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PH lawmakers seek continued support of US Congress	MANILA, Philippines — Filipino lawmakers have sought the support of United States legislators in further strengthening the defense and economic relations between Manila and Washington. “We asked for the continued US congressional support for defense and economic security,” said House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Romualdez led lawmakers from the House of Representatives in a visit to Washington, during which they met with US Rep. Young Kim of California’s 40th District. Kim chairs the US House of Representatives’ foreign affairs subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe and House Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. were present during the meeting with Kim. Other members of the delegation were Representatives Tobias Tiangco and Jose Aquino II, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco and House Sergeant at arms Napoleon Taas.Romualdez’s cousin, Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, was also present during the discussion. “On top of our strong military security with the US, Rep. Kim has vowed to work with us to further strengthen and expand the country’s economic security with them. This partnership will boost productivity, drive economic growth and generate new jobs,” the House Speaker said. Romualdez said US support for the Philippines’ economic security will be a big boost for the country’s full recovery from the pandemic. “Our strong strategic economic partnership will enhance economic cooperation that is very important for sustainable growth and development,” he said. He added: “We must work together by expanding and prioritizing our investments. Fostering economic cooperation and facilitating trade are keys for long-term growth and stability.” The House Speaker previously called for stronger bilateral cooperation between Manila and Washington, especially in the areas of health, security, and the environment. For his part, the Philippine ambassador said Kim was pleased to meet the House Speaker and that Kim is planning to visit Manila by November this year. “She (Representative Kim) is very pleased to meet the House Speaker and the members of his delegation. She would very much like to continue the dialogue and plans to be in Manila and her congressional delegation sometime this November,” he said.
dozens injured in bangladesh protest of planned women s rights policy	dozens of bangladeshi protesters have been injured in clashes with police during a demonstration by islamists against the country 's proposed new women 's rights policy .
Congress revamp not enough, say protesters	“We feel that’s not enough,” former Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, now chair of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), said at a press conference in Quezon City on Wednesday, along with the other protest organizers. “It’s not enough for there to be staged investigations. It’s not enough for there to be a reshuffle in leadership,” he said. “What’s needed is for everyone involved to be held accountable. They should be imprisoned.” Former House lawmaker Liza Maza, who was also at the briefing, said: “The people won’t be satisfied with investigations, with a commission, with a reshuffle both in the Senate and in Congress.” Maza, who represented Bayan Muna and the Gabriela Women’s Party in the 12th, 13th, and 14th Congress, is now president of the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan. She noted that while employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways were sacked and charged for corruption over “ghost” and substandard flood control projects, the politicians tagged by spouses, Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, at a Senate hearing, have remained untouched. House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was one of the lawmakers named by Curlee Discaya, stepped down from his post on Wednesday, while his Senate counterpart, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, was ousted in a coup after he admitted to receiving a P30 million donation from a government contractor. “There needs to be justice,” Maza insisted. “There needs to be justice for the poor who always bear the brunt of these corrupt traditional politicians.” Protest organizers said that is the message of the series of protests scheduled for Sept. 21 at two locations—Rizal Park, or Luneta, in Manila and the two People’s Power sites along Edsa in Quezon City. Casiño and Maza said their groups would initially join the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance’s (Tama Na) Baha at Luneta on the morning of Sept. 21, also the 53rd anniversary of the 1972 declaration of martial law by then President Ferdinand Marcos. Transport group Manibela, which kicked off a three-day transport strike against corruption on Wednesday, said its members would also join the protests at Luneta and Edsa. They would also provide free rides for those who would join the rallies at either site. “We will participate on Sept. 21 at Luneta and Edsa. All the members of the Manibela who are here in Luzon will join us,” said Manibela chair Mar Balbuena. Another transport group, Piston, is also set to hold a transport strike on Thursday against corruption. Other groups, including civic and religious organizations, have also announced plans to join the protests. Casiño said the Tama Na group has permits to start the protest at 9 a.m. on Sunday, with other participating organizations expected to initially gather at Baclaran Church in Parañaque City; the Mall of Asia in Pasay City; and the Quezon City Hall at 6 a.m. before proceeding to Manila. United Methodist Church pastor and National Council of Churches in the Philippines member Glofie Baluntong announced they would hold an ecumenical gathering at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente Central Office along Taft Avenue at 7 a.m., while Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order chair and Chinese Filipino civic leader Teresita Ang-See said their group would convene in Intramuros at 7:30 a.m. before marching to Luneta Park. According to Tama Na convenor and De La Salle University professor David Michael San Juan, educational institutions will march from the Philippine General Hospital along Taft Avenue and converge with groups on TM Kalaw Avenue by 8 a.m. on Sept. 21. The University of the Philippines Diliman University Student Council also said there would be a protest action at the campus at 7 a.m. before proceeding to Luneta.
new york mayor rudolph giuliani says he wants to start his own	mayor rudolph giuliani said wednesday he is working on a plan to set up his own business once he leaves office and ruled out an immediate return to politics .
Senators set for face-off with Palace over vetoes	Villanueva told reporters on Tuesday that the senators were invited to attend the Ledac and would be asked to present their priority measures for consideration by Malacañang and to synchronize these with the 19-point agenda of the executive department. “We were told that in the coming week or two, we will be having the Ledac. This is a welcome development considering that a high number of the measures we passed have been vetoed,” he said. Villanueva said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed the full Senate attendance at Ledac meetings after a “long discussion” with Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez and the “core group” of the Marcos Cabinet. “This is not only because of the series of veto messages, but primarily, it’s natural that we do this after the [State of the Nation Address of the president]. But we don’t want a repeat of what happened before,” he said referring to the five bills that were passed in the 18th Congress but were struck down by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. All the bills went through deliberations in bicameral conference committees, Villanueva said. Marcos vetoed the bill to create the Bulacan Airport City Special Ecozone with tax privileges; the measure expanding the franchise area of the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Co.; and the bill to “strengthen” the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, which gave financial perks to officers of state-owned companies. On Friday, the president vetoed two more bills — one granting tax exemption to the honorarium and allowances for government workers performing poll duties and the bill creating the proposed Philippine Transport Safety Board. Marcos vetoed four of the five bills on grounds that they either reduced revenue or created unnecessary government spending. “That is not very easy to swallow, because you work really hard for a specific measure, and (the legislative process) takes so much time and government resources,” he said. Of 12 major bills passed by the previous Congress, five were rejected by the President and seven he allowed to lapse into law, including one that lowers the age for vape users. At the Ledac, lawmakers will deliberate on the 19-point legislative agenda of the Marcos administration that is expected to be put forward by the executive department, and determine which of these will be their priority, Villanueva said. The Ledac, which was created by law in 1992 under the late President Fidel Ramos, serves as a “consultative and advisory body to the President,” who chairs the National Economic and Development Authority Board, on certain programs and policies essential to reaching the country’s economic goals. It also serves as a “venue to facilitate high-level policy discussions on vital issues and concerns affecting national development.” The PLLO promotes “presidential legislative initiatives and other administration-sponsored priority policy reforms and development programs,” according to its website. It conducts a “strategic information dissemination campaign” and a “sustained day-to-day collaboration” with the Senate and the House of Representatives, and with other “interest groups.” “I was surprised to learn that it was not yet made official, because yesterday at the senators’ caucus, we already talked about it,” Villanueva said, referring to the reported selection of former Batangas Rep. and House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza as PLLO chief.
Rice prices still high despite lower tariffs	MANILA, Philippines — The price of locally produced and imported rice retailed at around P50 a kilo in some public markets in Metro Manila despite lower import duties on the staple, likely due to traders still unloading their stock purchased at the higher tariff rate. Local regular milled rice was sold from a low of P45 per kilogram to a high of P51 per kg as of Friday, compared to P39 to P45 per kg during the same period last year, according to a price monitoring report by the Department of Agriculture (DA). Local well-milled rice ranged from P47 to P55 per kg from last year’s P41 to P47 per kg. The DA also noted that imported regular milled rice was priced from P42 to P50 per kg. This variety was not available around the same time a year prior. Imported well-milled rice was more expensive at P45 to P55 per kg, compared to P45 a kilo in the past year. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said last month that consumers would feel the impact of tariff reduction by October as traders were still disposing of their old stocks, which they brought in at higher duties. “Traders are expected to dispose of their old stocks by about mid-October, which they purchased at higher prices,” he told reporters. Tiu Laurel had also said global rice prices remained high amid India’s ban on rice exports while Indonesia and Malaysia were building up their buffer stocks. Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said the agency had provided additional farm inputs to boost production and eventually lower the retail prices of other basic commodities by next year. The country imported 3.8 million metric tons of rice in 2022 and 3.6 million mt in 2023 under the old tariff rates. In June, President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 62 which slashed duties on imported rice and retained low tariffs on other commodities such as pork and corn until 2028. His order sought to augment supply, manage prices and temper the inflationary pressure of commodities. The new tariff rates would be applied to imports starting July 5. According to Bureau of Plant Industry rice import data, 167,403.84 MT of rice arrived in July, 361,720.20 MT in August and 38,068.02 MT as of Sept. 5. The total amount of imported rice under the new tariff is about 15.7 percent of last year’s imports. The DA has not said whether the volume of the July-Sept. 5 imports would immediately affect rice prices in the markets this month, although it observed a downward trend in prices during a visit to markets including Guadalupe Market, Farmers Market, and Nepa Q Mart. “A huge factor here was the reduction of rice tariff rates from 35 percent to 11 percent. Our retailers and consumers are happy as they can buy rice for P42 to P45 per kilo,” said Orly Manuntag, founder of [the] Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement. The DA earlier launched the P29 rice program to sell rice for P29 per kg to vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, single parents, persons with disabilities, and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries. It also unveiled the Rice-for-All program, wherein the general public can purchase local or imported well-milled rice from select Kadiwa sites in Metro Manila for P45 a kilo.
Water firm reduces off-peak supply flow	MANILA, Philippines — East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. will still lower water pressure coming from faucets during off-peak hours to manage the limited water supply, even if the water allocation from Angat Dam is retained in the first half of May. “To help extend the limited supply, we are still implementing water pressure reduction from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.,” Manila Water corporate communications head Dittie Galang said in a message on Thursday. West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc., however, said no service interruptions will be implemented in its coverage area except for scheduled and emergency maintenance activities. However, Maynilad said in a statement that the increasing water demand “could lead to lower network pressure despite this sustained allocation, unless consumers work together to manage their water consumption.” The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) retained the 50 cubic meter (cu. m.) per second allocation for domestic use from May 1 to 15 to meet the increasing demand for water amid the extreme hot weather. Patrick James Dizon, manager of MWSS Water and Sewerage Management Department, said the Angat allocation, equivalent to 4.3 billion liters a day, would help avoid water service interruptions. “We will ensure that there won’t be any supply cut once the water pressure is reduced. If there is a service interruption usually due to repairs, it will be announced ahead of time,” Dizon said in an interview on the state-run television program “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.” Dizon said water concessionaires reached an agreement with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to get their 1 cu. m. water allocation for irrigation. “The supply is not enough to meet the demand for water due to high temperatures,” he said. Angat Dam is the primary source of water for Metro Manila and nearby towns, both for domestic use and irrigation. It supplies around 90 percent of the water requirements of Metro Manila and adjacent areas. The NWRB releases raw water coming from the dam to the MWSS, which is then split between Maynilad and Manila Water, with Maynilad getting a bigger share because it has a larger customer base. Amid the retained allocation, the two firms appealed to consumers to conserve water and avoid wastage. Maynilad said it is augmenting the water supply by drawing water from other sources, such as deep wells, reused water and rivers. “Even before the El Niño phenomenon set in last year, we have been developing alternate water sources to augment the growing water requirement of customers. These alternate sources are now being fully utilized, so we ask consumers to also reinforce this effort by using water wisely,” Maynilad Corporate Communications head Jennifer Rufo said. “We are also calling on our customers to continue practicing responsible use of water, avoid water wastage and seize opportunities to reuse,” Galang said. As of Thursday, Angat’s water level is 187.13 meters, lower than the 187.65 meters recorded a day ago, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The current level is below the normal or comfortable water level of 212 meters yet far from the minimum operating level of 180 meters.
1.7 milion OFWs can vote starting April 10	MANILA, Philippines — The number of overseas Filipino voters has gone down by about 125,000 since the last elections three years ago. Overseas voting will run from April 10 to May 9. Overseas voters may only vote for national candidates namely president, vice president, 12 senators, and a party-list group. They will vote either by mailing their ballot or personally casting their ballot at 93 Philippine diplomatic posts overseas. According to the Comelec, 1,677,631 overseas voters are land-based while 19,584 are sea-based. Nearly half or 786,997 voters are based in the Middle East and Africa. There are 450,282 overseas voters in Asia-Pacific, 306,445 voters in North and Latin America. and 153,491 voters in Europe.
VP snubs House panel, tags 2 who ‘control’ national budget	MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte skipped the second House committee hearing on her office’s budget and instead accused two ranking lawmakers of “controlling” the national government purse. In a video clip released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Tuesday, she said “The Philippine budget is controlled by two persons only…. Cong. Zaldy Co and Cong. (and Speaker) Martin Romualdez. That’s the truth.” In 2023, she said, some House members approached her to ask for a “part” of the P5-billion allocation for the construction of classrooms under the Department of Education (DepEd), which she also headed at the time. She said she declined their request because DepEd might miss its target, adding: “I told one congressman to tell Martin Romualdez that we cannot split the classroom construction budget.” Yet later, she said, the original funding of P5 billion for classrooms ballooned to P15 billion—as approved by the Office of the President—when it appeared in the General Appropriations Act of 2024. The additional P10 billion was “not controlled by the Department of Education” at all, she said. “That is controlled by Cong. Zaldy Co and Cong. Martin Romualdez. I don’t need a corroborative witness on this because you can all see that on paper… In the NEP (National Expenditure Program), P5 billion; but in the budget approved, it was P15 billion.” This episode was one of her reasons for resigning as education secretary in June, she added. “So now you understand? Why should we even hold a budget hearing when there are only two people who are in full control of our country’s budget?” In a statement on Tuesday, the OVP said Duterte was no longer attending the House deliberations since it had submitted “all necessary documentation” and a “detailed presentation” of its budget proposal to the committee. “[The] OVP defers entirely to the discretion and judgment of the Committee regarding its budget proposal for 2025,” it added. Duterte also sent a letter addressed to Romualdez, Co and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, the committee’s senior vice chair. In the letter, Duterte said she had “articulated my position on the issues outlined in my opening statement” at the first hearing on Aug. 27, which was marked by testy exchanges after she declared she would no longer defend the OVP budget.
New climate reports point to surging global disaster	MANILA, Philippines — Two new reports on climate change are pointing to an accelerating climate disaster, as their conclusions show the world was falling drastically short of its goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. With their respective findings, the UNFCC and WMO aim to convince governments to revisit and revamp their climate plans within the next eight years—considering that 2030 was the target period set by the United Nations when global warming should be eased to 2 degrees Celsius, then 1.5 degrees Celsius. According to the UNFCC report, climate pledges among the 194 parties (193 countries plus the European Union) under the 2015 Paris Agreement could still put the world on track for the goal of 2.5 degrees warming by the end of this century. The planet has a total of 195 states, including the Vatican and the State of Palestine. UNFCC analyzed the climate action plans, or nationally determined contributions (NDCs), of those countries under the agreement. Among others, it found that, despite ambitious promises to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions dramatically, the world’s nations could only shave off less than 1 percent from their projected 2030 emissions of 54 to 56 GtCO2eq (gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent).An earlier UN report pegged carbon emissions at 42 GtCO2eq as a manageable level to ease global warming. A more recent report, the 2022 UN Emissions Gap Report by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) released last Thursday, said GHG emissions needed to be cut by 45 percent by 2030 “to avoid global catastrophe.” The WMO, in its report, noted that atmospheric levels of the three main GHGs—carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide—reached new record highs in 2021. But UNFCC said there was still hope in averting a climate disaster—affirming Unep’s recommendation that NDCs must be improved to strengthen commitments among nations to help reduce global warming. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian minister of foreign affairs and COP27 president designate, said the upcoming conference was the right occasion for that goal. Meanwhile a lawmaker said the Philippines could seek compensation from developed countries for damage caused by climate change-related disasters, such as the destruction wrought by Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” (international name: Nalgae). (See related story on Page A2) “Climate change kills. There is loss and damage, and countries like the Philippines that are most at-risk due to its impacts have a moral responsibility and the moral ascendancy to fight for the principle of loss and damage,” Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said in a statement on Monday. He said countries vulnerable to climate change conditions like the Philippines should band together at COP27 and “demand more” in terms of not only compensation, but also relief funding and promotion of clean energy, from “major polluters like the United States and the European Union.” “Mitigation and adaptation measures are not enough … And coming from a disaster like Paeng, we have the moral duty and moral ascendancy to make demands to the world’s biggest polluters,” Salceda said.
Researchers see alarming FB ‘trend’ on tarsier sightings	MANILA, Philippines — Researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) note in a new study that most sightings of the endangered Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) have been occurring outside protected areas and key biodiversity zones. This, they say, raises fresh concerns over increasing human-wildlife encounters that could place the elusive primate at greater risk. How did they find out? Through Facebook. The researchers analyzed more than 1,125 publicly available Facebook posts published between 2006 and 2024, and found that only 2.4 percent of tarsier encounters happened within designated protected areas, while just 3.68 percent occurred inside key biodiversity areas. The sightings spanned 29 provinces, more than double the 14 provinces listed in the species’ range description in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. “The information that social media platforms harbor could have significant use in efforts to protect other primate species as well, especially rare and cryptic species like tarsiers, and in efforts to empower citizen scientists and the general public to contribute to conservation,” the study said. Led by researchers Maria Sabrina Tabeta and Simeon Gabriel Bejar of the UP Institute of Biology, the study underscores the value of social media as a tool for monitoring wildlife, especially for “cryptic” species like the tarsier that are harder to monitor. Out of the 1,125 posts analyzed, 491 featured tarsiers in the context of ecotourism, mostly in well-known tourist sites in Bohol. Meanwhile, 74 posts documented wild sightings, including encounters in farms, forests and even classrooms. While such habitats fall within the tarsier’s known range such as rural gardens and agricultural areas, “their presence in anthropogenic areas can be considered a reflection of the blurring gap between humans and wildlife, with some being close enough for direct contact or handling to occur,” the study said. The study also found 19 posts showing tarsiers kept in confinement, inside cages, sacks, bags or tied with leashes. Several other posts depicted tarsiers dead or injured, often as a result of attacks by domestic cats. “Such emerging threats to the Philippine tarsier may require targeted conservation efforts, adaptive management strategies and continued monitoring,” the authors said. The iconic tarsier, despite its cultural significance, is classified by the IUCN as near-threatened as the species faces habitat loss and illegal trade. According to the New England Primate Conservancy, an international animal protection and wildlife conservation organization, tourism is also exerting stress on Philippine tarsiers and their fragile environment. “Travelers are making trips to the Philippines specifically to see this iconic and unique species in the wild. While this has helped locals to view them in a positive light and as a priority for conservation, thanks largely to the tourism money they bring in, it may have overall negative consequences for the animals. They are captured specifically for tourist facilities, where the tarsier is displayed for viewing during the day—not ideal for a nocturnal animal.” For the UP researchers, on-ground field studies must be conducted to better understand the extent and impact of human-tarsier interactions. They also noted growing public concern for tarsier welfare, as reflected in Facebook users’ reactions to posts showing mishandling or harm of the animal. “These expressions of concern suggest that Philippine tarsiers are valued and the importance of their well-being is recognized,” they said. “While our observations to this end are preliminary, we recommend further study into this aspect of social media [as this] can be used to tailor online campaigns and similar conservation activities to specific demographics.” /cb
Duterte expected as Senate drug war probe begins	MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s past rhetoric encouraging the killing of drug suspects and so-called “ninja cops” casts a long shadow over his expected Senate appearance today, which could be the first time he faces questions on the violent tactics used in his administration’s drug war. Interviewed by reporters on Saturday, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa reiterated his assurance last week that his former boss will appear before the Senate. Dela Rosa had served Duterte as the former chief of the Philippine National Police and as Davao City police chief when the former President was its longtime mayor. “He (Duterte) is ready. We did not talk about the investigation, but he said he will face the Senate and answer questions,” Dela Rosa said, adding that he recently had dinner with Duterte in Davao City. But Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, designated head of the drug war inquiry, said he had “no idea” if Duterte would attend today’s hearing. “I did not find out whether his attendance was confirmed or not since we have a lot of invited resource persons and witnesses,” Pimentel told reporters also on Saturday. “If he shows up, he (Duterte) can be a witness. If he doesn’t come, the hearing will still go on. Our hearing will not be held hostage by one person’s presence,” Pimentel said. The hearing is expected to focus on Duterte’s potential culpability in the thousands of deaths during his drug war, although Pimentel was noncommittal about any specific agenda to be followed by the inquiry. “We will follow the evidence,” he said when asked if the Senate will revisit Duterte’s past “kill” rhetoric in connection with the alleged reward system incentivizing the killings already raised before the inquiry of the House of Representatives. Human rights lawyer and former party list congressman Neri Colmenares said he was cautious about the hearing, saying it could only be effective “if the senators will ask the genuine, important questions”—and if Dela Rosa and Duterte’s former Special Assistant and now Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go inhibit themselves. Both are being eyed as possibly being among the most responsible for the over 7,000 deaths officially recorded during the drug war and even in the thousands of others killed in Davao City when Duterte was mayor. Go, in particular, is being accused of facilitating the rewards system through testimonies before the House quad committee. “This is where he (Duterte) might struggle to wriggle out of,” said Colmenares, legal counsel for the drug war victims who had filed charges of crimes against humanity against Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC). “Not only did he order the killings, but he also funded them. And not an ordinary person would spend millions of pesos just to fund such a thing… the only one with the capability to do that is the president.” He was referring to the fact that the Office of the President under Duterte had requested billions in confidential funds. Colmenares also expressed concern that should Duterte attend the hearing, it might be to “filibuster and meander, so that he could control the narrative.” A look back at Duterte’s statements and remarks revealed that he had promised millions of pesos to individuals who could bring “dead or alive” drug suspects or rogue cops. These “encouraging words,” Colmenares said, were at the heart of their argument before the ICC that his rhetoric effectively turned the killings into a “widespread and systematic attack” against civilians and proved he had “knowledge of the attack.” For most of his administration, Duterte would either flip-flop or say he was merely exaggerating or joking. But as the head of the executive branch, the police and all other agencies answer to him,” said University of the Philippines political scientist professor Maria Ela Atienza. “He can say these are jokes or figures of speech, but these were uttered publicly. Whatever he said, these are to be taken [as] orders of the executive branch,” Atienza said. As early as June 2016, Duterte already put a bounty of P3 million on drug lords or police involved in drugs, which he upped to P5 million later. Other bounties include P2 million for those overseeing drug distribution, P1 million for “second-echelon” syndicate members, and P50,000 for ordinary peddlers. In Cebu, he raised the P5-million bounty to P5.5 million, describing it as a “premium.” “I’m not saying that you kill them, but the order is ‘dead or alive,’” the former President said. That same month, United Nations special rapporteurs already called out the bounties. In September 2016, Duterte announced a P200,000 reward for police officers involved in successful operations against drugs and terrorism. The next month, he announced to Zamboanga City police a P2-million reward for anyone who can give information on officers in illegal drugs and other criminal activities. In August 2017, speaking in Ozamiz City, following the burial of slain Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and three family members, he again offered P2 million to anyone who could help neutralize policemen in the narcotics trade. “If you want money, go after them. No questions asked. I would not be asking who killed them,” he said. Go and Dela Rosa had even affirmed the President’s statements. In a 2016 interview, Dela Rosa said the reward was an “additional motivation” for police officers “instead of them receiving drug money.” In 2019, Go confirmed the reward system, noting a P1-million bounty for dead “ninja cops” (rogue police officers allegedly in the drug trade) and P2 million if they resisted arrest. Former Sen. Leila de Lima, who had also earlier testified before the House, will also appear at the Senate, her camp said. A showdown is therefore possible between Duterte and his leading critic in the drug war if he shows up. Atienza said the Senate inquiry, while it may be “unprecedented, …should not be surprising, because that’s the role of the legislature, and they’re making up for what they failed to do when the president was still sitting.” “This is something like saving face, but better late than never,” she said.
