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Better sports facilities pushed
As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, I am saddened by the dilapidated state of the country’s iconic sports facilities. The Philippine Institute of Sports Multi-Purpose Arena, popularly known as PhilSports Arena, has come a long way from the time it was built in 1985 to house the Philippine Basketball Association until the league moved out in 1993 due to the lack of maintenance of the venue. The last time it was renovated was in 2019, when the country hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Among PhilSports Arena’s main facilities are the Multi-purpose Arena, Swimming Center, and Football and Athletic Stadium. While the arena was greatly enjoyed as a sports facility, it also served as a temporary shelter for evacuees after Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng struck the Philippines in 2009, adding to the facility's wear and tear. A quick look at the PhilSports Arena and the other sports facilities nationwide should make us realize that we should invest more in rehabilitating our iconic sports facilities. As I have suggested during the budget deliberations in the Senate, prioritizing funding for sports facilities would have been better than putting flood control projects in areas with little to no population. This concern about the support we are providing our athletes has motivated me to author and co-sponsor Republic Act No. 11470, which established the National Academy of Sports at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. In collaboration with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Education, NAS now offers a specialized secondary education program focused on sports where students can study and train simultaneously. I have also filed the Philippine National Games bill, which aims to provide a structure for a more comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to national sports development by having a mini Olympics regularly. Providing opportunities to our youth will help develop their potential in sports but will also help keep them away from vices such as illegal drugs. I continue to support establishing sports-related programs and infrastructure to divert the youth from the lure of addiction and criminality. This is also part of my three-pronged approach to combat illegal drugs in the Philippines – law enforcement, rehabilitation, and prevention. Yesterday, I witnessed the Philippine ROTC Games 2023 Luzon Qualifying Leg opening ceremony held at Cavite State University – Indang Campus in Indang, Cavite. With Sen. Francis Tolentino, I encouraged our young cadets who participated in various competitions to get into sports and stay away from drugs. I have also remained faithful to my promise to visit and help our fellow Filipinos in most parts of the country. On 16 September, we attended the groundbreaking of a Super Health Center in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. We also visited the town of Damulog, where I inspected projects I have supported, such as a public market, road concreting project, evacuation center, solar street lights, and a multipurpose building. Later that day, we also attended the 25th Anniversary of Public Safety Basic Recruit Course Class 1998-Alpha at Acacia Hotel in Davao City. On 15 September, we attended a meeting of state universities and colleges leaders held in Davao City and hosted by Commission on Higher Education Chair Prospero de Vera. The night before, we also joined leaders from the CHEd, the University of the Philippines System, and various SUCs to honor the appointment of Atty. Angelo Jimenez, a fellow Mindanaoan, as the 22nd President of the University of the Philippines. We took the opportunity to voice our commitment to elevating the standard of education nationwide. This is also the reason why Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access To Quality Tertiary Education Act, was enacted into law during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Today, we continue to pursue this further as I co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1360, which aims to widen the reach of the law further. We visited Bislig City in Surigao del Sur to participate in its 23rd Charter Day festivities. We handed out grocery packages to 32 newlywed couples during a community wedding and inaugurated the country’s 159th Malasakit Center at the Bislig District Hospital. This is the seventh Malasakit Center in the Caraga region and the 40th in Mindanao. Our team also provided direct aid, including grocery packs, to 129 patients and 191 front liners, including security guards, utilities, and hospital staff. On 15 September, my office also attended the groundbreaking of Super Health Centers in New Washington and Malay in the province of Aklan. Meanwhile, we continue to support livelihood programs, especially those that can help people experiencing poverty overcome crises. Through our support, the Department of Trade and Industry provides livelihood kits to qualified beneficiaries affected by calamities and teaches them how to grow their businesses for the benefit of their families. Among those we have helped are 20 from Dipaculao, Aurora; 57 from Sanchez Mira and Abulog, Cagayan; 100 affected by the earthquake in Montevista and New Bataan, and 50 in Nabunturan in Davao de Oro; 196 in Malalag and Sulop, Davao del Sur; 20 in Mangatarem, Pangasinan; 21 victims of Typhoon Egay in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato; 132 shear line victims in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental; and 36 