament’s semifinal, booking her ticket to Paris in the sport’s women’s 57-kg category.
Villegas, meanwhile, defeated Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Chukanova in their 50-kg clash to also make the Olympic roster.
Carlo Paalam, on the other hand, had quite the harder route compared to his Philippine boxing compatriots.
READ: Carlo Paalam makes it to Paris Olympics after ‘difficult’ route
Other than having to compete in a division foreign to him—he competed in the 52-kg class in Tokyo—Paalam’s ticket arrived just two months away from the Olympics in the World Boxing Olympic Qualification in Bangkok, Thailand.
In the semifinal of the 57-kg category, Paalam decimated India’s Sachin Sachin via unanimous decision to return to the grandest stage.
Hergie Bacyadan completed the ensemble of Filipino boxers in the same event in Thailand.
In the 75 kg’s quarterfinals, Bacyadan outlasted Venezuela’s Maryelis Yriza via unanimous decision to qualify for the summer games.
While there’s still no finality in the duels in Paris, time slots have already been released for each division.
Eumir Marcial will be the first to compete in the preliminary round of the 80-kg division on July 27 at North Paris Arena.
Carlo Paalam and Aira Villegas take center stage on July 28 for their own Round of 32 bouts.
There will be a one-day break for the team as Nesthy Petecio will compete on July 30 for the women’s 57-kg preliminaries.
A day after Petecio’s fight, Bacyadan will take the spotlight in the preliminaries of the 75-kg category’s Round of 16 on July 31.
All games from the preliminaries to the semifinal will take place at North Paris Arena.
Should any of the five Filipino boxers make it to the semifinals, they will be competing in the world-famous Roland-Garros stadium in their quest for podium finishes.
The first medal event is on August 3.
This photograph shows the Olympic Rings displayed at the construction site of the Eiffel Tower Stadium for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 and Paralympic Games. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)
Cignal TV will bring the Paris Olympics coverage through free TV channels One Sports, RPTV and TV5, pay-TV channel One Sports+ and three 24/7 channels dedicated to the Olympics broadcast exclusive to Cignal subscribers.
Paris Olympics 2024: How to watch, when it starts, key dates
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Livestreaming will be available via the Pilipinas Live app and Smart LiveStream, which will be now open to all mobile subscribers regardless of provider.
Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024.
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PNP: Metro Manila gun ban starts Saturday ahead of Sona 2024 | John Eric Mendoza | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:08:13 PST | Highlights: Sona 2024
Philippine National Police
MANILA, Philippines — A gun ban will only be enforced in Metro Manila starting Saturday in preparation for the third State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Monday.
“Our chief PNP (Philippine National Police) canceled the effectivity of the permit to carry for three days,” said Metro Manila police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. in an ambush interview on Friday at Quezon City Police District headquarters during the send-off ceremony of security personnel for the upcoming Sona.
The permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) will be suspended in Metro Manila starting at 12:01 a.m. on July 20 (Saturday) until 12:01 a.m. on July 23 (Tuesday), according to the PNP.
Previously, the PNP announced that aside from Metro Manila, the gun ban would also be imposed in Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).
The PNP said only members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties and wearing their agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms.
There will also be a no-fly zone in the House of Representatives where Marcos’ Sona will be held.
The President delivers the Sona annually, usually every last Monday of July, to report the government’s achievements under his or her administration, unveil its agenda, and ask Congress to pass priority measures.
Progressive groups and pro-government demonstrators are also expected to conduct a rally during Marcos’ Sona.
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INQToday: Pagasa monitoring 2 LPAs in PAR; Alice Guo: I deny involvement in threats vs Gatchalian | INQUIRER.net | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:53:41 PST | Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
The Philippines on Thursday said it was willing to discuss its overlapping extended continental shelf (ECS) with Vietnam after Hanoi filed its own ECS claim before a United Nations body a day earlier.
Vietnam filed its claim a month after regional neighbor the Philippines made a similar move, Vietnam’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Two low-pressure areas (LPA) inside the Philippine area of responsibility will trigger rainfall in most parts of the country on Friday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
“Almost the entire country will have cloudy skies and rains,” Pagasa weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said in Filipino in an early morning bulletin.
Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo denies any involvement in the threats made against Sen. Win Gatchalian, who sought the help of police after receiving threats to his life.
In a statement, Guo assures Gatchalian that she poses no threat to him nor to anyone as she believes and adheres to the rule of law.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday released the traffic rerouting plan for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 22.
According to the MMDA, a zipper lane will be opened on the southbound portion of Commonwealth Avenue for guests and officials.
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SWS: 58 percent of Filipino families rate themselves poor in Q2 survey | Adrian Parungao | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:26:21 PST | SWS logo / Reuters photo
SWS logo / Reuters photo
MANILA, Philippines — The number of families who felt poor in June 2024 rose by more than 10 percent from March 2024, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said.
According to its survey released on Thursday, 58 percent of families said that they were poor, 30 percent said that they were not poor, and 12 percent said that they were borderline.
The latest survey result is an increase from the 46 percent of families who thought themselves poor in March 2024, the SWS said.
In addition, the SWS estimated that the 58 percent for June 2024 translated to around 16 million families, compared to the 12.9 million families in March 2024.
The survey also showed that self-rated poverty in March 2024 rose in all island groups: from 33 percent to 39 percent in Metro Manila; from 38 percent to 52 percent in Balance Luzon, or Luzon outside Metro Manila; from 64 percent to 67 percent in the Visayas; and from 56 percent to 71 percent in Mindanao
Forty-six percent of families also thought themselves poor based on the food they consumed in June 2024, followed by 39 percent who said they were not food-poor, while 15 percent said they were borderline.
Food-poor families were estimated to be at 12.8 million in June 2024, the SWS added.
SWS conducted the latest survey from June 23 to July 1 among 1,500 adults — 600 in Balance Luzon and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The SWS added that sampling error margins were marked at ± 2.5 percent for national percentages, ± 4.0 percent for Balance Luzon, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
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Luzon, kasama ang Metro Manila, posibleng ulanín dahil sa LPA | Alexander Magno | 2024-07-19T04:18:51+00:00 | INQUIRER.net file photo
METRO MANILA, Philippines — Binabantayán ngayón ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) ang dalawang low pressure area (LPA) na nasa loob ng Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
Ayon sa 3 a.m. Pagasa bulletin, ang isang LPA ay namataan sa distansiyang 135 km sa kanluran-timog-kanluran ng Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
Magdudulot itó ng malakás na pag-ulán sa Northern Palawan at Occidental Mindoro.
Samantala, ang buntót ng LPA naman ang maaaring magpa-ulán sa Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, at sa natitirang bahagi ng Mimaropa.
Nagbabalâ din ng PAGASA ng posible na mga biglaang bahâ at pagguhò ng lupà kapág malakaás ang pag-ulán.
Ang isá pang LPA ay huláng namataán sa layong 880 km sa silangan ng Eastern Visayas, at hindí pa itó nakakaapekto saán mang bahagì ng bansâ.
TAGS: Pagasa, Philippine weather, Pagasa, Philippine weather
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Coalition of Duterte supporters to hold rally in Manila ahead of Sona | John Eric Mendoza | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:16:03 PST | Highlights: Sona 2024
The rally will be held at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila. —Screenshot from Google Earth Street View
MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters will hold a rally ahead of the third State of the Nation Address (Sona) of his successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, told reporters about the rally in an ambush interview on Friday at Camp Karingal, the headquarters of Quezon City Police District.
READ: Marcos clears schedule to finalize Sona speech
READ: MMDA releases traffic rerouting plan for Marcos’ Sona on July 22
It was earlier reported that the rally will be held during Marcos’ Sona.
However, Manila Police District spokesperson Major Philipp Ines confirmed that the event will be held on Saturday, July 20.
“They have a request from the city government, tomorrow, July 20,” Ines told INQUIRER.net in a text message.
“They have applied [for a permit], but it’s a freedom park,” he said in an ambush interview at Camp Karingal during a send-off ceremony for personnel who will secure Sona.
Liwasang Bonifacio is a freedom park where political gatherings may be conducted even without government permits.
About 5,000 people are expected to attend the rally, Nartatez said.
Progressive groups and pro-government demonstrators are also expected to conduct a rally during Marcos’ Sona.
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Nartatez said the total number of police and government security elements deployed to secure Sona is now at 23,000 after being augmented by another 1,000 personnel.
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Andrea Brillantes to people who criticize her body: ‘I don’t care’ | Jessica Ann Evangelista | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:56:20 PST | Andrea Brillantes | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
Andrea Brillantes | Image: INQUIRER.net/Jessica Ann Evangelista
A much more confident Andrea Brillantes remained firm that she doesn’t care about people who constantly criticize her body, especially after she lost some weight, as she stressed that everything she does is for herself.
During the ambush interview after her contract signing for a beauty endorsement, the Kapamilya star admitted that she lost around 20 pounds, which explains why she now has slimmer arms and figure.
“Sa mga nagcocomment po ba about my arms, I really don’t care, kasi it’s actually crazy that other people think they have the authority or that their opinions matter to me about my body,” she confidently told reporters.
The “Senior High” star affirmed that as long as she’s happy with how she looks, the outside voices don’t really matter.
“Everything that I do for my body is for me, kasi ang nakikita ko sa salamin paggising ko is my body. Hindi naman si username chuchu diba? Aware ako sa sinasabi nila, pero hindi ko siya pinapapasok sakin kasi ginagawa ko kung ano ‘yung magpapasaya sakin, and I’m really happy with my body right now,” she said.
A post shared by Andrea Brillantes (@blythe)
Brillantes underscored that she is more inclined to accept her appearance because she considers it a blessing from God.
“Gets ko ‘yung mga sinasabi nila na medyo hindi proportional or whatever. Well, I can’t control if God blessed me with blessings. Wala akong magagawa I just have to own it, kung ano ‘yung bigay sakin ni Lord, and I’m really happy with it. So alangan naman patanggal ko siya dahil sa comments sakin ng mga tao, No. Tatangappin ko lang kung ano ‘yung meron ako,” explained the actress.
The “Kadenang Ginto” actress also weighed in on how people tend to use the word “nanay” when bodyshaming plus-sized girls.
“Ang weird lang na ginagamit nila pang body shame ang katawan ng ‘nanay’, na parang, ‘Grabe parang nanay na si Andrea, yung katawan niya.’ That’s so embarrassing for you to say… You’re body-shaming your mom? So yun gusto ko sabihin, maganda katawan lahat ng kababaihan. Hindi dapat ginagawang pang body shame ang katawan ng nanay,” she stressed.
The 21-year-old actress currently stars as Sky in “High Street,” the sequel to the hit ABS-CBN series “Senior High.”
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Phivolcs: No tsunami threat in PH after magnitude 7.4 Chile quake | Dianne Sampang | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:29:39 PST | INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — There is no tsunami threat in the Philippines following the magnitude 7.4 magnitude earthquake in northern Chile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Friday.
The earthquake jolted northern Chile at 9:51 a.m. on Friday (Philippine time).
Chile is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where intense seismic activities happen.
‘The arc extends from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
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Davao del Sur bettor bags P157-M Super Lotto jackpot | Philippine News Agency | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:43:13 PST | INQUIRER FILES
INQUIRER FILES
MANILA — A lone bettor from Davao del Sur became an instant multi-millionaire after hitting Thursday night’s Super Lotto 6/49 jackpot.
In an advisory Friday, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said the winning combination 41-33-31-24-37-49 carried a total prize of P157,395,155.60.
The ticket was purchased at Suyo, Thelma T. Rizal Avenue, Digos City, Davao del Sur.
READ: Lotto Results Today
As specified in Republic Act 1169, or the law on PCSO lotteries, winners have one year from the date of the draw to claim the prize,
All jackpot prizes must be claimed at the PCSO main office at Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City. Lotto winnings of more than P10,000 are subject to a 20-percent tax under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.
Meanwhile, 20 others won P50,000 each for guessing five of the six winning digits; 1,110 will get P1,200 each for four correct digits; and 22,274 will settle for P50 each for three correct digits.
The Super Lotto 6/49 is drawn every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
PCSO general manager Melquiades Robles urged the public to support the agency’s gaming products to raise additional revenue for health initiatives, medical services, and other national charities.
Through its mandatory contributions, the PCSO not only helps people in need of medical assistance but also provides funds to government institutions. (PNA)
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Pilots warned about flight limits near rumbling Mayon Volcano | Luisa Cabato | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:23:00 PST | (MICHAEL L. MANJARES/CONTRIBUTOR)
(MICHAEL L. MANJARES/CONTRIBUTOR)
MANILA, Philippines — A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued for flights near Mayon Volcano after a phreatic eruption was recorded on Thursday evening, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) said.
“The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for flights near Mayon Volcano, with vertical limits from the surface to 9,000 feet,” the agency said in an advisory on Friday.
Caap said the NOTAM took effect at 8:15 p.m. on July 18 and will last until 6:30 p.m. on July 19.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, a light gray ash and steam plume, measuring about 656 feet or 200 meters, drifted west-northwest of the volcano at around 6:16 p.m.
Miladee Azur, head of the Legazpi City disaster risk reduction and management office, reminded the public to avoid entering the six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone due to the threat of another phreatic eruption.
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1 alleged NPA rebel slain, 2 captured in Rizal clash | Delfin T. Mallari Jr. | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:13:42 PST | INQUIRER FILES
INQUIRER FILES
LUCENA CITY — An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed and two others were captured in an encounter Thursday with government troops in Rodriguez town in Rizal province on Thursday night.
The Region 4A police said cops and Army soldiers were about to serve warrants of arrest to two rebels identified as “Balat” and “Maya” in Barangay Burgos around 10 p.m. when they were fired upon by four NPA rebels, prompting the government forces to retaliate, a spot report said on Friday.
In a brief exchange of gunfire, Balat suffered bullet wounds and died on the spot, while two other rebels, one identified as “Janna,” were captured.
One of the guerrillas, identified as “Jomar Caraan,” who may have been wounded, managed to escape.
Authorities are monitoring hospitals and clinics near the area to search for the wounded NPA rebel. INQ
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DMW to unpaid Saudi OFWs: Be patient, claims out soon | Philippine News Agency | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:34:17 PST | DMW building. (ABC via PNA)
DMW building. (ABC via PNA)
MANILA, Philippines–The Department of Migrant Workers has assured unpaid Saudi Arabia overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that they are closely working with the Saudi government to release their unpaid benefits.
“Meron namang mga release (There were releases), we just have to be patient and constantly coordinate with the Saudi side. Rest assured na pinagsisikapan naman natin ito (Rest assured that we are working on it) to cover all the claimants,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press conference Thursday.
He said he just returned to the country after a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the unpaid wages of the remaining 2,000 OFWs.
Cacdac said that to date, 2,500 unpaid OFWs have received their claims from the Saudi government.
He vowed that sooner the remaining 2,000 OFWs would also get their benefits.
“(Our) 2,500 workers have received their benefits in the amount of 130 million Saudi Riyals. There will be in the very near future an additional 2,000 or so to receive the additional releases, and subsequently, there will be another set to receive the benefits, with respect to their claims,” he said.
Cacdac said that the Philippine government is targeting having a substantial number of unpaid OFW claimants receive indemnity by the end of the year and that the DMW is constantly in communication with the Saudi government on the issue.
The DMW is just asking the claimants for more patience.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said that the issues discussed during his visit to Riyadh included the possible renewal of existing bilateral agreements, enhancing the DMW’s presence by expanding the Migrant Workers’ Offices, and opening more job opportunities for Filipino skilled workers, especially in the construction sector.
Over 10,000 OFWs, as well as thousands of other foreign workers in Saudi Arabia, lost their jobs between 2015 and 2016 after their companies declared bankruptcy.
The issue of unpaid wages started to move in November 2022, or after almost a decade, when Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) told President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a meeting that the Saudi government was ready to take on the financial settlement of the claims.
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During the meeting, the Crown Prince informed Marcos that the kingdom was setting aside a 2-billion Saudi Riyal fund for this purpose.
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Drawing flak for steep Edsa ramp, MMDA personnel to assist PWDs | Jerome Aning | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:52:00 PST | DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY The newly opened ramp intended for persons with disabilities at the Edsa Busway’s Philam Station immediately drew flak on social media for its design, prompting an apology from the head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Thursday. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY The newly opened ramp intended for persons with disabilities at the Edsa Busway’s Philam Station immediately drew flak on social media for its design, prompting an apology from the head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Thursday. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday said it would deploy personnel to assist persons with disabilities (PWDs) who will have difficulty using the ramp connected to a footbridge on Edsa, a structure that had earned the agency a fresh round of bashing on social media for being too steep, especially for those in wheelchairs.
“We would like to inform (the public) that the MRT (Metro Rail Transit 3) has a height restriction that the MMDA complied with, so it was not possible to [construct] the elevator to the level of the footbridge,” the agency said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Pictures and videos of the ramp on the Edsa-Philam busway station, which was inaugurated on Monday, went viral after netizens, among them PWDs, noted how the ramp was proving to be unsafe for its intended users.
One of the videos showed a man in a wheelchair trying to descend the ramp facing backward, holding on to the rails for control and requiring help from a companion.
The ramp connects the footbridge to an elevator, which PWDs can use to enter or leave the station.
READ: MMDA chief defends ramp design at Edsa busway station: It’s not wrong
“It’s not a perfect design, especially for those who are in a wheelchair but it’s a big help for senior citizens, pregnant women and other PWDs who don’t have to use the stairs,” the MMDA said.
The agency maintained that contrary to how the ramp appeared in the viral images, it is “not that steep” when one walks on it.
The ramp, the agency said, was put up in a “limited space’’ but without it “the elevator would not be integrated to the structure for the convenience of commuters.” In an interview with reporters at an event in Manila, MMDA acting Chair Romando Artes apologized for the inconvenience but parried criticism that the ramp’s design was ill-conceived.
“We consulted our architects and engineers at our traffic engineering center. This is really what we could do given the situation,” he said. “We really brainstormed so that we can put (the ramp) up despite the challenges.’’
“The only option was to put it up as it is—with the ramp a bit steep—or there will be no elevator at all and our countrymen will have to use the stairs. In a way, it was a very difficult decision on our part. We know that we will draw criticism for what we did, but again it’s not only those in wheelchairs who will use it.’’
“Based on our observation, there will be more users who are senior citizens, pregnant women and PWDs who don’t require a wheelchair,” he added.
Artes said the MMDA would consult an architectural firm for a possible solution.
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In 2018, the MMDA drew flak for the elevated Edsa-Kamuning footbridge, which pedestrians also found too high and steep. The agency then defended its construction, saying it was intended to curb jaywalking.
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Woman nabbed for selling 6-day-old baby for P25,000 online | Jane Bautista | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:50:00 PST | This photo shows midwife Maria Christina Paule during a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The NBI arrested Paule for selling a six-day-old baby girl for P25,000. She was nabbed during an entrapment operation on July 16. Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net
This photo shows midwife Maria Christina Paule during a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The NBI arrested Paule for selling a six-day-old baby girl for P25,000. She was nabbed during an entrapment operation on July 16. Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net
Authorities have arrested a woman for selling a 6-day-old baby for P25,000 through social media, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Thursday.
In a statement, the DOJ said agents of the National Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking Division arrested the woman in an entrapment operation in Muntinlupa City on July 16.
READ: Illegal organ trade: NBI nabs 3, tags NKTI nurse
The DOJ did not name the suspect but a separate statement issued by the NBI identified her as Christina Paule.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the DOJ Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Cyber-Tip Monitoring Center.
The bureau acted on a tip from the monitoring center about a person allegedly selling a baby on a Facebook page.
After some intelligence gathering, the NBI had an agent posing as a buyer, establishing communication with the suspect, who introduced herself as a midwife and offered to sell the 6-day-old baby.
“At the meeting place (they agreed upon), the perpetrator introduced herself and showed the baby in exchange for money. Upon confirming her intent to sell the newborn baby, the agent signaled for the arrest,” the DOJ said.
The recovered baby was turned over to the DSWD’s custody.
The DOJ said the suspect underwent inquest proceedings on Wednesday on charges of violating Section 4(g) of Republic Act No. 9208, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Child Trafficking; Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and the cybercrime prevention law.
“The successful operation underscores the ongoing efforts of the government to combat human trafficking and protect the most vulnerable members of society,” the DOJ said.
Wednesday’s arrest came nearly two months after the DOJ filed qualified trafficking and child exploitation charges against a 29-year-old woman who sold her 8-day-old son, along with a government employee who allegedly acted as her intermediary.
The National Authority for Child Care, an agency attached to the DWSD, earlier drew attention to the emergence of a “black market” for illegal adoptions on social media.
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On May 30, Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV said Meta, the company behind Facebook, had taken down at least 500 accounts linked to the sale of babies online.
“But we think those are not enough. It is still prevalent. There are still many accounts that have to be closed down,” he said.
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DA eyes one-year test run of P29 rice program | Jordeene B. Lagare | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:38:00 PST | Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francsico P. Tiu Laurel Jr. PHOTO FROM DA FB PAGE
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francsico P. Tiu Laurel Jr. PHOTO FROM DA FB PAGE
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering extending its “Program 29,” which sells a kilo of rice at only P29, to one year to assess the long-term viability, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Thursday.
“It’s a large-scale trial to determine if we can sell rice at these low levels for an extended period with government subsidy,” Tiu Laurel said.
READ: BIZ BUZZ: P20/kilo price goal for rice still on
The agriculture secretary explained that the one-year trial period would allow the DA to gather and evaluate the data “comprehensively” from farm to retail and “determine what needs to be done” to ensure the program’s sustainability.
“This will be [a] one-year program so we can review the entire chain—from buying seeds, planting them, utilizing fertilizer, sourcing fertilizer, harvesting, warehousing, up to the retailing stage—and determine where we could save on costs to lower prices to consumers,” he added.
The DA unveiled the program last month in selected areas in Metro Manila and Bulacan province to sell discounted rice to the vulnerable sector of the population on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
The vulnerable sector is pegged at 6.9 million households, or around 34 million Filipinos. These include senior citizens, single parents, persons with disabilities and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the government’s conditional cash transfer scheme for the poor.
Under the program, they can purchase up to 10 kilos a month of good quality rice for P29 per kilogram, much lower than prevailing market prices, from Kadiwa centers.
The DA earlier announced that the initiative’s coverage would be expanded to include areas outside the metropolis by August or September and eventually, to all 1,500 municipalities nationwide.
The rice sold at Kadiwa centers is purchased by the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), a government corporation under the DA, from the inventory of aging stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA).
But aside from NFA stocks, the DA is also looking at sourcing rice from the contract-growing arrangement between the National Irrigation Administration and farmers and, if needed, through importation by FTI and other DA-controlled corporations to support the P29 program.
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The DA said it intends to lower the selling price under this initiative if the cost of the staple food softens further as indicated by current global trends.
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Marcos, ex-president Duterte seek Sara’s help for 2025 polls | Dempsey Reyes | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:46:00 PST | LAST DAY Vice President Sara Duterte takes a selfie with her successor, incoming Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, and other education officials at Thursday’s turnover ceremony. —LYN RILLON
LAST DAY Vice President Sara Duterte takes a selfie with her successor, incoming Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, and other education officials at Thursday’s turnover ceremony. —LYN RILLON
Vice President Sara Duterte remained coy about her reasons for resigning as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, saying only she did it for personal and professional reasons.
“It’s a long story and we need to sit down to discuss it,” she told reporters on Thursday after a program where she turned over leadership of the DepEd to Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara.
Duterte said one reason was “slightly personal” and had something to do with what she discussed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “before I agreed to run as [his] vice president.”