clinton signs health insurance measure despite murdoch provision	expressing regret that he still lacks the power to veto separate elements of legislation , president clinton signed into law tuesday a bill giving self-employed people the right to deduct health insurance costs from their taxes .
LTO: Angkas official can’t drive for 90 days	MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended for 90 days the driver’s license of Angkas chief executive officer George Royeca after he admitted to organizing a motorcade for the motorcycle taxi’s riders who obstructed a busy intersection in Cainta, Rizal, on Feb. 2. In an interview on Telerado Serbisyo on Monday, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II initially said Royeca’s license was revoked. However, the agency later clarified it was only preventively suspended for 90 days, pending an investigation. A viral video of the Feb. 2 incident showed scores of Angkas riders blocking Cainta Junction—the intersection of Ortigas Avenue Extension, A. Bonifacio Avenue, and Felix Avenue—for more than two minutes. In addition, they also violated a prominently displayed no left turn sign so that their convoy could easily traverse through the busy highway on their way to the LTO “unity motorcade” on Marilaque Highway. According to Mendoza, Royeca surrendered to the LTO after the incident and took responsibility for the “mistake” of the Angkas riders. Mendoza said the LTO was investigating other Angkas riders on their “exact participation” in the traffic flow obstruction incident. Those involved are being probed for being an “improper person to operate a motor vehicle” under Section 27 of Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. Angkas’ Facebook page, which has gained a following for its witty posts, poked fun at its owner’s current situation. “Congrats, George! Promoted ka na to passenger (You are promoted to a passenger),” it said. In a message to the Inquirer, Royeca said they “fully respect and accept” the LTO decision in their case. “Following the voluntary surrender of my license, we are prepared to face any consequences and adhere to the due process. While we await the LTO’s decision, we remain committed to taking full accountability for our actions,” he added. The 43-year-old Royeca is aiming for a seat in the House of Representatives as the first nominee of the Ang Kasangga party list in the midterm elections. He previously issued a public apology a day after the incident, acknowledging the “lack of discipline, disregard for safety, and noncompliance with traffic rules” of his Angkas riders. “I take full responsibility. There are no excuses for our actions. I humbly ask for the public’s sincere forgiveness, as well as that of our passengers, fellow motorists, and authorities. We will do better,” he said. Cainta Mayor Elenita Nieto sanctioned Angkas, ordering the company to conduct community service as a penalty. INQ
bangladesh parliament summoned to meet on may ##	president shahabuddin ahmed has summoned bangladesh 's national parliament to meet next month , officials here said saturday .
Frasco insists DDB ‘not paid’ as she rolls out ‘Love’ buses	Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Thursday reiterated that the government had not made any payment to DDB Philippines, the advertising agency behind the “Love the Philippines” campaign which sparked widespread outrage and made international headlines over a promotional video that used stock footage of tourist attractions in other countries. Speaking to reporters during the launch of Hop-On, Hop-Off Manila, a bus tour that takes visitors around the capital’s cultural landmarks, Frasco said “not a single peso of government fund has been paid with the agency.” But despite the termination of the DOT’s P49-million contract with DDB Philippines as a result of the video fiasco, the department appeared bent on retaining the “Love the Philippines” slogan, which had also drawn its own share of criticism supposedly for being unimaginative or sounding like a command rather than a charming pitch. The Hop-On, Hop-Off buses presented for the launch at Bonifacio Shrine just outside Manila City Hall displayed the new campaign logo and slogan. On Wednesday, in a speech delivered at a Pasay City forum, her first public appearance since the DDB controversy broke out, Frasco mentioned the tourism campaign slogan several times but did not dwell on the much-assailed video or on the ad firm’s public apology on July 4 over what it called “an unfortunate oversight.” The “Love the Philippines” logo was also prominently displayed on the stage. On Thursday, asked about the status of the DOT’s contract with DDB and whether the DOT is paying it for the continued use of the “Love” slogan and logo, Frasco replied: “’Love the Philippines’ reflects the heart of every Filipino (because) we all love the Philippines.” “The circumstances of late has led the DOT to initiate termination proceedings on its contracted ad agency and I would just like to emphasize that not a single peso of government fund has been paid under the tourism branding campaign with said agency,” she added. She did not entertain further questions from the media and ended the chance interview by saying “Thank you so much for your support. Salamat kaayo (Cebuano for ‘thank you very much’). Love the Philippines.” In a statement issued on Wednesday night, Frasco acknowledged the support that she and the DOT continued to receive from some lawmakers. “I am deeply grateful for all the messages of support that have poured in reflecting that which we all hold in common: We all love the Philippines. We all genuinely desire our country’s success. The work under the Marcos administration to usher in a robust recovery of Philippine tourism continues,” she said. Launched in partnership with the city government of Manila, the Hop-On, Hop Off project seeks to promote the city’s heritage sites, museums, and other tourist destinations both through the bus tour and a mobile app. At P1,000 per person, the tour will cover nine sites: Robinsons Manila, Raja Sulayman, Rizal Park (Luneta), the National Museum, Malacañang, Manila City Hall, Escolta, Binondo (Chinatown) and Intramuros. In 2022, the National Capital Region recorded a total of 5.3 million overnight tourists.
Pampanga mayor held in extortion sting	CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA, Philippines — Mayor Abundio “JP” Punsalan Jr. of San Simon town, Pampanga, was arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s intelligence division for alleged extortion and graft. The arrest, carried out by at least 15 operatives, took place at a cafe inside Clark Freeport at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to NBI Assistant Director Noel Cruz Bocaling, chief of the agency’s intelligence division. “Punsalan did not resist arrest while his six bodyguards were disarmed,” Bocaling confirmed in a telephone interview on Wednesday. Punsalan has not responded to phone calls or messages from the Inquirer since Tuesday night. The operation stemmed from complaints filed by Irwin Chua and Mel Arellano, president and corporate secretary, respectively, of Real Steel Corp., a steel bar manufacturing firm operating in San Simon. Chua was appointed trade commissioner to Pampanga by the Republic of Vanuatu, according to an appointment letter dated Nov. 6, 2023, and signed by Minister Marc Ati of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chua also holds a Vanuatu passport. According to Arellano, Punsalan “demanded P100 million from the company” despite the firm having no environmental or tax-related violations. Sources told the Inquirer that two Chinese-owned steel companies in the town have either shut down or suspended operations due to alleged extortion attempts by the mayor. Bocaling said the NBI is set to file formal cases against Punsalan today. Punsalan had been suspended four times by the provincial board and the Ombudsman concerning land-use conversion cases. Asked for comment, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda said the mayor must “clear his name by himself.” “I am dismayed by this development because hours before he was entrapped, he attended an event [of the Department of the Interior and Local Government] where he swore to be an honest public servant,” Pineda said in a phone interview. She added, “I also constantly remind our public officials to dutifully carry out their mandate and duties.” /cb
Senate nod needed to rejoin ICC, says Senator De la Rosa	MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government would need to redo the process of returning to the fold of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which would require the concurrence of two-thirds of the membership of the Senate, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said on Monday. Dela Rosa, one of the respondents of the cases lodged with the ICC, said President Marcos cannot unilaterally rejoin the ICC without Senate ratification, which his predecessor, then President Rodrigo Duterte, did to withdraw in 2018. “If [the Philippines] wants to rejoin, that would have to go through the process—our representative in the Hague would signify our intent to recognize again the agreement, it has to be ratified by the President, and after the President’s ratification, it has to be concurred by the Senate by two-thirds vote,” he said. “So that’s the process. [It’s] back to zero, back to square one,” Dela Rosa said in an interview over ANC’s Headstart. Dela Rosa was reacting to reports quoting Mr. Marcos on the government’s plan to return to the ICC, five years after such recognition was revoked by Duterte as it launched an investigation of his administration’s bloody war on drugs. But while he believed that it was valid for Duterte to have renounced membership in the ICC even without ratification by the Senate, Dela Rosa thinks that a looming return to the fold would have to secure the approval of two-thirds of the current senators. “We need to go back to that process which is mandated by the 1987 Constitution. Otherwise, any presidential action to rejoin will become unconstitutional if we do not comply with what the Constitution says about that process,” he said. “But back then, it was very simple. It’s as simple as we no longer want in, so we just withdrew,” he said. He, however, did not cite the legal basis for his position. Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police when Duterte launched a massive crackdown against illegal drugs, with more than 6,200 killed in drug-related police operations, according to government data. Vice President Sara Duterte, for her part, on Monday said they would reach out to the Department of Justice (DOJ) about her office’s position on whether the country should cooperate with the ongoing ICC investigation of her father’s war on drugs. In an interview, Duterte said that while she respects the position of Mr. Marcos, “we will continue to reach out to the DOJ” as it conducts its own review on proposals for the country to cooperate with the probe or even return as a member-nation of the Rome Statute that established the ICC. Duterte herself has opposed the proposals—first floated by members of the House of Representatives—arguing that allowing the ICC to investigate crimes that could have been handled by the local justice system would “insult and embarrass” the country’s courts. “To allow ICC prosecutors to investigate alleged crimes that are now under the exclusive jurisdiction of our prosecutors and our courts is not only patently unconstitutional but effectively belittles and degrades our legal institutions,” the Vice President and education secretary said in a statement on Nov. 23. INQ
Pangasinan leaders back Bongbong-Sara tandem	Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., without his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, continued the tandem’s campaign tour of the Ilocos region, which is part of his father’s so-called political bailiwick, the “Solid North.” Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim, former Rep. Gina de Venecia and her son Rep. Christopher de Venecia were among the politicians who waited for him in this city. Lim, a Nacionalista Party member, has endorsed Marcos’ candidacy. Marcos first proceeded to Alaminos City, where former Rep. Arthur Celeste introduced him as the “tiger of the north.” He was greeted there by Abono party-list Rep. Conrado Estrella III and Rep. Ramon Guico III who is seeking the gubernatorial post in the May polls. Marcos and his delegation then made a courtesy call on Gov. Amadeo Espino III and Vice Gov. Mark Lambino in Lingayen town before driving to this city. He did not address any issues except to outline his campaign platform that included improving agriculture.
A first: US Presidential Trade and Investment Mission in PH	MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Washington in May last year has yielded one major tangible result — the US government is sending over for the first time a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is leading the high-level mission to Manila from March 11 to 12 and will be joined by 21 American business leaders and senior corporate executives as well as celebrity and philanthropist Allan Pineda, popularly known as Black Eyed Peas rapper Apl.de.Ap and founder of Apl.de.Ap Foundation International. The White House list of official delegates includes Steven Brown, president of geothermal energy company GreenFire Energy Inc.; Sapna Chadha, vice president for Southeast Asia and South Asia frontier of tech giant Google Asia-Pacific; Narsingh Chaudhary, president for Asia-Pacific and India of global engineering company Black & Veatch Corp.; Chris Clark, chair for Asia-Pacific of payment tech multinational Visa Inc.; Mark Ein, chair of the President’s Export Council; Charlie Ergen, co-founder and chair of the board of EchoStar/DISH, a global provider of satellite communication technologies; Kimberly Getgen, founder and CEO of tech consulting company InnovationForce; Brett Hart, president of top American airline United Airlines; Laura Lane, executive vice president and chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer of multinational shipping and supply chain company United Parcel Service; Rich Lesser, global chair of Boston Consulting Group which provides management consulting and business strategy services; David Luboff, partner and head for Asia-Pacific infrastructure and cohead of KKR Asia-Pacific of global investment company KKR; Thomas Marquis, cofounder and vice president and director for marketing of Marquis which produces and markets low-carbon feed and fuel solutions; Scott McHugo, CEO and chair of the board of solar energy solutions company Sol-Go; Sara Murphy, president of Capital One Philippines bank; Ted Osius, president and CEO of the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Business Council; Anne-Marie Padgett, regional president for East Asia and Pacific of engineering and project management company Bechtel; Kawal Preet, president for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions of global delivery services company FedEx; Shamina Singh, founder and president of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president for sustainability of global payments technology company Mastercard; Mary Snapp, vice president for Global Strategic Initiatives of the Office of the President of top computer software multinational Microsoft Corp.; Eric Starr, cofounder and CEO of data security company UltraPass ID; and Francesco Venneri, founder and CEO of energy company Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said earlier this year that the visit was part of US commitments under the 123 Agreement that US President Joe Biden signed with President Marcos in November last year. The 123 Agreement allows the transfer of information, nuclear material, equipment, and components directly between the two states to enhance US companies’ contributions to the Philippine economy, connective infrastructure, clean energy transition, critical minerals sector, and food security, Watson said. Marcos said the US president himself had assembled the delegation upon the Philippines’ request to explore opportunities for investment and operations in the country. The United States had not sent a presidential trade delegation before, Marcos noted. The US-Asean Business Council said the first-of-a-kind mission aims to “enhance US companies’ contributions to the Philippines’ digital transformation and clean energy transitions as well as highlight the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and high-quality investment.” It said the delegates would meet with Philippine government officials to discuss “business development incentives and regulatory reforms” and with Philippine business executives and business, organizations to foster business-to-business trade and investment opportunities. “This trade and investment mission underscores the commitment of the United States to building strong partnerships with one of its key allies, the Philippines. I am confident that this mission will create new partnership possibilities for the US private sector,” Osius said in a statement. Currently, with more than 170 companies as members, the US-Asean Business Council has been the lead advocacy organization for US corporations operating within Asean. Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said earlier the country was witnessing an uptick in investment interest under the Marcos administration, which has embraced closer economic and defense ties with the United States. “I cannot overemphasize the fact that our relationship with the United States is at its best right now. This is the time we have to take advantage of this relationship because the interest is so high,” Romualdez said during a recent briefing organized by nonprofit US-Philippines Society. “Secretary Raimondo told us she wanted this to be very focused, she wanted to make sure something will come out of this delegation,” he recounted. “This is a big deal for the United States. The White House has never organized something like this,” Romualdez said.
Minor tremor hits Zambales after magnitude 5 quake	SAN ANTONIO, Zambales – A minor tremor hit this province after the magnitude 5.0 earthquake on Saturday (Oct. 11). In its bulletin, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) said a 2.7 magnitude earthquake jolted this province at 6:15 p.m. Its epicenter was located 25 kilometers east of Botolan town with a depth of 99 km. Earlier, at 5:32 p.m, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake with an epicenter located 19 km northeast of Cabangan town with a depth of 100 km was felt in this province and nearby Olongapo City. According to Champ Del Rosario, head of the Cabangan municipal disaster risk reduction management office, no damage was reported in their town. Meanwhile, several local government units (LGUs) reminded their constituents to stay vigilant after the magnitude 5.0 earthquake.
ugandan president to visit senegal	ugandan president y. museveni will visit senegal in october this year , the foreign ministry announced here today .
Zero soft drinks in government offices pushed	MANILA, Philippines —A lawmaker has proposed prohibiting government agencies from buying soft drinks and other sweet beverages and serving them in official functions. House Assistant Majority Leader Richard Gomez said House Bill No. 10708 or the “Bawal Soft Drinks at Sweet Drinks sa Gobyerno (Soft Drinks and Sweet Drinks Ban in Government) Act,” was a “necessary step toward creating a healthier environment in government workplaces and institutions.”
oil workers in nigeria suspend strike	oil workers in nigeria have announced the suspension of their scheduled two-day strike following the intervention of top government officials , the news agency of nigeria reported tuesday .
COVID bed occupancy rate in Olongapo stays low	OLONGAPO CITY — The hospital bed utilization rate in COVID facilities here stayed low as the city was able to sustain a decline in infection rates, according to independent COVID monitoring group Octa Research on Wednesday (Feb. 9). Citing data from the Department of Health, Octa said the health care utilization rate in the city is currently 42 percent. Olongapo has 106 beds dedicated to COVID patients in four hospitals. The virus reproduction rate of 0.40 in the city was also considered very low, an indication of a downward trend, Octa said. But the city’s average daily attack rate (Adar) remained at moderate level after posting 4.29 cases per 100,000 population. Adar is the number of individuals found infected for every 100,000 people. As of Tuesday (Feb. 8), the city’s active COVID cases dropped to 188 after only five new infections were recorded.
chinese fm spokesman on zhu rongji 's visit to india bangladesh	chinese premier zhu rongji 's official visit to the republic of india and the people 's republic of bangladesh will push forward china 's bilateral friendly cooperation with both countries , foreign ministry spokesman sun yuxi said here tuesday .
Olongapo City posts zero new COVID-19 cases 3 days in a row	OLONGAPO CITY — This city has recorded zero new infections for three consecutive days while posting one recovery daily, local data showed. According to the local task force, the city’s active infections stood at six on Christmas Eve after tallying three recoveries and zero new virus cases since Dec. 22. At least 13 of the 17 villages in the city remained free of COVID-19 cases as of Dec. 24. The downward trend in the spread of the disease has been noted in the city since early December. The same data showed that no new deaths related to the viral disease were added to the city’s tally.