beneficiaries from Lutayan and Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, and General Santos City. We also continue to support the National Housing Authority’s distribution of emergency housing assistance to disaster victims so they can purchase roofing, nails, and other home repair materials. We assisted beneficiaries, including 85 fire victims in Imus City, Cavite. Meanwhile, my office helped the 65 fire victims in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. We also provided assistance to 75 TESDA graduates in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. We also distributed additional support to workers who lost their jobs, beneficiaries of the TUPAD program of the Department of Labor and Employment, including 413 in Talibon, Bohol, and 150 in Plaridel, Bulacan. We also aided 333 poor residents in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro; and 234 in Antipolo City, Rizal. Together, let us continue bringing government services closer to Filipinos in need – from better sports facilities more accessible healthcare services, and implementing various programs to help uplift communities affected by crises. 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PBBM designates Crespillo as new WesMinCom chief
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. designated MGen. Steve Crespillo as the 17th Commander of the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense announced Saturday. Crespilllo is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s “Bigkis Lahi” Class of 1990. Before his new designation, Crespillo served as the vice commander of the Philippine Army. He also chaired various boards and committees of the Philippine Army and performed oversight functions on the Army’s key policies, plans, and programs. Crespillo was a former commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade, leading troops in efforts to end the local communist armed conflict in Apayao and Cagayan. He was also designated as chief of staff and assistant division commander for reservist and retiree affairs of the 6th Infantry Division, and acting commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade. Crespillo previously served the WesMinCom as the chief of the Unified Command Staff—overseeing operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The post PBBM designates Crespillo as new WesMinCom chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nationwide free clinic offers consultation, healthcare services
In line with its mission of providing accessible healthcare for Filipinos, RHEA Generics, a homegrown heritage brand and a pioneer in the generics industry, has rolled out its nationwide “Maaasahan Mo Free Clinic“ in partnership with Mercury Drug. [caption id="attachment_167845" align="aligncenter" width="1060"] The clinic is open to everyone every Saturday until September 2023.[/caption] The free clinic offers a range of essential healthcare services, including blood pressure checking, blood sugar testing, cholesterol screening and medical consultation. The clinic is open to everyone every Saturday until September 2023. Over 100 Mercury Drug stores are participating in this initiative. Individuals can avail of free healthcare services in locations such as Quezon City, Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Pampanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and General Santos City, among others. Apart from ensuring widespread access to essential healthcare services, the initiative also seeks to promote disease prevention through patient education. RHEA Generics is also advocating the use of affordable generic medicines to keep Filipinos healthy and away from any preventable illnesses. PHILUSA Corporation president and general manager Neogin A. Evangelista said, “RHEA Generics continuously strives for affordable and world-class quality healthcare services to Filipinos, and the Maaasahan Mo Free Clinic is only one of our many efforts to make this possible. We encourage everyone to participate in this initiative and take advantage of this opportunity to receive basic medical services at no cost.” RHEA Generics provides world-class quality and safe health products and is one of the Philippines’ most trusted names in the field of generic medicine, producing uni-branded medicines. RHEA Generics has partnered with some of the world’s best pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Viatris, Sanofi, GSK, Otsuka, Merck, Fresenius Kabi, AstraZeneca, OEP, Lundbeck and Boehringer Ingelheim to assure world-class-quality medical products for every Filipino. To learn more about the Maaasahan Mo Free Clinic, visit the nearest Mercury Drug store or visitthe official Facebook page @RHEAGenericsPH. The post Nationwide free clinic offers consultation, healthcare services appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lawmaker proposes six-hour class in public schools
MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez wants to limit school hours in public schools to six hours a day to protect teachers’ welfare and elevate the quality of basic education. Rodriguez, chair of the House constitutional amendments committee, noted that teachers in public schools end up working eight hours a day or […] The post Lawmaker proposes six-hour class in public schools appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
PMMA grad opposes rename