Another was professional, while the other was “about the country,” she added.
Duterte denied that first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos had something to do with her decision, saying the latter had nothing to do with her job.
Araneta-Marcos earlier criticized Duterte for not coming to the President’s defense after her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, accused Mr. Marcos of using drugs.
Her resignation from the Cabinet further backed speculations of a split between her and her former running mate in the 2022 national elections.
Still, Duterte said she and the President had a discussion and that he asked her to help the administration’s candidates in the 2025 midterm elections.
She added that she had a separate meeting with her father, who also made a similar request for candidates of his Partido Demokratiko Pilipino,
The Vice President, however, said she did not commit to either one “because I need to think first about what would be my direction for the midterm elections next year.”
During her speech at the turnover ceremony, Duterte told Angara, “Welcome to the chaos,” drawing laughter from him and the audience.
She recalled some of the programs that began under her leadership in the DepEd, such as the launching of the new “Matatag” curriculum, the review of the senior high school curriculum, and the funding and launching of DepEd’s mental health program, among others.
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For his part, Angara said he would hit the ground running, “and we want to learn from all of you here as we go along.”
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Namfrel, PPCRV tapped as citizens’ arms for 2025 polls | Dexter Cabalza | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:48:00 PST | Commission on Elections Chair George Garcia. Photo from Comelec
Commission on Elections Chair George Garcia. Photo from Comelec
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accredited the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) as citizens’ arms for all three elections scheduled next year.
In a memorandum dated June 13 but released only by the poll body on Thursday, the Comelec approved the continuing accreditation of PPCRV and Namfrel as citizens’ arms in any and all elections, plebiscites, recalls and referenda in 2025, including the midterm elections, Bangsamoro parliament elections on May 12 and barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Dec. 1.
READ: Namfrel to Comelec: Don’t ban AI in next elections
“In the innumerable elections and democratic processes conducted by this commission, PPCRV and Namfrel have always been reliable sources of observations and recommendations in the effective exercise of the right to suffrage. As such, the undersigned sees no reason for said organizations to be required to file petitions for accreditations as citizens’ arms,” Comelec Chair George Garcia said in his memorandum.
The PPCRV is headed by business leader Evelyn Singson, while information technology expert Angel Averia Jr. is the national chair of Namfrel.
Historically, the Comelec only grants the petition for accreditation of organizations to become citizens’ arm for a specific election. But due to a policy change in September 2022, the poll body for the first time accredited both the PPCRV and Namfrel for all plebiscites and elections until 2025.
As citizens’ arms, the groups are tasked with assisting the Comelec in its voter registration drive, ensuring the integrity of the voters’ list, and helping in voter education and information activities.
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Carpio: Expect no miracles in new PH-China ‘hotline’ | Jacob Lazaro | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:36:29 PST | Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio
Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio
Manila “should not expect miracles” from the expansion of the maritime communication mechanism on the South China Sea, considering China’s unresponsive behavior in past incidents, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said on Wednesday.
Carpio expressed his doubts to the Inquirer regarding the expanded mechanism agreement earlier this month between Beijing and Manila establishing direct contact between the representatives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and China’s President Xi Jinping.
READ: Escudero: PH-China hotline a ‘positive step forward’
“It’s somehow a good sign that at least some communication has been established. But when we called last time no one was answering when there was a need to talk to them because there was an incident,” Carpio said. “But we should not expect it will result in miracles.”
Carpio was referring to the Aug. 5, 2023, incident at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal where a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship blocked and fired its water cannon at a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, the military’s outpost in the shoal.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) then, Beijing did not immediately answer Manila’s call during the incident.
According to National Security Council spokesperson Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, they were calling China on a special landline established to deal with such encounters.
“No one was answering,” Malaya said in an interview a few days after the incident. “Our side expressed disappointment on why we kept calling but no one was answering. They answered eventually but only when the tension was over.”
On Wednesday, the DFA told the Inquirer that the “Arrangement on Improving Philippines-China Maritime Communication Mechanisms” provided several channels.
These include lines between the offices of the two presidents; the DFA and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), including at the foreign secretary and undersecretary levels, or through their designated representatives; and between the CCG and PCG.
“The DFA is in discussions with the Chinese side on the guidelines that will govern the implementation of this arrangement,” the DFA said.
The maritime communication mechanism was first established when Mr. Marcos met with Xi during his state visit to China in January 2023, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
The direct line was touted to avoid miscalculation and miscommunication.
The PCO reported then that it was Mr. Marcos who proposed the establishment of a direct communication channel between the foreign ministries of China and the Philippines.
The agreement was among over a dozen deals made during the President’s Jan. 3-5 state visit, which also formalized procedures for contacts between the two countries.
The communication mechanism was to be opened between the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the DFA and the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China’s MFA, according to the PCO.
Dindo Manhit, president of think tank Stratbase ADR Institute, shared Carpio’s sentiments.
“Apart from its implementation, it is imperative for China to recognize its obligations under international law, such as the arbitral award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. There is a need to ensure that this new agreement is more than just a piece of paper,” Manhit told the Inquirer on Wednesday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) discussed as early as July 2015 the setting up of a foreign ministers’ hotline to deal with emergencies in the South China Sea.
In September 2016, leaders of Asean and China supported the creation of a hotline to respond to maritime emergencies in the implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, a nonbinding agreement to de-escalate maritime conflicts among claimants to all or parts of the South China Sea.
In January 2020, the PCG explored ways to step up cooperation with the CCG during a meeting of the Joint Coast Guard Committee of the Philippines and China.
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The official notes on the high-level meeting held on Jan. 16, 2020, included a “hotline communication mechanism” and “communication protocol for engagement at sea between coast guards” that would serve as provisional operational arrangement between the PCG and CCG. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH
For comprehensive coverage, in-depth analysis, visit our special page for West Philippine Sea updates. Stay informed with articles, videos, and expert opinions.
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Marcos declares Aug. 14 a special non-working day in Mawab, Davao de Oro | Zacarian Sarao | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 08:17:55 PST | Davao de Oro (INQUIRER files)
Davao de Oro (INQUIRER files)
MANILA, Philippines — The Palace has declared August 14 (Wednesday) a special non-working day in Mawab, Davao de Oro for its founding anniversary.
In Proclamation No. 628 signed July 11 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognized that it would be a good gesture to commemorate the special day.
“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the Municipality of Mawab be given full opportunity to participate in the occasion and enjoy the celebration,” the proclamation read.
“I, Lucas Bersamin, Executive Secretary, by authority of the President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., do hereby declare Wednesday, 14 August 2024, a special (non-working) day in the Municipality of Mawab, province of Davao de Oro,” it further stated.
READ: President asked to declare Dagohoy Day in Bohol a non-working holiday
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House review of prison release policies pushed | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:12:16 PST | STOCK IMAGE
STOCK IMAGE
A party-list lawmaker has proposed that the House of Representatives examine prison release mechanisms, particularly the Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA) scheme, to help decongest jails.
Agri party list Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Resolution No. 1717, saying a review may improve a convict’s rehabilitation and possibly improve congestion, which has made it hard to undertake rehabilitative programs in Philippine jails which, according to the New York Times, are the most overcrowded in the world.
READ: 126 inmates released on Independence Day 2024
“The country’s jails are overcrowded by 367 percent with 68 percent out of 478 jail facilities considered as ’heavily congested.’ This shows that nearly three out of five jail facilities are overcrowded,” he added.
Lee noted that the government has already increased detainee releases, reduced admissions, expanded jails, and increased paralegal services to determine convicts’ GCTA, which results in their earlier release. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE
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Flawless Thursday gives Lascuña two-shot lead at Splendido | Musong R. Castillo | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:10:00 PST | Antonio Lascuña—FILE PHOTO
Antonio Lascuña—FILE PHOTO
LAUREL, BATANGAS—Antonio Lascuña sustained his unrelenting assault on a first PGT (Philippine Golf Tour) leg victory this season, littering a bogey-free 24 holes on a rainy, chilly Thursday with six birdies, with a third round five-under-par 67 giving him a two-shot lead over LJ Go heading into the final 18 holes of the P2 million ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here.
Lascuña played the last six holes of his second round at one-under for a 68, before conquering the back nine with a 32 for a 54-hole 2-4 aggregate and inch closer toward following up his upset The Country Club victory last February with a first win in the circuit.
“I guess everything just worked for me today,” the 54-year-old Lascuña, playing out of Manila Southwoods, told the Inquirer in Filipino. “It’s still anybody’s game. Considering the conditions we have had all week, no lead is safe here.”
Go, the Palos Verdes champion, had six third round bogeys but drop two shots in succession from the 14th for a 68 to be at 206, with rookie Aidric Chan returning a 69 to be another two strokes behind.
Keanu Jahns assembled a 70 to be five shots off the pace, with Russell Bautista shooting a 67 to match the day’s best and be at 211.
Former PH Open champion Clyde Mondilla, who opened with a 67 to share the lead, completed his second round at 72 and then fired an uncharacteristic 75 to now be 10 shots off and out of it.
Meanwhile, rookie Ji Won Lee, who won the Lakewood leg as an amateur last month, closed out with a level par 72 for 218 to win her first title as a pro by a shot over Mikha Fortuna in the ladies side of the event.
Fortuna was the only player to crack par in the final round, her 71 giving her four-shot cushion over Florence Bisera for second spot.
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PBA: San Miguel, Meralco off to EASL | Jonas Terrado | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:15:00 PST | PHOTO BY MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
PHOTO BY MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The PBA is poised to see its teams face more international competition with the participation of last season’s two champions in the East Asia Super League (EASL) and the possible entry of a club from Hong Kong.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial in recent days has confirmed talks with Eastern Sports Club as a possible guest team in the midseason Commissioner’s Cup while the entry of San Miguel Beer and Meralco to the EASL was finalized this week.
San Miguel and Meralco’s selection as the PBA’s representative to the continental tournament seemed like a formality anyway after the Beermen ruled the import-laden Commissioner’s Cup in February and the Bolts taking the Philippine Cup last month.
It will be the second straight year that Meralco will take part in the EASL after replacing Barangay Ginebra last season while San Miguel competed in the tournament’s Champions Week in March 2023.
Now the two teams will look to improve the PBA’s batting average in the EASL, especially after Meralco and TNT produced just one win apiece in the first home-and-away season, and was the only league that didn’t have a representative in the Final Four last March in Cebu.
Meanwhile, Eastern was identified last week by a Hong Kong media outlet as the one engaging in discussions with the PBA over the prospect of competing in the league’s second conference.
Eastern is also where Terrafirma’s newly acquired star Christian Standhardinger suited up before joining the PBA in 2018.
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Marcos hands over P99-M aid to Palawan, Marinduque folk | Geraldford Ticke | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:04:00 PST | CHECK President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hands over the symbolic check worth P50 million intended as aid to farmers and fishermen who were affected by the recent El Niño to Palawan Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates, during his visit to Puerto Princesa City on Thursday. On his left is House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who also joined the trip. —PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-PALAWAN PHOTO
CHECK President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hands over the symbolic check worth P50 million intended as aid to farmers and fishermen who were affected by the recent El Niño to Palawan Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates, during his visit to Puerto Princesa City on Thursday. On his left is House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who also joined the trip. —PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-PALAWAN PHOTO
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited this city on Thursday to distribute about P99 million in financial assistance to the agriculture sector in Palawan and Marinduque provinces, particularly to the farmers and fisherfolk severely affected by the dry spell spawned by the El Niño phenomenon that affected the country early this year.
Mr. Marcos, who was on his third visit here since becoming president, distributed a total of P10 million to around 10,000 residents of this city and another P50 million in cash assistance to the different municipalities of Palawan, taken from the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and their Families (PAFFF) fund of the Office of the President.
He also handed out P39 million in PAFFF assistance for Marinduque, which was received by Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr.
Palawan and Marinduque both belong to Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region.
The President was initially set to fly to Romblon first for the same activity but the schedule was cut short because of unfavorable weather conditions.
Secretaries Benjamin Abalos of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Francisco Tiu Laurel of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and Rexlon Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who were already in Romblon conducted the distribution of the financial aid on behalf of the President.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who also serves as caretaker of Palawan’s first and third legislative districts, joined Mr. Marcos on the trip and also distributed sacks of rice to the beneficiaries.
The President said the assistance hoped to partly ease the losses suffered by the agriculture sector in Mimaropa, which has reached P3 billion, caused by the drought.
The recent El Niño, which started affecting the country in December last year, ended with the onset of the rainy season in June.
Aside from the presidential aid, the DSWD also distributed P10,000 to each of the more than 6,000 beneficiaries under the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources also distributed P29,850,000 worth of fishing boats and other equipment and fish cages, while the DA distributed more than P900 million worth of farm implements that include hand tractors, rice combine harvesters, walk-behind transplanters, pump engine sets, hammermills, corn shellers and fertilizers.
According to the President, the National Irrigation Administration would also distribute P8 million worth of assistance for operation and maintenance subsidies to different irrigation associations and P500 million worth of certificates that either condone or exempt landowners from paying their dues under the National and Communal Irrigation System.
Irrigation projects valued at around P200 million will also be set up in four areas in Palawan while P20 million will be allotted for the survival and recovery program and another P30 million for the agri-business loan program in the province, he added.
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Mr. Marcos said the government will also train farmers to improve production.
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DENR intensifies monitoring of 2 eagles now in Leyte | Joey Gabieta | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:02:00 PST | NEW HOME In this June 28 photo, the Philippine eagle named “Uswag” is seen flying in the forest of Burauen, Leyte, after he and a female raptor named “Carlito” are released in their new habitat. —PHILIPPINE EAGLE FOUNDATION PHOTO
NEW HOME In this June 28 photo, the Philippine eagle named “Uswag” is seen flying in the forest of Burauen, Leyte, after he and a female raptor named “Carlito” are released in their new habitat. —PHILIPPINE EAGLE FOUNDATION PHOTO
TACLOBAN CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Eastern Visayas (DENR 8) has strengthened its monitoring of the two Philippine eagles that were relocated last month from Davao to the forests of Burauen town in Leyte to ensure their safety.
Lormelyn Claudio, chief of DENR 8, said they needed to heighten the security for the raptors named “Carlito” and “Uswag” following the shooting that led to the death of a Philippine eagle named “Mangayon” in Compostela Valley, Davao de Oro on July 8.
She said they were alarmed by the killing of “Mangayon,” prompting them to take extra precautions to protect “Carlito” and “Uswag” that were set free in the forests of Burauen on June 28.
“We will heighten our surveillance and monitoring for both Carlito and Uswag and we will ensure that they are protected,” she said in an interview on July 16.
READ: DENR: PH eagle habitat key to Apayao biosphere
According to Claudio, transmitter devices had been attached on the bodies of the two raptors, “enabling us to monitor their presence in real time.”
Claudio said forest guards, both from their office and those deputized by the local government of Burauen, were also assigned to the forests where the eagles were released.
The two Philippine eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi) were released at the Anonang-Lobi mountain range situated in Barangay Kagbana, about 40 kilometers from the town proper.
Claudio said “Carlito” and “Uswag” appeared to have fully adapted to their new habitat.
“We are also optimistic that these two eagles will lead to an increase in the eagle population in our forests. Before the onslaught of Supertyphoon Yolanda, sightings of Philippine eagles were common in Leyte and even in Samar,” she said.
Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) that hit the country on Nov. 8, 2013 left widespread destruction in the Visayas, particularly on Leyte and Samar Islands.
“Uswag” and “Carlito,” were flown to Tacloban City from the Davao City-based Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) on June 11 before they were brought to Burauen town. Claudio said that with the “translocation” of these eagles from Davao, through the efforts of the PEF, they would ensure that these birds were not only protected but would also contribute to the repopulation of the species in Eastern Visayas.
“Uswag,” a Waray term for welcome, is a male eagle rescued from Mt. Apo in Davao City in 2023. It weighs 5.3 kilograms and is about 3 years old.
“Carlito,” on the other hand, is a 5-year-old female eagle, weighs 5.8 kg and was rescued from Trento, Agusan del Sur.
In the next four years, PEF plans to release eight more young eagles in the forests of Burauen and the rest of Leyte.
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The PEF said the translocation of these eagles to Leyte is part of their program to have these “majestic birds” flying in the skies of the province and at the same time ensure their safety from shooting, trapping, clubbing, poaching and selling at their habitats in Mindanao.
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Pagasa: Widespread rain in PH Friday due to 2 LPAs | John Eric Mendoza | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:39:54 PST | MANILA, Philippines — Two low-pressure areas (LPA) inside the Philippine area of responsibility will trigger rainfall in most parts of the country on Friday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
“Almost the entire country will have cloudy skies and rains,” Pagasa weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said in Filipino in an early morning bulletin.
The first LPA was last spotted some 135 kilometers west-southwest of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.
Scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms are expected in northern Palawan and Occidental Mindoro.
The other LPA was spotted some 880 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.
Due to the trough or extension of this LPA, cloudy skies, scattered rain showers, and thunderstorms are forecast in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol region, Western Visayas and the rest of Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).
Fair weather, or partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms, is expected in the rest of the country.
Pagasa warned of possible flash floods and landslides in rain-affected areas.
No gale warnings were raised nationwide.
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PH open to Vietnam talks on overlapping sea claims | Jane Bautista | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:30:59 PST | The Philippines on Thursday said it was willing to discuss its overlapping extended continental shelf (ECS) with Vietnam after Hanoi filed its own ECS claim before a United Nations body a day earlier.
Vietnam filed its claim a month after regional neighbor the Philippines made a similar move, Vietnam’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.
READ: PH Maritime Zones Act OKd, now up for Marcos signature – Tolentino
The submission of the continental shelf beyond the current 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) is to exercise the rights and obligations of state parties in accordance to the maritime framework, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
This is Vietnam’s third submission of an ECS, the statement added, including a submission in respect to the north area of the South China Sea or Vietnam’s East Sea and a joint submission with Malaysia in respect to the southern part of the area in 2009.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Its claims were invalidated in a 2016 ruling by the international arbitral tribunal. Beijing rejected the arbitral award in favor of the Philippines.
Portions of the strategic waterway, where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks.
Vietnam also sent a note verbale to the secretary general of the United Nations to state Hanoi’s position regarding the Philippines’ similar submission filed last month, the foreign ministry said.
“Vietnam once again affirms its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos in accordance with international law,” it said. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), coastal states like the Philippines are entitled to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf, comprising the seabed and the subsoil of submarine areas, beyond its 370-km exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but not exceeding 648 km (350 nm).
On June 14, the Philippines filed a submission before the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) asking the body to establish the Philippine’s ECS in the West Philippine Sea, specifically the western Palawan region.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) took note of Hanoi’s July 17 submission.
“The Philippines affirms its claim to its extended continental shelf in the western Palawan Region consistent with its maritime entitlements under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), as demonstrated by our ECS submission made on June 14,” the DFA said in a statement on Thursday.
“Nevertheless, we acknowledge Vietnam’s right, as a coastal state like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured,” it added.
The DFA said the Philippines was “ready to engage” with Hanoi on “possible ways forward that would help achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues, in accordance with international law, particularly Unclos.”
Besides filing its own extended continental shelf claim on Wednesday, Vietnam also protested against the Philippines’ ECS claim—making it the third country, after China and Malaysia, to reject Manila’s submission.
Hanoi said in a note verbale that it “resolutely rejects” and “cannot accept” the Philippines’ ECS claim, citing overlap with Vietnam’s 370-km continental shelf, which violated its “inherent sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”
But Vietnam reiterated that it was still open to discussing and negotiating the matter with the Philippines, in accordance with Unclos.
It requested the ECS commission to “refrain from considering” the Philippines’ submission “until all the relevant issues have been resolved by Vietnam and the Philippines.”
In a June 27 diplomatic communication, Malaysia’s permanent UN mission said Kuala Lumpur has never recognized the Philippines’ claim to its eastern state of Sabah.
“The Government of Malaysia categorically rejects the Philippines’ Partial Submission on the basis that the Republic of the Philippines’ continental margin is projected from the baselines of the Malaysian state of Sabah,” it said. “This clearly disregards Malaysia’s indisputable sovereignty over the state of Sabah.”
The Malaysian government further appealed to the UN body “not to examine and qualify” the Philippines’ continental shelf claim. China protest
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that China opposed and protested against Vietnam’s claims.
He said Vietnam’s ECS “infringes on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests” and violated international law, including the UN Charter and Unclos, and the bilateral agreement between China and Vietnam on settling their maritime dispute.
Lin also repeated China’s protests against the Philippines’ submission. He said that under CLCS rules, submissions would not be reviewed if there was an existing dispute and the UN body would not evaluate the ECS submissions of Vietnam and the Philippines. “Such submissions do not have any practical effect but will only accentuate differences and exacerbate frictions, which will in no way help resolve the disputes,” Lin said.
But he said China was committed to handling the maritime conflicts through “dialogue and consultation.”
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A bicameral committee of the Philippine Congress on Wednesday approved a proposed law defining the country’s maritime zones and one of the authors of the bill on Thursday said its enactment would strengthen the Philippines’ legal rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Negros Occidental Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez said the proposed Maritime Zones Act would integrate international law into the national framework and delineate the Philippines’ maritime domains, such as internal waters and archipelagic waters, territorial seas, contiguous zones, EEZ and ECS. It would boost the Philippines’ assertion of its maritime entitlements over the West Philippine Sea, Benitez said. —WITH REPORTS FROM REUTERS, CARLA GOMEZ AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
For comprehensive coverage, in-depth analysis, visit our special page for West Philippine Sea updates. Stay informed with articles, videos, and expert opinions.
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SMC, Ayala offer lower rates for Meralco’s clean energy needs | Jordeene B. Lagare | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:24:00 PST | Subsidiaries of the San Miguel and Ayala groups have offered lower rates for Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) renewable energy supply needs totaling 500 megawatts (MW).
In a statement on Thursday, the power distributor said San Roque Hydropower Inc. (SRHI), Gigasol3 Inc. and Santa Cruz Solar Energy Inc. (SCSEI) offered to supply its clean energy requirements at rates below bid prices.
SRHI is one of the subsidiaries under listed conglomerate San Miguel Corp. through San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp. while Gigasol3 and SCSEI are part of Ayala Corp.’s listed energy platform, ACEN Corp.
READ: Meralco seeks bids for 500-MW renewable energy supply
All three entities submitted bids below the P8.2380 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) reserve price set by Meralco for the competitive selection process.
SHRI gave the lowest offer price of P7.10 per kWh for the supply of 340 MW. Gigasol3 proposed P8.1819 per kWh for 139 MW, while SCSEI is selling at P8.1998 per kWh for 21 MW.
Meralco said the offers underwent a “stringent” pass/fail completeness assessment and prequalification evaluation, but a postqualification assessment was still needed.
Meralco has yet to set a schedule for the announcement of the winning bidder or bidders.
READ: Meralco group secures P2.9-B funding for solar farms in Nueva Ecija, Isabela
Once finalized, the agreement will last for 10 years. It will cover Meralco’s 350-MW mid-merit requirement beginning February 2025, increasing by 150 MW come February 2026.
Mid-merit refers to supply fed into the transmission system to fill any gap in the stockpile caused by a shoot up in demand.
Electricity suppliers including Meralco are mandated by the Department of Energy to procure a part of their annual energy demand from eligible renewable energy sources via the latter’s Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Meralco has so far contracted 1,880 MW of renewable capacity from various suppliers—exceeding its initial target of 1,500 MW.
“Through its strategic sourcing initiatives, renewable energy is expected to account for 22 percent of Meralco’s supply portfolio by 2030,” it added.