Senate bill seeks to crack down on ticket scalpers	MANILA, Philippines — Those caught reselling tickets to events at excessive prices face a stiff fine of up to P500,000 plus a prison sentence under Sen. Mark Villar’s recently filed Senate Bill No. 2873, or the proposed Anti-Ticket Scalping Act. “We filed this bill to stop or suppress the worsening incidents of scalping, which take advantage of concertgoers or avid fans. The practice of reselling concert and event tickets at an inflated price by scalpers is no longer reasonable,” Villar said. “We aim to give fans and concertgoers fair access to events of their favorite artists or performers. Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers,” he added. The proposed bill aims to prohibit the offering, hoarding, selling, distributing, buying, dealing in, disposing of, or otherwise acquiring admission tickets for entertainment events without written permission from the authorized event producer, organizer, and distributor, obtaining and reselling tickets by more than 10 percent higher than the face value price of the ticket. The minimum 10 percent markup, however, may be reviewed and updated by implementing agencies. In addition, financing, managing, or operating ticket scalping activities on a large scale will also be penalized. “As a preventive measure, we will require event ticketing, event production, and event service entities to publish and post reminders against scalping in their premises or websites. They will also be ordered to adopt and implement internal policy guidelines and mechanisms to prevent scalping activities by employees, contractors, and agents,” said Villar. Under the proposed measure, there is no need to wait for somebody to complain before charges can be filed against a suspected ticket scalper. “The Departments of Justice, Trade and Industry, and Interior and Local Government, as well as law enforcement [agencies] like the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, may also serve as complainants,” Villar said. Penalties for those found guilty of ticket scalping are a fine of P100,000 and/or imprisonment of six months for the first offense. For third or subsequent violations, the fine could go to as high as P500,000 and/or imprisonment of three years. Villar also highlighted the penalties for corporation offenders: “Apart from companies, directors, members, officers, and employees engaged in scalping may also be held accountable.”
COA: Ex-PCGG execs liable for P190-M loss in asset sale	MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Audit (COA) has reiterated that former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Chair Juan Andres Bautista and four other officials were liable for selling three sequestered properties from the Marcos family below their estimated market value. In a 16-page decision, the COA denied the former PCGG officials’ petition against the original decision for lack of merit, affirming the notices of charge (NCs) it brought against them, amounting to P190 million for the undervaluation of the Marcos properties sold between 2012 and 2014. These assets included the Banaue Inn Compound and JY Campos Compound, both in Baguio, and the IRC Mapalad Property in Parañaque City. Aside from Bautista, also implicated were then COA Commissioners Nelson Acebo and Ronald Chua, bids and awards committee (BAC) chair Richard Amurao, and Alfredo dela Paz, director of the Asset Management Division. Specifically, Bautista was cited for approving the sale, while Amurao, Chua, Dela Paz, and Acebo were tagged for evaluating the bid offers on the properties. As the approving authority and the BAC members who evaluated the bids, the PCGG officials “should have exercised due diligence in ensuring that there was no loss suffered by the government in the disposal of the said properties,” said the COA in its ruling. “As officers who were responsible for the undervalued selling price of the subject properties, they should be held liable for the under-collection of said government revenues,” it added. The case dates back to 2014, when the PCGG was asked to explain why the three properties were sold from 2.64 percent to 37.36 percent below the minimum allowable limit of the COA Technical Services Office (TSO) appraisal. According to Dela Paz and Amurao, they pegged the properties’ value using the market data approach, which was based on the sales and listings of comparable properties within the vicinity at the time of the appraisal. Unsatisfied with the justification, the COA issued the NCs against the five PCGG officials in 2015. Based on the audit team’s computation, the estimated value of the properties was P607 million in total, but these were sold for only P417 million, or a P190-million difference. In dismissing the petition for review, the COA rejected the petitioners’ argument that they were deprived of due process when the state auditors failed to attach a copy of the TSO appraisal reports to the letter before issuing the NCs. According to the COA, the petitioners were given sufficient notice and all the remedies to explain their side from the time the NCs were issued until the filing of the petition. The commission also pointed out that the petitioners cannot hide under the cloak of good faith and regularity in the performance of official functions due to the glaring disparity between the appraisal reports and the contract amounts that resulted in government losses. In its ruling, the COA also noted the possible invalidity of the PCGG’s move to sell the assets sequestered from the Marcos family, saying that this “may not have [had the] prior approval of the Sandiganbayan.”
Informant gets P7.8-M for helping ‘neutralize’ NPA leader in Bukidnon	CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — An informant who helped the military conduct a successful operation against a top New People’s Army (NPA) leader has received a P7.8-million reward. The handover of the bounty was witnessed by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino, he said. The reward was on account of his help in locating NPA leader Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, who was killed in a clash with Army troopers on Oct. 30, 2021, in Impasugong, Bukidnon. The multimillion-peso reward for Madlos’ capture has been up since 2000. Ricky, who wore a black mask and a baseball cap to hide his face, was praised by Lorenzana for his “bravery” and for trusting the government despite the risks to his life.
Pagcor taps COA to audit Pogos	The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has tapped the Commission on Audit (COA) as a “stop-gap measure” while it has not yet hired a third-party auditor for Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos). The COA has assigned a special team to Pagcor for Pogos after terminating a P5.8-billion deal with its third-party auditor in March. “COA set up a special team, so the team assigned to Pagcor for the usual audit, is not the one that audits offshore gaming operators. There’s a special team from the COA head office that focuses on that alone,” Pagcor chair Alejandro Tengco said.
After 20-year split, MNLF factions unite for peace	According to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., the idea for a “convergence” came up during his separate meetings with the MNLF factions on how to strengthen their collaboration in implementing the unfulfilled aspects of the Final Peace Agreement (FPA) that the parties signed in 1996. Galvez first met on Monday with the faction led by MNLF founding chair Nur Misuari. For the MNLF side, the meeting was led by Misuari’s son, Bangsamoro Parliament Deputy Speaker Ustadz Abdulkarim Tan Misuari. On Tuesday, he met with the faction headed by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Labor Minister Muslimin Sema. “Inspired by the convergence efforts in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and other sectors in the Bangsamoro, the MNLF-Misuari and MNLF-Sema groups have expressed their openness to pursue the convergence effort,” Galvez told the Inquirer on Thursday. This is the first time that both factions agreed to work together to implement the 1996 peace accord since their split in 2001. It will also give another shot in the arm to over a decade of encouragement by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the Moro revolutionary fronts, including the MILF which also split from the MNLF in 1977, to unify their efforts for the Bangsamoro people. For that, the OIC shepherded the creation of the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum (BCF) in 2010. The OIC has been a major backer of the Bangsamoro peace process since the mid-1970s and has committed to put up the Bangsamoro Development Assistance Fund for the rehabilitation of war-torn communities in Mindanao. The factions had tasked the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) to facilitate the union. “As a vehicle for convergence, a Joint MNLF Executive Committee shall be established to be represented by leaders of the two MNLF groups that shall provide policy guidance on convergence efforts,” a resolution from the MNLF-Sema faction read. Galvez said the decision of the MNLF factions to unify their actions laid the foundation for “the future reengagement with the OIC through the BCF.” Galvez’s meetings with the MNLF factions early this week had led to the transformation of what used to be coordinating committees into implementing committees, signifying their active involvement in carrying out the FPA. He said this development “is critical to ensure the harmonization of the programs and projects as part of the implementation of the peace agreement.” Galvez said the engagement between the government and the MNLF groups was focused on the transformation of its former fighters, their families and communities to include those residing outside of the BARMM. “These efforts to converge the MNLF and the implementation of socioeconomic programs for the MNLF communities is part of the Marcos administration’s desire that no one should be left behind in the peace process,” he stressed. Galvez said it was President Marcos who took on the task of bridging the Moro leaders. “Just two months into his administration, he helped bridge and reconcile the Moro leaders, and appointed an inclusive [membership of the] BTA—ensuring an equitable composition of the Bangsamoro parliament, composed of young, forward-looking and development-oriented public servants, [who] aim to foster innovation in governance and, at the same time, ensure the meaningful inclusion of women,” he said. Galvez said the intention of the Marcos administration “is to reconcile and unite the Moro groups in Mindanao and continue with the implementation of all signed Bangsamoro peace agreements.” The younger Misuari said: “MNLF is one of the champions of peace. We will do our part to sanctify our agreements.” He noted that the 1996 peace agreement laid the foundation for the expanded autonomous region and empowered the Bangsamoro people for self-governance within the BARMM. “While changes remain, the FPA inspires us to continue pursuing lasting peace, building bridges of hope and addressing the root cause of conflict in the region,” Misuari added.
PH Navy deploys 2 fast patrol boats	The Philippine Navy on Monday commissioned the first two of nine missile-capable fast patrol boats that would help defend the country’s littoral zones, but would need 15 more to cover all the vital choke points across the archipelago. “We are planning to get 15 Acero-class boats on top of these nine boats. It would meet our requirements for patrolling the seas of the country,” Navy chief Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. said. The BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-ong (PG-902) left the Commodore Divino Pier at the Navy headquarters in Manila after the commissioning ceremony and set sail to southern Philippines for its maiden deployment. The Department of National Defense signed a deal with Israel Shipyards Ltd. last year to acquire nine Shaldag Mk. V fast attack interdiction craft for P10 billion, including weapon systems, missiles, training and transfer of technology.
Will TD Caloy rain on Bongbong Marcos’ parade?	MANILA, Philippines — On the day of his inauguration, President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has an unexpected guest traversing the country’s western corridor: Tropical Depression Caloy, which will enhance the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” and dump moderate to heavy rains in Metro Manila. Before Caloy was classified as a tropical depression, Pagasa earlier said the southwest monsoon would affect the inaugural, advising both Marcos supporters and protesters to bring umbrellas. On Thursday morning, Caloy’s center is forecast to be 620 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. Caloy was “almost stationary’’ when monitored on Wednesday, thus the slow movement going outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, Pagasa weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said. Moderate to heavy rains are also expected in Romblon, Marinduque, Rizal, Tarlac, Pampanga, Aurora and Quezon provinces, and in Ilocos, Bicol, Western Visayas regions.
Keeping Ibaloy history and heritage alive	For many of the participants, it was their first time to reunite since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in 2020. Few children and the elderly were in attendance. Those who came had to settle for fist bumps instead of long hugs to greet each other and kept their face masks on when they joined the “tayaw,” a communal celebratory dance. It would also have been an opportune time to campaign when Ibaloy candidates for Baguio and the larger Benguet community, including nominees of party list groups representing indigenous peoples, turned up at the gathering. But the candidates huddled with friends instead of launching into political discussions. For centuries, the Ibaloy selected leaders “who can protect the tribe, its properties and resources,” so politics has always been part of life for generations of the city’s original settlers, said Andrew “Bobby” Carantes, a humanities professor at the Philippine Military Academy. In the early 1900s when the Americans came, “we learned to use political activism to get respect for our indigenous communities and to secure full recognition of our ancestral lands,” he said. The Carantes siblings are direct descendants of Maximino Carantes, a son of Mateo “Kustacio” Carantes, who served with Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine-American War. Kustacio was later appointed president of the Igorot advisory council that was formed in Baguio. Bobby and brothers Adon and Reuel are musicians, having formed the ethnic rock band Bag-iw in 1978 with sister and bass player Leah. Their song, “Tell Me Through My Dreams,” was a hit and was frequently played by Metro Manila radio stations in the 1990s, but some of the original band members had left and new performers unrelated to the Carantes family had kept the band alive. Now in their late 50s and early 60s, these “lolo (grandpa) rockers” have reunited, this time to give voice to the unresolved issues plaguing the Ibaloy, Bobby said at the sidelines of the event, which was also a celebration of the International Day of the Native Title. The Native Title refers to the Feb. 23, 1909, United States Supreme Court ruling that recognized the native rights of Ibaloy chieftain Mateo Cariño over cattle lands, which were expropriated by the American military in 1903. In that same year, the American colonial government established the chartered city of Baguio which was designed and built as a hill station and the seat of government during the summer. The Cariño decision has been called the Native Title Doctrine and is often cited in judicial rulings across the world. It is one of the foundations for constitutional provisions that recognize indigenous peoples’ rights, as well as Republic Act No. 8371, or the 1997 Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act. But even in modern times, Ibaloy “are still a minority,” who are impacted by “cultural conquest, economic marginalization, and social exclusion,” said Baguio Councilor Isabelo Cosalan, an Ibaloy who sponsored the 2013 ordinance designating Feb. 23 as Ibaloy Day. He said Ibaloy families lost more land when they were pushed to Baguio’s peripheries as the city became populated and developed. For present-day Baguio generations, the names of streets and places represent Ibaloy legacy, such as Carantes Street and Camdas Subdivision, which is named after one of Baguio’s first inhabitants. “But we continue to exist. We thrive because we go back to our roots. We value our language. We value our culture,” Cosalan said. According to Bobby, Ibaloy roots are tied to their ancestral lands that are part of their history, which is why Ibaloy descendants have fought hard for them in Baguio. The Carantes brothers are battling a lawsuit filed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, which seeks to nullify all certificates of ancestral land titles issued within Camp John Hay territory. Camp John Hay was also the subject of the landmark US high court decision which favored Cariño. Bobby said the Baguio Ibaloy had not been given a level playing field to assert their rights. At a press briefing on Feb. 1, the Carantes brothers questioned a 2020 agreement to relocate the Baguio Justice Hall to a 10,000-square-meter lot inside Camp John Hay, which he said “betrays a conflict of interest.” Since the 1900s, Ibaloy have generally been treated like American Indians, according to the late Ibaloy historian Geoffrey Carantes, an uncle of the Bag-iw founders. A popular illustrator, whose drawings were the basis for the bas relief at the Benguet provincial capitol, Geoffrey’s work was put on display by his daughter, theater director Lynette Bibal, during the Ibaloy Day program to remind local families of their history and heritage.
In Cavite, oil spill victims to get over P12M	MANILA, Philippines — Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla has assured the province’s residents affected by the oil spill from fuel tanker MT Terranova that sank off Bataan that they will receive proper compensation, its amount estimated to reach more than P12 million. “They (MT Terranova management) assured us that 31,000 fisherfolk will be compensated in due time after the validation of the damage,” Remulla told reporters after he met with Terranova’s representatives at the governor’s office on Tuesday morning. The provincial government was following the standard procedure for filing the insurance claims,” Remulla explained in the video of the interview that was posted on social media by Cavite-based journalists. When asked how much the estimated cost was, Remulla replied: “P12 million for the last 12 days and running.” The governor said they were estimating a compensation of P350 a day multiplied by the number of days that the fisherfolk, market vendors and shellfish cage caretakers will be displaced. “We are well documented on who was affected in Cavite,” he added. In a separate brief radio interview, Remulla emphasized what transpired during the meeting. “Wala kaming aregluhan, wala kaming usapan. Kung merong pananagutang kriminal sa nangyari sa Terranova ay mananagot sila (There was no settlement, we didn’t talk about that. If there is criminal liability in what happened with Terranova, they will be held accountable),” he said. MT Terranova, owned by Shogun Ships Co. Inc. sank in the waters off Limay town in Bataan on July 25, with 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel on board, during the onslaught of Supertyphoon Carina (international name: Gaemi). The vessel was chartered to carry the fuel from Limay to Iloilo City by SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp., a subsidiary of San Miguel Corp., the largest conglomerate in the country. The Philippine Coast Guard has reported that the oil that leaked from the tanker has spread across the waters off provinces surrounding Manila Bay, including Cavite, adding that it has been working round the clock to contain the spill. However, during the media interview, Remulla reported that the oil sheen in the coastal areas of Cavite has started to disappear. On Saturday, Remulla announced they would file criminal charges against the Terranova owner for the affected residents to claim damages for what happened to the coastal areas in Cavite. Remulla on Tuesday explained that the filing of cases would depend on the findings of the Department of Justice. He said they have yet to file the complaints. “Because the process has just begun. But we are cooperating, and we are in touch,” Remulla said. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla recently announced that a class suit was being eyed against those responsible for the three recent maritime mishaps in Bataan. He said the authorities were looking into the angle of the criminal cases against the owners, and others who may be responsible for maritime tragedies. After the sinking of Terranova, another tanker, the MTKR Jason Bradley, also capsized due to bad weather in the waters off Bataan on July 27. Four days later, another vessel, the MV Mirola 1, which was carrying diesel oil, ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Bataan’s Mariveles town, causing the ship to tip over. The Cavite provincial government on Wednesday declared a state of calamity in the cities of Cavite and Bacoor, and the towns of Noveleta, Rosario, Kawit, Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate affected by Terranova’s oil spill. Remulla also prohibited the catching and selling of all marine products from the affected areas. Some 352,179 residents in the coastal barangays of Cavite were affected by the oil spill, according to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon). INQ
DepEd: No tax break for poll workers	MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has assured the almost 650,000 school personnel who will be serving during the May 9 elections that they will be given the necessary support although it failed to secure the increase in poll duty honoraria and tax exemption that they wanted. “We want to ensure that the necessary assistance to the field offices and schools, especially to teachers who will serve as BEIs (board of election inspectors), will be provided by the Central Office. We want our personnel to be equipped with adequate information and technical and legal assistance along the way,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a statement on Friday. “During the upcoming elections, we are also prioritizing the health, safety and welfare of the personnel who will participate in the election through enough financial assistance since we are still in the middle of the pandemic,” she added. According to the report of Marcelo Bragado Jr., head of Election Task Force of DepEd, a total of 647,812 DepEd personnel will serve as poll workers during election day. Of these, 319,317 are members of the electoral boards (EB); 200,627 are EB support staff; 38,989 are DepEd supervisors; 87,162 are supervisorial staff; and 1,717 are DepEd members of the Board of Canvassers. They will serve in a total of 106,439 clustered precincts from 37,219 schools turned polling centers nationwide. The DepEd said it was also coordinating with the Commission on Elections, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines for the safety of the electoral board members and voters during the election period. The DepEd, however, fell short in asking the government for providing higher compensation for poll workers. Based on Comelec Resolution No. 10727, teachers who render election-related services will be entitled to a honoraria of P7,000 for EB chairpersons; P6,000 for EB members; P5,000 for DESOs; and P3,000 for support staff and medical personnel. The rates, however, were P2,000 lower than the proposed remuneration of the DepEd last year. A 20-percent tax was also imposed on their honoraria and allowances. The DepEd blamed Congress for failing to exempt teachers’ election pay and allowances from taxes. During a Senate hearing last week, the Department of Finance rejected proposals to exempt from income tax the honoraria and allowances of teachers and other individuals rendering their services during the election. Under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, those with annual taxable income beyond P250,000 are subject to a 20-percent tax.
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UP experts question DPWH role in disaster risk reduction	MANILA, Philippines — Policy experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) are urging Congress to strip the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of its disaster risk reduction (DRR) functions, citing the allegations of massive corruption hounding the agency. In a policy note released on Friday, the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) called on lawmakers to “review the mandate of the DPWH, rightsize its operations, and transfer its DRR functions to a dedicated agency, such as the proposed Department of Water Resources, identified as a priority legislation by the President.” “The data presents an undeniable case: the DPWH bears a massive responsibility for disaster risk reduction, but it is constrained by a legacy structure that is not only insensitive to natural hazards, but also susceptible to corruption,” they said. The DPWH is currently facing heightened scrutiny over anomalous public works projects that are either substandard or declared finished only on paper, their budgets milked for kickbacks under a scheme among its officials, private contractors, and lawmakers who maneuvered to have the projects funded. An NCPAG analysis of the DPWH budget from 2023 to 2025 showed that the agency’s DRR-related allocations have consistently amounted to 70 percent to 80 percent of its total budget. This, they said, included not only funding for the official flood management program but also its budget for roads, bridges, evacuation sites and operation centers. The current budget framework for the DPWH has kept these different programs in different silos, the NCPAG said, thus “breeding inefficiencies and potential redundancies in implementation that ultimately weakens (our) long-term resilience.” The experts took particular issue with the DPWH budget for road infrastructure, which they found to be the “single largest line item for flood mitigation (which) is not officially counted as such.” A special provision in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) stipulates that all road projects must provide adequate drainage systems and must take into consideration the increase in the volume of rainfall—“practically classifying all road projects as flood mitigation interventions,” they noted. In 2025, funding for the construction, repair and rehabilitation of roads reached P541.98 billion, or half of the DPWH’s entire 2011 budget and more than double the budget of the combined official and nonofficial flood control programs in 2024. “This means that DPWH has, for decades, executed the largest flood control projects in the country through its road programs. Unfortunately, this correlation is rarely looked into, if not, glossed over entirely in fiscal reporting and project monitoring and evaluation,” the NCPAG said. Moreover, road projects “are not primarily evaluated on their flood control performance despite the presence of flood-specific guidelines and standards, making it extremely difficult to hold anyone accountable when drainage components do fail,” they added. The same goes for bridges, which are mandated by law to incorporate seismic standards and a core component of the government’s effort to reduce the impact of natural hazards. But like flood control projects, funding for bridges are now spread across three programs: the official DPWH bridge program, the Convergence and Special Support Program, and foreign-assisted projects. “The resulting phenomenon is where we were kept in the dark. The DRR and climate change adaptation dimension of roads and bridges are obscured and concealed under generic headings of ‘roads’ and ‘bridges,’ misleading us into thinking that roads, bridges, and DRR-related projects are mutually exclusive priorities,” they said. “Since roads and bridges are assessed mainly in terms of connectivity and mobility rather than on their resilience to disasters and climate change factors as should be intended, it understates the scale of actual government spending on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, skewing accountability,” the NCPAG added. Apart from hard infrastructure, the DPWH is also involved in the construction of evacuation centers and DRRM operations centers, which “has grown quickly” under President Marcos’ term, they said. In the 2025 national budget, the DPWH listed 1,869 evacuation centers and 158 operations centers with funding of P3.04 billion and P245 million, respectively. That translates to an average of about P3 million per evacuation center and P2.5 million per operations center. Over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, the agency earmarked a total of P7.7 billion for 2,535 evacuation centers and P423 million for 168 operations centers. But while the number of projects for 2025 surged, the total budget of P3.28 billion did not rise proportionally. This suggests that the agency may be building smaller, lower-cost facilities—or “it could point to something else entirely,” the NCPAG authors said. Despite all this, they noted little improvement in disaster resilience, citing persistent flooding and high levels of infrastructure damage in provinces, such as Albay, Oriental Mindoro, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan—all areas that already host hundreds of flood control projects. “As the agency that has been receiving the highest funding for DRR in the past years, its investments in infrastructure are certainly suspect and wanting. Its flood control projects alone are supposed to abate damage, but with many of these projects being substandard, if existing at all, it is no wonder that the impact of flooding to communities remains high,” they said. In Albay alone, there been P16.2 billion spent on 273 flood control projects there since 2018. “Yet even with this investment, the province lost as much P7.3 billion in infrastructure damage across a six-year period (2017-2023), the highest in the country,” the NCPAG noted. This pattern, they added, “repeats across the entirety of the Philippines. Oriental Mindoro’s allotment of P11.3 billion across 138 flood control projects failed to avert P4.1-billion infrastructure-specific damage; not counting other losses in agriculture, human lives, and livelihood.” That being said, they argued that the DPWH “cannot perform its DRR functions if it continues to be hampered by legacy structures that are not risk-sensitive and highly susceptible to corruption.” The NCPAG policy note was authored by a group composed of Kristoffer Berse, Kim Robert de Leon, Micah Paula Milante, Francis Miguel Garcia, Mape Estellena, Olivia Bondad, Ramon Caballero, Maria Hontanosas, Eugene Beltran, Ajay Caingat, Leila Alejandria, John Coby Cabuhat, Thea Panares and Magjorie Avila. /cb
baghdad 's juvenile prison reflects city 's <unk> life	haidar ali hamid , with his close-cropped hair , scarred face and bright orange jumpsuit , is one of about ## accused murderers in baghdad 's hard-bitten juvenile prison .