A graduate of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, the country’s only state-run nautical school, has expressed opposition to a House bill renaming it. Under House Bill 6503 filed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, PMMA will be renamed to Philippine National Maritime Academy to emphasize its naval defense and maritime law enforcement roles. The proposed PNMA will provide basic maritime training and theoretical requirements for naval and coast guard reservists. “The institution is not anymore responding to its merchant or commercial needs and having a limited merchant marine image due to its name from 1963 reduces its ability to get more funding from the national government for its requirement, resulting to depleting foreign flag employment of Filipinos,” Rodriguez explained. Capt. Reynaldo Casareo, president of Cargo Safeway Inc. and an alumni of PMMA, said the bill replaces the word “merchant” with “national” to justify the need to produce hands for the military. “But what really is the importance of our graduates in the Philippines? Isn’t it that we are the ones at the forefront of the industry now? The maritime industry is being led by mostly PMMA alumni, which means we are aiding to enrich the economy,” the member of the PMMA Class of 1967 said. “They can change the curriculum, change the charter, remove the academy from the reach of CHEd (Commission on Higher Education) but do not change the name. They could try but as we reiterate, never use the name of PMMA as a stepping stone just to gain their personal goal,” Casareo added. He warned that if the name PMMA will be changed for reasons that cannot be justified but only for the interest of politicians, many foreign shipowners may change their preference for Filipino seafarers “and the name PMMA being the only government academy may be relegated to the dustbin of history and forgotten.” The post PMMA grad opposes rename appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shell widens losses to P13.9-B in 9 months; P1B investment set for import facility
With additional valuation-anchored inventory losses and one-off charges booked, the net loss of listed firm Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) had widened to P13.9 billion in nine months this year. That’s a complete reversal of the P4.4 billion net income it posted last year, when oil prices were at more predictable state and there had been no pandemic-induced uncertainties disrupting oil markets. It specified that if the P5.7 billion inventory valuation losses had not turned up, the company’s net loss in the third quarter should have been at leaner P700 million versus P900 million in the second quarter. And without the one-off charges that stood at P7.5 billion, the oil firm’s net loss should have been trimmed to P6.4 billion within the January-September stretch. The one-off charges came about because of the closure of its refining operations that subsequently prompted the conversion of its Tabangao facility into a world-class import terminal. But while the company works on improving its financial performance in the coming months, Pilipinas Shell President and CEO Cesar G. Romero announced that they will be re-investing roughly P1.0 billion in the next few years “to fully transform Tabangao into a world class facility that will support its marketing growth aspirations.” Part of the company’s major step this year is to set on stream the commercial operations of its 54-million liter capacity terminal in Subic to underpin its supply chain, primarily to serve the demand of its Northern Luzon customers; while its Tabangao import facility will cater to the needs of customers in other parts of Luzon and Northern Visayas. To complete the loop, its Northern Mindanao Import Facility (NMIF) in Cagayan de Oro will be supporting the rest of Visayas and well as customers in Mindanao. Pilipinas Shell said it now “has a more resilient network of three medium-range import terminals with sufficient finished products capacity to effectively serve the demands of customers nationwide.” The firm indicated that despite the challenges, it prioritized business strategies that shall result in cash preservation for the company. As of third quarter’s end, the savings logged by the company stood at P2.5 billion; and this is seen sustained at the level of P2.0 billion until the end of this year. “Savings of P1.2 billion were generated from OPEX (operating expenses); with P1.3 billion from CAPEX (capital expenditure),” Shell emphasized. While the company still navigates the tough terrain of business induced by the coronavirus pandemic, Romero asserted their overall frame “remains optimistic,” as he noted that the “government’s efforts to gradually reopen the economy by prudently relaxing quarantine restrictions are slowly giving elbow room for the economy to recover.” He specified that for Shell, “the wins are coming in gradually as more businesses operate at increased capacity in the areas of manufacturing and transportation.” The company chief executive expounded “our balance sheet, technical capability and resources are solid; and serve as well in continuing to provide Filipinos with high quality fuel products despite the challenging environment.” Parallel to the firm’s aspirations for demand and financial rebound, Romero noted they are also making “the right sustainable decision to protect the long-term interests of our shareholders.” The company’s gearing had risen to 47-percent, and that was mainly attributed to “lower equity from net loss rather than an increase in net debt,” with it emphasizing that “excluding the impact of the refinery one-off charges, the company’s gearing stands at 41-percent.” Romero indicated “the pandemic has forced us to rethink the way we do things, while ensuring the quality of service that Filipinos expect from us.”.....»»
