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8.3K permits for telecom towers granted
More than 8,300 permits and clearances to build cell towers of telecommunications companies have been approved by 668 local government units, or LGUs, across the country, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Monday. DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. said that as of 15 September, 8,311 permits for telecom towers had been approved by cities and municipalities, while 2,404 permits were still being processed in 229 cities and municipalities. Abalos said the DILG is monitoring the processing of permits and will issue show-cause orders to LGUs that delay the process. He said this is in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to improve and digitalize business processes, as he underscored DILG efforts to build smart cities and sustainable communities. Abalos said LGUs are streamlining their regulatory processes in line with Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business Act. He cited his experience as a mayor of Mandaluyong City where complaints from the public were immediately acted on. He said Executive Order 32, signed by the President last July, streamlined permit processes for the construction of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure. The EO states that no other national or local permits or clearances shall be required for the construction and operation of telecommunications and internet infrastructure except those required by law. “There is usually a lot of red tape when building a telecoms tower. Because of this executive order, the requirements have been reduced and we expect interconnectivity to improve,” he said in Filipino. He added that efforts are being exerted to adopt digital or electronic facilities for business registration and renewal, and for the assessment and collection of local taxes, fees, and charges, as well as to shift to cashless payments pursuant to EO 170. “We have a joint initiative with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas called Paleng-QR. When you buy vegetables and food at the market, you no longer need to bring cash. Several LGUs across the country are now into cashless transactions through this system,” he explained. The post 8.3K permits for telecom towers granted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Calls for federalism backed anew
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Alliance of Advocates of Federalism in the Philippines Inc. announced on Sunday that it has received a positive response from the people in central Mindanao after learning the advantages of the federal form of government. This, as AAFP president Atty. Nazir Ynawat recently conducted a forum in Digos City in Davao del Sur province, explaining to them the advantages when the country decides to shift its form from Presidential to Federal form. Under the presidential form of government, the power is equally divided among its three branches of government — executive, legislative and judicial — while in Federalism mode of government, it combines a general government with regional governments in a single political system.” Ynawat said he received a positive response from officials and the academe, adding that a similar reception was also demonstrated by the town grassroot sector and officials of academe in the towns of Goma, Tuban, Padada, Sinawilan, Malinao, Tacub, Sulop and the adjacent towns of Digos City. “I find the audience to the forum very receptive to my explanation about the federal form of government,” Ynawat said. During the forums he conducted in central Mindanao, about 90 percent of those who attended signed a membership form attesting their desire to join the AAFP and a total of 9,875 people coming from all sectors of the community have signed a membership form. He also disclosed that some local government officials of towns and cities in central Mindanao are discreetly supporting the AAFP movement, claiming that it is time for Filipinos to adopt a new form of government system to advance the nation and the region. In other developments, the Moro National Liberation Front on Sunday branded the recent statement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he is gearing towards a federal form of government as “mere propaganda.” MNLF political director Gafur Hajirul told DAILY TRIBUNE in a telephone interview that Marcos allegedly only floated the federalism issue to gain support for administration candidates in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this October. Harijul stressed that if the President is really serious about federalism, he should have included it among his prioritized legislative agenda, adding that Marcos can also use emergency powers to declare shift of form of government. The MNLF had earlier back tracked on its earlier move to seek independence of Mindanao to campaign support to the shift from Unitary to Federal system which coincided with the group political objective of self-rule. With Perseus Echeminada The post Calls for federalism backed anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tale of two cities (2)
Mayor Eric Olivarez of Parañaque City wants his city to be the first to have an eGovSuper App that would expedite and facilitate the registration of business establishments, enhance transparency, and prevent corruption. The young local chief executive, a doctor of education and registered nurse, is blazing the trail in local fiscal administration by making moves preparatory to the adoption of Commission on Audit’s digital transformation in the review of government financial transactions, being introduced by its Chairman Gamaliel Cordoba. Parañaque City is just settling down from its mood of celebration for many good reasons, after being accorded by the Commission on Audit the unqualified opinion (indicative of the absence of any material misstatements), on the fairness of presentation of its financial statements for the calendar year ending 31 December 2022; after obtaining the unprecedented increase of P10 billion in its asset and equity after 12 months of Dr. Eric’s administration, with the overwhelming optimism of another P10 bIllion increase expected by 31 December 2023. The city is deserving of three awards of recognition: (1) Most Ready to Adopt CoA’s digital accounting and auditing; (2) Best City Accountant, Ms. Marilou Tanael, for her dedication and hard work in cleansing the accounts, eliminating and reconciling discrepancies, thereby clinching the P10-billion increase in asset and equity; and for enabling all the Punong Barangays of the City to prepare and submit promptly their annual audit reports; (3) Best City Auditor, State Auditor V. Robert Limcolioc, for helping the city recover from utter bankruptcy to its present financial resurgence. Auditor Limcolioc has been most outstanding as a representative of the Commission on Audit guiding the management of