Police seize guns from group occupying Masungi Georeserve	MANILA, Philippines — Police have confiscated firearms from a group of men who had been encamped within the vicinity of the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal province for over a week now, administrators of the site said on Monday. Yet no arrests were made even after the weapons were taken, said Billie Dumaliang, advocacy officer and trustee of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation. In a statement on Sunday, the foundation said the men had been sent by the Sinagtala Security Agency Services and had been occupying an area along Km 48 of the Marikina-Infanta Highway, with the intention of taking over portions of land in the conservation area. According to Dumaliang’s sister, Ann, a cofounder of the foundation, the men were clearly committing trespassing and forcible entry as well as violating the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992. Despite those violations, the intruders were “still there” even after being visited by the police, Dumaliang said. The foundation has posted on social media photos of the weapons seized, which an expert on firearms described as “shotguns and revolvers.” Reached for comment, Lt. Col. Rodolfo Guillermo Santiago of the Tanay Municipal Police Station said the weapons were taken by the Regional Civil Security Group of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) regional police office. Santiago also said the weapons were “[n]ot necessarily confiscate[d] but put into custody for verification [of their] license[s]. Not confiscate.” “We really have to check all of those things so we can resolve this,” he said in a news conference. In his press briefing on Monday, Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones pointed out that the highway where the vehicles of the hired men were parked was not part of the protected area. As for the foundation’s earlier assertion that the men had claimed to be holding a survey plan signed in 2003 by a regional director of the DENR, Leones said: “Based on our experience, we don’t immediately accept if there are survey areas… What’s clear here [is that] it belongs to the Republic of the Philippines, so whoever is claiming it should present a valid and authenticated document.” Meanwhile, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro criticized the “continued inaction” of the DENR and the DILG. “We will raise this issue in the plenary deliberations [next Tuesday on] the budget[s] of the DENR and the DILG,” she said in a statement. Castro noted that the foundation had “already reported the [trespassing] to the DENR and the PNP, but they have yet to see their presence.” The PNP cannot “wash its hands and play blind to its responsibility to protect all citizens against violence,” she said. She also said the DENR should investigate and identify its personnel who are allowing the harassment and threats against forest rangers at the conservation site. “The protectors of our environment need protection from these armed men trying to privatize and destroy our forests and the wildlife,” Castro said. “Attacks against environmentalists continue with little to no protection from our government. This must immediately stop. Government must ensure protection for environmentalists and forest rangers from armed goons in their attempt to invade our protected forests,” she added.
3 more Omicron deaths–DOH	MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reported three more deaths due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus as it recorded 15,789 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The deaths raised to five the number of people who succumbed to Omicron in the country. All three were elderly with comorbidities. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that despite studies showing Omicron to be milder than the Delta variant, it could still cause severe COVID-19 and death, particularly among individuals who had not been vaccinated or only partially vaccinated. The elderly and those with comorbidities are vulnerable even if vaccinated, she added. “So, we cannot put some lighter weight for Omicron because it has milder symptoms. it can still be severe,” Vergeire said in an interview with ANC. The number of new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday was down from Tuesday’s 17,677. The National Capital Region (NCR) accounted for 2,135, or around 14 percent of Wednesday’s total, slightly lower than the 2,248 (15 percent) reported in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon). Central Visayas reported 1,520 cases (10 percent). Vergeire said COVID-19 cases in NCR continued to decline and it was not unlikely that the region’s alert level 3 would be lowered soon. While cases in Metro Manila were slowing down, the DOH observed a sustained increase in Visayas and Mindanao, which showed an 87.35 percent and a 164.72 percent increase in their respective cases from the previous week. Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Davao Region topped others in Visayas and Mindanao based on their seven-day moving average since Jan. 19, with bed utilization at moderate risk and intensive care unit utilization at low-moderate risk.
indians in strange place second	here 's how bad the baseball season has gotten in cleveland : indians fans will spend the weekend rooting for the hated new york yankees .
‘Marcos country’ opens doors to more mines	BAGUIO CITY—Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc has pushed for mining opportunities in his province, currently home to the country’s top renewable energy projects. At the four-day Mines Safety and Environment Conference here last week, Manotoc, a nephew of President Marcos, said more than 300,000 hectares in the Marcos stronghold have “abundant metallic and nonmetallic minerals.” Found in the province are gold, copper, iron, manganese, shale and felspar (used for pottery and ceramics), limestone (essential for water cleansing processes), and aggregates. Manotoc said his province boasts of “diverse resources, competent human capital and a proactive local government, which makes Ilocos Norte a premier investment destination in the north.” The province is “the renewable energy capital of Southeast Asia” and is host to the “largest wind farms” in the region, the governor said during the third day of the annual summit on Nov. 17. He was apparently referring to a 160-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Pagudpud town, the 150-MW Burgos Wind Farm project in Burgos town and the much older yet scenic 33-MW wind farm in Bangui town, which has become a tourist destination. The province is “strategically suited” for mining, not only because of its mineral deposits, but also because it operates ports that are closer to East Asia, “where tiger economies like China, Japan and Korea are located,” said Manotoc, the son of Sen. Imee Marcos, who also served as governor from 2010-2016. “Laoag (Ilocos Norte’s capital city) is closer to Taiwan than it is to Manila,” he said. Manotoc noted that the province’s bureaucracy and socioeconomic conditions were among Ilocos Norte’s investment advantages. “We are a very peaceful and orderly province. Our crime rate is very, very low (with a 93-percent crime clearance efficiency), a low poverty rate (pegged at 3.1 percent), and we have a young and highly literate populace,” he said. Manotoc added that Ilocos Norte has “good infrastructure and utilities, available skilled labor (56 percent of the population is skilled) and ensures the security of mining concessions.” The governor noted that these mining concessions were “aligned with the national mineral road map for responsible and sustainable mine industry.” He said 10.7 percent of Ilocos Norte is covered by mining tenements, or rights to explore for minerals.
Sotto wants construction industry laws amended	Sotto’s call came following allegations of questionable ownership structures in several construction companies linked to spouses Pacifico and Cezarah Rowena Discaya, as cited in CTA Case No. 10472, St. Timothy Construction Corporation versus Bureau of Internal Revenue. According to Sotto, records showed that these corporations are owned, operated, and represented by Pacifico Discaya, Cezarah Rowena Discaya, Pacifico Discaya II, Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando and Darryl Mark Pesigal. Sotto also warned that some contractors simply establish new corporations or sole proprietorships whenever their licenses are denied, thereby exploiting loopholes to evade regulatory safeguards. PCAB Executive Director Herbert Matienzo affirmed that such practices may indeed fall under material misrepresentation. Sotto raised concerns over the difficulty of pursuing accountability since the companies use multiple addresses. He stressed the need for stronger powers, tighter coordination, and clearer enforcement measures across the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Trade and Industry to stop these abuses. The Senate blue ribbon committee has been conducting a probe to uncover serious allegations of substandard flood control projects, as well as the disproportionate concentration and awarding of projects to a selected group of contractors.
‘Confusing,’ Veep says of security shake-up	MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday said the sudden change in her security detail left her confused, noting the lack of any planning made known to her either by the military or the police. At a press conference in Zamboanga City, Duterte said she would decline to make any further comment for now regarding the major shake-up of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG). She said she would like to see first the final arrangements to be made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. “I’d like to hold [my] comment on that because from what I observed, they keep changing their minds and lines about the matter,” Duterte told reporters. “The AFP would say it will be the PNP [who will take charge of my security], then you have the police saying otherwise. They are not good at planning, which is why it’s confusing.” “My advice to them: Sit down, plan everything before making any statements about it so no one will catch you lying.” She maintained that the threats to her life—a matter she first mentioned during the hot-tempered online press conference she called in the wee hours of Nov. 23—were “very serious.” It was in the context of revealing this supposed threat that she also disclosed having hired a hit man to have President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez killed in case the plot against her succeeds. Citing a “diametric contrast,” she noted that while the threats to her life were being ignored by the authorities—“baliwala”—her statements about the Marcoses and Romualdez were quickly considered a “national security concern.” On Tuesday, the National Bureau of Investigation issued a subpoena asking Duterte to appear on Nov. 29 and shed light on her open threat to the first couple and the House leader. The NBI said she was being investigated for “alleged grave threats” about the anticybercrime law and for “possible violation” of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Reacting to the subpoena, Duterte also said her lawyers would ask the NBI to reschedule her date of appearance, citing a “conflict in schedule” with the ongoing hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability. As to the alleged crimes for which she was called, Duterte said the Marcos administration may now be using the antiterror law in a bid to freeze and seize her assets. She said the same law was applied to expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who faces extradition from Timor-Leste as the prime suspect in the murder of a political rival in 2023. The law might also be invoked to have her passport canceled, place her on an Interpol “red notice,” and have search warrants issued “left and right” so that the government can raid her properties, she added. “This is clearly oppression and harassment. For the remarks [against the President] and to take it out of its logical context,” Duterte said, stressing that being a lawyer herself she knows “what is legal and illegal.” “I know what is actionable and not actionable. It is not actionable to leave a word on someone. It’s not,” Duterte said, referring to her statement about hiring a killer. “There’s no active threat there unless I die. There is nothing wrong [with what I said], nothing illegal there.”
PMA: 764 female military officers owe careers to Rasul	BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The 764 female graduates of the country’s premier military school owe their careers as top military officers to the late Sen. Santanina Rasul, who died this week at 94, according to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Rasul authored Republic Act No. 7192, or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, the so-called mother of all Philippine laws on women, which allowed women to be assigned to combat or frontline duties and to attend military schools. Rasul “left an indelible mark in the fabric of our nation,” said PMA public affairs officer Navy Lt. Jesse Nestor Saludo in a statement released on Saturday. The law “paved the way for the entry of women [to] PMA that significantly shaped our armed forces as it is today, a professional military organization capitalizing on inclusivity and diversity within its ranks,” Saludo added. Before the enactment of RA 7192 in 1992, women were limited to noncombat and administrative roles in the military under RA 3835. Section 7 of RA 7192 states: “Any provision of the law to the contrary notwithstanding, consistent with the needs of the services, women shall be accorded equal opportunities for appointment, admission, training, graduation, and commissioning in all military or similar schools of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police … in accordance with the standards required for men except for those minimum essential adjustments required by physiological differences between sexes.” Saludo said Rasul’s legacy continues to live on through the female graduates of PMA at Fort del Pilar here, now tallied at 764. The first set of female cadets who graduated as members of “Kalasag Lahi” Class of 1997 are now colonels, fighter pilots and ship captains: Navy Capt. Marissa Arlene Andres-Martinez, Army Col. Maria Victoria Blancaflor, Army Col. Leah Lorenzo-Santiago, Air Force Col. Ma. Consuelo Nunag-Castillo, and cavaliers who retired from service Aileen Somera-Reyes, Sheryl Uy-Cabasan and Arlene Orejana, wife of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is now a teacher. They were part of the original 16 females who were integrated into the Corps of Cadets for the first time since PMA started training future military officers as the Academia Militar in 1898, as a constabulary officers’ training school that was relocated to the summer capital in 1908, and formally as the military school in 1936. This year, Army 2nd Lt. Jeneth Elumba, the daughter of Surigao del Norte farmers, was the class valedictorian of the 278-strong “Bagong Sinag” Class of 2024, alongside 53 other female graduates. Elumba was the latest PMA female graduate to top her class after the late Navy Lt. Arlene dela Cruz broke the glass ceiling. Dela Cruz, who graduated valedictorian of “Masikhay” Class of 1999, died in a car accident in 2008. Some of the first female cadets have been invited to lecture on gender politics in PMA’s continuing evolution, and have served in the interim as members of the Corps of Professors like Orejana-Trillanes and Andres-Martinez. During the 20th anniversary of the incorporation of women cadets into the Cadet Corps, Andres-Martinez said they initially confronted a frosty reception from their counterparts and some teachers who were uncertain how PMA needed to change to accommodate females. In 2008, for instance, then PMA superintendent, retired Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig, allowed female cadets to grow their hair longer than male cadets. But except for these logistical requirements, including the separation of women’s barracks, PMA did not need to adjust military training and academic classes for the female cadets at all, Andres-Martinez had said. “No rules were changed and women were trained the same way as their male counterparts. That has not changed in 20 years,” she said in an Inquirer story published on March 7, 2017.
NHA gets P12 billion to fund housing aid	Under the administrative supervision of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development, the NHA functions as a production and financing arm in housing and is the sole national agency mandated to engage in housing production for low-income families. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, in a statement, said P12.06 billion of the funds would be for housing assistance to calamity victims while P200 million would go to the construction of four units of five-story, low-rise residential buildings in Western Visayas for the resettlement of informal settler families. The provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental comprise the region. “Housing remains a priority for President [Marcos] as he strongly believes in the necessity of providing decent homes for Filipinos, particularly those adversely affected by calamities,” Pangandaman said. She said the request from NHA for payments, which are chargeable to previous years’ released allotments, was supported with a documented list of Special Allotment Release Orders with their respective amounts, status of fund utilization and finance accountability reports—all of which the DBM had confirmed to be in order. Earlier this month, the government’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing Program got a boost as the Government Service Insurance System turned over to the Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC) a P258-million, 14,000-square-meter property in Sta. Mesa, Manila. SHFC intends to build a high-rise residential project for about 1,000 families. The project is intended for families who live in “critical zones” or areas not suitable for residence, including members of the association Ugnayang Lakas ng mga Apektadong Pamilya sa Baybaying Ilog Pasig at mga Tributaryo or Ulap-Manila. Created in 2004 pursuant to Executive Order No. 272, SHFC is mandated to be the lead government agency to undertake social housing programs that will cater to the formal and informal sectors in the low-income bracket.
PFP, Lakas ink pact sans other ‘UniTeam’ players	MANILA, Philippines — A year shy of the 2025 midterm polls, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) entered into a preelection alliance with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) of his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, creating what the latter described as “the most powerful political force in our country today.” But the renewal of the coalition that dominated the 2022 elections was missing some of the power players of the former “UniTeam” campaign, notably Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, who, until May last year, had served as chair of Lakas-CMD. Also relegated to the sidelines was former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who kept a muted presence during Wednesday’s event at Manila Polo Club in Makati City. Romualdez said the new Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas (alliance for the new Philippines) embodied the coming together of the de facto ruling party and the biggest political bloc in the House of Representatives. “The Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas brings together the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats, forming the most powerful political force in our country today,” he said. “Our strength is not only in our numbers but in our shared resolve to enact substantial and lasting change throughout the Philippines,” the House leader said. During his speech, Marcos stressed the need for unity and a whole-of-government approach to achieving the goal of a new Philippines. “I was asked before: What is my dream for the Philippines? My answer was simple, no more hunger. It is simple, but we have not yet achieved that aspiration,” he said. The President went on: “But if we stay united, if we maintain that unity not only for election purposes but all through the work of service, then we will continue to be met with success. We will continue to be met with the progress that we dreamed of for a Bagong Pilipinas.” He witnessed the signing of the preelection covenant between the Partido Federal, which he chairs, and Lakas-CMD, whose president is Romualdez, to “work to attain the vision and goal of the administration” and to “pave the way for strength and continued positive change.” Marcos said the team-up between his party and that of his cousin was in preparation for next year’s elections, with their bets poised to file their certificates of candidacy by October. “This is in preparation for that. We must remind ourselves why we are doing this alliance. We are doing this because we need unity. We need to be united because it is the only solution to the problems of Philippine society,” the President said. Besides the cousins, the other signatories were Lakas-CMD chair and Sen. Bong Revilla, Lakas-CMD executive vice president and Zamboanga Rep. Manuel Dalipe, Partido Federal president and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo; special assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, the President’s son. Prior to the signing of the pact, the President was spotted shaking hands and posing for pictures with Arroyo, the chair emeritus of Lakas-CMD. During the program, only Romualdez spoke on behalf of the party, while Arroyo, his former mentor, sat in the audience. In 2023, Arroyo fell from grace and lost two key positions in the chamber after falling out with the Speaker over rumors that she was orchestrating another coup for the House leadership. In May last year, she lost the title of House senior deputy speaker and was demoted as one of the House’s deputy speakers. Arroyo then said the move was the “prerogative of the House.” A few days later, Duterte — a key ally of Arroyo — resigned from Lakas-CMD as its chair and member without explanation. Duterte, however, is still the leader of the regional Hugpong ng Pagbabago party, based in Davao City. In November, Arroyo and another Duterte ally, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, were removed as deputy speakers after they did not sign a House resolution that took exception to the attacks by Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, against the House. The older Duterte had criticized Romualdez and the House leadership for stripping his daughter’s offices of P125 million in confidential funds for 2024. Lakas-CMD has 100 members in the House, while Partido Federal claims to host 45 percent of all local chief executives across the country, according to Tamayo. “Merging these two will create a powerful alliance from the legislative to the executive,” he said. Romualdez said the alliance was still in the process of forming a senatorial lineup, adding that it was expecting a full 12-member slate. Revilla, for his part, said Alyansa was seeking out other political parties to join the coalition. Asked about the potential inclusion of Duterte’s Hugpong in Alyansa, Revilla said it was “open” for discussion. “After all, Vice President Inday is still close with Marcos. Hopefully. That’s everyone’s wishes,” Revilla said in a chance interview.
P132,000 ‘shabu’ seized from 2 drug suspects in Quezon	LUCENA CITY — Police in Quezon province seized more than P132,000 worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) from two drug suspects in separate buy-bust operations on Wednesday, Nov. 9. In a report, the Quezon police said anti-narcotics operatives in Infanta town nabbed Michael Maligat in Barangay Tongohin at 11:27 p.m. The suspect, an identified drug trader on the police watchlist, yielded eight sachets of shabu with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P102,000. In Sariaya town, policemen busted Winnie Sugitan in a drug sting operation in Barangay Guis-Guis at 8:50 p.m. Authorities said the suspect was caught with 10 sachets of shabu worth P30,872 as per DDB valuation. The police classified Sugitan as a “high-value” target in the local drug trade. Both suspects were detained and face charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Gov’t eyes P16-billion funding for school meals	MANILA, Philippines — Next year’s proposed funding for the feeding of children of P15.795 billion is 45 percent higher than this year’s P10.89 billion and may mean 857 million meals for nutritionally deficient kids. “Never has the budget for child feeding been supersized to this big. On this, the government has put its money where its mouth is,” House Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto said over the weekend, noting that the program was “unprecedented.” These sums are higher than the P5.69 billion and P5.2 billion approved for these programs under the 2023 spending law. The proposed funding for feeding programs for kids in 2024 is P4.9 billion higher than this year’s approved allocations. Recto said the P15.795 billion may translate to 857 million meals for nutritionally deficient children, at current prices. “Costing for 2024 might still be adjusted to inflation, but it will not change the fact that the two agencies will have in their hands a big catering operation next year,” he said. Recto cited data from the two agencies, which showed that for 2023, the DepEd will provide 1,678,704 students one meal a day for 120 days, while DSWD will serve one meal for 120 days to 1,754,637 beneficiaries. The DepEd’s school-based feeding program caters to students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 who come from indigent families and are suffering from child wasting or stunting. On the other hand, the DSWD’s supplemental feeding program is for children aged 3 to 5 years old who are placed in daycare and other child development centers. Recto said the increase in the budget for school-based feeding should be accompanied by higher funding for food preparation and handling facilities, cooking equipment, and canteens. “Procuring more of these serves a dual purpose as these facilities can become teaching laboratories for senior high students taking culinary classes under the technical-vocational track. They can feed the body and feed the mind at the same time,” he said. He added that the P15.795 billion funding for the two agencies may also help local farmers and food producers if schools will buy from them. “In essence, it is a food purchase budget, which can be spent locally, resulting in a virtuous cycle wherein food grown by the village will end up being consumed by their children,” Recto added.