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While renewable energy is criticized for being more expensive than fossil-based fuels, economies around the world are pushing for a more widespread use of cleaner sources to combat climate change. The Philippines is hoping to increase the share of renewable energy in the power mix to 35 percent by 2030 from the current 22 percent.
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LPA brings flood, landslides in parts of Visayas | Joey Gabieta, Nestle Semilla-Dakay | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:06:00 PST | MURKY WATER Residents of Isabel town in Leyte wade through a flooded street following a heavy downpour spawned by a low pressure area on July 17. —ISABEL MUNICIPAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT OFFICE PHOTO
MURKY WATER Residents of Isabel town in Leyte wade through a flooded street following a heavy downpour spawned by a low pressure area on July 17. —ISABEL MUNICIPAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT OFFICE PHOTO
TACLOBAN CITY—While Mindanao continues to reel from last week’s intense rains that displaced over half a million residents, heavy rains spawned by a low-pressure area (LPA) have also caused flooding and landslides in several areas in the Visayas since Wednesday.
In Leyte province, 246 families composed of 940 individuals evacuated to barangay halls due to flooding since Wednesday, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Eastern Visayas (DSWD 8).
Lawyer Jonalyndie Chua, regional information officer of DSWD 8, on Thursday said that among those flooded areas in Leyte were Baybay City and the towns of Isabel, Matag-ob and Palompon.
Also flooded were Arteche, Quinapondan and Llorente towns in Eastern Samar.
READ: LPA spotted outside PAR but it won’t affect PH, says Pagasa
“We are ready to provide food assistance to these affected families,” she said.
Chua said their office has prepositioned over 129,000 food packs, ready for distribution to areas affected by the flooding caused by the LPA.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Eastern Visayas has suspended interisland trips, including the Kawayan-Biliran-Naval routes in Biliran province, starting at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.
“The suspension of sea travel is expected to be lifted once the weather improves,” the PCG said in a statement.
At 3 p.m. on Thursday, the LPA was estimated in the vicinity of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro while the southwest monsoon was affecting Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
The combination of the LPA and the southwest monsoon would bring heavy to intense rain in these areas, the Pagasa said.
In Cebu, heavy rains also caused floods and landslides in some parts of the island, reports from the different local disaster risk reduction management offices (DRRMOs) of towns and cities in the province.
The DRRMOs said flooding was particularly heavy along the northern mainland towns of San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Daanbantayan, Catmon and Medellin; on nearby Bantayan Island, located in the northern tip of Cebu; and in mainland Bogo City.
In southern Cebu province, landslides were reported in parts of Naga City and Catmon towns.
Pagasa said that the Visayas recorded high rainfall volumes in Cebu on Wednesday.
The highest was recorded in Tuburan town, which reached 124.55 millimeters (mm) or equivalent to 622,500 drums per square kilometer.
In Madridejos town on Bantayan Island, the rainfall reached 91 mm while Danao City, recorded 75.5 mm of rainfall, according to Pagasa.
Wednesday’s rainfall in Tuburan already represented half of the total rainfall expected on the island for July.
According to the state weather bureau, Cebu is projected to have an average rainfall of 210.6 mm for the entire month of July.
Jhomer Eclarino, weather specialist of Pagasa Visayas, said on Thursday that the weather was expected to improve in the coming days but cautioned the public to be careful since the ground has been softened by several days of rain in Cebu, making landslides still possible in parts of the province.
“It is less possible that the LPA will develop into a typhoon. But let us not be complacent,” he said.
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According to Pagasa, there is a 70-percent chance that the La Niña phenomenon, which would bring downpours to the country, will start in August this year and last until March next year.
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Peso may rally to 56:$1 by year-end, think tank says | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:28:00 PST | The Philippine peso is seen to appreciate back to the 57-level against the US dollar in the third quarter as more evidence of softening of the US economy began to emerge, which could weigh on the greenback.
In its latest quarterly forecast, London-based Capital Economics said the local unit may trade at around 57.3 versus the US dollar in the third quarter.
By the final quarter of the year, Capital Economics projects the peso to appreciate to 56. If realized, it would match the low end of the Marcos administration’s 56 to 58 foreign exchange assumption for 2024.
READ: Peso slides to 58 to $1
Jonathan Petersen, senior markets economist at Capital Economics, said the dollar could come under pressure as more cracks emerge in the US economy. Latest data showed that the US jobless rate had gone up in June while US manufacturing activity softened.
“The key emerging risk for the dollar now seems to be a weakening economy pushing Treasury yields even lower than we expect, even if it might benefit from a short-lived ‘safe-haven’ bid if ‘risky’ assets falter,” Petersen said in a commentary.
“The strength of the US economy relative to the rest of the world is increasingly important to the outlook for the dollar. In recent weeks, data releases suggest the US economy is losing momentum relative to other major economies,” he added.
After sinking near the record-low 59 due to diverging rate outlook in the United States and dovish remarks from officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the peso managed to reverse some of its losses and is now trading at around 58.20 per dollar.
READ: Improving peso boosts index
BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. earlier struck a more dovish tone, hinting that the central bank might cut the policy rate by a total of 50 basis points (bps) this year—with the first 25-bp cut possibly in August and ahead of the US Federal Reserve.
But there are some market watchers who pointed out that the BSP cannot ease ahead of the Fed. This is because the peso may come under pressure if local yields become less attractive to foreign investors seeking high returns while interest rates are still high elsewhere, especially in the United States, which is considered a safe haven by investors.
A sharp local currency slump could risk fanning inflation by making imports more expensive. It can also bloat the peso value of foreign debts held by the government and Philippine companies.
Moving forward, Capital Economics is expecting the greenback to face some turbulence.
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“Economic data surprises in the US are now undershooting expectations relative to the global measure, implying the global backdrop is increasingly a headwind for the greenback,” Petersen said. —Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral
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Angara lists achievements in Senate resignation letter | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:14:00 PST | | PHOTOS: Official Faacebook page of DepEd and Senate PRIB
| PHOTOS: Official Faacebook page of DepEd and Senate PRIB
Shortly before he took over as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara resigned from the Senate.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Francis Escudero, Angara said his resignation would take effect on Thursday, July 18.
“I have served our countrymen through the Senate of the Philippines for 11 years. And in that period, I have been able to shepherd landmark legislation making quality education and health care more accessible; increasing the take-home pay of our workers; increasing the social pensions of senior citizens; exempting persons with disabilities from the value-added tax; giving incentives to our national athletes and coaches; and providing bigger support to Tatak Pinoy industries, among many others,” Angara said in his resignation letter.
READ: Angara resigns from Senate to take DepEd chief post
“The portfolio that I will be taking on as DepEd Secretary is riddled with very serious challenges. But I am confident that with your support and [that] of the rest of my colleagues at the Senate, these challenges are surmountable,” he added.
Angara takes over the DepEd post on July 19 from Vice President Sara Duterte. —TINA G. SANTOS
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PCCI pushes for ‘tiered’ phaseout of Pogos | Alden M. Monzon, Russel Loreto | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:40:00 PST | Chinese POGO workers composite image from INQUIRER file and stock photos
Chinese POGO workers composite image from INQUIRER file and stock photos
The country’s largest business organization said on Thursday it was supporting a staggered phaseout of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in consideration of possible ripple effects this could have on other sectors.
“We support a tiered phaseout of Pogo operations in the country. First, we call for the immediate closure of all Pogos operating illegally and without operating licenses,” Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Enunina Mangio said in a statement.
“Second, we call on [the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., or Pagcor] and other government agencies involved in regulating the Pogo business, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Immigration, to carefully review the mandates from licenses, work licenses and tax obligations of the Pogo operators,” she added.
READ: Marcos urged to cancel licenses of Chinese Pogos
Mangio acknowledged that Pogos pose social threats, describing the industry as a breeding ground for crime, scams and human rights violations.
But the PCCI warned that their haphazard, indiscriminate and sudden closure could lead to job losses and the displacement of businesses and industries.
Mangio said sectors that may be affected include food services, administrative support, transport services and financial institutions with outstanding loans to Pogos.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri also supported a staggered ban on Pogos over “one to two years to transition, then totally ban them already.”
“The revenue earned is not enough to justify their continued stay which results to criminality and immorality. Illegal trafficking of women, illegal employment of workers pretending to be tourists, prostitution, kidnapping, gunrunning and murders remain unabated by mainland Chinese Pogo operators,” he said.
“It’s time to clamp down and phase it out completely,” he said in a Viber message to reporters.
On July 15 and July 16, retired Supreme Court Justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales, along with other members of the University of the Philippines (UP) Law Class of 1975 and organizations, wrote open letters urging President Marcos to act on Pogos. These were followed by two more open letters also seeking a ban.
One of the letters dated July 16 was signed by residents of Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City, who cited numerous criminal incidents involving Chinese lessees who work for Pogos. The second letter dated July 17 was signed by UP alumni.
All four letters argued that Pogos were operating illegally, citing a Chinese law that prohibits all forms of gambling and that Pagcor was violating its own regulations. They also urged Mr. Marcos to order Pagcor to cancel the licenses of Pogos serving the Chinese market.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Makati Business Club, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and Management Association of the Philippines said they “fully support” the recommendations of the Department of Finance and National Economic and Development Authority to ban Pogos. Other signatories were the Foundation for Economic Freedom, Justice Reform Initiative and UP School of Economics Alumni Association.
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The clamor for a ban has grown in the past few years following an increase in illegal activities linked to Pogos, which include kidnapping, torture and human trafficking, among other crimes. —WITH A REPORT FROM TINA G. SANTOS
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PH Navy foils ‘hundreds’ of hacking attempts | Frances Mangosing, Krixia Subingsubing | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:32:00 PST | NBI arrested three suspects in cybersecurity breach at the Philippine Navy.
NBI arrested three suspects in cybersecurity breach at the Philippine Navy.
After successfully fending off “hundreds of attempts to breach” its cybersecurity systems, the Philippine Navy is investigating one of its own members for allegedly taking part in hacking its network and downloading its database.
Navy public affairs chief Cmdr. John Percie Alcos on Thursday said the Navy’s “insider threat program” was able to detect an intrusion carried out by a group of hackers called Blood Security International (BloodSec) where one of their personnel was supposedly a member.
Members of the BloodSec were also involved in other similar incidents, such as the 2016 hacking of the Commission on Elections website, but most of their members have already been arrested, according to National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago.
READ: Hacker apologizes for PH Navy cybersecurity breach
The Navy was able to respond quickly before the hackers could advance far into the network.
“We get hundreds of attempts to breach our systems but so far the NICTC (Naval Information and Communications Technology Center) has not reported any actual successful breaches in our systems,” he said.
“We’ve diligently taken our immediate measures, that’s why the second and third attempts were not very successful,” he said in a joint press conference with the NBI in Quezon City.
“We are currently intensifying cybersecurity measures across all fronts. We are enhancing our monitoring systems, conducting regular vulnerability assessments, and enforcing training programs for our personnel,” he said.
The Navy member voluntarily surrendered when informed that he was tagged as a “person of interest” following the network infiltration detection, Alcos said. The Navy declined to identify whether he was a civilian or a uniformed personnel.
It also did not provide details of when the hacking happened, pending an investigation.
One of the Navy personnel’s hacking group companions was able to obtain 10 gigabyte worth of data, including the “disposition of vessels” in the West Philippine Sea, dating back to 2022 that “can be considered as open source information” shared to the media during regular press briefings, Alcos noted.
Two civilians supposedly “in constant communication” with the Navy personnel—Daniel Xavier Valdez and Anikin Luke Abales—were arrested in separate operations by the NBI on Tuesday in relation to the hacking incident
All three individuals, who are now facing charges for violating the Cybersecurity Prevention Act and Data Privacy Act, were presented to the media during the press conference.
Naval Inspector General Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Navy personnel involved would face appropriate sanctions and an investigation was also underway to find out whether there were other members within the organization involved.
He also played down the threat of the recent hacking attempt on the Navy’s security.
“From the mindset of a hacker, it’s more of the accomplishment that you were able to breach, not so much the data. They get their sense of fulfillment from being able to breach or break through your [system],” he said.
In Congress, Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, chair of the House committee on information and communications technology, on Thursday called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to conduct a comprehensive review of its existing programs and policies amid the recent surge in cyberattacks and data breaches against government systems.
In a statement, he said the recent spate of cases, as well as the country’s high ranking in global data breach cases, “underscored the urgent need for more robust measures to protect our nation’s digital infrastructure and the data of Filipinos.”
“The DICT should adopt a proactive approach similar to how doctors address health concerns—prevention is key. While we appreciate the efforts of the agency, these must be complemented by preventive measures against cybercrimes,” he said.
“Our regulatory policies must adapt to the evolving nature of cybercrimes. Without robust digital infrastructure, Filipinos remain vulnerable to privacy breaches, fraud and other cybercrimes,” he added.
Tiangco’s statement came after the Department of Migrant Workers recently suspended its online services following a ransomware attack.
The latest report by Surfshark, a Norway-based virtual private network provider, ranked the Philippines 29th out of 250 countries and territories in terms of data breaches in the second quarter of 2024.
Although the same survey recorded a sharp decrease in incidents, from 7.7 million cases in the first quarter to over 385,000, the high global ranking remains alarming, Tiangco said.
Last April, the same House panel led a hearing that revealed more than 30,000 vulnerabilities in at least 2,002 state-owned digital assets, such as files, photos, videos and databases.
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Based on their assessment, the top 10 agencies that were most at risk for critical incidents were the DICT, Department of Health, Department of Transportation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine National Police, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the President.
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The Whos and Whats of the Miss World Philippines 2024 coronation night | Armin P. Adina | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 07:00:01 PST | Thirty-three ladies are competing in this year’s Miss World Philippines pageant./ARMIN P. ADINA
After skipping a year, again, the Miss World Philippines pageant will finally crown a new queen on Friday night, July 19, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
It had earlier canceled its 2020 pageant because of the pandemic, while the 2023 postponement was a result of the international Miss World competition’s repeated scheduling changes.
Here are some of the things to expect from the national pageant this year:
Reigning Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol (left) and reigning Miss World Krystyna Pyszkova / ARMIN P. ADINA
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Garcia requests NBI to probe bribe allegations anew | Zacarian Sarao | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 04:28:38 PST | George Erwin Garcia FILE PHOTO
George Erwin Garcia FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Poll chief George Erwin Garcia has once again asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe allegations that he supposedly received bribes from a South Korean firm.
This, after Garcia on July 9 appealed to the NBI to look into allegations that he received bribes through offshore bank accounts.
READ: Garcia to NBI: Probe bribery raps, ‘it’s a demolition job vs Comelec’
In another letter on Thursday, Garcia once again implored the NBI to conduct an investigation “to clear his name.”
“This investigation is essential to clear my name and support any related prosecution. These fabrications, apart from being criminal, appear to be aimed at sowing mistrust in our electoral system, manipulating our procurement system, and influencing ongoing cases before our courts,” Garcia said.
He then urged the NBI to also take into account the sworn waiver he earlier issued involving the bank accounts included in a certain document or “white paper” he received from former Caloocan congressman Edgar Erice.
“I am requesting the AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) and the NBI to fully exercise their authority, including invoking Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and other international cooperation mechanisms, to seek assistance from foreign jurisdictions in verifying the existence of these alleged bank accounts,”
“This should include engaging with global counterparts and relevant financial intelligence units to ensure a comprehensive and transparent investigation,” he added.
He also requested the AMLC to “confirm the possibility of cooperation with foreign jurisdictions to complete the investigation and to work with the NBI.”
Garcia, himself, already verified across several domestic banks the existence of alleged local bank accounts linked to the bribes, but all banks have so far responded that the accounts associated with him were “non-existent.”
It was Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta who first revealed that at least P1 billion worth of funds were transferred from South Korean-based banks to 49 offshore accounts that are supposedly linked to an unnamed Comelec official.
READ: P1-B moved from foreign banks to poll exec’s offshore accounts – Marcoleta
Garcia then immediately admitted that he was the one Marcoleta was referring to, quickly denying the existence of such accounts.
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He also called out the lawmaker for not verifying the accusation first before publicizing it.
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Junk Quiboloy petition vs Senate, OSG asks SC | Jane Bautista | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:44:00 PST | Apollo Quiboloy
Apollo Quiboloy
Fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy is not playing by the rules. So why does he deserve the court’s protection?
This was the question posed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to the Supreme Court as it urged the high tribunal to dismiss Quiboloy’s petition challenging the Senate’s orders for his arrest and detention over his refusal to attend an inquiry into allegations against him.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader is also facing arrest on charges of child and sexual abuse and trafficking earlier filed in courts.
READ: P10 million reward offered for the arrest of fugitive Apollo Quiboloy
Based on the arrest order issued by former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri at the request of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, which is conducting the inquiry, Quiboloy “delayed, impeded and obstructed” the investigation into allegations of human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence against him.
In a 45-page comment filed on July 8, the Senate, represented by the OSG, urged the high court to reject the KOJC founder’s petition to void the upper chamber’s orders against her and to deny his request for a temporary restraining order.
State lawyers argued that the Senate inquiry was in aid of legislation and that the contempt, arrest, and detention orders were valid.
The OSG added that Quiboloy’s invocation of his constitutional right against self-incrimination was misplaced. He was not entitled to seek relief as he comes to court with “unclean hands.”
Citing publicly available sources, it said the fugitive preacher had “no intention” of submitting himself to the processes of the courts and the Senate, as he earlier declared that he “will not subject [himself] to injustices done under the cloak of a Senate hearing.”
The OSG said the clean hands doctrine required that a person who seeks equity must also do equity.
“Here, [the] petitioner has adamantly refused to attend Senate hearings. He issued public statements disparaging the hearings as ‘bogus’ and ‘incriminatory,’ calling the senators ‘charlatans’ and ‘liars,’” it added.
The OSG also criticized Quiboloy’s move to challenge the Senate to file cases against him in courts about the allegations.
“However, now that actual criminal cases are pending with the courts and warrants of arrest have been issued, petitioner is nowhere to be found,” it said.
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Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos announced a P10-million reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of Quiboloy, who has evaded authorities for more than three months.
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NBI-Davao sees birth certificate syndicate; fixers, notaries tagged | Joselle R. Badilla | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:34:00 PST | INQUIRER.net file photo
INQUIRER.net file photo
DAVAO CITY – Charges are being prepared against those found involved in the issuance of spurious birth certificates to Chinese nationals in Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur, the regional office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) here said on Wednesday.
At least two alleged “fixers” have been identified and five to seven notaries public have been tagged in the ongoing investigation, according to an NBI official here.
NBI-Davao Director Arcelito Albao confirmed the discovery of up to 1,200 questionable documents coming from the local civil registrar (LCR) of Sta. Cruz, all released between 2016 and 2021. Last week, initial NBI findings placed the number at around 200, covering the period from 2018 to 2019.
Albao said the certificates were all issued to Chinese nationals who assumed Filipino names through late registration of birth.
“There is money involved. There’s a syndicate behind this and we are tracing the fixers and their addresses,” he said in a press briefing.
READ: NBI Davao uncovers ‘200 falsified birth certificates’ issued to Chinese
“We already identified one or two (fixers) and there is a possibility some of the LCR officers or employees of that particular municipality are involved in this. There are fixers coming from Luzon, Manila. They have a contact in Sta. Cruz,” the official added.
The investigation is also checking the involvement of about five to seven notaries public in the scheme.
In a statement, Sta. Cruz Mayor Jose Nelson Sala Sr. said the municipal civil registrar had long been relieved of the post and reassigned to another office.
But because of the controversy that came to light only last week, Sala said, the “concerned person”—whom he did not identify—was given until yesterday to explain.
According to the mayor, a parallel investigation by the local government had so far discovered around 1,400 late birth registrations made in the town in the period covered by the NBI probe. Validations are ongoing to check the documents for fraudulent entries, he added.
“We do not tolerate this kind of illegal transaction under my administration,” Sala said.
Albao said the NBI would also seek the cancellation of the birth certificates, and that the bureau had asked for more documents issued by the Sta. Cruz LCR before 2016 and after 2021.
Last week, charges for violation of the passport law and falsification of public documents, among others, were filed against a 21-year-old Chinese national, Qui Hen Lin, who allegedly assumed the Filipino identity of Hengson Limosnero based on a falsified birth certificate he obtained from Sta. Cruz in 2013.
Albao said they got Lin’s records from the Bureau of Immigration, confirming his identity as a Chinese national.
Lin was arrested on July 9 after he applied for a Philippine passport at the Davao consular office here of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). This was after the DFA alerted the NBI when the man provided contradictory statements about his identity and could not speak the local language widely used in Sta. Cruz, which he claimed to be his place of birth.
According to Albao, when he was still assigned in NBI Pampanga about a decade ago, the town of Sta. Cruz would already crop up when his fellow agents apprehended foreign nationals—sometimes even Filipinos—for using falsified birth certificates.
“But it is only now that this has directly come to the light because of the West Philippine Sea (maritime dispute with China) and the investigation on the Philippine offshore gaming [operators],” he added.
The “worst scenario” here, he said, is “after they have that birth certificate, they consider themselves as Filipino, making them eligible to purchase properties, have a driver’s license already, a national ID.”
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“For us, it poses a threat to national security,’’ he added. —With A report from Germelina Lacorte
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Playing for Janisa Johnson, Petro Gazz debuts with rout of ZUS | Angel B. Dukha III | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:20:00 PST | Brooke van Sickle leads Petro Gazz Angels in the PVL Reinforced Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Brooke van Sickle leads Petro Gazz Angels in the PVL Reinforced Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Brooke van Sickle leads Petro Gazz Angels in the PVL Reinforced Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Brooke van Sickle leads Petro Gazz Angels in the PVL Reinforced Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
With the return of the Reinforced Conference in the PVL this season, there is some pressure and at the same time added motivation for two-time defending champion Petro Gazz.
“We did a good job last [conference] and there’s definitely pressure for sure this conference cause [we’re champions] back-to-back in the Reinforced,” Brooke Van Sickle, the MVP last conference, said after helping the Angels sweep rebranded ZUS Coffee, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21, on Thursday.
“There can be pressure, but we just gotta take it day-by-day and make sure to just stay calm and … try our best,” Van Sickle went on after dropping 22 points on the Thunderbelles. “At the end of the day, if it doesn’t happen, at least [we’ll] be happy with our performance and [have] no regrets, basically.” With a familiar face in Wilma Salas reinforcing them, the Angels are also playing for a departed teammate in Janisa Johnson, who together with Salas helped Petro Gazz to its first title in 2019.
Johnson, who lost her battle to colon cancer just over two months ago, was the Finals MVP in that conference while Salas was the Best Foreign Guest Player after outlasting Creamline in the Finals.
Lindsey Vander Weide, now playing in the more lucrative European league, led the Angels to the crown in 2022, the last time an import-flavored conference was played.
“Well for sure sad, because Janisa is not here in this life. I came to dedicate this conference to Janisa so every point, every game, we think of Janisa,” Salas said. “[I miss] her amazing smile every time. I missed it so much about JJ because she pushed and she is very smart. I miss her so much.”
Along with Salas, who chipped in 15 points, the entire team wore Johnson’s number 10 on their uniform. Incidentally, Van Sickle wears that number now and by all accounts, is giving justice to it.
“I felt like it was very right, all the teammates who ever played with her, everyone was onboard with it and I think it was a wonderful decision by management to show that support and everything. Prayers out to her and her family,” Van Sickle said.
Van Sickle, unlike in her debut in the All-Filipino Conference where she struggled to shake off the jitters, immediately made her presence felt as the Angels also announced their readiness to defend by giving the Thunderbelles zero chance of an upset.