Israel bombs Gaza, fights Hamas around hospitals
Israeli forces pounded besieged Gaza on Wednesday and fought Hamas around several hospitals, despite a UN Security Council demand for a ceasefire. Talks in Qatar towards a truce and hostage release deal involving US and Egyptian mediators have brought no result so far, with Israel and the Palestinian militant group blaming each other. READ: Israel.....»»
Boracay, Palawan named among ‘Best Islands in Asia-Pacific’
Two island destinations in the Philippines were included in the 10 “Best Islands in Asia-Pacific” by a foreign travel magazine......»»
China blocks Philippine supply run in disputed waters (VIDEO)
Manilla and Beijing have traded accusations over a naval incident near the Spratly Islands Chinese patrol boats used water cannons on Saturday to disrupt an attempt by the Philippine military to deliver supplies to a reef in a disputed part of the South China Sea, where the Philippine Navy intentionally grounded a tan.....»»
China blocks Philippine military supply boat in disputed waters (VIDEO)
Manilla and Beijing have traded accusations over a naval incident near the Spratly Islands Chinese patrol boats used water cannons on Saturday to disrupt an attempt by the Philippine military to deliver supplies to a reef in a disputed part of the South China Sea, where the Philippine Navy intentionally grounded a tan.....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
3 suspected rebels killed in clash in Philippines Batangas
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. The troops recovered three rifles, six jungle packs, and some mater.....»»
Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 26
MANILA -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. (Philippines-Clash) - - - - BEIRUT -- Two people were killed and nine other civ.....»»
Dusit Thani, Sheraton to build hotels in Cagayan de Oro
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Two international hotel chains — Sheraton and Dusit Thani – are set to build hotels in this city, the third in Mindanao for Dusit Thani and the first in Mindanao for Sheraton. Dusit Thani operates two in the Davao region – Dusit Thani Residence Davao in Davao […].....»»
Army troops kill BIFF training officer in Maguindanao clash
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 25 March) – Philippine Army troops killed an alleged ranking member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) during an encounter in Maguindanao del Sur last Friday. Brig. General Jose Vlademir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat team, said troops killed Abu Halil, a training officer of the […].....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Fil-foreign teams top NBTC finals
Global squads stamped their class as Fil-Am Nation Select-USA and Canada’s Top Flight Sports reigned supreme in the Smart-National Basketball Training Center National Finals Division 1 and 2, respectively, over the weekend at the Mall of Asia Arena......»»
Unique love storyline brings ‘Asawa ng Asawa Ko’ close to viewers
‘There was a farfetched but intriguing circumstance that would give the story a richer context, namely, the kidnapping and the four-year experience that would transform the protagonist from a protected, middle-class bride to a toughened survivor when she returns. That was the thing that was different in this project,’ says director Laurice Guillen of the ‘Asawa ng Asawa Ko’ storyline......»»
Low subsidy forces LRTA to cut budget for train rehab
The Light Rail Transit Authority is cutting its budget for the restoration of trains to make the most of the lower subsidy given to the agency this year......»»
Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at supply boats
Manila [Philippines], March 23 (ANI): The Philippines has accused China's coastguard of firing water cannons at one of its supply boats in South China Sea, Al Jazeera reported. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that BRP Cabra managed to manoeuvre and reach Unaizah May 4 to provide assistance to the Philippine supply boat, which had sustained "significant damage."According to the Philippine military, the confrontati.....»»