SC junks Senate challenge to Duterte order that allows execs to skip hearings	In a 22-page decision promulgated in July last year but was only made public on Monday, the high court junked the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by the Senate against Malacañang’s October 2021 memorandum issued by Duterte through then Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. The Supreme Court en banc ruled that the Senate should follow its own rules in resolving committee jurisdictional challenges. “To maintain the separation of powers between the three departments of the government, the court cannot exercise a power that belongs to the Senate blue ribbon committee,” it said in a statement summarizing the decision. “All told, the court is constrained to dismiss the petition for having been prematurely filed. Unless and until the Senate has resolved with finality the jurisdictional challenge of the President, there can be no actual case or controversy to speak of yet,” the Supreme Court added. The blue ribbon panel then conducted hearings on the issues raised by the COA, including the DOH’s underutilization of its 2020 budget; the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by local government units; and unspent funds, misstatements, irregularities, and deficiencies of the DOH, among others. The hearings were attended by the concerned officials from the executive department, including then Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. However, executive officials stopped attending the hearings after Duterte issued the memorandum, which asserted that the Senate inquiry has stepped into the mandates of other branches of government. Viewing the memorandum as an obstruction to the Senate’s constitutional function to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation, Senate Resolution No. 131 was passed, authorizing the filing of the petition before the high court. Senators formally filed a petition questioning Duterte’s order for executive department officers and workers to refrain from participating in legislative inquiries by the Senate committee. In an 81-page suit dated Nov. 10, 2021, the petitioners led by then-Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked the Supreme Court to declare the memorandum of Medialdea dated Oct. 4, 2021, as “ultra vires” (beyond the powers) and asked the tribunal to prohibit him “from issuing any directives to officials and members of the executive to ignore and/or refuse to comply with orders from the Senate.” The petitioners said the memorandum deprived the people of their right to information on matters of public concern. In denying the Senate’s petition, the Supreme Court found that it failed to meet the requisites for a petition for certiorari to prosper, noting that the Senate committee itself has a remedy within its office to resolve the jurisdictional challenge raised by Duterte in the memorandum. The high tribunal cited Section 3 of the Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation, which states that “if the jurisdiction of the committee is challenged on any ground, the said issue must first be resolved by the committee before proceeding with the inquiry.” “To be sure, the court cannot exercise the power on behalf of the blue ribbon committee of the Senate lest the sacred principle of separation of powers where mutual respect by and between the three departments of the government be unduly violated,” the Supreme Court pointed out. With respect to the Senate’s own rules, the high court thus deferred to the remedy found in the Senate Rules, which effectively prohibits a premature resort to the petition filed in the Supreme Court. The court further ruled that there was no actual case or controversy ripe for judicial adjudication. “There is no immediate or threatened injury to the power of the Senate because it has yet to exercise the same. Hence, we still cannot tell whether this power, despite its proper exercise, has been disobeyed by the President as a result of his memorandum,” held the court. “Unless and until the Senate has resolved with finality the jurisdictional challenge of the President, there can be no actual case or controversy to speak of yet,” the high court added.
LTFRB to decide on fares next week	nan
australia asks court not to rule on nuclear arms	australia on monday asked the international court of justice not to offer an opinion on the legality of nuclear arms as it could make nuclear disarmament more difficult .
Cagayan de Oro rep demands PCSO chief’s resignation	MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Tuesday urged the head of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to resign for supposedly failing to protect minors from the “evils of gambling” through its e-lotto or online lottery project, which can be accessed through mobile phones and computers. Rodriguez, a senior lawmaker, said that the PCSO pushed through with the e-lotto test run despite the House committee on games and amusement’s approval of a bill banning online lotto. He called on PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles to step down for launching e-lotto that “exposes minors to the evils of gambling and erodes [their] moral values.” “It is accessible to anyone, even to young children whose welfare might be affected,” Rodriguez said. He added that the House committee chaired by Cavite Rep. Antonio Ferrer had approved House Bill No. 9283, which seeks to prohibit “online placing of bets through mobile phones, laptops, tablets, personal computers, and other similar gadgets for all lotto games.” Rodriguez principally authored HB 9283, with Bulacan Rep. Augustina Dominique Pancho and Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting as coauthors. “Robles likewise has not secured approval of the e-lotto from President Marcos. I believe that the President will not allow this online lotto because this will be very detrimental to our children and the Filipino youth,” Rodriguez said. “The PCSO ignored the OGCC’s (Office of the Government Corporate Counsel) recommendations and must face legal sanctions accordingly,” he added. The PCSO, meanwhile, said it would review its procedures for posting photos of lotto winners. Earlier, it was criticized by the public after a photo of the woman who won in the P43-million Lotto 6/42 draw was later revealed to have been edited to hide her identity. Last week, Robles apologized for the faux pas but defended the photo, saying in a Teleradyo interview that editing pictures was not their “forte.”
BuCor seeks NBI, PNP probe of jail stabbings	The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has requested the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to conduct a parallel probe of the stabbing incident on Thursday at New Bilibid Prison (NBP) that resulted in the death of an inmate and left two others wounded. In a letter signed by Al Perreras, officer in charge and assistant secretary of BuCor, to NBI Director Jaime Santiago and PNP chief Police Gen. Rommel Marbil, Bucor asked the two agencies to conduct their own investigations “to further establish the facts, promote transparency and determine accountability” in the death of Ricardo Peralta and the injury of Reginal Lacuerta and Bert Cupada. Perreras also ordered Chief. Supt. Roger Boncales, acting NBP Superintendent, to submit a “comprehensive incident report” on the matter and to fully cooperate with the NBI and PNP. Boncales said the body of Peralta was claimed on Thursday night by his common-law partner Lalune Gabriel while Lacuerta and Cupada, who sustained stabbed wounds in the body, were brought to the Ospital ng Muntinlupa. According to BuCor, at least four persons deprived of liberty are believed to be involved in the incident. They are now under investigation. The incident happened at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday at Gate 1-A, Quadrant 4 of Maximum Security Camp of NBP. BuCor had already ordered all superintendents of all operating prison and penal farms “to take precautionary measures to ensure that no retaliation” would happen.
CBCP mourns deaths of 2 ex-bishops on same day	“He died of metabolic encephalopathy due to end-stage renal disease and diabetic nephropathy,” the diocese said in a statement. He served the Diocese of Tandag for around 16 years until his retirement in 2018. He served the Diocese of Malaybalay for nearly 16 years until his retirement in February 2010. According to the Tandag diocese, Odchimar “extended the work of evangelization by creating mission stations, devotional chapel, quasi-parishes and parishes, and conducting pastoral visits reaching the far-flung areas of the diocese.” As bishop, he began implementing the financial management system of the diocese and also initiated the construction of the new San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral. Odchimar was the 18th CBCP president, serving from 2009 to 2011. He was also the chair of its Episcopal Commission on Canon Law. Meanwhile, Pacana served as the first chair of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Culture, established in 1994. Odchimar and Pacana were the third and fourth Filipino bishops to die this year. Bishop Ronald Lunas of Pagadian died on Jan. 2, and Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao died on Jan. 6.
Senate urged: Invite VP Sara to shed light on gun allegation	“If I were the Senate, I would invite VP Sara to answer [the allegation]. This is a huge allegation. She should face the Senate and address the matter instead of beating around the bush,” ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said during a press conference at the House of Representatives. During the Feb. 19 hearing, “Rene,” whose real name was not disclosed to protect his identity, said he had worked as a landscaper at Glory Mountain compound—Quiboloy’s “prayer mountain” near Mt. Apo. He said he once saw the KJC leader carrying “a big bag loaded with different kinds of guns, which he would lay on the ground inside a tent beside his mansion.” “Sometimes, [Rodrigo and Sara Duterte] would also go there. When they were leaving Glory Mountain, they carried the same bags containing the guns,” Rene added. Responding to the accusation on Tuesday, Duterte said, in Filipino: “In the history of the Philippines, it has been a tradition to attack and throw all sorts of issues against the vice president. Perhaps, because the vice president serves as the primary obstacle to those dreaming of becoming president.” “This is a time for me to be working. I will perform my sworn tasks. I will prioritize real challenges. I will prioritize the Filipino,” she said. But Castro criticized the Vice President’s statement for not squarely addressing the allegation of receiving weapons from Quiboloy, her father’s spiritual adviser. “With due respect to the Vice President, her response had nothing to do with the allegation that she received a bag of firearms when she went to Quiboloy’s mansion or church accompanied by former President Duterte,” the Makabayan lawmaker said. Castro said Duterte’s statement was not an explanation. “What she said was like dodging the issue, that ‘It’s just the case when you’re Vice President,’ whatever. That’s not related to the allegations against her,” Castro said. For her part, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said Quiboloy should comply with the subpoenas issued to him and appear in both committee inquiries of the Senate and the House and to stop making excuses. Brosas said Quiboloy’s claim that there were threats to his life was “just an excuse so he would not be compelled to appear before the Senate and the House.” “What’s clear to us is that he is being hunted by the United States Department of Justice,” she said. “So all this hullabaloo about threats and all that are just words of a cornered man,” she added. “He needs to face the accusations against him which are no joke. Rape and trafficking allegations … The victims need justice and he needs to surface,” Brosas said. During the Senate inquiry, Quiboloy was accused by a number of witnesses, including three women, of sexually abusing them as religious sacrifice. His sect was also allegedly involved in trafficking and child sexual exploitation among other criminal activities. The self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” denied the charges, saying he had gone into hiding to escape persecution by the US and Philippine governments.
CPP refutes military report of dwindling NPA forces	LUCENA CITY — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) scoffed at the latest report by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on the allegedly dwindling strength and numbers of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels. “The AFP keeps on saying that the NPA is diminishing, but they can’t wipe them out,” Marco Valbuena, CPP spokesman, said in an online interview Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 26). He added, “They have a gunpowder mindset. The AFP thinks they can eliminate the NPA solely through their bombs and cannons, and by killing and intimidating the masses.” Valbuena said the AFP has been making the same claims for years “they sound like a broken record.” Aguilar mentioned that the current strength of the NPA meant they could no longer generally stage tactical offensives or attacks against government forces. He claimed that while the communist guerrillas “are still capable of mounting terror actions, we could see that generally, they could not conduct tactical offensives.” Aguilar also dismissed the present role of the CPP Central Committee, alleging it “has no control,” is “weak and disorganized” and “no longer has leadership.” “The CPP is not just one or a few people. As the CPP stated its task goes beyond the lifetime of any one person, and way beyond the capacity of a few people to perform,” Valbuena argued. Meanwhile, Colonel Dennis Cana, public information officer of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) based in Camp Nakar in Lucena City, reported the mass surrenders of NPA rebels have resulted in the decimation of Red fighters in Southern Luzon. Cana noted that 64 former NPA combatants in the Southern Tagalog region and another 97 in the Bicol region have surrendered from January to November this year. “There are still ongoing negotiations at present,” he said last week. In the Bicol region, Cana reported one “weakened guerrilla front” and another platoon-sized remnant of a guerrilla unit remaining. A weakened guerrilla front means it can no longer implement its programs like recruitment and generating resources for the armed struggle as opposed to active guerrilla fronts, according to the military. In Southern Tagalog, Cana said there are remnants of platoon size NPA in the Quezon-Bicol boundary and platoon size each in Mindoro island, Batangas, and the Rizal-Bulacan boundary. A platoon comprises fewer than 20 NPA combatants, according to Cana. “The NPA now depends on the ‘people’s militia’ in their remaining areas of operation,” he said. The “people’s militia” is part of the insurgents’ mass base, which secures the NPA rebels while in the community. Sometimes, they are armed to reinforce the communist guerrillas during encounters. The Marxist-Leninist-Maoist CPP was founded on Dec. 26, 1968, by writer and activist professor Jose Maria Sison as a breakaway group from the pro-Soviet Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. On March 29, 1969, the CPP formed the NPA in a village in Tarlac province, its first ragtag group of guerrillas armed with automatic rifles, single-shot rifles, and handguns. Since then, the NPA has been waging the longest communist rebellion in the world. Sison died of heart failure on Dec. 16, 2022, at age 83 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He had lived in self-exile in Europe since peace talks with the government broke down in 1987.
Death toll in Basilan ambush now 2	Police Cpl. Abdurafiq Gafor Akalun, who was a member of the Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST), was among the nine wounded when unidentified gunmen attacked their convoy during a visit to Ulitan village of Ungkaya Pukan town on Saturday, supposedly to prepare the area for a medical mission they were about to conduct. Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commanding officer of the Joint Task Force Basilan, and Akalun’s sister Marwa confirmed Akalun’s death on Sunday night. Luzon said he was told by Marwa that Akalun, 46, “did not make it because of the severity of the wounds that he got” and had “suffered fractures in some of his bones.” Akalun was buried on Monday in accordance with Islamic rites. Luzon on Monday identified the slain soldier in the same attack as Private Marjhon Tenido, who was a native of Tukuran town in Zamboanga del Sur province. Tenido belonged to the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion based in Basilan that Luzon heads. Akalun, on the other hand, was the first member of the peacekeeping force JPST to have died in an ambush in the province, said Police Col. John Cundo, operations chief of the Basilan Provincial Police Office. “We are on high alert to secure the area to prevent a possible escalation of hostilities,” Cundo said. Bangsamoro Parliament Member Hadji Dan Asnawie, also the commander of the 114th Base Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), immediately ordered his men in Basilan to “capture all those responsible in the ambush last Saturday, dead or alive.” Asnawie, the brother-in-law of Akalun, said he felt sad that government forces were attacked when they were only out there to help the communities. “These men in uniform were simply helping our people, they didn’t commit any crime,” he said. “We have been enjoying peace in Basilan, we have been trying to attain peace and suddenly, this incident,” he said. Akalun had received more than 30 medals and awards since he joined the police force in 2006, said Cundo. He said the slain peacekeeper used to work under him when he, Cundo, headed the police provincial mobile force battalion in Lamitan City. Later, Akalun was assigned to Tipo-Tipo, also in Basilan, and when he was detailed in Sumisip town, he was tapped to be part of the JPST. “He was kind, he was a good father to his son and a dedicated person to his job,” Cundo said. According to Cundo, they were already pursuing a number of persons of interest behind Saturday’s ambush. Asnawie also directed his men to cooperate with the police and military in pursuing the suspects. “Regardless their group’s affiliations or organization, since they committed the crime, they have to answer for it,” Asnawie said, referring to the perpetrators. According to Asnawie, the MILF in Basilan already had at least four suspects behind the ambush but he declined to provide details. However, he said the suspected attackers were “perennial troublemakers who are trying to control people and communities.” INQ
deal may be a dud for local tracks	people who earn a living at the derby lane greyhound track hoped the state 's new gambling deal would toss them a bone .
No Aug. 21 ‘distortion’ this year, notes Aquino scion	Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise that President Marcos is currently all eyes and ears on anomalous mega flood control projects, thus leaving him no time to engage in “historical distortion” on Ninoy Aquino Day. This was the sentiment of Francis “Kiko” Aquino-Dee, deputy executive director of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, in reaction to Malacañang keeping Aug. 21 this year a nonworking holiday to commemorate the assassination of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., Aquino-Dee’s grandfather. “I think President Marcos has a lot on his plate right now, and I think historical distortion, thankfully, wasn’t on it this year,” he said. “But we will continue to be vigilant not just for his term but in the coming years so that people will remember what the Filipino people were able to do in the period from 1983 to 1986,” Aquino-Dee told reporters on the sidelines of the 42nd death anniversary rites for Ninoy at Manila Memorial Park. Talk of reconciliation between the two political families is also out of the question for as long as the Marcoses refuse to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the dictatorial rule of the elder Marcos, said Aquino-Dee. “There is no reconciliation without justice,” he stressed. “For as long as there’s no such recognition, I don’t think there’s much to say between our two families.” Aquino-Dee, a grandson of the late President Cory and late Sen. Ninoy, is a coconvener of the Buhay ang People Power Campaign Network. He also leads another civic movement called “Justice for All,” which was launched on Aug. 17, the day after the 8th death anniversary of drug war victim Kian delos Santos. The group is gearing up for the first day of Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Sept. 23. “The idea is to seek justice for victims of EJKs (extrajudicial killings), victims of the drug war. This is similar to the fight to seek genuine justice for the victims of martial law,” said Dee. Meanwhile, the jogging protests reminiscent of the resistance mounted by the middle class against the Marcos regime in the 1980s are back, but this time they are directed against attempts to revise history and weaken democratic values under the Marcos Jr. administration. The August Twenty-One Movement (Atom), which was formed by former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino shortly after his older brother Ninoy’s assassination in 1983, has found an ally in joggers, runners and cyclists in attempting to revive the spirit of peaceful demonstrations that marked the last years of the Marcos Sr. regime. Atom became active again in response to last year’s attempts in the House of Representatives to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, followed by the recent decision of the Senate to archive the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte. “The 1987 Constitution, as you know, is an offspring of the People Power revolution and the struggle to free ourselves from martial law,” said Atom president Volt Bohol. Atom has about 100 members nationwide, including some of the original members who were there at the height of the antidictatorship struggle. One of them is Ramon Balang, one of the aircraft mechanics assigned at the then Manila International Airport on the day Ninoy Aquino was shot as he stepped out of a plane. “It’s important to let Filipinos know that they [the Marcoses] are trying to revise the stories, the narratives. Up to this day, we should be able to keep Atom alive through actual witnesses and books,” Balang told the Inquirer. Since its revival, Atom has also welcomed young blood, including members of cycling organizations such as Siklista Pilipino and Kalye Serye, both of which are part of the umbrella group Bikers for Leni that was formed for the 2022 presidential campaign of former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo. On Sunday, Atom and its jogging partners held a commemorative activity called “In Memory of Butz, Inspired by Ninoy,” as a lead-off to this year’s 42nd death anniversary of Ninoy as well as the 10th death anniversary of Butz.
PNP: Liquor, campaign ban starts today	MANILA, Philippines — The usual two-day liquor ban during an election will take effect on Sunday and Monday, the Philippine National Police said on Saturday as it reminded the public that the prescribed campaign period also ended on May 7 and it is now illegal to solicit votes for any candidate or party. Under Resolution No. 10746 of the Commission on Elections, it will be prohibited for any person to sell, furnish, offer, buy or take any intoxicating liquor anywhere in the country from May 8 to May 9. “Anyone found violating any of the provisions may face the penalty of imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years without probation,” Police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., PNP officer in charge and elections security task force commander of the PNP, said in a statement on Saturday. Hotels, resorts, restaurants and other establishments accredited by the Department of Tourism may be exempted from the ban, provided they secure a written authority from the Comelec. Only foreign nationals may buy or consume alcoholic drinks, but only in authorized establishments that have been expressly exempted from the liquor ban. The PNP asked the public for discipline and strict compliance “to avoid possible commotions or heated altercations during these crucial days.” “We just want to maintain our peace and order in every community. Let us exercise the freedom of expression and right to suffrage in a calm and sacred manner,” Danao said. The PNP also reminded all candidates and their supporters that the campaign period officially ended on Saturday and they are now prohibited from campaigning.