Still, the game dripped with emotion as the Angels made it known that it played for Johnson. “I personally wasn’t able to meet her, but everything I’ve heard was just wonderful things. Everyone has so much love for her. We actually met one of her best friends (Malina Terrell who tried out for Petro Gazz) a couple of weeks ago,” she added.
“Birds of the same feather flock together, the friend was amazing, so I’m assuming [Johnson’s] just as amazing, too,” Van Sickle said. “I wish I could have been able to watch her play and play with her, but I’m happy to be able to be wearing the same number and hopefully I can continue to play well and get that win for her. So we’ll try.”
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PSEI rises past 6,700 as peso firms up vs US dollar | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:12:00 PST | The strengthening of the Philippine peso cheered up investors on Thursday, with the benchmark index breaching the 6,700 level after nearly three months.
By the end of the session, the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) added 0.26 percent, or 17.3 points, to 6,705.01.
Meanwhile, the broader All Shares Index inched up by 0.23 percent, or 8.24 points, to 3,602.86.
READ: Improving peso boosts index
A total of 1.08 billion shares worth P4.61 billion changed hands as foreigners made net purchases worth P385.96 million, stock exchange data showed.
Mikhail Plopenio, researcher at Philstocks Financial Inc., said investors perked up due to the “continuous improvement of the Philippine peso against the US dollar.”
The local currency closed trading at 58.25 against the US dollar on Thursday after approaching earlier this month the record weakest exchange rate of 59:$1 that was reached in 2022.London-based think tank Capital Economics also said the peso may return to the 57:$1 level by the end of the year due to a “weakening” US economy.
Banks led the gainers with a 2.55-percent increase, buoyed by Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands’ (BPI) rally after posting a record first-semester profit of P30.6 billion, up by 21.5 percent.
READ: Asian markets drop with Wall St as Biden sparks fresh chip fears
Ayala Land Inc. was the top-traded stock as it slipped by 2.21 percent to P30.95 per share.
It was followed by BPI, which surged by 4.3 percent to P126; BDO Unibank Inc., up 2.22 percent to P142.50; SM Prime Holdings Inc., unchanged at P29.80; and SM Investments Corp., down 2.28 percent to P902 each.
Other actively traded stocks were International Container Terminal Services Inc., down 0.38 percent to P363; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., up 1.33 percent to P68.50; GT Capital Holdings Inc., up 1.68 percent to P607; Philex Petroleum Corp., which plunged by 7.78 percent to P4.15; and Universal Robina Corp., up 0.17 percent to P119.
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Losers edged out gainers, 89 to 80, while 59 companies closed unchanged. —Meg J. Adonis
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Producers of first 5 MMFF entries under pressure to ‘make it right’ | Marinel Cruz | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:10:00 PST | Representatives of the first five Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries, with MMFF organizers and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan (fifth from left) and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (seventh from left) —MARINEL CRUZ
Representatives of the first five Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries, with MMFF organizers and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan (fifth from left) and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (seventh from left) —MARINEL CRUZ
More than achieving box-office success, the tremendous pressure felt by two producers—out of the five Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries that were announced on Tuesday—comes from wanting to make their films right.
Pepe Diokno, director of the entry “Himala, Isang Musikal,” explained: “Yes, we’re feeling the pressure. We want to get this right. Dapat talaga maganda. The source material is a classic. It is a collaboration of three National Artists for Film: director Ishmael Bernal, writer Ricky Lee and actor Nora Aunor.”
The movie “Himala” was released in 1982. Some years later, Lee turned it into a stage musical with the music of Vince de Jesus, Diokno noted. “It has been staged at the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines), and twice in Makati, with the latest staging featuring Aicelle (Santos) and Bituin (Escalante). That’s the version that we will bring to film,” Diokno told Inquirer Entertainment shortly after the grand launch of the 50th edition of the MMFF held at Bulwagang Antonio Villegas, inside the Manila City Hall.
“Himala” is a production of Kapitol Films and UXS. The other festival finalists are the following: Zig Dulay’s “Green Bones,” starring Dennis Trillo for GMA Pictures; Kerwin Go’s “Strange Frequencies: Haunted Hospital,” featuring Enrique Gil and Jane de Leon for Reality MM Studios; Michael Tuviera’s “The Kingdom,” with Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual for APT Entertainment, M-Zet Productions and MQuest Ventures; and Jun Robles Lana’s “And the Breadwinner is…,” starring Vice Ganda and Eugene Domingo for ABS-CBN Films and The IdeaFirst Company.
“Himala, Isang Musikal” director Pepe Diokno (right) and producer Madonna Tarrayo —MARINEL CRUZ
The remaining five entries will be announced in October, or two months before the festival’s two-week run that will begin on Christmas Day.
“We feel pressured in every movie that we make. More than its success at the box-office, we hope for people to like it,” said Perci Intalan, producer of “And the Breadwinner is…”
“This is why everyone in the production is working really hard to make this right, from Direk Jun to our award-winning cinematographer Carlo Mendoza, and our editor Benjamin Tolentino. Even Vice is making sure that his overall look on this project is perfect. Kinarir talaga!”
Intalan continued: “Jun and Meme (Vice Ganda’s nickname) sat down to talk about both the dramatic and comedic parts of the film. There’s drama because Vice plays a character that’s grounded, one who is a breadwinner and an OFW (overseas Filipino worker). We all know how Direk Jun works. It’s important for him that a character is whole and solid.”
“We also feel pressured because everyone seems to expect Vice to win an award for this,” Intalan added. “We’re thankful that a lot of our projects resulted in awards for Tito Eddie (Garcia, ‘Bwakaw’), Eugene (Domingo, ‘Barber’s Tale’), LJ (Reyes, ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan’) and Paolo (Ballesteros, ‘Die Beautiful’). As for Jun, he would always say, ‘I hope they won’t rely on me for that, but I will do my best.’ Based on what I’ve observed, from Vice’s preparations to his collaboration with his director, it seems that he is on the right path. It’s similar to what I saw when Direk Jun worked with Tito Eddie, Uge and Paolo. I’m just happy that they gel together,” Intalan said.
Piolo Pascual costars with Vic Sotto in “The Kingdom.” —PIOLO PASCUAL/INSTAGRAM
The event on Tuesday served as the kickoff of the festival’s 50th edition, which carries the theme “Sine-Sigla sa Singkwenta.” It highlighted the MMFF’s significant contribution to the local film industry, as well as its role in bolstering the country’s creative economy by generating jobs. First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was the event’s guest of honor. It was also attended by Honey Lacuna-Pangan, mayor of Manila, which serves as the host city this year.
The ceremony was led by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Romando Artes and MMFF selection committee head Boots Anson-Rodrigo. “I just want to mention that since 2016, the amusement tax has been waived by our LGUs (local government units) for the MMFF and is given 100 percent to its beneficiaries, particularly the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Film Academy of the Philippines, Motion Picture Anti-Film Piracy Council, Optical Media Board and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. This is a form of support to our hardworking industry workers,” declared Artes. The MMDA is the overall organizer of the MMFF.
Vice Ganda (right) with Jun Robles Lana, director of “And the Breadwinner is…” —VICE GANDA/INSTAGRAM
Hosts Jake Ejercito and Isabelle Daza announced the series of monthly activities planned to commemorate the MMFF’s milestone anniversary. Scheduled in August is the launch of the MMFF posters mural, while in September, the “Sine-Singkwenta,” which features 50 selected movies to be shown in theaters for only P50.
In October, they will stage the “regional launch” of “#MMFF50,” including a student film caravan at the University of Manila. This will feature a two-day masterclass on directing, acting, cinematography and scriptwriting for 100 senior high school and college students. Additionally, there will also be a celebrity golf tournament and an #MMFF50 masterclass with international Filipino screenwriters, producers and animators.
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The annual Parade of the Stars will be on Dec. 15, while the “Movie Premiere” series will be from Dec. 15 to Dec. 20. There will be a Sponsors’ Night on Dec. 21, while the highly anticipated Gabi ng Parangal will be on Dec. 27.
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Almost 500 former NPA rebels seek amnesty | John Eric Mendoza | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 01:22:57 PST | File photo of the New People’s Army. INQUIRER / ERWIN MASCARIÑAS
File photo of the New People’s Army. INQUIRER / ERWIN MASCARIÑAS
MANILA, Philippines — Almost 500 former communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels applied for amnesty, according to the National Amnesty Commission (NAC).
The NAC has reported a total of 497 applications, as stated by Ernesto Torres Jr., undersecretary and executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
However, this is only a tiny fraction of about 39,000 to 40,000 former NPA members eligible for amnesty, according to NAC Commissioner Jamar Kulayan.
READ: Gov’t expanding amnesty program for Reds, eyes 1,500 more NPAs
Nevertheless, Torres said the former NPA rebels still have plenty of time to avail of the program, which will last until March 6, 2026.
“Return to the fold of the law and live in peace with your families,” Torres said in a statement on Thursday.
Citing NAC, the NTF-Elcac said there are now nine Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) in “strategic areas” across the country, namely: Metro Manila, the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo in Visayas; and the cities of Cotabato, Pagadian, Davao, Isabela, Jolo, Sulu, and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao.
The LABs serve as centers where NPA rebels can avail of amnesty, but only for political crimes or crimes committed in pursuit of political beliefs.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), whose armed wing is the NPA, previously rejected the government’s amnesty offer.
However, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines— the CPP’s political arm — and the government, also agreed in November 2023 to come up with a framework to restart the peace talks.
Established on March 29, 1969, the NPA wages the world’s longest Maoist insurgency.—Moss Laygo, trainee
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Navy chief says China ship off Lubang Island was doing innocent passage | Faith Argosino | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:28:23 PST | MANILA, Philippines — The presence of a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship near Lubang Island, now located west of Palawan, was deemed as an innocent passage.
“Hindi siya bawal sapagkat under Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) they could go through the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of a coastal state under freedom of navigation. Pag sa territorial sea naman 12 nautical miles from the baseline that is an innocent passage,” Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in an interview over DZBB.
(They are not forbidden to pass through because, under Unclos, they could go through the EEZ of a coastal state under freedom of navigation. In the territorial sea, 12 nautical miles from the innocent passage baseline.)
READ: West Philippine Sea: China Coast Guard’s ‘monster ship’ still in Escoda – PCG
Under Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a passage may be deemed innocent “so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State.”
West Philippine Sea (WPS) monitor Ray Powell revealed last July 14 that a 135-meter CCG ship with hull number 5303 was within the country’s EZZ.
The ship was spotted some 60 nautical miles (nm) west of Lubang Island and is now loitering around Seahorse Shoal west of Palawan.
Screengrab from X
Aside from this, CCG’s “monster ship” 5901 remains anchored within Escoda (Sabina) Shoal.
But Trinidad assured the public they were monitoring the two ships and aware of their whereabouts.
Reports said CCG’s gigantic patrol cutter, also the largest coast guard vessel in the world, had been deployed off Escoda Shoal on July 3.
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SEC, BIR join forces to curb tax evasion | Meg J. Adonis | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:10:00 PST | The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to share data that would help improve corporate tax collection.
Under the data sharing agreement signed by the two agencies on Wednesday, the SEC will provide supporting documents for tax assessments, while the BIR will provide the tax identification number verification for better identity validation.
“The partnership will support the implementation of the government’s 2024 National Tax Campaign, which aims to generate funds through timely payment of correct taxes to drive economic recovery and development,” the SEC said in a statement.
READ: BIR: Online sellers must now pay withholding tax
The partnership with the BIR comes as part of the SEC’s launch of the Swift Corporate and Other Records Exchange (Score) Protocol project.
Through Score, the commission will streamline requests of other regulatory and enforcement agencies for company information, including articles of incorporation, general information sheet and audited financial statements.
Apart from the BIR, the SEC also plans to partner with other government agencies, including the Bureau of Customs, which could “leverage corporate data to improve the collection of customs duties, excise and other taxes.”
The commission also hinted at a possible collaboration with the Bureau of Immigration to monitor foreigners doing business in the Philippines, as well as the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System to “ensure the legitimacy” of companies joining the government procurement process.
Earlier, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto urged more cooperation between the SEC and the BIR, an attached agency of the Department of Finance, to help the government rake in more revenues.
Total government revenues last year increased by 7.86 percent to P3.82 trillion, data from the Bureau of Treasury showed. This is 2.52 percent above the government’s P3.73-trillion target for the year.
Score was launched on Wednesday along with several other digital services as the SEC seeks to minimize paper use and promote digitalization.
READ: BIZ BUZZ: ‘Reverse’ SEC digitalization hit
The digital initiatives launched were the SEC Zuper Easy Registration Online (Zero), Electronic Submission Authentication Portal (eSAP), SEC Foreign Investments Registration Station (First) Green Lane Unit and the Electronic Application for Modification of Entity Name and Data (eAMEND).
“Ultimately, the SEC is harnessing digital technologies to champion sustainability and help accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals,” SEC chair Emilio Aquino said.
According to the commission, eSAP is integrated with SEC Zero for digital authentication of documents. These will have the same validity as an original certificate to eliminate the need for physical signing and notarization of documents, the regulator added.
At the same time, SEC First Green Lane Unit is expected to help boost foreign investments in the country by providing foreign applicants a separate online platform for registration.
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Online acceptance, processing and approval of payment for amendment applications of corporations, meanwhile, will be done through eAMEND. INQ
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A month’s rain dumped on Zamboanga City in a day | Edwin O. Fernandez, Julie S. Alipala, Williamor A. Magbanua | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:40:00 PST | CLEAN UP BEGINS Families in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, Zamboanga City, on Wednesday begin picking up the pieces from five days of battering by torrential rains that brought floods and landslides. —Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management photo
CLEAN UP BEGINS Families in Sitio Anuling, Barangay Pamucutan, Zamboanga City, on Wednesday begin picking up the pieces from five days of battering by torrential rains that brought floods and landslides. —Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management photo
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — While the local government here has prepared its disaster response outlook for the heavy rainfall that La Niña will bring, the volume of rain dumped into the city in the last few days was simply too much for its physical capacity to bear.
The city experienced torrential rains from July 11 to July 13, followed by intermittent rains on July 14 and July 15. Although there were only drizzles beginning on Tuesday, a gloomy sky cast over the city.
According to Rodel Inclan, officer in charge of the state weather bureau’s station here, the downpour on July 12 was the heaviest, at 170.2 millimeters in 24 hours.
READ: Pagasa: Tropical depression forms off Luzon; storm alert in Mindanao
“It was an extreme condition because the normal rainfall amount that we have for (the entire) July is actually only 115.3mm,” Inclan said, citing last year’s average rainfall for July. It was 84 years ago when the city experienced a similar condition, on July 9, 1940, Inclan added.
Inclan noted a noticeable change in weather patterns in the city.
READ: Pagasa: LPA, ‘habagat’ combine to bring rainy Wednesday to most of PH
“In the past years, we prepared boots, raincoats and umbrellas in July, August, September and October. But the pattern changed especially when we experienced La Niña and El Niño. For La Niña, we experienced rainfall from January to February… Now there are some changes, rainy days reach until December, and during the dry season, it becomes extreme,” he said.
The recent rains left more than half of the city underwater, said Elmeir Apolinario, city disaster risk reduction and management officer.
Based on the flood mapping made by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, 58 of the 98 barangays experienced either flooding, landslides and rockslides. Of these, 32 were severely battered by floods.
Apolinario confirmed that six persons died, two were buried by landslide in Barangay Pamucutan and four drowned after being swept by rampaging waters in the villages of Vitali, Calarian and Pamucutan.
The six were among 14 fatalities recorded in Mindanao, eight of whom were from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
City social welfare and development officer Maria Socorro Rojas said a total of 6,076 families or 18,358 individuals were displaced from their homes, housed in 41 evacuation centers.
In anticipation of La Niña, Rojas said they had prepositioned relief goods to increase their response time for delivering humanitarian aid.
In BARMM, amid reports of children getting ill in one evacuation center due to sanitation issues and absence of clean water, government relief agencies went all out to provide immediate relief and cushion the impact of the severe floods on its residents.
As floodwater began to recede in affected localities on Wednesday, the gloomy weather and occasional rain in the region continued to scare many residents, especially in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte towns situated within the 2,200-square-kilometer radius from the Liguasan marshland.
The calamity has affected 120,674 families, or 601,320 individuals, in 413 barangays across the region, the Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi), the disaster response arm of BARMM, reported.
Pagalungan town in Maguindanao del Sur had the most number of displaced population at 112,395 families, followed by Ligawasan in BARMM’s Special Geographic Area with 10,793 households and Datu Montawal, also of Maguindanao del Sur, with 7,985 families, according to Leobelo Jofel Delicana, operations division chief of READi.
In an evacuation center in Barangay Fort Pikit of Ligawasan, 10 children, age 4 to 8, were stricken with diarrhea, according to village health worker Bairida Sangcupan.
She said the children who complained of stomachache were among the close to 300 families housed at the village’s evacuation center.
Sangcupan said the children were not confined in the hospital but were still under observation after they were given immediate relief, such as oral rehydration solution and Loperamide.
“Lack of clean water and poor sanitation must be the cause of their ailment,” Sangcupan said.
She said potable water supply and lack of toilets remained two of the major concerns by evacuees at the shelter.
The displaced families depended on food packs from the local government but the food rations were not enough to sustain them in the coming days, she said.
The BARMM Ministry of Health on Tuesday declared a “code white,” putting all medical front-liners on alert to respond to an expected spike in the number of patients or emergencies due to floods.
BARMM Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding Jr. said a code white protocol was declared in all BARMM hospitals in areas affected by floods and landslides “for possible increase in number of patients and medical emergencies.”
In Pagalungan town, adults and children trooped to the national highway, bringing placards asking for help from motorists.
Benjamin Alip, Pagalungan’s disaster response chief, said at least 11,000 families from the town’s 12 villages fled their homes after the Rio Grande de Mindanao River overflowed.
Most of the displaced stayed with relatives but there were others who set up makeshift structures beside the Maguindanao-Cotabato highway.
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“These residents have no place to go,” said Alip.
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Cebu Pacific to clear P16-B deficit | Meg J. Adonis @MegINQ | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 09:21:22 PST | Budget carrier Cebu Pacific is preparing its balance sheet to make space for its mammoth P1.4-trillion purchase of new aircraft, beginning with a clean deficit balance.
In a stock exchange filing on Wednesday, Cebu Air Inc., the operator of the Gokongwei-led airline, said its board of directors had approved a restructuring plan to use part of the company’s P20.66-billion paid-in capital to eliminate a P16.27-billion deficit.
Paid-in capital refers to money injected by investors into the firm in exchange for its shares.
READ: Airbus wins Cebu Pacific 152-aircraft purchase order worth $24B
Once Cebu Pacific erases its deficit, its remaining paid-in capital will be P4.39 billion.
This comes just two weeks after the airline announced that it would buy 151 A321neo (new engine option) planes from European plane maker Airbus for P1.4 trillion in hopes of augmenting fleet capacity amid the travel boom.
Airbus bested rival Boeing in securing the deal with Cebu Pacific after an “intensive” selection process, according to Cebu Air chair Lance Gokongwei.
Gokongwei also said they would tap both debt and equity to fund the purchase order, the largest such deal in Philippine aviation history.
Cebu Pacific is set to receive the first batch of aircraft under this deal by 2028. The new aircraft will add to the company’s current fleet consisting of eight Airbus 330s, 37 Airbus 320s, 22 Airbus 321s, and 15 ATR turbopop aircraft.
READ: Cebu Pacific income soared in Q1 to P2.24B
Neo aircraft are seen to be more fuel-efficient, as these burn 15 percent less fuel per flight, resulting in less carbon emissions. Cebu Pacific aims to have an all-neo fleet by 2027 as part of its sustainability agenda.
On June 30, Cebu Pacific received another A321neo, its seventh aircraft delivery this year.
The airline plans to spend most of its P60-billion budget this year on aircraft.
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Cebu Pacific’s first-quarter earnings more than doubled to P2.24 billion on higher passenger revenues—up by 25 percent to P18 billion—as more people traveled.
In the January to March period, volume grew by 14 percent to 5.5 million passengers. Cebu Pacific currently serves at least 35 domestic and 24 international destinations.
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Pagasa says Lakas is a fake super typhoon: It doesn’t exist | Adrian Parungao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:58:15 PST | INQUIRER FILES
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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) belied reports circulating online that a super typhoon named Lakas hit the country.
Lakas, which was supposedly as strong as Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) which pummeled the Philippines in November 2013, does not exist.
READ: Yolanda: Storm of the Century
“There is none,” the Pagasa weather division said in Filipino when asked by INQUIRER.net regarding Lakas.
Lakas is also not included in the list of names that Pagasa has for tropical cyclones that may enter or form within the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) for 2024.
READ: Pagasa: Wet, cloudy Thursday in most of PH
A social media post claimed that Lakas had peak wind speeds or a gustiness of up to 250 kilometers per hour and that affected the southern area of the country. A link attached to the post that purportedly details the areas affected by Lakas, however, goes to an online shopping site when clicked.
Earlier on Thursday, Pagasa said the low pressure area last located off Samar has a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone.
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July 23 declared ‘special non-working holiday’ in Batangas | Delfin T. Mallari Jr. | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:44:59 PST | INQUIRER FILES
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LUCENA CITY —Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas has declared July 23 a “special non-working holiday” for the province to allow residents to celebrate the 160th birthday of hero and patriot Apolinario Mabini, a native of Tanauan town.
“The province of Batangas regards it fit and proper to commemorate Apolinario Mabini’s heroic contributions to ensure that his legacy will always be remembered,” Mandanas said in his Proclamation No. 01 issued on Wednesday, July 17.
The governor said Mabini’s “brilliance, anchored on his nationalistic ideals and principles, was key in fighting for our independence and he was recognized as the brain of the revolution.”
A copy of the proclamation was posted on the Facebook page of the Batangas Public Information Office on Thursday, July 18.
On April 10, 2007, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9430, declaring July 23 each year as “Apolinario Mabini Day” and a “special working holiday,” but only in Tanauan City.
Mabini, known as the “sublime paralytic” due to his polio, was a key figure in the revolution against Spanish and American colonial rule, earning him the title of one of the “brains of the revolution.”
Born on July 23, 1864, he died on May 13, 1903, in Manila at the age of 38, shortly after returning from exile in Guam.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment, workers get no pay if they don’t work on a special non-working holiday unless a company orders otherwise. If they work on that day, they shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their basic wage for the first eight hours of work.
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‘Yellow alert’ returns in Luzon power grid | Lisbet K. Esmael | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:04:00 PST | The Luzon power grid was placed under yellow alert on Wednesday afternoon and evening due to meager reserves, after more than a month of no alerts.
In a yellow alert, power supply can still meet demand, but it will serve as a warning that when a plant breaks down one way or another, it will result in brownouts. A red alert, meanwhile, means that supply is no longer sufficient to meet demand. Brownouts could happen if demand is not managed.
READ: Luzon grid under yellow alert on Wednesday afternoon, evening
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) had announced the yellow alert to be in place 3 pm to 9 pm, but this was lifted at 4 pm. The NGCP said the disconnection from the grid of the 417.4-megawatt (MW) San Gabriel gas-fired power plant contributed to the raising of the alert.
The system operator said the Luzon grid’s available capacity on Wednesday was 13,198 MW while peak demand reached 12,028 MW.
Meanwhile, the Visayas and Mindanao grid were running under normal conditions.
According to the NGCP, one power plant has been on forced outage since 2023 and six facilities between June and July of this year. Six more power plants were operating on “derated capacities.”