Youth, women, jobless worst hit by anxiety	MANILA, Philippines — Krystoffer Adam, a 30-year-old entrepreneur selling homeware, has not made money for two weeks now after his family contracted COVID-19 and was forced to isolate at home. Without a stable source of income, Adam is worried about forthcoming bills like the rent for his office and warehouse, workers’ salaries, payments to suppliers, and outstanding debts, taxes and regulatory fees. Amid negative thoughts about his family’s health and the loss of some business opportunities, he thinks the pandemic could be less stressful if only there was enough aid for everyone. “Giving ‘ayuda’ [dole] to people is only a temporary solution. People now need long-term solutions to survive this pandemic,” Adam said. According to him, the government should invest and extend its financial assistance not only to the poor but also to the middle class. “They can offer low-interest loans to small and medium businesses that need extra funding for their operations. It would help small entrepreneurs to continue running their businesses and paying employees. It would also be an opportunity for the government to earn from the loan interest,” Adam said. Still, he is luckier compared to some. In a blog post on Friday, Filipino researchers at the Tokyo-based think tank Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) said that in the Philippines, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted psychological distress mostly on the youth who have been deprived of face-to-face classes, women who found themselves with more responsibilities and millions of workers left without jobs. Nina Ashley dela Cruz and Raymond Gaspar said in the ADBI blog that amid the pandemic, the mental state of Filipinos could be linked to their confidence and trust in the government as well as the national health-care system. Thus, they pushed for improving the COVID-19 response in the health, education and jobs sectors. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the psychological and social well-being of many Filipinos. Stay-at-home orders have left many in isolation and experiencing feelings of fear and anxiety, largely over economic hardship and uncertainty,” the researchers said, citing reports from the World Health Organization’s Philippine office and the National Center for Mental Health. “When all classes went online, the prevailing digital divide put poor students, especially those in more remote areas, at a disadvantage. Amid workplace closures, a large group of workers, particularly part-time employees and those whose work cannot be feasibly done at home, have either been furloughed or have faced reduced working hours with negative consequences on their income and finances. Women, especially mothers, have been taking on a greater domestic burden of housework and child care during the pandemic, while the elderly have long been restricted from going outside due to their vulnerability to the virus,” Dela Cruz and Gaspar noted. They analyzed Philippine data collected by the Imperial College London-YouGov COVID-19 behavior tracker data hub from weekly online surveys conducted from March to September 2020 to determine not only the state of Filipinos’ mental health but also how the government’s pandemic response influenced their sentiments. “We found robust evidence of women having higher odds of experiencing considerable mental health concerns. Women, especially mothers, face a greater challenge of juggling paid work and domestic responsibilities,” the ADBI said, citing a survey at the height of the stricter enhanced community quarantine from April to May 2020 which showed women spending seven hours on housework or nearly double the four hours prepandemic. “Our findings also revealed that young adults age 18-25 are relatively more at risk of episodes of psychological distress,” the think tank said, referring to a study in 2021 which “found a high incidence of stress, anxiety and depression among Filipino young adults aged 18-30.” Another 2021 study, it added, showed that “accumulating worries associated with missing traditional milestones and losing economic opportunities and vital relationships are leading young adults into mental distress amid the ongoing crisis.” Also feeling the brunt of the pandemic are part-time employees and the unemployed, the ADBI said, as workplace closures, reduced working hours, and irregular wages and salaries resulted in higher economic uncertainty, which could lead to a deterioration in their mental state. According to the think tank, its analysis strongly linked a person’s mental health state to their perceived trust and confidence in the government and public health-care system. “On average, individuals expressing strong public trust and confidence in the national health-care system are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Citizens who are confident in the capability, reliability and efficiency of institutions to resolve issues related to the pandemic can have peace of mind and a feeling of assurance. The success of health-care authorities in mobilizing scientific expertise to tackle rising forms of misinformation about the virus and measures, such as vaccination programs, also play a crucial role,” it said. According to the ADBI, there should be targeted policy responses to ease the psychological pain inflicted by the protracted fight against COVID-19 on the most vulnerable sectors. “While vaccination programs are ramped up, the Philippines’ COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases should facilitate the safe reopening of schools and face-to-face classes and forge strategic partnerships with the business sector to ensure the welfare of workers. If feasible, labor market interventions, such as career guidance and skills training should enable individuals to navigate into a more digitized economic environment,” it said. Amid the pandemic, building public trust makes policy sense and should always be considered when drafting public initiatives for addressing mental health issues, the ADBI said, pointing out that people were likely to be compliant and cooperative when they trusted the government. “The relevant public authorities should, therefore, show strong and capable governance in setting clear directions and guidelines. Government actions should be transparent, collaborative, consistent and credible,” it added. INQ
khan pleads not guilty to driving charge	british boxing star amir khan on thursday pleaded not guilty to a charge of dangerous driving .
Solo parents get P1,000 monthly, more perks under new law	MANILA, Philippines — Low-income solo parents will now receive a P1,000 monthly cash subsidy under a new law that will provide more benefits to solo parents. Republic Act No. 11861, or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, lapsed into law on June 4 after President Rodrigo Duterte did not act on the measure. Under the new law, the period before someone could be declared a single parent due to abandonment was decreased to six months from the current one year. Aside from the P1,000 cash aid per month for single parents whose income is below the poverty line, a solo parent who is earning less than P250,000 a year would also be entitled to a 10- percent discount on baby’s milk, food, and micronutrient supplements and sanitary diapers, medicine, vaccines, and other medical supplements bought for children until 6 years of age. The law said grandparents who are the sole guardians of minors would also have the same privileges as single parents. The new law will also give solo parents preference in government low-cost housing projects and offer them more flexible payment periods.
Study predicts PH salary hikes in 2023	Salaries in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, are expected to increase slightly next year, as high attrition rates put pressure on employers to tackle hiring and retention rates. According to a study done by British-American multinational financial services firm Aon PLC, a median salary budget increase of 6 percent was seen for the Philippines next year, the third highest among six other Asian countries in the survey. The study, covering more than 700 companies across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, was conducted during the third quarter. For Indonesia, it is seen at 6.8 percent; Malaysia, 5.1 percent; Singapore, 4.7 percent; Thailand, 5.1 percent and Vietnam, 7.9 percent. Aon said that high attrition rates in 2022 across the region are putting pressure on firms to use compensation measures to tackle hiring and retention challenges. The Philippines logged an attrition rate of 18 percent, the second highest among the six countries, next to Singapore which had a 19.6 percent attrition rate. The attrition rate was 15.9 percent in Indonesia, 14.9 percent in Malaysia, 15.4 percent in Thailand and 15.2 percent for Vietnam. Rahul Chawla, Aon partner and head of Human Capital Solutions for Southeast Asia, said organizations must stay agile as they rethink their pay principles, even as these remain critical for businesses to define and adapt compensation for different worker types and nature of work. “Businesses need to shape their strategies toward long-term drivers of pay and performance by making changes in a phased manner to optimize pay effectiveness,” Chawla said. “In addition, companies must define their 2023 salary increase approach in the context of the competitiveness of their current salary levels and employee value proposition. Companies that adopt a skill-based compensation program will help ensure they can continue to build future skills for their organization’s resilient workforce,” he added. Meanwhile, Alina Cheng, a senior consultant at the same division in Aon, said roles in areas, such as risk, compliance and talent acquisition, were in demand with the rise of fintech and digital banks in the region. “Firms are paying a premium to attract new talent at the junior and middle management levels for these roles. As a result, over the past two years, we have seen compensation structures shifting toward lesser variable and pay at risk and an increased focus on salaries,” she said.
ghanaian immigrant trucker remains jailed in honduran diplomat s death	a judge refused to lower the bail of a ghanaian immigrant charged in a truck crash that killed a honduran diplomat last month .
Lawyer who survived slay try to get international rights award	Seventeen months after narrowly surviving a stabbing attack, an Iloilo-based human rights lawyer who has been repeatedly red-tagged gets honored by a US-based international human rights organization. “Angelo Guillen is a courageous and effective advocate whose work has made a difference in the lives of his fellow Filipinos and put a spotlight on abuses and calling for accountability,” Breen said. It is given yearly to human rights advocates alternating between those in the United States and outside. Guillen will be presented with the Baldwin Medal in the United States later this year, according to the statement. Speaking to the Inquirer by phone, Guillen said he was honored to be among the recipients of the award who include “human rights defenders with considerable work in their respective countries.” “I am grateful because this is a recognition of the human rights situation in the Philippines and the work of the NUPL, human right lawyers, paralegals and human rights defenders,” he said. Guillen said the recognition is also in honor of the human rights defenders who were killed, attacked and detained due to their work. On March 3, 2021, two suspects, who wore ski masks, repeatedly stabbed Guillen with a screwdriver while he was on his way to his boarding house in Iloilo City. The suspects fled on board two motorcycles driven by two accomplices after taking Guillen’s backpack and a shoulder bag containing his laptop, external disk for backup files and case documents. They, however, left behind the lawyer’s wallet and smartphone, which were inside his pockets. Guillen, 34, NUPL vice president for the Visayas, spent 18 days recuperating in a hospital from at least eight stab wounds, including in the head. He and his colleagues believed government agents were behind the attack, especially because he was among the counsels of leaders of an indigenous peoples (IP) group, the Tumandok, who were arrested in a police and military operation in Capiz province on Dec. 30, 2020.InjusticeNine tribe leaders were shot and killed in that attack. The Philippine National Police claimed that they fought back when operatives were serving search warrants for illegal firearms and ammunition on suspected leaders and members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army, a claim repeatedly denied by families of the victims and village officials. According to Guillen, one of the 16 arrested tribe leaders, 75-year-old Rodolfo Diaz, remains detained nearly 20 months after his arrest. “I am especially glad this award could be announced on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which is also National Indigenous Peoples Day in the Philippines,” he said in the Human Rights First statement. “Indigenous peoples, like the Tumandok community, as well as farmers, labor leaders, and activists, have borne the brunt of unjust arrests, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations committed by state security forces that, to this day, still take place throughout the country. Their rights must be protected, and we hope that this recognition will help bring attention to their plight,” Guillen added.
19th Congress resumes in refurbished halls	MANILA, Philippines — A “grand stage for another historic presidential address,” as House Speaker Martin Romualdez described it, was what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. entered on Monday when he delivered his third State of the Nation Address (Sona), while senators also walked into a newly renovated Senate building with the resumption of the 19th Congress. Guests of the presidential address finally saw this “grand stage” up close—a major facelift of the Batasang Pambansa complex, home to the 300-strong House, to the cost of P20 million. Among the biggest changes were the North and South Wing’s fully renovated lobbies—now fully air-conditioned hallways with glass doors. These once open-air hallways served as the red carpet area where brand-new touchscreen panels were also set up, displaying information about the Sona and Congress. New chandeliers were also installed in the rear entrance where Marcos entered going into the plenary hall.. There were also multiple LED screens across the Batasan complex for live viewing. Another change was the classy blue terno uniforms worn by the House staff. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said the total budget for the “preparations and execution of the Sona… covers a range of essential expenses to ensure the event’s success.” Apart from the catering itself, the budget covered food and beverages for personnel like the police, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority officers, and other support staff, from the preparatory activities up to the event. “Every peso allocated for the Sona is carefully scrutinized and managed to reflect the significance of this constitutionally mandated event while being conscious of public sentiments regarding the use of [taxpayer] money,” Velasco said. The Senate also had major renovations in time for the resumption of the 19th Congress on Monday. The six-story building, which the Senate has been renting from the Government Service Insurance System, was so brightly lit that it made Sen. JV Ejercito mestizo (fair-skinned), Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said in jest. Sen. Risa Hontiveros also liked the renovations made during the two-month-long recess—from the carpet flooring to the refurbished committee rooms to the paintings borrowed from the National Museum and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. “[A place that looks] bright is good. It should inspire all of us to also make our work better,” she said. According to Senate President Francis Escudero, the Senate shelled out only P2.1 million—amid a review of the ongoing construction of the new Senate building in Taguig City. “We spent very little on these. Actually most of these were only maintenance work and basic rearranging,” Escudero said in a news briefing. Activists like Bayan president Renato Reyes slammed the “tone-deaf pageantry” associated with the Sona, saying that it showed “how insensitive the ruling regime is to the plight of the people. It has been all image-building and hardly any problem-solving.”
Weavers: Protect indigenous textiles	BAGUIO CITY – Textile experts from around the world are calling for an authentication system to preserve indigenous fabrics and safeguard them from counterfeiting, as Mindanao weavers delivered a strong message during this year’s World Ikat Textiles Symposium: “Don’t steal our ikat!” Mandaya weaver Samporonia Madanlo and Tboli elders Rosie Sula and Barbara Ofong voiced their concerns about the misuse of their cultural heritage and traditional weaving knowledge during the “ikat” (a method for coloring fabric in patterns before it is woven) symposium held here on Thursday. Hosted in the Philippines for the first time, the weeklong event took place in Baguio City and featured classic and traditional weaving practices from Mindanao, Ifugao, Mountain Province, China, India, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and Japan. The symposium also brought to light the challenges of cultural misappropriation and the mass reproduction of indigenous textiles, particularly those with deep ritual significance. “What I am afraid of is how our designs are commandeered through the internet and social media and imitated so others can profit from [her community’s Tnalak weaving techniques] … Do not copy them,” said Ofong, a South Cotabato-based weaver who was declared a national living treasure for textile weaving by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts last year. Ofong, 68, who learned her craft from her parents at age 12, underscored the importance of preserving authentic patterns handed down through generations. “Para di mawala (So they do not disappear), I will not follow new [modern weaving] patterns,” she said. Ilocano researcher Malot Ingels highlighted the significance of weaving in empowering women and giving them “a special place” in their communities, adding that changes to traditional weaving practices should evolve organically, without outside interference. Singaporean textile consultant and researcher Joseph Lo proposed the establishment of an authenticity certification system to safeguard indigenous textile traditions. “The world is big enough for everybody,” Lo said, suggesting that such a program could validate newly reproduced textiles while ensuring that artisans remain “at the driver’s seat.”
28 vehicle dealers in dock for late LTO plates, papers	MANILA, Philippines — At least 28 motor vehicle dealerships are already facing penalties ranging from P20,000 to P500,000 plus suspension of accreditation for one to six months, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced over the weekend. LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said penalties against the dealerships have been already submitted for resolution after they failed to release registration papers and license plates within 11 days. “We already have an initial list of the agents and their dealerships that were recommended for sanctions, including fines and suspension of accreditation,” Mendoza said. “Let this serve as a strong message to all agents and dealerships to do their part, their obligation to their clients. Part of your responsibility is to ensure that you are abiding by the regulations set by the LTO, especially on the timely release of license plates and [LTO official receipt/certificate of registration, or OR/CR],” Mendoza said. Medoza, in a memorandum issued on March 25, ordered all LTO offices to release the vehicle plates and OR/CR to the motor vehicle dealerships within five days after all the documentary requirements were submitted. But LTO regional offices complained that the plates and registration papers were not being picked up by dealers, resulting in numerous complaints from vehicle owners. Mendoza said the penalties against the 28 dealerships should serve as a warning to dealerships that continue to defy the LTO’s guidelines. The LTO chief urged owners of newly bought motor vehicles to immediately report errant agents and car and motorcycle dealerships that would fail to release their license plates and OR/CR on time. Mendoza said all the complaints could be sent to the LTO’s social media accounts, or its AksyON THE SPOT complaint hotline at 0929-2920865. When the Marcos administration started in July 2022, Mendoza said the LTO had a 12.5 million backlog in license plates—9.1 million for motorcycles and 3.4 million for four-wheel vehicles.
IS-linked Moro rebel leader, 11 others killed in military strikes in Maguindanao	CAMP SIONGCO, MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines scored a major victory against local Islamic State-linked terrorists with the killing on Monday of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) leader Mohiden Animbang, more known as Kagi Karialan. Animbang, estimated to be around 60, led a BIFF faction that is rabidly loyal to the IS leadership. His BIFF faction has been implicated in a number of atrocities, including a string of bus bombings in Central Mindanao, the AFP said. According to Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, Karialan’s group engaged government troops in a running gunbattle in Barangay Kitango of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao del Sur province on Monday morning. The Army assault culminated in a series of air strikes, and skirmishes were over by mid-afternoon. “We cornered them in an open field, in a swampy area. Finally, we got them, we have been running after them,” Rillera told reporters on Tuesday. There was no evacuation among civilians in the area as the site of clashes was in the swamps, far from the population centers, said Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Combat Brigade. Aside from the elusive Karialan, the fatalities included his brother Saga Animbang, the group’s operations chief. The bodies of the 12 slain terrorists were taken by their relatives on Monday and immediately buried according to Islamic rites, said Rillera. BIFF spokesperson Abu Supyan confirmed they lost their leader. “We fought the soldiers from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. We were cornered, the military used air assets, [and] we have nowhere to go,” Supyan told the Inquirer, vowing revenge. “The battle is not yet over; there is a continuation.” Cagara said they were tailing three BIFF members who entered a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) area but did not pursue them in deference to a ceasefire with MILF, the erstwhile rebel group whose leaders now head the Bangsamoro region. On Monday, the BIFF group was monitored to have moved out of the area, Cagara added. Monday’s rout was the most serious to hit the BIFF, a MILF breakaway group. On March 22, a military operation resulted in the death of Abu Halil, the Karialan faction’s training officer and his brother Kahafi Abulatif, its chief of staff.
BuCor seeks Marcos nod to free 3,000 elderly inmates	BuCor acting Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said there were 3,086 inmates age 65 and above—the oldest being 96—being held in all of BuCor’s seven prisons and penal farms across the country. Their names would be submitted to the President “next week” in hopes that they may be granted executive clemency, Catapang said. “When you go around the other prison colonies, you would really pity them. They’re so old, they’re already in wheelchairs, they can’t move. They are having a hard time because they’re like canned sardines,” the official said in an ANC interview on Thursday. Should Marcos grant clemency to this batch of inmates, “that will be a historic release for the aged PDLs (persons deprived of liberty),” Catapang said. “If this will push through, this will be the biggest single mass release of inmates” and will help improve the situation in BuCor. Previous administrations usually release around 1,000 inmates in time for Christmas. According to BuCor, 5,011 inmates had been released since January this year, of whom 2,059 were freed since the start of the Marcos administration on June 30. Under the Section 19, Article VII, of the Constitution, the president has the power to grant commutation of sentence and pardon. “Except in cases of impeachment, or as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the President may grant reprieves, commutations and pardons, and remit fines and forfeitures after conviction by final judgment,” it said. Under the Interim Rules on Parole and Executive Clemency adopted by the Board of Pardons and Parole in April 2020, inmates eligible for parole or executive clemency include convicts age 65 and above; those who have served at least five years of their sentence; and inmates whose continued imprisonment would be inimical to their health. For those in the last category, they require a recommendation from a physician of BuCor Hospital and a certification from the Department of Health or from an authority designated by the Malacañang clinic director. Priority is given to inmates who are elderly, sickly or suffering from terminal or life-threatening illnesses, or with a serious disability. Inmates convicted of heinous crimes or drug-related offenses, or those classified as “high-risk” prisoners, are not eligible under the interim rules. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier committed to releasing at least 5,000 PDLs by June 2023, a goal he also mentioned in his speech at a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in October. He also noted that many inmates had already served their sentences but remained in prison due to procedural oversight or the slow processing of their records. New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City currently holds 29,204 inmates in a facility intended for only 6,435. Catapang said the release of elderly and sickly inmates was only a “short-term” solution to the congestion. For a more systematic and long-term approach, he said, BuCor has asked Congress for funds to build more prison facilities, preferably one for each of the country’s 17 regions. The bureau currently operates seven: NBP, the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (PPF) in Occidental Mindoro, the Iwahig Prison in Puerto Princesa City, the Leyte Regional Prison, the Davao PPF and the San Ramon PPF in Zamboanga City. The DOJ, BuCor’s mother agency, did make its own budget request for the “regionalization” of the prisons. It instead asked for P4 billion for the construction of a “super maximum” security prison in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, that can hold 2,000 convicts of heinous crimes. The agency also asked for P5 billion to repair existing BuCor facilities.
family face three-month deadline to save son from execution	a young kuwaiti man will be executed in saudi arabia for murder unless more than two million dollars can be raised as compensation for his victim 's family , the youth 's father said on saturday .
Court upholds priest accused of ‘offending religious feelings’	The court ruled that Cabading’s controversial remarks were not made in a place of worship or during a religious ceremony or that they were “notoriously offensive to the faithful”—the two established elements of the crime. “The Court finds that the subject statements made by the accused and alleged in the Amended Information are not notoriously offensive that are designed purely to ridicule or deliberately hurt the feelings of the faithful, or the devotees of Our Lady, Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.” Atienza-Fajardo said in her ruling. The QC court also ruled that Cabading’s remarks were not made during a religious ceremony or at a place of worship but only posted in a Facebook livestream. “The Court believes, and so holds, that the said ‘program’ is a mere vlog posted in the Pananampalataya at Katuwiran Facebook account, which is a personal social media account of Bro. [Wendell] Talibong,” the decision read. But Demetriou, herself a former regional trial court (RTC) judge, Sandiganbayan justice and Commission on Elections chair, said she would continue to pursue the case. “The QC RTC dismissal of my case is not final,” Demetriou told the Inquirer. “My lawyers and I will appeal it all the way to the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter of all legal disputes. I’ll exhaust all available remedies provided by law to every litigant,” she added. Demetriou filed the charges of offending religious feelings against Cabading in 2022 after the priest, an exorcist of the Archdiocese of Manila, characterized the Marian apparitions at the Carmelite monastery in Lipa, Batangas, as “demonic.” Caloocan Bishop Pablo David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), admitted that apparitions should not have been characterized as “demonic” and apologized for the CBCP’s failure to intervene in the case. Cabading argued in his defense that Demetriou’s charges were “overbroad” and that he was only exercising free speech in echoing a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. But the Catholic episcopacy admitted in March that it failed to make public the 1951 finding of the Roman Catholic Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that the Lipa apparitions were not supernatural. The “offending religious feelings” case was the first of three cases Demetriou filed against Cabading. One of two perjury cases remains pending in a Quezon City court, while the other was dismissed by a Makati judge in January for lack of evidence.