READ: Meralco rates higher by P2 per kWh in July
“A total of 1,652.7 MW [is] unavailable to the grid,” the company said.
In a separate statement, distribution giant Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it was monitoring the situation.
“We urge the public to implement energy conservation and efficiency practices to help manage the overall demand. We will give updates as soon as needed,” Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said.
For its part, the Department of Energy said it was also coordinating with the NGCP and the power generation companies to manage the demand.
To recall, the NGCP placed Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids under red or yellow alerts numerous times during the summer months because of heat waves attributed to El Niño.
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara earlier said consumers can expect a “better” summer in 2025 as more capacity is expected to be available to the grid.
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“Fortunately, this year, we have 4,000 megawatts of incoming power [capacity] … So for summer, we can see that 2025 summer will be much, much better than 2024,” she said. INQ
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P544,000 shabu seized from 2 suspects in Pampanga’s capital city | Jun A. Malig | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:32:12 PST | INQUIRER FILES
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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Policemen arrested two drug suspects who allegedly yielded some P544,000 worth of shabu (crystal meth) in a buy-bust operation Thursday in San Agustin village in this city.
The suspects, identified only as Badet, 39, and Rex, 43, are on the list of high-value individuals in the police’s campaign against illegal drugs, a statement from the police provincial office here said.
READ: Over P1M shabu seized from 2 drug suspects in Pampanga
Lieutenant Colonel Roy Augustus Calulot, city police chief, said in the statement that some 80 grams of suspected shabu were confiscated from the duo during the sting operation jointly conducted early Thursday morning by city policemen and provincial police drug enforcement operatives.
He said the arrested persons were detained and will be charged for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. INQ
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PCG clarifies Navy report: ‘Monster’ still at Escoda Shoal | Nestor Corrales | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:50:47 PST | HULKING INTRUDER Photo shows China’s largest coast guard vessel staying this close to the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua, from which this photo was taken at 7:36 a.m. on Wednesday. —photo from PCG
HULKING INTRUDER Photo shows China’s largest coast guard vessel staying this close to the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua, from which this photo was taken at 7:36 a.m. on Wednesday. —photo from PCG
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday said China’s largest coast guard vessel had not yet left Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) where it dropped anchor on July 3, contrary to an earlier statement from the Philippine Navy.
“As of 7:30 in the morning (today), the last image that I got from our coast guard personnel from MRRV 9701 (showed that) the China Coast Guard (CCG) monster ship remains to be inside the Escoda Shoal. It has not departed and is still anchored there,” said Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson on the WPS.
Tarriela made the clarification at a news forum in Manila a day after the supposed departure of CCG vessel 5901 was reported by Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, his Navy counterpart.
READ: ‘Monster’ vs Magbanua: New source of tension
This means the CCG vessel, dubbed “The Monster” for also being the largest coast guard ship in the world, has remained in the area within the country’s exclusive economic zone for the past two weeks.
Tarriela said the Chinese ship was last reported to be about 580 meters away from the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua, the vessel also referred to as MRRV 9701.
US maritime security expert Ray Powell, who tracks Chinese activities in the WPS through satellite images, said on Wednesday that the “confusion over the location” of CCG 5901 was “likely due to the fact that it moved outside of Sabina (Escoda) Shoal for 3 days, from 12-15 July.”
“For most of that time it remained just to the northeast, except for a brief patrol to the south on the 15th,” Powell said in a post on X.
He noted that two maritime militia ships that earlier accompanied CCG 5901 went to another WPS feature, the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, during the period.
“The most likely explanation for their temporary departure would appear to be sea state. Wave heights were elevated during that period so the ships likely moved to safer locations as a precaution,” he said.
Tarriela also said the PCG sent the BRP Melchora Aquino to monitor a second Chinese vessel, CCG 5303, which left the vicinity of Lubang Island northwest of Mindoro province and “was moving away towards Palawan.’’
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“The same thing, the usual, whenever you challenge them (by radio) they are also going to challenge our presence. So far, we haven’t gotten any tangible response,” he added.
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PH economy grows by 6.1% on average during Marcos’ term | Philippine News Agency | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 09:44:31 PST | FILE PHOTO: Another skyscraper is currently being built amongst a number of high rise buildings in Metro Manila. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
FILE PHOTO: Another skyscraper is currently being built amongst a number of high rise buildings in Metro Manila. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA – The Philippine economy has so far grown by more than 6 percent since President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
Economic managers earlier said Philippine economic growth from the third quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2024 hit an average of 6.1 percent.
READ: PH still among Asean’s fastest growing economies
For the first quarter of 2024 alone, the Philippine economy expanded by 5.7 percent, outperforming Indonesia (5.1 percent), Malaysia (4.2 percent), Singapore (2.7 percent), and Thailand (1.5 percent).
“Despite external headwinds, we are expected to continue surpassing most emerging economies, finishing strong at 6.0 (percent) to 7.0 percent in 2024 and expanding further to 6.5 (percent) to 7.5 percent in 2025, roughly consistent with the average growth forecasts of multilateral organizations,” the Development Budget Coordination Committee has said.
Latest projection from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) showed that the Philippine economy is poised to grow by at least 6 percent in 2024 and 2025.
The IMF projects Philippine economic growth to settle at 6 percent this year before accelerating to 6.2 percent in 2025.
READ: IMF maintains 2024 global growth forecast, warns of inflation risk
The ADB, in a report released on Tuesday, also noted that the Philippines is poised to grow by 6 percent in 2024 and 6.2 percent in 2025.
“Domestic demand, along with a recovery in merchandise exports, drove the 5.7 percent GDP (gross domestic product) growth in Q1 (first quarter) 2024. Household consumption growth, while below last year’s level, remained the main contributor supported by low unemployment and remittances from overseas workers,” the ADB said in its Asian Development Outlook report.
The ADB said public infrastructure spending also continued to boost growth.
According to the ADB, merchandise exports rebounded, particularly electronic products, while services exports remained buoyant, including tourism and business process outsourcing.
“Moderating inflation and expected monetary easing in the second half of 2024 will support household consumption and investment,” it added.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, meanwhile, said that while the economy showed continued growth, developing the country’s infrastructure, as well as diversifying growth drivers, would help sustain economic growth in the long term.
“By expanding and upgrading our infrastructure, we aim to create enabling conditions for high-quality job creation for millions of Filipinos, raise the competitiveness of our local industries, diversify our growth drivers to strengthen economic resilience, and enhance regional connectivity by linking our leading and lagging regions,” Balisacan said.
The Marcos administration, he said, is committed to creating an environment conducive to infrastructure development as reflected in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, which outlines the country’s socioeconomic transformation agenda.
The PDP aims to address the challenges plaguing the country’s infrastructure sector, which many observers and analysts perceive as a significant barrier to investment opportunities.
“The Marcos administration was quick to act, and I believe we have made a strong start these past two years. The government enacted and implemented key policy reforms and initiatives to create a more enabling policy and regulatory environment for investment and economic growth,” Balisacan said.
He noted that critical to achieving the 5 percent to 6 percent annual target infrastructure spending to GDP is the continued evaluation, approval, and rollout of the 185 Infrastructure Flagship Projects under the “Build Better More” program.
These big-ticket projects spanning various sectors are collectively valued at PHP9.54 trillion, or approximately USD163 billion.
To date, three projects are already completed — the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project, Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in the Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay Project, and the Flood Risk Improvement and Management Project for Cagayan de Oro River.
Balisacan said 63 other projects are underway, 31 more have been approved for implementation, six are awaiting government approval, and 82 are in the preparation stage.
Aside from infrastructure development, he also cited the need to boost investments and improve export performance.
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“While we continue to buoy consumption and enhance services, we must reinvigorate the other pillars of economic growth – investment and exports, particularly manufacturing and agribusiness – to sustain growth and make it more resilient in the years and decades to come,” Balisacan said.
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NBI nabs midwife over sale of 6-day-old baby for P25,000 | Tetch Torres-Tupas | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:36:59 PST | This photo shows midwife Maria Christina Paule during a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The NBI arrested Paule for selling a six-day-old baby girl for P25,000. She was nabbed during an entrapment operation on July 16. Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net
This photo shows midwife Maria Christina Paule during a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The NBI arrested Paule for selling a six-day-old baby girl for P25,000. She was nabbed during an entrapment operation on July 16. Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a midwife for selling a six-day-old baby girl for P25,000.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the midwife as Maria Christina Paule, who was nabbed during an entrapment operation in Muntinlupa City last July 16.
“Siya ay nagaalok sa Facebook to sell a baby,” Santiago said in a press conference Thursday. “’Yung baby is six days old. (She) is offering to sell the baby for P25,000.”
(She offers on Facebook to sell a baby. The baby was just six days old and is being sold for P25,000).
READ: DOJ: Baby sale on FB ‘prevalent’; 500 accounts so far taken down
NBI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD) Chief Olga Angustia-Gonzales said they received the initial information regarding the illegal activity from the Department of Justice’s Cyber-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Monitoring Center.
She said an undercover agent contacted the suspect through Facebook Messenger.
“Napag-alaman namin na ang bata ay bagong silang at ang nanay ay dati niyang pasyente,” she said.
(We learned that the child was a newborn and that the baby’s mother was her former patient)
Gonzales said the baby is still unregistered. Once sold, the suspect will take care of the baby’s registration, according to the NBI official.
READ: DSWD, Meta to map action vs online baby trade
“Ayon na din dun sa nasabing kumadrona ay hindi pa rehistrado ang bata o wala pang birth certificate at s’ya na ang mag-aayos nito kapag natapos na ang nasabing transaksyon,” Gonzales said.
(According to the midwife, the baby is not yet registered and does not have a birth certificate but will process it herself once the transaction has been completed).
Gonzales said the midwife denied selling babies and only sold the six-day-old infant to recover the money she spent in helping the baby’s mother give birth.
The suspect also told the NBI that the mother has abandoned the baby, according to Gonzales.
“Hinahanap po namin ‘yung nanay. Maari po syang makasuhan ng child abuse or abandonment and neglect doon sa sarili niyang anak,” Gonzales said.
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(We are looking for the mother. She may be charged with child abuse or abandonment and neglect of her own child,)
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Gov’t addressing Palawan power supply issues – Marcos | Zacarian Sarao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:24:58 PST | President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. in Palawan on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (RTVM screengrab)
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. in Palawan on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (RTVM screengrab)
MANILA, Philippines — The government is already working to address power supply issues in the province of Palawan,,” President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.
Marcos made the pronouncement during the distribution of assistance packages in the province, where he stated that the Maharlika Investment Corp., National Electrification Corp., and Palawan Electric Cooperative had started working together to address the matter.
“A study is being conducted to improve the electricity supply in your province,” said Marcos in Filipino in his speech.
“We are hoping for positive results of these agreements,” he added.
In preparation for the effects of the rainy season, Marcos also told Palawan residents that the government has already reserved P140 million worth of food and non-food items, as well as P5 million stand-by fund for the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region.
Meanwhile, Marcos also announced the status and progress of several other projects in the province.
According to Marcos, the dam component of the Ibato-Iraan small reservoir irrigation project in the municipality of Aborlan is already 95 percent complete, while the Balabac Military Runway is already at its final stage of construction.
Marcos also stressed the government’s plans to boost tourism and transportation, as he mentioned the Puerto Princesa Airport Development Project and the Pagasa Island Airport Development Project.
“There are different challenges or problems facing us, but we can overcome them if we continue to work together. If we unite, I’m sure we will overcome any challenges and achieve our goals,” he said.
During the aid distribution to help farmers and fisherfolk recover from the El Niño dry spell, P100 million in financial aid was given to the Puerto Princesa City government and the provincial governments of Palawan and Marinduque.
Cash assistance worth P10,000 was also provided to each of the 20 selected beneficiaries.
The Department of Agriculture also distributed agri-fishery assistance packages, including farm machinery, fishing equipment, seedlings, fertilizers, and financial support.
Marcos was first supposed to lead the distribution of assistance in Romblon, but he canceled it and instead proceeded to Palawan due to inclement weather.
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He is also scheduled to visit Ilocos Norte to inaugurate an irrigation project in the province.
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NGCP raises Luzon grid to yellow alert on Thursday | Dianne Sampang | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:34:09 PST | NGCP power lines (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
NGCP power lines (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon grid to yellow alert on Thursday afternoon to evening.
In an advisory on Thursday, the yellow alert will be from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
READ: Luzon grid under yellow alert on Wednesday afternoon, evening
The NGCP said that the unplanned outage of San Gabriel with 417.4-megawatt that tripped on Wednesday and deration of Santa Clara Power Corporation 1-4 with 150-megawatt each contributed to the grid alert status.
The country’s grid operator has also placed the Luzon grid in yellow status on Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. but the alert status was lifted at 6 p.m. due to a decrease in forecast demand.
A yellow alert is issued “when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.”
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West Philippine Sea: Pag-asa Island airport dev’t among priorities – Marcos | Philippine News Agency | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:49:39 PST | Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on May 31, 2024. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on May 31, 2024. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines – The development of an airport on Pag-asa Island is among the priorities of the government, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.
Speaking at the distribution of assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and families affected by the dry spell at the Edward S. Hagedorn Coliseum in Puerto Princesa City, Marcos underscored the importance of Palawan in national defense, as well as the role of tourism in the province’s continued growth and development.
Pag-asa is an island in the Kalayaan chain at least 285 nautical miles off Palawan.
READ: Lawmaker targets P1B to complete Pag-asa Island runway in 2025
The Philippines has long established military and civilian presence in the area, although China is also claiming the island.
Marcos also said the military runway project at the Balabac Island airbase is nearing completion.
Balabac is a town in Palawan strategically close to Chinese fortifications in the West Philippine Sea and is one of the four additional locations for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
READ: Romualdez vows development plan for Pag-asa island
Meanwhile, Pag-asa Island is the largest island the country controls in the Spratly Island Group.
“Nasa huling bahagi na lang ang paggawa natin ng Balabac military runway, lalo na’t malaki ang papel na gagampanan ng Palawan sa pambansang seguridad (The construction of the Balabac military runway is in the last phase, especially because Palawan plays a big role in national security),” Marcos said.
“Kasama rin siyempre sa ating prayoridad ang pagpapalago ng turismo sa inyong lalawigan at sa pagpapabuti pa ng daloy ng transportasyon dito. Ito ay gagawin natin sa pamamagitan ng Puerto Princesa Airport development project at Pag-asa Island airport project (Included in our priorities are the growth of tourism in your province and the further improvement of the flow of transportation here. We will do this through the Puerto Princesa Airport development project and the Pag-asa Island airport project).”
READ: China insists it owns Pag-asa Island, says PH ‘illegally occupied’ it
Last year, House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez, during his visit to Pag-asa Island, committed to pouring at least PHP3 billion to construct the airport in the island municipality and other development projects.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea with its so-called 10-dash line on maps that stretches more than 1,500 km. off its mainland and encroaches on the respective exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
An international arbitral ruling in 2016 has dismissed the line as having no legal basis.
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In his message, Marcos also bared that the Maharlika Investment Corp., National Electrification Administration, and the Palawan Electric Cooperative are working to look for ways to address the power issues in parts of Palawan.
“Tayo po ay umaasa sa mga positibong bunga ng mga kasaunduang ito (We are looking forward to the positive results of these agreements),” he said.
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Pagasa: Wet, cloudy Thursday in most of PH | John Eric Mendoza | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 07:21:58 PST | MANILA, Philippines — Overcast skies and rain are forecast in most of the country due to the combined effects of the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” and the low-pressure area (LPA) off Samar, according to the state weather bureau.
“Halos buong bansa ay nakararanas ng maulap na kalangitan na may pag-ulan,” said Aldczar Aurelio, weather specialist of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in an early morning weather forecast.
(Almost the entire country will have cloudy skies and rain.)
As of 3:00 a.m., the LPA was last spotted in the waters of Catbalogan City, Samar, according to Aurelio.
“Itong low pressure area ay nananatiling mababa ang tiyansa na maging bagyo,” he said.
(The low-pressure area is not likely to turn into a tropical cyclone.)
Aurelio added that the LPA will cause cloudy skies with scattered rain showers, and thunderstorms will prevail in the Visayas, Bicol region, Marinduque, Romblon, and Caraga regions.
Similar conditions are forecast in Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, and Quezon due to the trough or extension of the LPA.
The “habagat” will likewise cause the same conditions to Metro Manila, Bataan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, and the rest of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).
The rest of the country can expect fairer weather with partly cloudy to cloudy skies and only chances of isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.
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No gale warning is in effect over any of the country’s seaboards.
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Study to look into ‘overlapping’ jeepney routes, other issues | Meg J. Adonis | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:10:00 PST | Inquirer file photo
Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Overlapping jeepney routes in Metro Manila which are deemed “inefficient” for drivers and commuters will be among the focus areas of a study to be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The study will be part of its assessments of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), which is now being implemented after years of objections from various transport groups.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday the agency would conduct a three-year technical cooperation project funded by Jica to address the challenge of streamlining PUV routes, among others.
READ: End of the road? Jeepneys face uncertain future
“There really are a lot of issues [in the modernization program]… Rationalization is one issue,” Bautista told reporters at the signing ceremony for the project.
Under its agreement with the DOTr, Jica will review the data needed for the PUVMP’s implementation. Transport officials will be meeting with experts from Jica to review the capacity and management of Metro Manila roads for public transport and how the findings can be integrated into the PUVMP.
Rationalization, or modifying the jeepney routes to avoid overlapping and unnecessary “competition” among drivers in certain areas, is one of the key components of the PUVMP, which mainly seeks to phase out traditional jeepney models for more modern, Euro-4 units.
Commuter advocates have long cited overlapping jeepney routes as one of the contributors to an “unsafe and inefficient environment for public transport.”
Also under the PUVMP, jeepney franchise holders are required to consolidate themselves into cooperatives, a first step deemed necessary for the eventual streamlining of routes.
The window period for consolidation, after the deadline was moved several times, closed on April 30. As of May, the DOTr said it had recorded an 81-percent consolidation rate, accounting for more than 150,000 jeepney units.
However, Bautista on Wednesday said there were still unconsolidated jeepneys plying minor routes in areas where the compliance rate remained low.
“There are routes that allow unconsolidated jeepneys, but they are in the small routes that only need four to five units (to meet commuter demand),” Bautista said. “These do not need consolidation.”
The PUVMP was launched in 2017 to “modernize” the country’s public transport system, mainly in Metro Manila,
Last year, an average of 3.63 million vehicles used the roads in the capital region daily, of which 95,659 were passenger jeepneys, according to data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The program was met with strong opposition and legal challenges from commuters’ and drivers’ groups, who warned it could put thousands of drivers out of work as cooperatives struggle financially to acquire the prescribed models.
Bautista said the DOTr project with Jica would also work on issues concerning funding and vehicle acquisition for the PUVMP.
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“The project includes consolidation, financing, and actual acquisition of modern vehicles. There’s also a communication and social component that will be reviewed and studied by the DOTr and Jica,” he said. —with a report from Erica Ann C. Villasorda
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Citicore eyes microgrid contract | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:03:00 PST | Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) of tycoon Edgar Saavedra is keen on participating in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) second round of bidding for microgrid systems, the company’s president said.
CREC boss Oliver Tan said Tuesday night the group was interested in the planned second auction as this involves areas that are not as “scattered” as the first.
“We participated [in the first auction] but we did not submit a bid,” Tan told reporters. “But this next one looks good because the first one is scattered so there is no scale, while [the areas in] the next round are close together.”
Over the weekend, the DOE said it would open the second round of bidding for microgrid system providers in September, covering 75 unserved areas with 12,000 households.
READ: Coming soon: Cebu, Quezon, Palawan microgrids
Based on DOE data, these unserved areas are located in Camarines Norte, Negros Occidental, Quezon, Palawan and Masbate. The agency aims at awarding the contract in early December.
The Maharlika Consortium—comprising homegrown Maharlika Clean Power Holdings Corp. and Singapore-based firms CleanGrid Partners Pte Ltd. and WEnergy Global Pte Ltd.—won in the first bidding for eight remote areas in Cebu, Quezon and Palawan.
The DOE previously said the consortium would build and operate a hybrid microgrid system composed of a solar photovoltaic system, energy storage system and a diesel generator set.
READ: Lone bidder bags contract to build micro power grids
The Microgrid Systems Act of 2022 mandates the conduct of a competitive selection process before an MGSP can serve off-grid areas. It provides a 90-day timeline to complete the conduct of competitive selection process from the prequalification until the submission of the awarded contract to the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Meanwhile, Citicore hopes to expand its solar power generation capacity to 1,300 megawatts (MW) by early next year as more facilities are expected to come online in the next few months.
Currently, it has an operating capacity of 285 MW.
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“We will energize around 1 gigawatts [1,000 MW] by the end of the year to early next year, so the full impact of the power generation revenues will be felt next year … so that will make us 1.3GW, that’s almost six times this year’s capacity,” Tan said. —Lisbet K. Ismael INQ
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Zubiri lukewarm about ‘fashionista look’ on Sona Day: That’s nonsense | Charie Abarca | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:16:49 PST | MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri seemed nonchalant about fashion for the State of the Nation Address (Sona), emphasizing that attendees of the event should instead focus on the country’s state than their garb and bling.
“I don’t believe in the fashionista look that must be worn during the Sona. We are at the Sona to learn about the state of the nation and what must be improved and not about what the people are wearing,” Zubiri told reporters in a Viber message on Thursday when he was asked about his style for this year’s Sona of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22.
“Kalokohan na ‘yan (That’s nonsense),” the senator stressed.
Still, what would he wear on Sona Day?
An “old recycled Tesoros Barong,” he said.
READ: Sona fashion police: Ban on ‘political messages’ bucked
THIS WAS OKAY LAST YEAR | Members of the Makabayan bloc wear their advocacies in style for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona) in 2023. This July 22, 2024, however, a de facto fashion police emerged for the Sona in the person of the House secretary general. —File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA | Philippine Daily Inquirer
Meanwhile, Sen. Robin Padilla’s office said the action star-turned-lawmaker “will be wearing a Barong Tagalog made in Camarines Norte.”
And while details have yet to be fully disclosed, the office of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero confirmed that the incumbent Senate chief and his wife – fashion icon Heart Evangelists – would be dressed by Michael Leyva.
READ: Makabayan bloc to flout Sona ban on ‘protest’ fashion
President Marcos is set to deliver his third Sona on Monday. He is expected to report on the country’s economic, political, and social conditions.
Apart from the speech, the annual event has become an opportunity for attendees – including senators, legislators, families, and friends of the president along with other guests – to showcase their outfits, some even using the chance as a platform to voice their stance on certain issues.
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PDEA seizes P3.4-M shabu in Batangas City bust | Delfin T. Mallari Jr. | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:07:13 PST | INQUIRER FILES
INQUIRER FILES
LUCENA CITY — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents and other law enforcers on Wednesday arrested an alleged big-time trafficker and seized shabu (crystal meth) worth about P3.4 million in Batangas City.
The PDEA–Region 4A said in a report on Thursday, July 18, that PDEA agents, Philippine Coast Guard-K9 personnel, Philippine Ports Authority security unit, and local cops held Ron Ron Eugenio Reyes, 24, in a buy-bust operation around 1:15 p.m. in Batangas City port in Barangay Sta. Clara.
During the operation, the suspect had alleged possession of 500 grams of shabu worth P3,400,000.
The PDEA was investigating further to determine the source of the illegal drugs.
The suspect, a resident of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, was classified as a “high-value” target in the government campaign against illegal drugs. He will be charged with violating anti-drug laws.