CA affirms dismissal of case filed by ex-justice vs priest	MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the dismissal of retired Sandiganbayan Justice Harriet Demetriou’s complaint against a Catholic priest for “offending religious feelings” over his remarks on the 1948 Marian apparition in Lipa, Batangas. In a 28-page ruling dated September 29, the appellate court’s 12th Division affirmed the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s finding that the online Catholic program in which exorcist priest Fr. Winston Cabading questioned the authenticity of the apparition did not constitute a “religious ceremony” — a required element of the offense under the Revised Penal Code. “What appears in the recitals of facts is the alleged violation of respondent Cabading against the CBCP Pastoral Instruction and Injunction Order of the Dominican Province. This act is not punishable under the Revised Penal Code or special penal laws,” the appellate court said in the ruling penned by Associate Justice Ma. Consejo Gengos-Ignalaga. Demetriou is a devotee of Our Lady Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, whose apparitions were reportedly witnessed by Teresita Castillo inside the Carmelite Monastery of Lipa in 1948. She filed the case against Cabading in December 2022 after he suggested in a Facebook program that the phenomenon involved “demonic deception to let people focus on the extraordinary instead of the ordinary path to holiness and love of God.” The Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, later known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, declared in 1951 that the events bore no signs of supernatural origin, further reiterating this in December 2015. The Quezon City court dismissed the case against Cabading in May 2024, saying the charges against him do not constitute an offense. It also denied Demetriou’s motion for consideration, prompting her to elevate the case to the CA. In affirming the lower court’s ruling, the CA noted that the facts did not satisfy the elements of the crime, particularly the requirement that the act be committed in a place of religious worship “or during the celebration of any religious ceremony.” It agreed with the Quezon City court that the Facebook program did not fall within the scope of a religious ceremony, describing it instead as “akin to a show, broadcast, telecast, videocast, performance, or dialogue.”
Flood-hit town in Cotabato under state of calamity	Vice Mayor Rogelio Marañon said the council approved the declaration during a special session last week to allow the release of the town’s 30-percent quick response fund (QRF) to aid farmers whose crops were destroyed and for the immediate repair of public infrastructure. Marañon said the council approved the release of at least P6-million QRF for the second quarter to be used in the repair of major roads in Barangay Poblacion and other villages which were damaged by flash floods and landslides. The municipal disaster risk reduction and management council (MDRRMC) reported that at least P5 million worth of crops, including newly planted rice seedlings and bananas, were damaged by the recent flooding, triggered by heavy rain which caused the Marbel and Kabacan Rivers to overflow. According to the MDRRMC, more than P10 million worth of bridges and concrete roads were washed away by rampaging floodwaters. Marañon said even the dikes along the banks of the Kabacan River were destroyed.
Sandbar outing turns tragic as 4 drown in Cadiz City	Marlyn Aguirre, 33; her son Mack John, 15; and neighbors Remymar Ocon, 31; and Michael John Jacobo Merabe, 13, were all swept away by the strong sea current at around 1 p.m., according to Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante. The victims, all from Barangay Zone-1 of the city, were rushed to the Cadiz City Emergency Clinic but were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. The victims and at least 10 other companions rented a pumpboat for an excursion at the reef’s sandbar, an initial police investigation showed. While swimming at the sandbar, Mack John was carried away by strong waves, prompting his mother Marlyn to rush to save him but she, too, was swept away by the strong current. Ocon and Merabe also tried to rescue the two but they also drowned. Escalante said there were also incidents of drowning in the area in the past due to the strong current. He said a lot of people go to the sandbar to swim, which measures 3,000 square meters during low tide. During high tide, however, Escalante said about 80 percent to 90 percent of the reef is covered by water. “That is why people get on their pumpboat when high tide starts,” he said. Based on the investigation, Escalante said the victims and their companions were brought to the sandbar at around 8 a.m. by a fisherman who was supposed to be fetched them by around 2 p.m. Escalante said the fisherman, who knew the area well, should not have left the group at the sandbar. The mayor was looking for the operator of the pumpboat to get an explanation. Escalante said the reef will be closed to excursionists but can be used by fishermen and the members of the local Bantay Dagat (sea patrol team). Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio, head of the Philippine Coast Guard-Northern Negros, said the boat operator will be held answerable for what happened because it has no permit to ferry passengers to the Kabilang-Bilangan Reef . “We are still trying to locate the operator and owner of the boat as they can be held answerable for bringing the victims to the area,” he said.
No coordination lapse on Percy Lapid slay broker – NCRPO chief	The alleged middleman passed away on Oct. 18, a day after the surrender of Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman in the killing of Mabasa who pointed to a certain “Crisanto Villamor” as the person who gave him the orders to kill the radio commentator for P550,000. The BuCor had said it did not have Crisanto Villamor on its list of inmates when they were first asked by the PNP, only to be certain later that Escorial was referring to “Jun Villamor,” the registered name of Crisanto Villamor. Estomo said the BuCor should have had the initiative to secure all inmates with the Villamor surname even without being told by the PNP. “If I were the BuCor chief, I would have secured all of them even if there are 100 of them. I will call the hitman and ask him to identify the middleman,” he told reporters in an interview. The PNP also could not give orders on their level because the BuCor is under the Department of Justice, Estomo pointed out. The initial autopsy indicated Villamor had died of cardiac arrest but an independent autopsy later performed by top forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun revealed that Villamor died of asphyxia or suffocation, and may have suffocated from a plastic bag placed over his head. Ang Probinsyano party-list Rep. Alfred delos Santos on Monday highlighted the importance of forensic pathologists on criminal probes, citing a questionable gap in the custody of the body of the alleged middleman in the Mabasa slay as shown in an autopsy report. The autopsy report on NBP inmate Jun Villamor had been presented by Fortun, one of only two forensic pathologists in the country, who was asked by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to conduct the examination of the remains. In a statement on Monday, Delos Santos, who is also a House of Representatives deputy majority leader, said three things stood out in Fortun’s autopsy report on Villamor’s body: According to Delos Santos, since the body was autopsied — first by the National Bureau of Investigation and then by Fortun — after it was embalmed “some internal organs were no longer present in the body because they were removed during the embalming process. It is quite probable the chemicals and processes used during embalming may have altered some tissues or removed evidence.” He also cited the pale conjunctiva observed which occurs when a person’s oxygen supply is cut. “The Fortun autopsy stated that 40 ml of yellow urine was recovered from the urinary bladder. The bladder can hold 200 ml to 500 ml of urine. This means the bladder was almost empty. When people die they sometimes pee as a result of the absence of bladder muscle control.”
De Lima objects to case reopening	MANILA, Philippines – A trial must come to an end at some point, a lawyer for former Sen. Leila de Lima said on Wednesday after the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors filed a motion to reopen one of her two remaining illegal drug cases that both parties had agreed to submit for resolution. In the motion of vehement opposition filed by lawyer Teddy Esteban Rigoroso before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204, he noted that the proposed new witness the DOJ panel wanted to present to the court did not guarantee “any substantial new information worth another lengthy cross-examination.” “The panel already had their opportunity to debunk and address the testimony of witness [former Bureau of Corrections officer in charge Rafael Ragos]. In fact, they had four full morning hearing dates to do so. The panel also failed to even explain the substance of the testimony of Atty. [Demeeter] Huerta and the additional matters that would be raised. This failure highlights the whimsical nature of the motion,” the motion added. During a hearing on Monday, the court announced that the decision on De Lima’s Criminal Case No. 17-165 would be promulgated on May 12, as agreed upon by both the defense and prosecution. However, the prosecutor filed an omnibus motion for reconsideration after the hearing, saying they wanted to present Huerta, the officer in charge of the Public Attorney’s Office administrative service. According to Rigoroso, Huerta was not exactly new to the prosecution, as he had been in “close and even direct contact with the panel” during the time they subjected Ragos to cross-examination. Ragos had earlier testified that he delivered P5 million in drug money to De Lima for her senatorial campaign in 2016, although he later recanted his testimony. “He [Huerta] was already known to the panel at the time they agreed to have the instant case submitted for resolution. In fact, Atty. Huerta was present inside the courtroom when Ragos testified on his recantation as [a] witness for accused [Ronnie Palisoc Dayan],” De Lima’s coaccused, he said in the motion. “The panel should have known, as of 17 April 2023, that his testimony will be material, if at all, for the panel of prosecutors and should have pleaded [with] the court to allow them to present him as a rebuttal witness — instead of manifesting their agreement to consider the case closed and submitting the entire case for decision,” he added. Rigoroso said that the prosecution was in a “perfect situation” to determine Huerta’s value as a witness but they chose not to.
Bishop bucks massive sand dredging in Oriental Mindoro	CITY OF CALAPAN, ORIENTAL MINDORO, Philippines — Bishop Moises Cuevas of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan issued a pastoral letter read in Masses in churches across Oriental Mindoro on Sunday, strongly opposing the river dredging in the province, warning of its “heavy and irreparable damage” to the environment and the people’s livelihood. The pastoral letter, dated Aug. 15, was released on Sunday amid the persisting debate on the massive dredging project in the province that is touted by the provincial government as a flood mitigation program but that environmentalists claim is disguised commercial sand mining. Dubbed “For Truth, Unity, and Concern for Our Home,” Cuevas stressed he was not against river dredging if it is part of a genuine flood control plan based on science, free from commercial exploitation, with strict adherence to environmental safeguards and with transparent public monitoring, pursuant only to a Flood Master Plan with detailed engineering design and proper flood control methods. However, “We strongly oppose large-scale commercial dredging, seabed or black sand mining and quarrying or any kind of mining in the rivers, coastal areas. When the priority of these activities is profit instead of the people and environment, the peril and possible result will definitely bring heavy and irreparable damage to the province,” the pastoral letter, written in Filipino, said. According to the prelate, the Vicariate fully supports the position taken in July by the provincial board (PB), which put on hold the river dredging work along the province’s coast and rivers, particularly in Gloria town, which is backed by Gov. Humerlito Dolor. Cuevas, among others, commended the vigilance and zeal of the citizens, environmentalists, Mangyans, farmers, fishers, scientists, and government officials. He also recognized that the province’s officials and its residents are now facing a deep conflict over this issue. “It is unfortunate that public discourse is often filled with misinformation, incomplete facts, and personal attacks. We need to change this, we need a better conversation,” he said. He also appealed for “dialogue, especially with those who share our beliefs; to stand up for the common good and only support projects that are environmentally friendly, socially just and financially viable; and to defend the poor and the powerless; and ensure that flood control projects do not harm the very communities they are intended to protect.” In a text message on Sunday, Vice Gov. Antonio Perez, the provincial board’s presiding officer, welcomed the release of the pastoral letter, noting that it carried a lot of weight in the ongoing discourse over the dredging activities in the province. “Simbahan na ang umaayaw. Mabigat ‘yan (It’s the Church now saying no to the [project]. That meant a lot),” Perez said. The provincial board, during its inaugural session on July 1, approved a resolution that revoked a measure approved by the previous board members, interposing no objection to the river restoration through massive dredging for the flood mitigation project of the provincial government. The PB had declared that black sand dredging, whether done under the guise of river restoration or formal permitting, can result in “grave and irreparable injury” to marine ecosystems, agriculture, coastal stability and tourism. The move has put the current PB in conflict with Dolor, on whose request the previous board had approved the massive dredging project in 2023. The PB then directed Southern Concrete Industries Inc., China Harbor Engineering Co., San Miguel Aero City and parent firm San Miguel Holdings Corp. to “immediately cease and desist” from extracting, transporting, selling or otherwise disposing of black sand and related materials taken from the province’s municipal waters, coastlines or beaches. The board said the ban will remain in effect pending its investigation into the environmental and legal ramifications of the ongoing operations. The PB pointed to the complaints from residents of Gloria, which is known for its beaches, mangrove forests, and agricultural lands, who have reported sand extracted from the Balete River and nearby shorelines since May this year. /cb
chavez accepts resignation of oil company 's board	venezuelan president hugo chavez said early sunday that prior to the two-day coup he had accepted the resignations of of the board members of petroleos de venezuela , the state oil company .
Makati claim on Bonifacio Global City dead – Taguig	MANILA, Philippines — The Taguig City government criticized Makati City Mayor Abby Binay for claiming that the jurisdiction dispute over the Bonifacio Global City commercial district and seven barangays is not yet over. “Our legal dispute with Makati has come to an end. However bitter the result may be to the losing party, the final decision must be accepted with good grace,” the Taguig government said on Saturday. The court ruled that based on historical, documentary, and testimonial evidence, the contested areas fall within the territorial jurisdiction of Taguig. Makati filed a motion for reconsideration and asked the case to be heard by the en banc, but the high court denied this.
Fuel prices set to rise for 3rd straight week	MANILA, Philippines — Fuel products may become more costly next week, marking the third consecutive week of hikes due to external factors, according to forecasts from industry players. Based on the forecast of Unioil released on Saturday, the per-liter prices of diesel may climb by 50 centavos to 70 centavos. Meanwhile, gasoline prices may rise by 70 centavos to 90 centavos a liter. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) projections also showed slight upward adjustments. The DOE said the increases in the per-liter prices of diesel and kerosene may range from 30 centavos to 60 centavos, and 20 centavos to 40 centavos, respectively. For gasoline, it expects the per-liter price to go up by 50 centavos to 80 centavos. —Lisbet K. Esmael
Marcos gets $14.36B investment deals from Indonesia, Singapore	MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos brought home $14.36 billion, or P804.78 billion, in investment pledges from Indonesia and Singapore seen to aid the country’s economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The President returned to the Philippines on Wednesday night following state visits to Jakarta and Singapore over the past four days, his first official trip as President. He and his delegation, composed mostly of his economic team, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 10:23 p.m. They were welcomed by Vice President Sara Duterte, Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez and other government officials. In his arrival speech, the President said the Philippines signed a total of 10 letters of intent and 12 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Indonesia and Singapore in the sectors of renewable energy, data centers, e-commerce, broadband technology, startups, and government housing and agriculture. In his Indonesia trip, Marcos reaped $822 million worth of investment pledges in textiles, garments, renewable energy, satellite gateway, wire global technology and agrifood; $7 billion in infrastructure for unsolicited private-public partnerships such as a C-5 four-level elevated expressway; and $662-million trade value for the supply of coal and fertilizer. In Singapore, the President secured a total of $6.54 billion or P374.57 billion worth of foreign direct investments, which is expected to generate jobs to an estimated 15,000 Filipino workers according to Malacañang. Singaporean businessmen also pledged to invest $5 billion worth of electronic tricycles, which is seen to lessen air pollution emitted by an estimated 3.5 million tricycles in the country. Floating solar Marcos also secured the investment of the new technology of floating solar worth $1.2 billion and the setting up of an in-country Data Center in the Philippines valued at $200 million. Singaporean businessmen also wanted to venture in the “Blue Economy,” in which they will be expected to invest from $10 million to $100 million in areas such as marine renewable energy, water production, desalination, electric boats as well as aquaculture. “These investments, if we put it all together, value $14.36 billion or P804.78 billion,” the President said in his arrival speech. “This will support our country’s economic recovery efforts and create more jobs for Filipinos here in our country,” he added. Marcos assured Filipinos that the government would work hard “to bring all of these proposals to fruition.” “And that is what we are all now going to bend ourselves to this work. We will not stop until we can come back and say that these MOUs that we have started, these letters of intents that we have started, already have their desired results,” he said. During his trips to Indonesia and Singapore, the President also discussed with his counterparts regional and global issues, including the maritime dispute in the South China Sea.
mcdonald 's warns of lower earnings	mcdonald 's corp. warned friday that europeans ' lingering wariness of beef and currency pressures around the globe are still holding down profits , confirming it 's headed for a third straight quarter of lower earnings .
High ‘election anxiety’ palpable as polls near	MANILA, Philippines — For almost a week now, a 30-year-old grade-school guidance counselor said she has been losing sleep over the possible outcome of the elections on Monday. She told the Inquirer in a recent interview that she had trouble sleeping at night, often waking up after a few hours of shuteye just to check the news. “I always think about what would happen after the elections because this does not end after May 9. The results of the poll will dictate our lives for six years and beyond,” she said, requesting not to be identified by name so she could speak more freely about what’s troubling her. She already knows that “the main source” of this anxiety is the possibility that “incompetents” might be elected. “I think it really started hitting me at the start of this month. [I had] a realization that in a few days, the country’s decision will make or break us,” she said. “We will have senators who know nothing about the job and local politicians who just pass government positions to their family.” She said she is also bothered by widespread disinformation on social media. Videos on TikTok and Facebook are spliced to create false and misleading information while facts are merely dismissed as “biased,” she said. “As an educator, I feel miserable because it shows how much the education system in the country has failed. And this failure is being milked by politicians to their advantage,” she said. But she has found comfort in her fiancé and friends who share her anxiety about the elections. Sharing and talking about this experience seem to ease the feelings of restlessness and frustration over the polls. Psychologist AJ Sunglao said this was “election anxiety,” which was recognized as a “circumstantial or situational” form of anxiety during the 2020 US elections when Republican billionaire Donald Trump defeated Democrat former US first lady Hillary Clinton. “[It is] not a disorder or condition,” Sunglao said in a phone interview. Individuals with election anxiety may feel restless, drained, easily on edge or have difficulty concentrating and develop physical symptoms like headache, stomachache and muscle pain, he said. Sunglao, a mental health advocate, said it would more likely affect individuals who “are very much engaged” in the news and in the election itself. Filipinos have been feeling this kind of anxiety because many have been “very involved [in social media] and very much emotionally invested in the election,” he said. “Now we’re feeling it, too, because this election feels very much like a heavy and important discussion for people,” Sunglao said. The results of the most recent Pulse Asia survey with only a few days left before the polls caused anxiety among some of his own friends. The survey showed that the son and namesake of the late ousted dictator was still way ahead of his main challenger, the widow who defeated him in the vice presidential race six years ago. “That signified that we just have this much time left to be able to change [the results]. So, there’s that level of ‘we’re running out of time’ … and so it feels more real,” he said. Because of this, some people are having trouble concentrating on work or have been putting off deadlines. “Research has also shown that ruminating, or repetitive and excessive thinking, can impair our critical skills and problem-solving,” it said on its Facebook page. PMHA suggests four ways to manage election anxiety: control social media consumption; have a “voting plan,” which involves engaging in “purposeful activities” like volunteering; avoid dwelling on worst-case scenarios; and stay connected with friends and family for emotional support. On Twitter, netizens have been sharing ways to put their minds off things that trigger their election anxiety and others are posting hopeful messages to cope. Sunglao’s series of tweets on how to manage election anxiety generated more than 9,000 likes and almost 3,000 retweets as of Saturday. He also listed tips on how to cope with the stress during an election season. The first thing to do is to “engage more consciously and not waste time on random trolls,” he said. Sunglao advised scheduling social media consumption and prioritizing discussions about feelings of anxiety with someone or even a community as “it is normal to feel scared and worried.” “A good way to engage is to volunteer … and it’s actually good for your mental health,” Sunglao said. He suggested turning “this anxiety, this kind of energy, into doing clear actions with people who are also doing it. This is why community is important.” Sunglao said Filipinos had become “more attuned to mental health language” mainly from sharing their anxiety over the COVID-19 pandemic and talking about it over the past two years. “Not just for the elections, but for climate change, COVID, or other similarly heightened situations or highly emotional situations, [holding on to] hope is a good way to move you forward,” he said.
four more sentenced in $ ## million shoplifting operation	four more members of a <unk> shoplifting and fencing ring that stole millions of dollars worth of goods from upstate new york retail outlets were sentenced friday .
Olongapo City logs another COVID-19 death	OLONGAPO CITY — The local COVID-19 task force has recorded another death related to the viral disease despite the decreasing number of active infections. In its latest update on Thursday, the task force said the new fatality raised the number of COVID-19-related deaths in the city to 368 since 2020. Data also showed that two new COVID-19 cases and three recoveries were tallied on the same day, bringing the number of active infections down to nine from 11 the previous day. Since the pandemic struck two years ago, the city has already registered 7,563 COVID-19 cases with 7,186 recoveries. Local healthcare workers were also monitoring eight suspected COVID-19 cases.
taiwan wants more international pressure to persuade china not to enact an anti-secession law	taiwan called on the international community friday to step up pressure on its rival china to persuade it not to pass an anti-secession law .
Look, ma, no barriers: Makati classrooms get techier vs virus	Instead, CES, one of the biggest public schools in the city, has decided to go for the “more scientific” air purifiers and ultraviolet C (UVC) lights inside the classrooms to ensure proper ventilation and help protect the children from virus transmission. Aside from the UVC lights and air purifiers, the school also has automatic thermal scanners at the entrance to monitor the temperature of students before they enter the premises. Carleen Sedilla, schools division superintendent, said this was what made CES, as well as the city of Makati, unique among the participating pilot schools in the limited face-to-face classes: their safety protocols are based on science and studies. Since parents were concerned about the tendency of kids to remove their face masks, Sedilla said, the UVC lights would help in killing the virus in milliseconds while the air purifier would clean the lower area, covering the entire classroom. Every classroom in the school that would be used in the in-person classes was equipped with the UVC lights and air purifier. During the simulation test of CES on Thursday, Sedilla told reporters that more schools in the city slated to join the limited in-person classes would be provided with the safety equipment that came from the local government. “The whole classroom is protected so the children, and even the teacher, would be comfortable and [feel like] it is just a regular classroom setting,” she said Makati Mayor Abby Binay said the lights and air purifiers would be useful even after the pandemic because they are designed to kill any type of virus as compared to the physical barriers, which would serve no purpose when the health crisis is over. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has also decided to drop the use of plastic barriers in the classrooms. The Department of Education (DepEd) has given an advisory on the use of plastic barriers, citing experts’ advice that these could even be harmful. “One of the inputs from the DOH (Department of Health) is there are also findings that putting up these barriers sometimes it impedes air circulation, and second it also increases surface area that may be contaminated, increases the surface area for disinfection,” Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in an ANC interview. DepEd confirmed also on Thursday that some schools from Metro Manila will finally join the pilot study on Dec. 6—three weeks after 100 public schools started on Nov. 15. Kindergarten to Grade 3CES is one of the biggest elementary schools in Makati, Sedilla said, noting that the low number of COVID-19 infections in the community was among the considerations for its inclusion in the pilot study. About 72 learners of the school’s 2,464 student population will join the pilot run on Monday. Following DepEd’s guidelines, only Kindergarten to Grade 3 students will take part in the face-to-face classes. All the school staff from the heads down to the utility personnel are fully vaccinated. Antigen test kits are also available in case the participants exhibit any symptoms during the conduct of in-person classes. Parents are not allowed to enter the school premises to avoid convergence. The school has set up a holding area instead where they can pick up their children after classes. For those who live far from the school, a transportation service from the local government called “Dyipni Maki” will pick up and drop off the students to their respective areas. Barangay staff and members of the parent-teacher association are assigned to oversee the pickup points of the service.Based on the list released by DepEd, a total of 177 schools will join the pilot run next week, 28 of which are from the National Capital Region.
‘Freedom of info’ under more Palace restrictions	The expanded list of information excluded from public disclosure is contained in Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 15 issued on March 17 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, with authority from Marcos, updating what was included in Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) No. 2. Issued in July 2016, Duterte’s EO did not cover access to information from the legislature, judiciary, and even local governments, although it encouraged them to provide the same. Duterte’s EO No. 2 said this kind of information was “deemed confidential.” He signed the antiterrorism law in July 2020 despite massive opposition due to fears that it would violate civil and political rights. Also no longer accessible to the public, including the media, are the records or information on any investigation by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) “when such disclosure will deprive the respondent of the right to a fair and impartial investigation.” The PACC, however, was abolished under Marcos’ EO No. 1. Its powers and functions were transferred to the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs. Included in the exceptions are state attorney-client privilege, and information and proceedings deemed confidential under rules and regulations issued by government agencies, or as decided by the courts. Cases of gender-based sexual harassment on streets and public spaces, including information on the victim and the accused who is a minor, and children in situations of armed conflict, are also excluded from public access or disclosure. The new circular said the list of exceptions shall be “without prejudice to existing laws, jurisprudence, rules or regulations authorizing the disclosure of the excepted information upon satisfaction of certain conditions in certain cases, such as the concerned party or as may be ordered by the courts.” “In evaluating requests for information, all heads of offices are enjoined to ensure the meaningful exercise of the public of their right to access to information on public concerns,” it said. Under Duterte’s EO No. 2, the original exceptions included information covered by executive privilege; privileged information relating to national security, defense or international relations; information concerning law enforcement and protection of public and personal safety; and information deemed confidential for the protection of the privacy of persons and certain individuals such as minors, victims of crimes, or the accused. Other exceptions are official information, documents or records that are confidential in nature. These include those submitted or disclosed by some entities to government agencies, tribunals, boards, or officers, or to inquiries or investigation they had conducted. “Prejudicial premature disclosure” of records of proceedings or information from proceedings which are treated as confidential or privileged, also are not permitted. Matters considered confidential under banking and finance laws, and other exceptions to the right to information under the law, jurisprudence, rules and regulations were also exceptions under EO No. 2. No freedom of information bill was approved during the previous administration despite Duterte’s call on Congress to pass such a measure. An FOI law was one of Duterte’s campaign promises that were not fulfilled. Already nine months into his term, Marcos has not publicly called for an FOI law and it was not in the priority bills he submitted to Congress. But when he ran for vice president in 2016, Marcos said he was in favor of such a law for transparency in government. EO No. 2 laid down a policy of full public disclosure and transparency in public service to promote accountability, and set the guidelines for requesting and releasing information from offices under the executive branch. The executive order resulted in “unintended consequences” that have not always led to greater transparency. Aside from many requests being denied or information being kept under wraps and taking longer to be released as it passed through the bureaucracy, in some cases, government agencies released information more readily before Duterte’s EO took effect. Under EO No. 2, most government agencies were enrolled in the electronic Freedom of Information (eFOI) portal, except for the Office of the President (OP). The eFOI is a website where the public can file requests for information from select government agencies. FOI requests for the OP must be filed at the Malacañang Records Office. In October last year, the Inquirer requested information on the costs of all of the President’s trips since June 30, 2022, including a complete list of people in his delegation per trip. In an email in November 2022, Malacañang Records Office said it was denying the Inquirer’s request “on the ground that the documents/lists requested are not among the records in the possession or custody of the Office of the President (OP).” “Moreover the requested information involves the preparation of lists, which is not covered by the right to information,” it added. Malacañang has said that the President’s official trips abroad have yielded P3.48 trillion in investments pledges but it has yet to release the expenses incurred by the government for his foreign visits. During the Duterte administration, the Inquirer was able to obtain information on the cost of the president’s foreign trips through an FOI request to the Malacañang Records Office. In October 2016, Duterte created an inter-agency committee to review the exceptions under EO No. 2. New exceptions were listed in November that year and updated in September 2021. The statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) is often a measure of transparency, but in September 2021, the Office of the Ombudsman rejected an FOI request for Duterte’s SALN by several lawyers. In a Facebook post on September 6, 2021, lawyers Dino de Leon, Josef Garcia and Teddy Rigoroso—who filed their request on behalf of detained opposition former Senator Leila de Lima— said the Ombudsman rejected their request based on an earlier circular banning the release of SALNs without the subject’s authorization. The circular was issued by Martires to stop what he called the “weaponization” of these documents against public officials. Duterte’s last publicly available SALN was released in 2017 when he declared a net worth of P28.5 million as of December that year. Sources: Inquirer Archives, Official Gazette of the Philippines
Zubiri on resistance to wage hike: ‘Moderate the greed’	“Moderate the greed.” “It’s not a question if they would still make money, but it’s how much money they will make. So we also have to ‘moderate the greed’ when it comes to large corporations,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri told ANC on Thursday. Zubiri said businesses with 1,000 workers would only incur about P24 million annually in additional operation costs to implement the wage hike. The amount, he noted, was just equivalent to the price of an expensive vehicle. “Maybe the company owners should not buy a very expensive car for that year and just share [the money] with their employees,” the Senate leader said.Zubiri is the principal author of Senate Bill No. 2534, which proposed an across-the-board increase of P100 in the daily basic pay of agricultural and nonagricultural workers. If passed into law, this would be the first time since 1989 that the country would have a legislated wage increase. But economists in the House of Representatives also expressed reservations about a legislated wage increase. Zubiri said Congress had already passed laws to help businesses provide better benefits to their employees, such as Republic Act No. 11534, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (Create), enacted in 2021. He said the law provides significant tax cuts to companies, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—whom business leaders say will be greatly affected by any legislated wage increase According to Zubiri, taxes of MSMEs were brought down from 33 percent to 20 percent after the enactment of Create, while the corporate income tax of big companies was slashed to 25 percent from the previous rate of 33 percent.“Clearly, the business sector has enough buffer to absorb the cost of the wage hike,” Zubiri said. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) on Thursday had warned that the proposed P100 increase would only worsen the country’s inflation.“Companies will pass on the cost of the wage increase on their products, so prices of goods will go up,” Ecop president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a government-televised program. “Inflation is now going down, slowly but surely, and we are also increasing our employment rate. We should not introduce a problem that is not needed just to address a minority of our workers,” Ortiz-Luis argued. Sen. Francis Escudero pointed out that business groups and economists had consistently painted a grim scenario whenever a salary adjustment was proposed. He said the efforts to better the lot of employees were “always met with the shrill warnings of these individuals that the economy will go bust if we give workers their due.” “Whenever we discuss wage increase, they would bring out their crystal ball and scare us that the economy would collapse,” Escudero said. “But after the round of wage hikes have been implemented, the ground did not collapse and the sky is still up there and has not fallen,” he said. Escudero said the tax breaks “lavishly given to the moneyed class” cost the government nearly P139 billion in foregone revenues.Partido Manggagawa (PM) chair and Marikina City Councilor Rene Magtubo also criticized the “doomsday scenarios” of employers.“A P100 wage hike will be a blessing not a catastrophe for the economy. For the past two years, minimum wages were raised in all regions, except the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for this round, and yet inflation and unemployment went on a decline. The economy benefited and did not suffer from salary increases,” Magtubo said in a statement.The Nagkaisa labor coalition said claims about a looming catastrophe were “unfounded and purely speculative,” as well as an “exaggeration.” In government-televised program on Thursday, Ortiz-Luis warned that the Senate bill providing for P100 increase in the daily minimum pay of private sector employees would be a catastrophe to companies. Magtubo said Ortiz-Luis was “singing an old tune.” “They cried the same dire predictions in 2022 and again in 2023 when organized labor demanded wage hikes. Inflation in 2022 was 5.8 percent but now it is down to 2.8 percent. Similarly, unemployment has decreased from 5.4 percent in 2022 to 3.1 percent as of December last year,” the labor leader said.He also called on the House labor committee to deliberate on the pending wage bills. “As surveys have repeatedly shown, Filipinos want solutions to high prices and low wages, not amendments to the Constitution. Let’s get to work,” Magtubo said.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers wants ‘overhaul’ of K-12	The group issued the call on Tuesday, echoing the findings of a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian that showed 44 percent of adults were dissatisfied with the program first implemented in 2012. According to ACT chair Vladimer Quetua, the current K-12 program “is bound to fail in bringing development,” as it could not give Filipino families decent-paying jobs with security of tenure. “Employers who are dissatisfied with [K-12] only mean that they are not happy enough with the training of our [K-12] graduates for what scant wages that they are willing to pay. They demand that the exploitative system be further intensified,” he said in a statement. For the group, the current K-12 only made the country competitive against other underdeveloped countries in producing “a steady stream of semi-skilled cheap labor force for foreign capital.” “These kinds of jobs are largely contractual in nature and are the lowest-paying in different industries,” Quetua added. “The whole education system needs to be overhauled. Education should serve the aspiration of Filipinos for national development. We need a system of education that will develop our agriculture and serve the establishment of national industries,” he noted. Gatchalian filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 5 seeking a Senate inquiry into the status of the implementation of the Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. He said the review of the law would be his priority when Congress resumes session—exactly 10 years from the time the enhanced curriculum for K-12 was initially implemented in school year 2012-2013. Prior to the law’s enactment in 2013, the Philippines was the only country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide, together with Angola and Djibouti, with a 10-year pre-university cycle. In late June, then President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed the Department of Education to review the K-12 program’s implementation, as he cited the need to improve the quality of education in the country, particularly in English, Science and Mathematics. According to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, the DepEd under the previous administration already finished the review of the curriculum for Kinder to Grade 10. Its findings, however, have yet to be made public. Duterte last week ordered a look into the curriculum for Grades 11 and 12.
Duterte: All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go	MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he has begun packing up his things in Malacañang and was looking forward to turning over the leadership of the country to his successor in June. “I await the day of turnover, I will also experience the feeling of an outgoing President. I will be the one to meet the new president. Then I will invite him [or her] here for a tête-à-tête, and then that’s it, when I go out of the front gate, there’s nothing more,” he said. He said the soldiers at the Palace gate would not be required to salute him anymore “because you are nobody,” adding, “That’s how it is in our practice, in our government, in our democracy.” He said he plans to have all his “excess” belongings out by March and that he also won’t be sleeping in Malacañang anymore. He said he would only be going to the Palace for his daily duties and “what’s left of the things that we have to work on.” “I will make a speech one of these days thanking the people for the distinct honor of giving me the position as President. Never in my life did I — even during the time I filed my certificate, I really do not know what prompted me to do it knowing that I didn’t have the resources,” he said. Duterte, who has earlier said he would be returning to his home in Davao after stepping down, also disclosed plans about acquiring a house in Metro Manila. He said that since he had no close relatives in Metro Manila to live with, he and his common-law wife were planning to buy a small condominium unit where they can stay after his retirement. “Wherever the Lord God takes me, I will already practice sleeping there,” he said.
Sara Duterte leaves unfinished business at DepEd	A ship captain is expected to lead his crew safely through their journey. But for “Teacher Bons,” Vice President Sara Duterte’s sudden resignation was like a captain abandoning his crew during their voyage since most of her programs in the Department of Education (DepEd) have yet to start. The 55-year-old grade school teacher, who uses an alias to avoid reprisals, has taught for 37 years, 11 in public schools. When Duterte announced her resignation on Wednesday, it was streamed live on DepEd’s official Facebook page, and she was among the more than 50,000 viewers. The announcement shocked and surprised her. “It’s like: ‘What happened?’” she told the Inquirer. “Of course, it was really shocking, though, she should have done this a long time ago.” “What I mean is, out of the blue, you decided to resign as DepEd secretary? While the programs initiated under your leadership have not started at all, or [is] nothing being done yet?” she said. Teacher Bons wondered whether Duterte’s policies would remain, such as removing classroom decorations like artwork and posters. She said that classroom wall decorations were important, especially for kindergarten teachers. “So, can I bring them back now? And there are many other questions raised after the resignation like what will happen now to her projects that are not even being implemented yet,” she said. Among these projects was the shift to the “Matatag curriculum” for basic education from kindergarten to Grade 10, which DepEd planned to implement in phases. It is set to begin in the school year 2024-2025. Teacher Bons said that some teachers had not yet started training for the phased implementation of the new curriculum. She said she did not believe the Vice President’s explanation for leaving DepEd. Duterte said that it was not prompted by “weakness,” but by “concern” or “compassion” for the teachers and students. “Does she want us to picture her like a mother who wants to go abroad and will say, ‘I will leave my children for their sake’? Because for me, honestly, I don’t know what kind of concern she was saying,” she said. In resigning, Duterte dropped the Matatag curriculum implementation and teachers’ training is still incomplete, Teacher Bons said. Duterte also did not push hard enough for higher teachers’ salaries. Teacher Bons said that DepEd said it would “study” a bill filed by the Makabayan bloc seeking a P50,000 entry-level salary for teachers. “I have nothing against the Vice President, but if you will see our condition, there was nothing really significant that happened when she was the DepEd secretary,” she lamented. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the teachers’ group that Duterte repeatedly Red-tagged, welcomed her resignation and hoped that President Marcos would appoint someone nonpolitical who came from the education sector. The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said Mr. Marcos should immediately appoint a replacement so as not to leave DepEd headless, considering the current education crisis, as shown in the recent results of the Programme for International Student Assessment. PBEd executive director Justine Raagas hoped that the next education secretary would be “consistent” with DepEd’s current programs. “There were things that we saw in the programs [under Duterte] that were good, like the Matatag curriculum, which we hope will be continued [by her successor], we also saw the rolling out of summer camps which was a good approach, and the removal of administrative tasks among teachers,” Raagas told the Inquirer. Lito Senieto, executive vice president of the National Parent-Teachers Association, said he believed that Duterte’s resignation was “a little early” and “abrupt.” In an interview with ANC, he said it was “unfortunate” that Duterte left her post at this point when the Matatag curriculum would be rolled out for the first time. The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) “celebrate” Duterte’s resignation and echoed calls for Mr. Marcos to appoint a “better education secretary who will heed and prioritize the needs of the Filipino students burdened by the education crisis.” The resignation manifested the widening cracks in the “fragile Marcos-Duterte relationship” that left the education sector “stuck in a cycle of crisis,” SCAP said. “This petty squabble has been at the expense of quality and accessible education for the Filipino youth,” it said.
DTI: Mandatory certification of vape products this week	MANILA, Philippines — The mandatory certification of imported and locally manufactured vape products begins this week, marking the next step in the government’s efforts for better regulation of these merchandise. The new regulation will begin on June 5, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced Saturday on dzBB’s radio morning program. “This means we won’t accept those that have no [Philippine standards] license or [Import Commodity Clearance] stickers,” said Trade Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles. She also heads the department’s Consumer Protection Group, which enforces laws that protect consumers. She added the measure is aimed to ensure the safety of vape products for consumers and is applicable to a wide range of consumer products such as electronic appliances. The trade official said they want to ensure that vape users are not ingesting any harmful materials like plastic during the device’s heating process. She added the batteries being used and the consumables will also be checked. Nograles, however, lamented the DTI has no capacity yet to test the consumables but she stressed they are accepting submitted analyses from certified laboratories. The Vape Act, or the Republic Act No. 11900, lapsed into law in July 2022. The implementing rules and regulations were released in December of the same year. From January to May this year, the DTI has confiscated P25.87-million worth of illegal vape products. “Nearly halfway through the year, the significant rise in confiscated illegal vapes demonstrates our unwavering commitment to safeguard Filipino consumers, especially our youth,” Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said in a statement over the weekend.
Don’t test voters’ patience, Comelec chief tells bets	Since there is no law prohibiting premature campaigning, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is banking on the delicadeza (sense of decency) of political aspirants to do away with the usual practice of plastering their names and faces online and offline to increase their recall and hopefully win in the upcoming midterm elections. “Take your campaigning slow and easy,” Comelec Chair George Garcia told candidates in Filipino. “Let us not underestimate the intelligence of the Filipinos. They know when you are just making appearances, or when their patience is being tested,” he said. Garcia acknowledged the strong public clamor against candidates with huge billboards plastered along highways. Others have political advertisements airing between their favorite TV shows, while other faces are continuously appearing on their social media feeds. “We at the Comelec are being blamed for the proliferation of their early campaign materials. But we cannot act on this, because there is no law prohibiting premature campaigning in the country,” the poll chief explained. In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled in Peñera v Comelec that aspirants only become candidates once the official campaign period begins. For the 2025 elections, that will be on Feb. 11 to May 10 for national candidates (senator and party list) and March 28 to May 10 for those vying for local posts. “Since they are not yet officially candidates. There is no election law that can prohibit them. They are not violating any law. We do not have the power to have their materials removed or to penalize them,” Garcia said. According to the poll chief, the 90-day campaign period for national candidates and 45 days for local candidates are “more than enough” to woo voters. “Be more patient and restrained,” Garcia advised candidates. “We have [countrymen] who are not comfortable seeing your faces on every highway or street, or they just don’t want their houses or walls littered with posters this early,” he added. In turn, he asked Filipinos to vote wisely in the May 12 elections. “The power to elect is in your hands. You should know who are the best and rightful candidates to be elected,” Garcia said. The Comelec also announced that it would start on Monday the printing of 73 million ballots, hoping the Supreme Court will not issue last-minute decisions on disqualified candidates that may hamper their tight schedule. However, Garcia said the poll body would have to abide by any order from the high court.
DOT seeks seat in protected areas board for tourism dev’t	Following the recent controversy over the development of a resort at the foot of Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan town in Bohol, the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday said it would push for the agency’s inclusion in the national government’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). ”On the national level, since PAMB is a creation of law and DOT is not a part of PAMB, we are lobbying for legislation to amend its composition to include the DOT so it may give its insights and guidance on sustainable tourism development for protected areas,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said on Thursday during a meeting with Bohol provincial officials. According to Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, PAMB is composed of nongovernmental organizations, local governments, and officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Science and Technology, Philippine National Police and Department of National Defense. If included in the board, Frasco said the DOT could provide inputs on the protection and preservation of the country’s protected areas, particularly in tourism destinations like Bohol, which is the country’s first-ever Global Geopark recognized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. “As we leave the investigations and regulatory movements to both the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the DENR, we felt that it was incumbent upon us in the Department of Tourism to reach out to you to let you know that our partnership for tourism shall continue,” Frasco told Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado. Aumentado, for his part, said that the Bohol government would establish a new committee tasked to oversee and review guidelines on matters related to investments and initiatives that would not compromise the environment and protected areas. In its statement, the DOT said that the controversial Captain’s Peak Resort was not accredited by the department and did not have a pending application for the same. Following the closure of the establishment, Frasco said the DOT would offer alternative livelihood training programs and tour guiding kits for the affected workers.

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