On July 16, the PDEA-Region 4A operatives and policemen also busted two big-time traffickers in Las Piñas City. On July 13, the same PDEA operatives arrested two high-value targets in Pasay City.
The two operations netted P6,800,000 worth of crystal meth.
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Water service interruptions set in NCR, Rizal from July 18-24 | Adrian Parungao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:02:02 PST | INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Company Inc. on Thursday announced that some areas in Metro Manila and Rizal will experience water service interruptions from July 18 to 24.
The company said it will conduct service improvement activities in the following areas:
READ: Maynilad customers get P2-M rebate for poor water quality
July 18 (10:00 pm) – July 19 (6:00 am)
Along Gen. Luna cor Patiis, Brgy. Maly, San Mateo, Rizal
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Maly, Guinayang, and Malanday
July 18 (10:00 pm) – July 19 (5:00 am)
Along Pasong Tamo extension near Ecology Village, Magallanes, Makati City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Magallanes and Ecology Village
July 18 (10:00 pm) – July 19 (4:00 am)
Along F. Pasco, Pasig City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Santolan
July 19 (10:00 pm) – July 20 (4:00 am)
Kaginhawaan cor Kaibigan St., Pasig City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Manggahan
July 19 (10:00 pm) – July 20 (4:00 am)
Sta. Cecilia, Santol St. Avocado St. Sta. Salome St., Pasig City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Pinagbuhatan
July 19 (10:00 pm) – July 20 (4:00 am)
Dona Juliana Subd., Brgy. Rosario, Pasig City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Rosario
July 22 (10:00 pm) – July 23 (4:00 am)
Far East Asia, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Pasong Tamo
July 23 (10:00 pm) – July 24 (4:00 am)
Road 8 corner Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Project 6
July 23 (10:00 pm) – July 24 (4:00 am)
Banlat Road corner Alcantara Street, Quezon City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Tandang Sora
July 24 (10:00 pm) – July 25 (4:00 am)
Corregidor corner Ilocos Sur Streets, Quezon City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Ramon Magsaysay
July 25 (10:00 pm) – July 26 (4:00 am)
Roque Street, Pingkian 1, Quezon City
Areas that may be affected: Parts of Brgy. Pasong Tamo
READ: Laguna Water hands over P75-M concession fee to Laguna provincial gov’t
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“After the activity and once water service is restored, please conduct flushing by letting the water flow out of your taps for a few minutes until it becomes clear,” Manila Water said in its advisory.
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Improving peso boosts index | Philippine News Agency | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:06:11 PST | —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
—INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA – The improving peso against the US dollar boosted the local bourse to the 6,700 level on Thursday.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) increased by 0.26 percent to 6,705.01, with All Shares also improving by 0.23 percent to 3,602.86 points.
“The local market extended its climb by 17.30 points (0.26 percent) to 6,705.01 as investors cheered the continuous improvement of the Philippine peso against the US dollar,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. research and engagement officer Mikhail Plopenio said.
READ: Asian markets drop with Wall St as Biden sparks fresh chip fears
“Also, the Asian Development Bank’s projection of the Philippines’ leading the ASEAN region together with Vietnam in terms of economic growth for 2024 and 2025 cheered investors.”
Sectoral indices were mixed. Winners were Financials (+2.55 percent), Industrial (+0.56 percent), and Services (+0.26 percent).
Thursday’s losers were Mining and Oil (-1.8 percent), Holding Firms (-1.14 percent), and Property (-0.64 percent).
Decliners led gainers at 89 to 80, leaving 59 counters unchanged.
Meanwhile, the Philippine peso closed at 58.25 to the US dollar from the previous day’s finish of 58.30 to the greenback.
It opened the day strong at 58.25 from 58.33 on Wednesday, before trading between 58.17 and 58.33, leaving the day’s average at 58.26.
Trade volume declined to USD1.17 billion from USD1.24 billion in the previous trading.
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PH still among Asean’s fastest growing economies | Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:12:00 PST | In this photo taken on July 22, 2018, residential (L) and informal settlers (R) areas are pictured against the backdrop of Manila’s financial district of Makati. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)
In this photo taken on July 22, 2018, residential (L) and informal settlers (R) areas are pictured against the backdrop of Manila’s financial district of Makati. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)
The Marcos administration will hit its growth target this year amid easing inflation and expectations of interest rate cuts, but economic expansion next year might fall short of the state’s goal, according to the latest outlook of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In its flagship “Asian Development Outlook” report released on Wednesday, the Manila-based multilateral lender kept its gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection on its host country at 6 percent for this year.
READ: PH GDP growth estimate for 2024 cut, but still 2nd fastest in Asean
The ADB’s forecast, if realized, would give President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a GDP growth rate that would match the lower end of his 6- to 7-percent target range for this year. At the same time, the Philippines would tie with Vietnam as the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia, or Asean, in 2024.
Both countries would also beat the 5-percent average growth rate projected for Developing Asia, which refers to the 46 developing members of the ADB.
For 2025, the ADB retained its 6.2 percent growth projection for the Philippines, which would settle below the government’s growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for next year. Nevertheless, the Philippines would still share the top spot with Vietnam as the best performers in the region in 2025, if ADB’s forecasts come true.
The ADB said softer price increases and upcoming rate cuts by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would help support consumer spending, which historically accounts for over 70 percent of the country’s GDP.
READ: Philippine economy grew 5.7% in Q1
”Moderating inflation and expected monetary easing in the second half of 2024 will support household consumption and investment,” ADB said.
Based on government data, growth of household spending eased to 4.6 percent in the first quarter—the weakest reading since the 4.8-percent contraction at the height of COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2021—amid stubbornly high inflation and interest rates.
That, in turn, held back the first quarter GDP growth to 5.7 percent, slower than market consensus.
With inflation expected to cool down following the government’s decision to reduce import duties on rice, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said the central bank might start its easing cycle in August, likely ahead of the US Federal Reserve.
In its report, the ADB also left its inflation forecasts for the Philippines untouched at 3.8 and 3.4 percent for this year and next, respectively. If realized, inflation would settle within the BSP’s 2- to 4-percent target range.
“Most of Asia and the Pacific is seeing faster economic growth compared with the second half of last year,” said ADB chief economist Albert Park.
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“The region’s fundamentals remain strong, but policy makers still need to pay attention to a number of risks that could affect the outlook, from uncertainty related to election outcomes in major economies to interest rate decisions and geopolitical tensions,” Park added. INQ
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Earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hits Surigao del Sur town – Phivolcs | Dianne Sampang | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:40:01 PST | MANILA, Philippines — An earthquake of 4.6 magnitude struck a Surigao del Sur town on Thursday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
The state seismologist initially recorded a 5.2 magnitude quake at the epicenter located 57 kilometers east of Marihatag, Surigao Del Sur. But it later lowered it to 4.6 magnitude at the same epicenter.
The tectonic earthquake happened at 1:39 p.m. and was measured to have a depth of focus of 11 kilometers.
READ: Magnitude 7.1 earthquake jolts Sultan Kudarat, says Phivolcs
Phivolcs said it does not expect the temblor to result in aftershocks and damage to properties.
Based on Phivolcs’ data, the earthquake had the following reported intensities:
Intensity I: Tagbina, Surigao del Sur
Intensity II: Lingig, Surigao del Sur
Intensity III: Butuan City; Bislig City, Surigao del Sur
Intensity IV: Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
It also said that its scales recorded Instrumental Intensity I in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, and Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte.
An earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hits a Surigao del Sur town on Thursday, July 18, 2024, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. (Phivolcs Earthquake Information No.2)
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Mt. Mayon spews 200-meter ash plume | Ma. April Mier-Manjares | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 23:30:03 PST | Mayon Volcano. —MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/FILE PHOTO
Mayon Volcano. —MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/FILE PHOTO
LEGAZPI CITY — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded a phreatic eruption that caused a 200-meter ash plume to come out of Mayon Volcano on Thursday, July 18.
In a report, Phivolcs said the light gray ash and steam plume, approximately 656 feet or 200 meters, drifted west northwest of the volcano at around 6:16 p.m.
Phivolcs issued the information to the local government units for appropriate action.
Miladee Azur, head of the city disaster risk reduction and management office, advised the public to avoid entering the 6-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone due to threat of another phreatic eruption.
“In 1990s, a sudden phreatic explosion killed many farmers, and it was noontime,” Azur said in a private message on Thursday.
Paul Karson Alanis, resident volcanologist of the Mayon Volcano Observatory Station at Ligñon Hill here, said that they also recorded an “ashing” or ejection of short and dark plumes of ash at around 3:23 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16.
READ: Mayon Volcano spews 1.2-km ash column
He said the ash plume has drifted to the west portion of the volcano, but did not reach the residential areas.
“It will happen every now and then because it is still under alert level 1 and it recently had an eruption,” Alanis said in a separate private chat message.
The alert status of the volcano was lowered to level 1 or abnormal condition on March 5.
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PPCRV, Namfrel are citizens’ arms for 2025 midterm elections | Zacarian Sarao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:03:04 PST | MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday approved to retain election watchdogs Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) as its citizens’ arms for the 2025 National and Local Elections.
“The Commission, after due deliberation, resolved, as it hereby resolves, to approve the continuing accreditation of the PPCRV and Namfrel as citizens’ arms in any and all elections, plebiscites, recalls and referenda to be conducted by the Comelec,” a Comelec resolution dated July 14 read.
The poll body then required the two election watchdogs to submit a complete list of officers including their provincial, municipal, and city coordinators or their equivalent; a comprehensive or detailed plan of action and activities leading to the 2025 elections and thereafter; and a report of accomplishments and recommendations after each electoral exercise.
“Non-compliance shall result in the revocation of said continuing accreditation,” Comelec said.
READ: Namfrel to Comelec: Don’t ban AI in next elections
Under Section 52(k) of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, Comelec must enlist a non-partisan citizens’ arm to assist in “ensuring free, orderly and honest elections in any constituency.”
READ: Comelec releases 2025 elections schedule
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No truly independent foreign policy of PH with Balikatan exercises | dsingson | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 06:26:42 PST | The Philippines must pursue a truly independent foreign policy, free from entanglements with any big powers.
Coalition activist and Woman Health NGO advocate Princess Nemenzo said that foreign bases do not contribute to the Philippines’ security but rather increase the likelihood of involvement in conflicts not of its making.
The historical and sociopolitical context of foreign military presence in the Philippines was highlighted by Nemenzo during the launch of the third edition of ‘The Bases of Our Insecurity’ by Professor Roland Simbulan of University of the Philippines.
READ MORE:
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Filipino seafarers: Raise the flag for them!
Hardships of seafarers: A glimpse into the difficult life at sea
As Nemenzo urged the Philippines to oppose war and foreign military bases, Simbulan noted that the additional EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) sites on Philippine soil and the recent largest-ever “Balikatan” exercises have revived the debate on US military presence in the Philippines.
The EDCA, signed in 2014 allows U.S. access to Philippine bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but it is not a permanent presence.
Simbulan said that EDCA undermines the Philippines’ sovereignty and expose the country to potential attacks from America’s geopolitical rivals due to entanglement in increasing conflicts among superpowers such as US, China and Russia.
He called for a foreign policy that is independent, rather than relying on external military forces. He described the Philippines as becoming into “an aircraft carrier of the US” due to the expanded American military presence with EDCA sites and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
The signing of the bases agreement in 1947 allowed the US to establish and operate air and naval bases for 99 years. An amendment in 1966 cut that tenure to 25 years.
The proposed RP-US Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace would have given the US 10 more years extending the US military presence in the country beyond September 1991. The US offered $203 million a year in compensation.
An impassioned debate ensued in which the bases were attacked as a symbol of the country’s continued colonial-like dependency on the U.S and violations of sovereignty.
The bases were also seen as sources of social ills such as prostitution, AIDS and illegitimate children.
On the other hand, supporters argued that hundreds of millions of dollars annually entered into the local economies of Olongapo and Angeles in addition to billions of dollars in U.S. aid that was tied to the bases.
READ MORE:
Execution bond removed in the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers
Next year’s ‘Balikatan’ is for ‘full-scale battle’– Teodoro
The Philippine Senate rejected on September 16, 1991 the proposed extension of the US military bases agreement by a vote of 12-11, led by the 12 senators, dubbed the “Magnificent 12” through Resolution 1259 of Non-Concurrence to the Proposed Treaty authored by Senator Wigberto Tañada.
The other senators include Senate President Jovito Salonga and senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Agapito Aquino, Joseph Estrada, Teofisto Guingona Jr., Sotero Laurel, Orlando Mercado, Ernesto Maceda, Aquilino Pimentel Jr, Victor Ziga, and Rene Saguisag.
In 1998, less than six years after the closure of Subic, the Philippines and the U.S. signed the VFA, laying out the rules for American personnel deployed in the Philippines and the establishment of the Balikatan military exercises.
In his dissenting opinion in Saguisag vs Executive Secretary (G.R. No. 212426, July 26, 2016) on the constitutionality of EDCA, my UP Law professor and Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said that “there can be more creative solutions that augur better with our sense of independence, sovereignty, and dignity than abject surrender to this planet’s superpowers.”
“The presence of foreign military bases in our country, especially that of the United States, has grave repercussions on our independence and on our governance. If there is any historical lesson that we must learn from the 1947 Military Bases Agreement, it is that our national interest can easily be co-opted and made subservient to the interests of the United States. Rather than an independent and sovereign state, our country can easily be reduced to a Base Nation: a platform from which to project the military strength of the United States for its own defense.” Leonen said.
With the majority’s position on the nature of the EDCA, Leonen stressed that “we effectively rendered the Senate constitutionally impotent. We have smuggled foreign military bases into our country. We have succumbed to views that assume our vulnerability and our surrender to the hegemonic expediency of the United States.”
Leonen pointed out that the Constitution requires that the stationing of foreign troops in foreign bases or “Agreed Locations” must be through a treaty—not merely through an implementing executive agreement.
(Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail [email protected], or call 09175025808 or 09088665786.)
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Sara Duterte turns over DepEd chief post to Sonny Angara | John Eric Mendoza | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:56:17 PST | Vice President and outgoing Department of Education (DepEd) chief Sara Duterte si Senator formally receives incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara in the central office of DepEd before the Transition Ceremony on Thursday, July 18, 2024. | PHOTO: DepEd’s official Facebook page
Vice President and outgoing Department of Education (DepEd) chief Sara Duterte si Senator formally receives incoming Education Secretary Sonny Angara in the central office of DepEd before the Transition Ceremony on Thursday, July 18, 2024. | PHOTO: DepEd’s official Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte, the outgoing Department of Education (DepEd) chief, on Thursday formally handed over her Cabinet post to Sen. Sonny Angara.
In a turnover ceremony at the DepEd main office in Pasig City, the vice president gave Angara the seal and flag of DepEd, the government’s largest bureaucracy which she led in the last two years.
“Welcome to the chaos,” Duterte told Angara in an off-the-cuff remark that drew laughter from the audience.
In a speech during the turnover ceremony, Duterte highlighted her achievements as DepEd head since 2022. Among them, she noted, are the return of in-person classes after COVID-19, the launching of the national learning recovery program to address deficiencies, and DepEd’s highest “unqualified opinion” rating from the Commission on Audit in 2022, a first for the agency.
READ: VP Duterte: I will no longer serve in another Marcos Cabinet post
But the vice president also said she has so many unfinished projects for DepEd like the provision of overtime pay for teachers, a revised senior high school curriculum, and a feeding program for kindergarten students. Duterte urged Angara to continue these programs.
Angara’s response was contained in a speech he delivered during the turnover ceremony: “We will build from what you have already started.”
He likewise said he could not wait to start in his new job given by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We want to hit the ground running,” said Angara, who will officially become the new education secretary after his oath taking on Friday, July 19.
READ: Angara vows to build on Sara Duterte’s ‘accomplishments’ in DepEd
After the turnover ceremony, Duterte and Angara led a tree planting event at the DepEd grounds. Each of them planted and watered a different tree sapling.
Vice President Sara Duterte hands over the seal and flag of the Department of Education (DepEd) to Sen. Sonny Angara in Pasig City on Thursday, July 18, 2024. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza
Duterte, her hands still soiled, answered questions regarding her relationship with Marcos, the first lady, and other political matters.
In a final question thrown at her as DepEd chief, Duterte was asked if she regrets running the agency.
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“Oh no. In fact, it is with a heavy heart that I leave the Department of Education,” she replied.
Without stating her reason, Duterte resigned as education secretary in June.
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DTI expects 128,000 technicians, engineers by 2028 | Alden M. Monzon @AldenMonzonINQ | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:45:11 PST | INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Board of Investments (BOI) on Wednesday expressed confidence that the government would meet the target of building up a pool of 128,000 technicians and engineers by 2028 despite a decline in the number of students enrolling for engineering courses.
Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, BOI executive director for industry development services, on Wednesday noted that there has been a decline, but said the government is already implementing measures to reverse the trend.
READ: US unveils Americas-wide plan to boost semiconductor production
“Our strategy for achieving (this) is really looking at the specific requirements of the industry and then map out interventions particularly at the institution level, at the graduate and at the corporate level,” Halili-Dichosa said during a press conference held in Makati.
“What we are also looking at is doing some campus advocacy, making the students understand the different opportunities in the semiconductor industry,” she added.
The Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) president Danilo Lachica said that the average salary of technicians ranges from P15,000 to P20,000 per month while the average starting salary for engineers was P30,000 per month.
“You may say that it is low, but if you look at the benefits, if you look at the 14th month, the 15th month pay, if you look at the bonuses, (the compensation) is big,” Lachica said on the sidelines of the same press conference.
The total annual compensation depends from company to company. Some multinationals, for example, would even give stock options,” he said.
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‘Landmark’ Maritime Zones Bill approved in bicam | Tina G. Santos | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:35:52 PST | Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino —Senate PRIB
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino —Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — The congressional bicameral conference committee on Wednesday approved the proposed Maritime Zones Bill, which specifies the rights and entitlements of Filipinos over the country’s maritime zones.
“It’s okay now and it’s now for the President’s signature,” Sen. Francis Tolentino, the principal sponsor of the measure in the Senate, said of conflicting provisions in Senate Bill No. 2492 and House Bill No. 7819.
“We have included Palawan, we have included the Philippine Rise. Then we reconciled the provisions on internal waters and the archipelagic waters, which is legal and technical,” Tolentino added.
The House of Representatives passed its version last year while the Senate passed its own in February, but the House recalled the bill in May for further refinement.
Tolentino earlier described the proposed measure as a landmark legislation that establishes the Philippine maritime zones, in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the 2016 arbitral ruling, which upheld the Philippines’ sovereign right to fish and explore resources within its exclusive economic zones.
The committee unanimously passed the reconciled version of the measure, which Tolentino said would serve as “the cornerstone” of Philippine maritime policy.
“Our [maritime] boundaries will be clarified. We will have a clear law on where Filipinos can freely sail and fish,” he said, adding that untapped energy resources in the area were also included.
Maritime law expert Dr. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines-Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea who was also involved in the country’s border agreement with Indonesia in 2014, said the enrolled maritime zones bill, once signed by the President, would be a foundational law.
“This is a foundational law. It sets out in very clear terms the Philippines’ adherence to Unclos and its implementation of our rights and obligations under Unclos. So that in itself is very important,” he said.
“It also is a way for the Philippines to implement the South China Sea arbitration award which clearly established our entitlements in the maritime zones under Unclos. With that act, we are also now laying the groundwork for improving our law enforcement within these maritime zones,” he added.
The measure also ensures compliance with Philippine laws and enables enforcement “even against foreign vessels in accordance with international law,” said Batongbacal.
“This act will now set the stage for that,” he said. “With the maritime zone act then, the parameters for the Philippines coming to any agreement with China or any other nation will have been already clarified.”
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“They cannot, for example, go beyond the parameters set forth by our laws. At least on our side, it’s very clear that any agreement we enter into in the future will be in accordance with national law as well as international law,” he added.
For comprehensive coverage, in-depth analysis, visit our special page for West Philippine Sea updates. Stay informed with articles, videos, and expert opinions.
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US-donated comm tower in Zambales sparks mixed reactions from fishers | Joanna Rose Aglibot | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:30:57 PST | STRATEGIC SURVEILLANCE Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Zambales inspect the 225-square-meter property on Mt. Calib-ungan in Botolan, Zambales, the proposed site of a monitoring facility that include a 30.5-meter tower donated by the US government. —PCG photo
STRATEGIC SURVEILLANCE Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Zambales inspect the 225-square-meter property on Mt. Calib-ungan in Botolan, Zambales, the proposed site of a monitoring facility that include a 30.5-meter tower donated by the US government. —PCG photo
SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES, Philippines — Fishermen in this province, who have lost access to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, were divided on the impact of the new communications and monitoring tower donated recently by the United States to boost the country’s surveillance in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The tower, strategically located on Mount Calib-ungan in Barangay Porac of Botolan town in Zambales, will offer extensive radio coverage, facilitating easier communication with Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels, particularly those conducting patrol operations at Panatag and nearby areas.
READ: US donating communication tower to PCG in Zambales
Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the New Masinloc Fishermen Association, expressed optimism about the new facility, describing it as a “significant development for our country’s security.”
“In the past, maritime incidents went unnoticed because we lacked the necessary technology,” he said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
But Bobby Roldan, vice chair for Luzon of the fisherfolk group Pamalakaya, argued that the PCG should maintain its independence and reject foreign attempts to build military bases in the Philippines.
“The US-donated monitoring tower could be a precursor to a new US naval base, reminiscent of the Subic Naval Base. Similar posts have already been established in Palawan to monitor Chinese activities in the WPS,” Roldan said in a separate interview.
Roldan said Philippine authorities could effectively monitor foreign activities through regular patrols in territorial waters.
He criticized the inconsistent presence of maritime authorities in the disputed WPS, which “leaves fisherfolk vulnerable to accidents and harassment.”
Pamalakaya has also raised concerns about military agreements with foreign nations, which allow ongoing military exercises in the Philippines.
Roldan warned that these agreements could escalate tensions and endanger Filipino fishermen.
“Strengthening military ties with the US makes it increasingly difficult for Filipino fishermen to return to the Chinese-occupied Scarborough Shoal peacefully,” he said.
Pamalakaya-Zambales coordinator Joey Marabe also cautioned that the newly signed Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan would further militarize the WPS, to the detriment of Filipino civilians, especially fishermen.
“Our call is for the demilitarization of the WPS to pave the way for peaceful resolution and dialogue, not additional foreign troops that will only exacerbate tensions,” Marabe said.
The group criticized the Philippines’ military pact with Japan, along with continued US military intervention, for undermining peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolutions.
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“The Marcos Jr. administration is not pursuing a peaceful solution regarding the tension in our ocean but is instead entangling the country in a looming armed confrontation between powerful nations,” said Ronnel Arambulo, Pamalakaya national vice chair.
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Pasig implements traffic adjustments for road rehab in San Miguel | Adrian Parungao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:08:02 PST | (Photo from Pasig City Public Information Office)
(Photo from Pasig City Public Information Office)
MANILA, Philippines — The Pasig City government has implemented traffic adjustments for road rehabilitation in Barangay San Miguel.
The local government said traffic along Luis St. in Barangay San Miguel would be affected by the road rehabilitation set from July 19 to Aug. 31.
READ: Pasig City road works advisory
The Department of Public Works and Highways will work on the project from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am.
READ: DHSUD chief says Pasig River rehabilitation to be finished by 2027
“Plan your trip ahead and take alternative routes,” the local government said.
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Armed drug pusher held in Quezon province | Delfin T. Mallari Jr. | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:20:38 PST | INQUIRER FILES
INQUIRER FILES
LUCENA CITY — A man on a police drug watch list was caught Wednesday with an illegal firearm and shabu (crystal meth) in Mauban town in Quezon province.
The Quezon police reported on Thursday, July 18, that Anti-illegal drugs operatives, with a search warrant, swooped down at 7:10 p.m. on the house of alias “Buffalo,” 37, in Barangay Bagong Bayan.
The authorities found a caliber .38 Smith and Wesson revolver with two bullets and a plastic sachet of shabu worth P4.080 in the street market.
The police tagged Buffalo as a street-level drug pusher on their watch list.
The suspect was placed under police custody and would face charges of violating anti-drug laws and another case for illegal possession of a firearm.
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Gatchalian worried Alice Guo may have already left PH | Jeannette I. Andrade, Tina G. Santos | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:30:00 PST | Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian —Senate PRIB
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian —Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — While there are no Bureau of Immigration (BI) records showing that suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, has left the country, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is not discounting the possibility that she might have already done so using a Chinese passport.
“Based on our information from the Bureau of Immigration, she’s still here because we checked if Guo Hua Ping has already left the country, they haven’t found such a record so far,” Gatchalian said in a radio interview.
“So if she’ll pass through our airports, seaports, she would be detected. But we know that there are other ways to escape,” he added.
“I believe that she has a Filipino passport and she also has a Chinese passport. Maybe, just maybe, she used her Chinese passport to leave,” he said.
Citing immigration records, Gatchalian said Guo used Chinese and Philippine passports from 2008 to 2011.
In the House of Representatives, Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong on Wednesday sought a congressional inquiry into the “alarming” proliferation of falsified birth certificates and Philippine passports issued to foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals.
The lawmaker filed House Resolution No. 1802, which would direct the House committees on local government and justice to jointly look into the spread of the documents, which should only be issued to Filipinos but end up to foreign nationals.
Adiong cited several hearings conducted by the House committee on public accounts where it was discovered that huge tracts of land were bought by foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals, who used falsified birth certificates and Philippine passports obtained through false statements submitted to local civil registrars.
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Brosas urges passage of bill for youth education on comfort women | Faith Argosino | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:46:02 PST | MANILA, Philippines — House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas called for the passage of a bill seeking to educate the youth about the struggles of comfort women during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
Brosas made this call after historical action-drama series “Pulang Araw” garnered various reactions reportedly showing a “lack of awareness about the plight of comfort women among the country’s citizens.”
READ: National Memorial Day for Comfort Women bill pushed
In June last year, the Makabayan bloc filed House Bill 8564, or the Comfort Women Education Act, which pushes for the inclusion of the lives and heroism of Filipino comfort women in elementary, secondary, and tertiary curricula.
“This gap in historical knowledge underscores the pressing need for the Comfort Women Education Act,” Brosas said in a statement on Thursday.
She added that her call was also timely after the country signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan, which the lawmaker said raised concerns about possible historical revisionism.
“We cannot allow the sacrifices and struggles of our comfort women to be forgotten or minimized. By integrating their stories into our education system, we arm our youth with the truth and honor the memory of these brave women,” Brosas said.
“Knowledge is our strongest defense against attempts to rewrite or erase our history. Through this act, we ensure that the experiences of comfort women during the Japanese occupation remain a vital part of our national narrative,” she added.
Brosas likewise urged her colleagues in Congress and the public to support her call.
“We owe it to our comfort women and to future generations to keep this part of our history alive. Their stories of survival and resistance against oppression should serve as a reminder of the strength of Filipino women and the importance of never forgetting our past,” she said.
Reports revealed that 200,000 women in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and the Philippines were used by Japan’s Imperial Army for sexual exploitation during the Second World War.
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National Museum of the Philippines receives meteorite collection | Adrian Parungao | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:23:35 PST | (PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES)
(PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES)
MANILA, Philippines — A meteorite collection with some samples dating up to more than 140 years ago was donated to the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP).
According to the NMP on Wednesday, the donation made on July 12 came from the collection of a certain David Herskowitz, Ana Ophelia Herskowitz, and Ferdinand Jolo Agbayani, in honor of their mother, Myrna Agbayani.
(PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES)
The meteorites came from various locations locally and internationally: a pair from Quezon Province, one from the United States, one from Sweden, and the Sahara Desert.
The collection also includes the Bondoc meteorite, which is known to be the largest and oldest known meteorite in the Philippines.
(PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES)
The meteorites will be integrated into the museum’s National Geological and Paleontological Collections and will be exhibited in the future, the NMP added.
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Makati City kicks off local tourism program | Dianne Sampang | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:00:56 PST | MANILA, Philippines — Makati City launched its tourism campaign “Visit a Better Makati” on Thursday to showcase its cultural heritage, development programs, and commercial lifestyle.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay said that the tourism program aims to encourage more visitors to the city. With the slogan “Tara Na! Experience a Better Makati,” visitors from sister localities can enjoy discount vouchers from partner merchants and free walking tours to delegates.
“We want to elevate the visitor experience to a whole new level when they come to Makati. We want to showcase the city’s distinctive blend of centuries-old cultural heritage and cosmopolitan lifestyle. At the same time, we also intend to highlight our social programs that have gotten better over time,” said Binay.
The mayor also added that visitors from its sister localities have learned so much from the city’s development into a “better version” of public service and governance, adding that “it is high time that they also experience first-hand how leisure can be seamlessly combined with business in our city.”
The vouchers can offer up to 60 percent discount from 6 hotels and 9 merchants in the city, which can be viewed by clicking here to see the full list.
READ: DOT and Makati city launch cultural bus tours
The city will also offer free walking tours to the following:
Makati City and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched cultural bus tours in May 2023 to promote the city’s heritage sites and lifestyle through a transportation system as part of DOTr’s “Hop On, Hop Off” program.
The city has welcomed 48 local government units to activities that showcase its practices in governance, administration, and social delivery.
It was awarded at the first Philippine Tourism Excellence Awards of the Asian Institute of Management and Megaworld Foundation in 2022 for its sustainable urban tourism development.
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SM Prime, DTI support MSMEs with 83 SM mall spaces, training, and mentorship | INQUIRER.net BrandRoom | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:30:17 PST | SM Prime Holdings (SM Prime) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have partnered through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on July 1 at the SM Prime Headquarters. This collaboration aims to boost Micro-, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) by providing prime mall space in 83 SM Malls nationwide, in support of the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines program.
Alongside discounted booth rentals, SM Prime offers MSMEs comprehensive training programs covering product development, marketing, financial management, and mentorship opportunities with seasoned business leaders. In the photo are: SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan (3rd from left) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual (3rd from right) with (L-R): SM Supermalls’ Assistant Vice President for Operations Royston Cabunag, SM Supermalls’ Vice President for Operations Junias Eusebio, DTI Undersecretary for MSME Development Group Cristina Roque, and DTI-Bureau of Market Development, Promotions, and OTOP Philippines Director Marievic Bonoan.
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by SM Supermalls.
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VP Duterte: I will no longer serve in another Marcos Cabinet post | John Eric Mendoza | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:28:25 PST | Vice President Sara Duterte | PHOTO: Official Facebook apge of Inday Sara Duterte
Vice President Sara Duterte | PHOTO: Official Facebook apge of Inday Sara Duterte
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday ruled out the possibility of accepting another cabinet position under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., adding she will focus on her job as the vice president.
“Hindi na ako magse-serve in another cabinet post sa Marcos administration,” Duterte said in an ambush interview after the turnover ceremony at the headquarters of the Department of Education.
(I will no longer serve in another cabinet post under the Marcos administration.)
Duterte resigned as education secretary last June 19. She handed over the DepEd’s seal and flag to Education Secretary Sonny Angara during the ceremony.
READ: First Lady had nothing to do with my resignation as DepEd chief – VP Sara
Duterte also said she will focus on the projects of the Office of the Vice President like providing medical and burial assistance as well as giving legal assistance to teachers.
“Hindi na hati yung oras ko sa dalawang opisina,” she added
(My time will no longer be divided by two offices.)
Duterte also reiterated that her “relationship with President Marcos is okay.”
The Vice President earlier said she would not be attending Marcos’ State of the Nation Address on July 22, and named herself a “designated survivor.”
Her remark drew criticisms from lawmakers, saying it was a thinly veiled threat.
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READ: Sara: Designated survivor remark not a joke or threat
Duterte has denied the accusations, saying her critics “missed the point.”
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Guizo, Mandaue fire leaves at least 100 families homeless | mbgerodias | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 22:31:29 PST | MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Around 44 houses were burned in a fire that hit a residential area in Sitio San Jose, Barangay Guizo, in Mandaue City on Thursday afternoon, July 17.
As of 5 p.m., at least 100 families were listed as having been affected by the fire, said Atty. Mitzi Abadia, head of the City Social Welfare and Services.
Abadia said that the fire victims were housed at Guizo Elementary School. They were already given hot meals and will be provided with relief kits containing mats, goods, and undergarments, among other items.
Abadia added that the CSWS will continue to provide meals to the fire victims for three days before turning it over to the barangay.
The fire alarm was reported at about 2:09 p.m. and was raised to the third alarm at 2:28 p.m. It was placed under control at 2:48 p.m. and was finally put out at 2:54 p.m.
According to the report from the Mandaue City Fire Station, the fire started in the house owned by 66-year-old Grace Marfa, which was currently occupied by Malou Marfa.
The fire destroyed about 850 square meters and caused P425,000 worth of damage to properties.
The investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.
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NBI nabs hackers involved in PH Navy cybersecurity breach | Tetch Torres-Tupas | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:33:03 PST | NBI arrested three suspects in a cybersecurity breach at the Philippine Navy.
NBI arrested three suspects in a cybersecurity breach at the Philippine Navy.
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested hackers involved in a cybersecurity breach at the Philippine Navy.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified two of the three hackers, Anikin Luke Abales and Daniel Xavier Valdez, founder of the BloodSec International group of hackers.
Santiago said the other hacker was a Navy personnel.
However, he refused to give other details about the Navy personnel as the investigation is ongoing.
“Their group, if you recall, is responsible for the 2016 Comelec hacking,” Santiago said in Filipino.
NBI Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc said the arrest of the three was an offshoot of hackers in Tagaytay last July 8.
He said during the controlled viewing of one of the mobile phones of the suspects, they found communication with a hacker who happened to be part of the Philippine Navy.
Lotoc said through coordination with the Navy, they were able to identify the suspected hacker within its ranks.
He said the mobile phone of the arrested Navy personnel had a directory scanner.
“I has the capability to scan secret files, directory,” he said.
Lotoc said further investigation showed that the Navy personnel was in constant communication with a person who later on turned out to be Valdez.
“We hatched an arrest operation,” he added in Filipino.
Santiago said the confidential information was communicated with Abales to collaborate on a project. During this communication, it was confirmed that he had the passcode to access a file from the Philippine Navy.
The NBI arrested Abales after he gave access to the hacked file.
Meanwhile, Valdez was arrested in Quezon City.
Abales is facing a complaint for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and Data Privacy Act of 2012 while Valdez is facing a complaint for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act and Electronic Commerce Act of 2000.
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Philippine Navy spokesperson Commander John Percie Alcos assured the public that the suspects only managed to access open-source documents, meaning documents that are already available to the public.
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PH meat import growth seen slowing down | Jordeene B. Lagare | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:02:00 PST | Despite the government’s decision to retain lower import duties, the rebound in Philippine meat importation might slow down due to the upswing in global prices and the weaker peso exchange rate, industry players said.
Meat Importers and Traders Association president emeritus Jesus Cham said it’s “hard to say” whether or not the volume of imported meat would sustain the increase seen since February this year as the cost of sourcing the commodity has surged.
Cham said landed cost, which refers to the cost of shipping a product, is rising for imported meat due to the weakening of the Philippine peso against the US dollar along with higher prices abroad.
READ: Low tariffs aid growth of PH meat imports
“We already see the stock sheets of some major players thinning out,” he told reporters in a message on Tuesday evening.
Even so, Cham said the recent issuance of Executive Order No. 62 would “lend stability and predictably for the remaining years [of the Marcos administration], unless the producers manage to overturn it.”
EO 62 signed by President Marcos last month maintained low tariffs on various products, including rice and pork, until 2028 to ensure continued supply of essential food products at affordable prices.
The tariff rate on swine, fresh, chilled or frozen meat is kept at 15 percent for in-quota and 25 percent for out-quota shipment. For mechanically deboned or separated meat, the duty is 5 percent.
The in-quota tariff rate is applied to an agricultural product within the minimum access volume (MAV) or the tariff quota while out-quota import duty is levied on farm products outside the MAV.
READ: PH seen ramping up meat imports to 1.09M MT
The Philippines had imported 1.1 billion kilograms of meat in 2023, dropping by 10.9 percent from the past year, data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed. But in the five months ending in May, meat imports grew by 9.7 percent to 524.68 million kg from 478.32 million kg previously.
Cham said the volume had risen amid the delayed release of the pork and poultry quota, adding, “While we expect the quota to be finalized this month, only a few months remain to fully utilize.”
The BAI tally recorded the highest monthly volume of meat imports for the year in May at 128.29 million kg.
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Pork accounted for the bulk of imported meat, equivalent to 48.3 percent. INQ
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NIA’s solar irrigation project a game-changer for farmers, food security | Gabriel Pabico Lalu | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 23:48:39 PST | June 10, 2024BIGGEST SOLAR IRRIGATION PROJECT: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with NIA (National Irrigation Administration) Acting Administrator Eng. Eduardo Guillen and other government officials, leads the inauguration of the solar-powered pump irrigation project in Quirino, Isabela in June 2024. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
June 10, 2024BIGGEST SOLAR IRRIGATION PROJECT: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with NIA (National Irrigation Administration) Acting Administrator Eng. Eduardo Guillen and other government officials, leads the inauguration of the solar-powered pump irrigation project in Quirino, Isabela in June 2024. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — The solar irrigation project of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) would be a game-changer for farmers because it would provide farmlands with much-needed water and increase yield, Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said.
Co in a statement on Thursday said that he supports the NIA’s Solar Irrigation project which includes 71 sites across Bicol Region, covering an area of 1,810 hectares — which will benefit 4,560 farmers in the region.
According to Co, chairperson of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations, the project has a total cost of P1.5 billion.
“This initiative by the National Irrigation Administration is a game-changer for our farmers,” Co said. “Tutugunan nito ang napakahalagang pangangailangan ng mga magsasaka sa patubig. Palalakasin nito ang ani at ang kakayahan ng mga magsasaka na pakinabangan ang kanilang mga lupain at mapataas ang kanilang kita.”
(It will address the crucial needs for irrigation of our farmers. This will boost yield and the farmers’ ability to utilize their land and increase their income.)
“With the availability of water during the dry season, we can expect an estimated additional income of P140 million every year for our farmers,” he added.
Co explained that most of the priority areas in the NIA’s project only rely on rain for irrigation, which limits planting season to a few times in a year. With the solar project, farmers can plant more — which will help in the government’s goal of self-sufficiency and food security.
“Our farmers are the backbone of our economy. Mahalagang bigyan natin sila ng kagamitan at resources na kailangan upang umunlad at mapalakas ang kanilang produksyon ng pagkain. This project not only boosts agricultural productivity but also uplifts the socio-economic status of our farmers,” he said.
(Our farmers are the backbone of our economy. It is important that we provide them with the equipment and resources needed to progress and boost food production.)
“As a representative of the Bicolanos, I am committed to ensuring that we continuously support and invest in our agricultural sector. Patuloy tayong makikipagtulungan sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno tulad ng NIA to ensure that projects such as these are successfully implemented and yield long-term benefits for our community,” he added.
(We will continue to help with different government agencies like NIA to ensure that projects such as these are successfully implemented and yield long-term benefits for our community.)
Co has been supportive of efforts to use solar power in agriculture. As early as March 2023, the lawmaker said that harnessing the power of sun will be key in boosting Philippine agricultural production, as combining the benefits of renewable energy, fertilizers and irrigation, which he called “fertigation,” would help increase farm yields.
Fertigation or the use of fertilizers and irrigation in raising crops, Co explained, is increasingly becoming popular among farmers as it feeds crops with precise amounts of nutrients while conserving water.
Adopting new farming technologies may be a game changer for farmers, he said, as it would boost production while reducing the use of resources.
READ: House appropriations chair says solar energy key to higher agri yield
Then in the deliberations for the 2024 national budget, Co’s committee approved a P40 billion increase for NIA’s allocation, to help it implement projects including solar-powered pump irrigation systems — which Administrator Eduardo Guillen said will revolutionize the country’s irrigation coverage.
READ: NIA exec says additional P40B to boost agricultural productivity
Irrigation will be crucial for the Philippines’ agricultural industry, especially since the country faces different calamities and phenomena — like the recent El Niño season which led to farm losses of P9.89 billion as of May 2024.
READ: Farm losses from El Niño climb to P9.89B
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the dry spell caused by the El Niño phenomenon affected the livelihood of 183,455 farmers and fisherfolk in the following regions:
According to President Ferdinand Marcos, over 152 solar-powered pump irrigation projects are being built across the country to combat the detrimental effects of El Niño, with 118 projects to be put up by the government.
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Marcos also visited several areas recently, to provide aid and farm machinery for farmers and fisherfolk affected by the El Niño phenomenon. With reports from Felice Nafarrete, trainee
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Cayetano open to conciliation with Binay, insists to continue NSB review | Charie Abarca | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 22:00:56 PST | Sen. Nancy Binay —SENATE PRIB / Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano —INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
Sen. Nancy Binay —SENATE PRIB / Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano —INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said he is willing to subject himself to a conciliation meeting with Sen. Nancy Binay and the chamber’s panel on ethics but he emphasized that the review of the New Senate Building (NSB) must continue.
Speaking to reporters in a press conference on Thursday, Cayetano said it’s a “good idea” to conduct a conciliation meeting between him and Binay in order to settle their disagreements. He, however, claimed that he discovered more controversies hounding the Senate’s new home.
“Just this week I found out maraming tinatago sa atin. Sino nagtatago? Bakit tinatago? I haven’t gotten to that. But I’ve finally received the caches, halos a half room full of documents were going through it. And ano eh, people are either just 25 to 27, that could even be a little bit conservative pala,” said Cayetano.
(Just this week I found out a lot is being hidden from us. Who is hiding this? Why is it hidden? I haven’t gotten to that. But I’ve finally received the caches, almost a half room full of documents were going through it. And what, people are either just 25 to 27, that could even be a little bit conservative.)
He then proceeded to appeal to Binay and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to tell the whole truth.
“Eto review lang to eh. So hindi ko alam bakit you know, ganyan ang nagiging reaksyon ng marami, either frozen or nagkakalat ng gossip tungkol sa amin or politically may attacks when what we’re doing is the review. So if they came forward and gave us everything, we would have decisions by now,” he said.
(This is just a review. So I don’t know why, you know, that’s how many people react, either frozen or spreading gossip about us or politically there are attacks when what we’re doing is the review. So if they came forward and gave us everything, we would have decisions by now.)
According to Cayetano, he consulted Senate President Chiz Escudero about the matter, noting that the leadership wants to make technical decisions on NSB all within the month of August to avoid further delays.
Cayetano, who was repeatedly asked if he is not closing his doors to have a conciliation meeting with Binay, said “for as long as it does not affect the results of the review.”
“Ibig sabihin secondary yung relationship namin, secondary yung if I can use the word tampuhan. As I said I’m not perfect. I apologize to the public na nireport nyo naman kasi hindi dapat ganun talaga mangyari.But because of that, God works in mysterious ways, maraming lumabas at marami kaming nakita ngayon,”he said.
(It means that our relationship is secondary, secondary if I can use the word tampuhan. As I said, I’m not perfect. I apologized to the public and you reported it because it shouldn’t have happened like that. But because of that, God works in mysterious ways, many revelations came out and we discovered a lot.)
To recall, Binay filed an ethics complaint against Cayetano for allegedly resorting to name-calling and behaving disorderly during the chamber’s proceedings.
In a 15-page complaint, Binay specifically noted that Cayetano committed the crime of slander against her.
The charge was submitted days after the two senators exchanged barbs during the Senate panel on accounts’ hearing on the supposedly ballooning cost of NSB in Taguig.
READ: Nancy Binay files ethics rap vs Alan Cayetano: ‘I can’t let it pass anymore’
During the July 3 hearing, panel head Cayetano insisted that the building’s cost would total a whopping P23 billion.
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Binay, on the other hand, cited the DPWH’s data, pointing out that the establishment only costs around P21 billion.
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BIZ BUZZ: Why St. Luke’s dropped Davao | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:10:00 PST | It looks like there won’t be any St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) branch rising anywhere outside Metro Manila in the foreseeable future. In 2017, SLMC announced a plan to build a hospital at Ayala Land’s Azuela Cove in Davao.
The site had been boarded up to prepare for construction but eventually, the project was scrapped.
SLMC president and chief executive officer Dennis Serrano said while they had previously looked into establishing a hospital facility in Davao, subsequent market research showed that demand for premium health care was still concentrated in Metro Manila. This compelled them to scrap their earlier prospect.
READ: St. Luke’s sets P24-B expansion program
“Many of our patients in the outlying [areas] in Luzon, in Mindanao, in Visayas, when they need to be taken care of, they come to Manila,” he said. They had wanted to change this trend by bringing St. Luke’s closer to the provincial market, but noted that research findings did not support this goal.
“While it was a health-care decision, it was also a business decision,” he added.
Despite this setback, Filipinos looking for quality healthcare still have something to look forward to as the SLMC has embarked on a P24-billion expansion to improve its services and widen its reach.
This expansion includes the construction of a new P18 billion-hospital at the Aseana complex in Paranaque to be finished by 2029, as well as the P6 billion renovation of its Quezon City branch, which will be completed either by 2027 or 2028. —Alden M. Monzon
If the SM Mall branches are expanding, so are its schools, apparently.
Sy family-owned National University (NU) is opening its 11th campus in the country, this time in ‘chicken inasal capital’ Bacolod City.
READ: BIZ BUZZ: NU rising
“In Bacolod, we hope to provide quality, updated, innovative education to the young Bacolodnons—both in content and in instructional method that reflect the NU standard of quality education,” said Renato Carlos Ermita Jr., NU president and CEO.
Both the Bacolod campus and East Ortigas campus in Pasig City will open in August.
Next year, Las Piñas and Cebu will also have their own NUs.
Of course, this is all part of NU’s massive goal of having 20 campuses by 2028 and a whopping 100,000 students by 2027.
NU, which has also been catching up on UAAP cheerdance championship numbers, currently has 55,000 students, from around 40,000 two years ago.
With three years left and a gap of 45,000 students, we’re curious to see whether NU will be able to reach its goal without, of course, sacrificing quality education. Abangan! —Meg J. Adonis
Filipino e-commerce shoppers may know the acronym COD as “cash on delivery,” but industry sources in the renewable energy (RE) market said “cause of delay” may be best to describe some local government units (LGUs).
Contrary to the Marcos administration’s push for ease of doing business, RE providers have to deal with the tedious process of securing permits for some of their projects.
Completing all the necessary permits sometimes takes a minimum of six months, said the sources, who are known players in the RE space.
They, however, kept mum when asked which provinces are hard to deal with.
Their wish for the upcoming State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: that government will streamline the permitting process.
They even backed the Department of Energy’s plan to integrate LGU permits into the energy virtual one-stop shop (EVOSS) system, the online platform for processing of energy project permits.
The Marcos government is aiming to grow the share of RE in the power mix to 35 percent by 2030. —Lisbet K. Esmael
Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) wishes to score more deals with billionaire Ramon Ang, with its officials hoping that their newly-announced Bataan solar farm venture won’t be the last.
“Anything is possible kapag na-happy ang San Miguel sa amin, baka dumami (If they are happy, there may be more),” CREC president Oliver Tan said in a chat with reporters.
He said that in any partnership, more tie-ups would “naturally” come if both parties are satisfied.
It was earlier this month when CREC disclosed to the public its joint venture with San Miguel Global Light and Power Corp. (SGLP), a unit of SMC Global Power Holdings, the power arm of Ang-led San Miguel Corporation.
According to Tan, they are targeting to start ground works by the latter part of the year, with the completion eyed by 2025.
“We’re doing the engineering design. The timetable is: once we secure all the remaining permits, we look to start construction before year-end,” he said.
Both companies did not reveal the intended investment for the project, but industry experts estimated that producers must shell out P40 million to P50 million per megawatt.
According to the previous disclosure to the local bourse, a “special purpose entity” would be created, with CREC initially holding 49 percent while the rest would go to SGLP.
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CREC will subscribe additional shares during the construction phase, subsequently leading to equal share in the ownership arrangement. —Lisbet K. Esmael
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Watchdog group warns vs toxic school supplies | Russel Loreto | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:25:00 PST | File photo from Ban Toxics Facebook page
File photo from Ban Toxics Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — With days to go before the opening of classes nationwide on July 29, an environmental watchdog group urged parents on Wednesday to check their children’s school supplies for toxic chemicals as it released a study showing the dangerous levels of cadmium and lead in many back-to-school items.
An investigation conducted by EcoWaste Coalition from July 5 to 13 examined 110 school products ranging from water bottles to erasers that were purchased from retail stores in Metro Manila as well as online sellers and found a worrying trend of chemical contamination.
READ: Crackdown on toxic products
Aileen Lucero, the group’s national coordinator, said their findings showed that “toxic school supplies remain a public health issue that our society, consumers, regulators and educators in particular, should be concerned about.”
The group also noted deficiencies in product labeling and chemical safety. Of the 110 items examined, 60 had no labeling information, while the rest were inadequately labeled. None of the samples provided information about chemicals in the products and 11 crayons lacked the crucial “nontoxic” mark.
Chemical screening likewise showed widespread contamination: 18 backpacks and lunch bags contained high levels of lead, with some also containing cadmium. A pouch bag’s zipper paint had an extreme lead concentration of 28, 230 parts per million (ppm) while stainless steel water bottles showed lead levels of up to 100,000 ppm in their coatings, both exceeding safety limits.
The findings were the same for plastic items like envelopes, folders, and notebook covers, and even raincoats, paperclips that contained dangerous levels of either cadmium or lead.
EcoWaste urged the government to impose stricter regulations, including a complete ban on hazardous chemicals in children’s products and mandatory ingredient labeling.
It advised parents to carefully read product labeling information and avoid PVC plastic, especially those with strong chemical smells. For plastic school supplies with a strong odor, place these in direct sunlight to help remove the smell.
It also offered more tips: Choose erasers marked “phthalate-free” or “PVC-free” and avoid scented or food-shaped varieties.
For crayons, look for those with a “nontoxic” label. For water bottles, plain stainless steel options are recommended over painted ones, unless these are certified “lead safe.”
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Binay, Cayetano to discuss dispute in private | Philippine Daily Inquirer | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:45:00 PST | Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano. —Senate PRIB photos
Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano. —Senate PRIB photos
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on ethics and privileges will hold a conciliation meeting behind closed doors between Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano, who recently engaged in a heated argument over the construction of the new Senate building in Taguig City.
READ: Binay accuses Cayetano of slander in ethics complaint
“This will allow senators involved in an ethics complaint to meet and resolve issues privately, in the presence of the committee chair and its members,” Sen. Francis Tolentino, the committee chair, told reporters.
Binay had filed an ethics complaint against Cayetano for his “offensive, derogatory and improper” remarks. —Tina G. Santos
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Red tide alert up in Bataan | Jun A. Malig | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:51:02 PST | Bataan. INQUIRER FILES
Bataan. INQUIRER FILES
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Central Luzon office in this city issued on Wednesday, July 17, a warning about the presence of gymnodinium catenatum, the microorganism that causes red tide and paralytic shellfish poison, along Bataan’s coastal waters.
Laboratory examination of seawater samples collected from the coastal waters of Balanga City and the towns of Orani, Hermosa, Limay, Mariveles, Orion, Pilar, Samal, and Abucay tested positive for gymnodinium catenatum, the BFAR Central Luzon said in a statement.
“To safeguard human lives, we are issuing this warning as a precautionary advice to the public to refrain from gathering, selling, and eating all types of shellfish and Acetes spp.x locally known as alamang from (the identified localities of) Bataan to avoid possible shellfish poisoning,” it said.
The regional agency said fish, squid, crab, and shrimp are still safe to eat if they are fresh, washed thoroughly, and all entrails removed.
The BFAR Central Luzon said it would continue to monitor Bataan’s coastal waters in coordination with local governments in the affected areas.
High concentrations of gymnodinium catenatum usually produce toxic red tides, or the turning of sea water into a reddish color.
Eating shellfish positive for gymnodinium catenatum can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, which results in severe illness or even death. INQ
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CCPO holds thanksgiving event for Palarong Pambansa cops | rgabuya | Fri, 19 Jul 2024 08:11:21 PST | Around 400 policemen, assigned to help secure the Palarong Pambansa 2024, attended a Thanksgiving event prepared by the Cebu City Police Office on Thursday, July 18. | CDN Photo/ Marielle Surigao
Around 400 policemen, assigned to help secure the Palarong Pambansa 2024, attended a Thanksgiving event prepared by the Cebu City Police Office on Thursday, July 18. | CDN Photo/ Marielle Surigao
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Around 400 policemen, who were deployed during the Palarong Pambansa 2024 were commended in a Thanksgiving ceremony on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
The Palarong Pambansa cops were officially pulled out from their deployment and returned to their units..
To honor the dedication of these police officers, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog commended the cops for their dedication and sacrifices in ensuring that this year’s Palarong Pambansa was peaceful and successful.
During the thanksgiving event in the CCPO headquarters, the police officers were treated to a boodle fight.
In an interview with local media, Dalogdog said a boodle fight is part of their tradition.
“Pag naa tay mga augmentation of personnel gikan sa mga lain-lain nga city police office ug provincial police office, bag-o sila manguli sa ilahang mga respective units, naa tay budol fight isip usa pagpasalamat sa ilaha,” he stated.
Dalogdog also relayed the message of Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) Director, Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin to the Palarong Pambansa cops.
“‘The credit goes to the men and women of CCPO under your able, active, and allied leadership. Congratulations and keep up the good work,’ mao na ang response ni RD,” said Dalogdog.
Furthermore, Dalogdog extended Aberin’s gratitude towards the police officers, especially the augmented police units from Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), and all of their partner agencies.
Dalogdog said that around 180 personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) have already been pulled out before Thursday.
Most of the deployed Palarong Pambansa cops returned to their units right after the games’ Closing Ceremony on Tuesday, July 17.
Only 400 officers remained until Thursday and were able to attend the Thanksgiving event.
According to Dalogdog, there are still more than 3,000 Palaro delegates left in their billeting quarters.
For the remaining delegates, the personnel of the local police stations are tasked to give them security.
Dalogdog also assured that police will remain on full alert until all the delegates from other regions have returned home.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the success of the recently concluded Palarong Pambansa 2024 was the fruit of the very comprehensive, well-coordinated, and flexible security coverage.
“Tungod sa atong commitment, tungod sa atong serbisyo, tungod sa atong steadfast collaboration with other agencies apil ang mga private sectors, nga nahimong instrumental in making this sports event a success,” Dalogdog stated.
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Peza unfazed by low investment turnout in first half | Alden M. Monzon | Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:06:00 PST | The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) on Wednesday expressed optimism it will still meet its target of approving P200 billion to P250 billion in investments this year despite the low turnout in the first half.
Peza Director General Tereso Panga said his forecast was based on a number of factors, including the projection of economists and credit rating institutions that the country’s economy would fare better in the second half of 2024.
From January to June, Peza approved projects worth P45.8 billion, which is lower by 44 percent compared to the P80.59 billion recorded in the same period last year. Approved investments for the entire 2023 reached P175.70 billion in value, a 24.9-percent increase from the P140.7 billion recorded in 2022.
READ: Peza approvals hit P36.8B in May
“[We] anticipate more trade and investments coming in given the recent trilateral agreement among the United States, Japan and the Philippines,” Panga said in a statement.
He also cited prospects from the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, which the United States passed in 2022 appropriating billions of dollars into semiconductor and other scientific research.
Philippines, a long-time hub for semiconductor manufacturing, is considered a primary beneficiary. Panga also sees the Philippines benefiting from its accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (REP) and the forthcoming free trade agreement with South Korea.
READ: Peza chief says P2.845 billion in investments approved for March
He said these agreements would expand the Philippines’ sources of trade and investments.
He added the passage of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE) More bill “would stimulate big ticket investments and expand the number of locators companies that would register their projects with the Peza.” INQ
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Marcos ‘on top’ of finalizing Sona speech – Palace | Zacarian Sarao | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:01:41 PST | FILE PHOTO President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo from Presidential Communications Office)
FILE PHOTO President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo from Presidential Communications Office)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “on top” of finalizing his speech for his third State of the Nation Address on July 22, the Palace said on Wednesday.
No other details on Marcos’ preparations, however, were provided by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
“The President is on top of finalizing his Sona speech,” the PCO told Malacañang reporters.
“He has no engagement today because he is preparing for the Sona,” it added.
Press Secretary Cheloy Garafil earlier announced that the state-owned Radio Television Malacañang will again direct Marcos’ Sona.
A total of P20 million was set as the budget for this year’s Sona.
The House of Representatives has banned Sona outfits with derogatory words or political messages.
READ: What happens on Sona Day besides the President’s speech?
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Price of chicken shoots up as poultry raisers lower production | Jordeene B. Lagare | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:10:00 PST | Inquirer file photo
Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The price of chicken in public markets has gone up to “a record high,” selling for as much as P250 per kilogram, around P5 to P30 more compared to last week, as many poultry raisers have reduced production due to importation and after incurring losses last year.
However, an official of the United Broiler Raisers Association (Ubra), composed mostly of small and medium-scale poultry producers, called the prevailing market prices “too high,” saying that chicken meat should be sold at just P230 per kg.
Based on the monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the retail price of a kilo of dressed whole chicken ranged from a low of P190 to a high of P250 in Metro Manila markets as of July 15.
READ: Gov’t urged to put moratorium on chicken importation
This was higher than the P160 to P200 per kg recorded around the same period last year. Last week, the retail chicken prices were between P185 and P220 per kg.
In the second week of June, the price range for chicken was between P160 and P220.
Ubra president Jose Gerardo Feliciano said at the sidelines of the Poultry Show Forum in Pasay City that the selling price for chicken shot up after many local raisers opted to mitigate their losses by reducing production amid the influx into the country of imported chicken.
Poultry raisers also decided to hike their prices in one go instead of doing it in tranches, according to him.
“What we noticed is it is an offshoot of what happened last year when many poultry raisers sustained losses. It’s a normal business decision to lower production volume, resulting in lower supply,” Feliciano said. “Of course, one big factor in the pricing of chicken is importation.”
He added, however, that some industry players might be taking advantage of the current situation, leading to a surge in prices.
Still, he said that the current prices were at a “record high” as the average farm-gate price (or the price between farmers and traders, which is largely influenced by the latter) was at P137 per kg earlier this month compared with P118.75 per kg during the same period last year.
“Let us assume the farm-gate price is P150 for computation purposes. We see that the retail price should be around P220 to P230 only,” Feliciano noted.
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But he said retail price was expected to drop by late August as the rainy season bodes well for raising chickens.
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Marcos pre-Sona approval, trust ratings dip; VP gets modest gain | Zacarian Sarao | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:52:44 PST | Live Updates: SONA 2024
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during his visit in Calbayog City, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (Photo from the Official Facebook page of the Presidential Communications Office)
MANILA, Philippines Just before his third State of the Nation Address (Sona), a Pulse Asia survey showed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval and trust rating slightly dropped.
Marcos’ approval rating dipped to 53 percent in June from 55 percent in March 2024. His trust rating dropped from 57 percent to 52 percent in the same period.
Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte’s approval rating slightly increased by two percent from 67 percent in March to 69 percent in June.
On the other hand, Duterte’s trust rating remained unchanged at 71 percent.
However, Pulse Asia, in the survey published on Wednesday, noted that the figures show that “appreciation continues to be the prevailing sentiment” among the two highest-elect officials.
Lowest in Mindanao, highest in NCR
Marcos’ approval rate was highest in Metro Manila at 61 percent. Balance Luzon followed with 57 percent, 56 percent in the Visayas, and only 38 percent in Mindanao.
Comparatively, Duterte enjoyed majority approvals in all areas, with the highest in Mindanao at 95 percent, 80 percent in Visayas, 64 percent in Metro Manila, and 54 percent in Balance Luzon.
On trust rating, Marcos remained in the majority in Metro Manila at 59 percent, Luzon at 58 percent, and Visayas at 54 percent, but not in Mindanao, where his trust rating is only at 35 percent.
For Duterte, trust was highest in Mindanao at 95 percent, 72 percent in Visayas, 62 percent in Balance Luzon, and 60 percent in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, the survey also showed that while Speaker Martin Romualdez only garnered an approval rating of 35 percent, the record was still four points higher than three months ago.
Ambivalence remains the dominant sentiment for Romualdez, with 45 percent of respondents saying they were “undecided.”
His trust rating also increased by four points in June at 35 percent, with 45 percent still saying they were “undecided” about the official.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero held a 69 percent trust rating.
No approval rating was recorded for Escudero because he only took the helm of the Senate leadership on May 30.
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The June 17–24, 2024 survey used face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adult respondents.
It has a ± 2 percent error margin at a 95 percent confidence level (± 4% error margin in each area).
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Namfrel to Comelec: Don’t ban AI in next elections | Dexter Cabalza | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:35:00 PST | Comelec Chair George Garcia
Comelec Chair George Garcia
MANILA, Philippines — The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has objected to a proposal pending before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a campaign tool in next year’s midterm polls.
The poll watchdog instead pushed for a Comelec-approved “code of conduct” or a set of ethical principles that all election stakeholders would be asked to follow.
“[AI] is here to stay and it is finding applications in many areas, including elections. While AI’s potential for improving electoral processes is recognized, what has been highlighted is the misuse and abuse of the technology as seen in recent elections worldwide,” Namfrel said in a position paper released on Tuesday.
According to Namfrel, banning or even just regulating the use of AI may infringe on freedom of speech and expression.
The Comelec may also face legal challenges for it, as the new technology requires expertise or a new set of skills to enforce the restriction.
For Namfrel, a ban “may curtail technological innovation and inadvertently limit the benefits of AI in enhancing electoral processes.”
“Namfrel instead recommends the Comelec to draft a Code of Conduct that will embody a set of ethical principles that all election stakeholders will be asked to adhere to,” the group said, citing the results of a roundtable discussion it held in June with other poll watchdogs, information technology experts, academics and officials from the Comelec itself.
The code should be based on the principles of transparency, respect for human rights, accountability, truthfulness, fairness, and nondiscrimination, it added.
In the case of political ads or similar materials employing AI, such content should just be appropriately marked, it said.
“The disclosure must include funding sources, expenditures, AI technology used, data about the target audience and the source of such data. Transparency should extend across the AI ecosystem, from content creation to audience targeting, with social media platforms actively participating and adhering to a Code of Conduct,” it said.
Namfrel also proposed that candidates and political parties be required to disclose their intention to use AI in their campaigns, and their willingness to be audited for any AI-generated content.
“Legal liabilities and penalties should apply to candidates, political parties, campaign teams and public relations and advertising firms that caused the development or generation of AI-generated content. Shared accountability is crucial due to the challenges in detection and monitoring by election management bodies alone,” it said.
A committee or task force within the Comelec may be formed to monitor AI use—or if the technology is being used for disinformation or producing “deepfake” videos or audios, it added.
“Comelec should implement a reporting and complaint process, regulating AI-generated election paraphernalia. Comelec can encourage candidates, political parties, and other stakeholders to adopt self-regulation mechanisms for AI use in elections and election-related activities,” Namfrel said.
In May, Comelec Chair George Garcia proposed a ban on AI in the next campaign season, warning its abuse could worsen the spread of fake news and “undermine the integrity of elections and the credibility of public officials, candidates and election management authorities.’’
“This defeats the very purpose of a campaign, which is to fully and truthfully inform the voters about the elections and the candidates,” according to Garcia.
In June, Garcia’s proposal was referred by the Comelec en banc to the concerned committees.
Big Tech companies, including Meta, Google, Snapchat, Tiktok and Microsoft, have been discussing with Comelec how to combat fake news during the campaign period.
Experts have called the Philippines the “Patient Zero” of digital disinformation, partly due to the high number of Filipinos using the internet daily for news, entertainment, and social networking.
While disinformation and misinformation are heavily associated with the technology, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in its “Elections in Digital Times: A Guide for Electoral Practitioners” released in 2022 also highlighted the potential of AI to improve the efficiency and accuracy of polls.
AI-powered chatbots can provide real-time information about polling locations, candidate platforms, and voting procedures, making the electoral process more accessible and transparent, consequently leading to more reliable and timely results.
AI may also improve data management by ensuring accurate collection, storage, and analysis of extensive electoral data, enabling authorities to make swift decisions and identify trends effectively.
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It may also be used to fortify cybersecurity measures by easily detecting anomalies and fraudulent activities in the automated election system.
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5 Duterte-appointed DepEd officials submit resignations | Dempsey Reyes | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:10:00 PST | Vice President and outgoing DepEd Sec. Sara Duterte. —screengrab from DepEd Philippines Facebook page
Vice President and outgoing DepEd Sec. Sara Duterte. —screengrab from DepEd Philippines Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of the change in leadership at the Department of Education (DepEd) starting on July 19, five officials appointed by outgoing Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte have also tendered their resignations.
One of the five officials, Education Undersecretary and chief of staff Michael Poa, confirmed his departure from the DepEd on Tuesday, along with four others.
They were Nolasco Mempin, undersecretary for administration; Sunshine Fajarda, assistant secretary for the Office of the Secretary; Reynold Munsayac, assistant secretary for procurement; and Noel Baluyan, assistant secretary for administration. With their resignations, the DepEd will be left with 10 undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.
“I think it is only appropriate to give the incoming Secretary of Education, Secretary Angara, a free hand to choose the people that will form part of his team,” Poa, who is also the DepEd spokesperson, told reporters.
He and Fajarda were appointed to their positions in the department in May 2023.
Munsayac, on the other hand, served as Duterte’s spokesperson at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in 2022 before he was appointed education assistant secretary. Mempin and Baluyan are retired military generals.
According to Poa, their resignations will take effect on July 19, the same day as Duterte’s, which she announced on June 19. She did not give a reason for leaving the Cabinet.
Her resignation, however, solidified a split between her and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with whom she allied the 2022 national elections. Cracks first started to appear when House lawmakers stripped her offices—OVP and DepEd—of P650 million in confidential funds in the 2024 national budget due to public criticism of the huge proposed allocations.
Although both Marcos and Duterte maintained an air of civility in public, some members of their respective families did not hold back, with Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, calling the President a drug addict in January. Duterte’s brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, later urged Mr. Marcos to resign if he did not love the country. In April, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos publicly called out Duterte for not coming to her husband’s defense.
Duterte will be replaced by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara in a turnover ceremony scheduled at the DepEd central office in Pasig City on Thursday.
Reacting to the resignations, Angara said that he respected the five officials’ decision to tender their courtesy resignations ahead of his assumption as education secretary.
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“We eagerly anticipate taking on our new role this Friday. Any appropriate appointments will be announced soon as we intend to hit the ground running and drive immediate progress,” he said in a statement.
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PH-Strong Group dumps Malaysia, improves to 4-0 in Jones Cup | Rommel Fuertes Jr. | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 21:31:37 PST | Strong Group Athletics in its 2024 Jones Cup game against Malaysia. –SGA ATHLETICS
Strong Group Athletics in its 2024 Jones Cup game against Malaysia. –SGA ATHLETICS
MANILA, Philippines—Strong Group Athletics hiked its winning streak to four following its romping of Malaysia, 89-54, in the 43rd William Jones Cup 2024 at Xinzhuang Gymnasium on Wednesday.
This was after the Philippine side had to squeak past Ukraine, 82-74, on Monday.
After figuring in three neck-and-neck quarters, SGA found itself holding on to a 59-48 advantage over the Malaysians before going on a rampage in the fourth quarter.
SCHEDULE: Strong Group Athletics at Jones Cup 2024
RJ Abarrientos sank a long bomb in the 9:33 mark of the fourth quarter to spark a 16-2 run to give SGA an insurmountable 75-50 lead over Malaysia.
Most of the buckets in that game-sealing run came from three, as SGA shot lights out from deep, sinking 11 as a team.
Coach Charles Tiu’s wards also reigned supreme in the rebounding department with 46 huge rebounds as a squad.
READ: Strong Group makes it 3-0 in Jones Cup
Abarrientos commanded the offense with nine points and game-high 12 assists. Rhenz Abando, meanwhile, notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Ange Kouame also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Chris McCullough helped big time with 16 points.
John Murry II’s 25-point outburst was put to waste for Malaysia as Ateneo foreign student athlete Joseph Obasa dropped 13 points and six rebounds but to no avail.
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Up next for SGA is Team USA on Thursday, 1 pm, in the same venue.
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Cavite City in state of calamity due to massive fire | Delfin T. Mallari Jr. | Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:35:00 PST | INFERNO A drone captures the blaze crawling through the houses in Barangays 5 and 7 of Cavite City on Sunday. —Cavite City Mayor Denver Chua Facebook photo
INFERNO A drone captures the blaze crawling through the houses in Barangays 5 and 7 of Cavite City on Sunday. —Cavite City Mayor Denver Chua Facebook photo
LUCENA CITY, QUEZON, Philippines — The Cavite City government has declared a state of calamity after a fire on Sunday ravaged two coastal villages and left more than 900 families homeless.
“Cavite City is now under a state of calamity,” Mayor Denver Chua announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon.
In another post, the city government said the declaration was based on the mayor’s and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s endorsement and recommendation.
Declaring a state of calamity would enable local governments to use their calamity funds.
The move would also be a mechanism to control the prices of goods and commodities in the areas.
The fire started at about 3 p.m. on Sunday along Badjao, Alonzo Street. It spread to Barangays 5 and 7 and destroyed more than 900 houses before it was extinguished three hours later, according to the Cavite City police.
Authorities said the fire affected more than 3,300 individuals, who were temporarily housed at two public schools in the area and attended to by local social welfare officers.
The investigators reported no casualties or serious injuries.
Firemen were still investigating the cause of the blaze, while property damage has yet to be determined.
On Monday, Chua reported that brothers Cavite Rep. Jolo Revilla and Agimat Rep. Bryan Revilla, and local government officials, provided initial assistance to the families affected by the tragedy.
The government officials distributed hot meals, hygiene kits, sleeping kits and food packs to each family affected by the fire.
“In the coming days, we will also provide financial assistance to each family to help them rebuild their homes. A little more patience, and we will rise again. Rest assured, we will not abandon you,” Chua said.
He has led a meeting with concerned departments from the city government to begin the relief and recovery operation for the victims.
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The city government has also launched a donation drive to help the fire victims.
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