Parañaque City. The kind words heard from the department heads of the city about the resident auditor was: “He easily sees the problems and he shows us how to solve them.” The overall performance of the Olivarez leadership in managing the accounts and financial operation of the City of Parañaque is in totality a gift to behold, an accomplishment to marvel at, and one marked by humility worthy of emulation. It took 10 years for the Olivarez leadership — from Edwin to the incumbent Eric — to normalize the finances of the city from the agony of paying the huge bank loan, a burden shouldered by the people of Parañaque for many years, the negative entries involving assets and liabilities were daily ugly sights in the books of accounts until cleared with the help of CoA. The activities initiated by Dr. Eric in Parañaque City relating to digitalization are forerunners of digital accounting and auditing approaches that will be forthcoming in the Philippine financial system, pursuant to the recent advocacy of CoA Chief Cordoba. With his experience and expertise in digital technology and communication, Cordoba hopes to usher the Commission on Audit to new heights through the digital transformation of accounting and auditing. The online/no-contact transaction in granting business permits is an activity typical of the eGovSuper App, a mobile application that can provide multiple services, including payment and financial processing, effectively becoming an all-accomplishing self-contained commerce and communication online platform that embraces many aspects of personal and commercial life. In his eagerness to enhance transparency and prevent corruption, Mayor Olivarez coordinated with Undersecretary for e-Government David Almirol of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. The mayor informed the undersecretary of his full support in adopting the e-GovSuper App one-stop platform that will expedite the processing of local government transactions. Meanwhile, it would be wise to keep on repeating, without becoming redundant, especially on a matter that is alien to many Filipino bureaucrats, that the major thrust of CoA Chair Cordoba includes the development of an easy-to-implement and technologically driven government accounting system compliant with international standards to ensure that all revenues and expenditures are recorded accurately and in real-time and enhancing audit guidelines for e-reports to cover contracts entered into via social media platforms. The post Tale of two cities (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PLDT bolsters alignment with global climate reporting standards
Leading integrated telecommunications company PLDT Inc. continues to strengthen its alignment with global standards for climate action as it benchmarks with the 2023 disclosure system of the CDP. Previously known as the “Carbon Disclosure Project” and recognized globally by investors, cities and corporates, CDP provides guidance on climate-focused reporting metrics and facilitates an independent scoring on progress in terms of governance, risk management, target and performance and emissions data, among others. For its 2022 CDP assessment, PLDT received a “B” or a “Management” rating, signifying that the company has measures in place to manage its business impact on the environment. This was a significant improvement from its “C” or “Awareness” rating in 2021 and 2020 consecutively. Results of the 2023 CDP assessment are expected to be released by 2024. “Climate action is integral to our strategy of embedding sustainability in the way we do business. As this discipline calls for continuous learning and collaboration, we aim to maximize opportunities to adopt and align with global best practices and reporting standards,” said PLDT first vice president, chief sustainability officer and head of investor relations Melissa Vergel de Dios. PLDT’s environmental management measures include a decarbonization roadmap that targets Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 40 percent by 2030, from a 2019 baseline. This target is underpinned by the company’s expansion of renewable energy use, operational eco-efficiency measures and green technology adoption for its network and data center rollout. As CDP underscores the importance of assessing and identifying climate risks, PLDT earlier reported on its conduct of a comprehensive and third-party aided climate risk assessment that guides its strategies for disaster-proofing its digital infrastructure and institutionalizing business continuity measures across its organization. The company also integrated climate expertise in the composition of its board of directors, with the recent appointment of Fr. Roberto C. Yap, S.J. as a member of its advisory committee. Yap, S.J. holds a PhD in Environmental Economics from the University College London and is slated to contribute to PLDT’s thrust of strengthening its climate governance and management approach. These efforts demonstrate PLDT’s support for the goals of the Paris Agreement and contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Goal 13 on Climate Action. The post PLDT bolsters alignment with global climate reporting standards appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Davao co-op hits expansion bills
Northern Davao Electric Cooperative or NORDECO blasted the proposed House Bills 5077, 6740, 6995 and 7047, all seeking to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company Inc. as a possible source of a “constitutional crisis.” In a press statement on Tuesday, NORDECO legal counsel Atty. Jeorge Rapista lamented that these four bills, if passed into law, might substantially amend the existing franchises of electricity distributors in Mindanao, including the one it is maintaining. “The constitution does not allow laws that impair contracts. With HBs 5077, 6740, 6995 and 7047, existing contracts of NORDECO will be substantially impaired. For example, power supply contracts will be servicing a much smaller franchise area,” Rapista explained. The bills were recently deliberated upon by lawmakers on the possible violation of the Constitution and Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. As such, instead of a franchise area amendment that may adversely affect the industry, some policymakers recently pointed out that what Mindanao needed is a measure to help improve the services of the island’s power distributors. Congressmen APEC Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc and PHILRECA Partylist Rep. Presley de Jesus, at a recent hearing, proposed that the House should work on creating measures that will protect the existing contracts of electric cooperatives. Project areas reviewed Likewise, they agreed that policymakers should adopt a bill instituting proper administrative processes to review franchise areas. It can be recalled that in July 2022, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., vetoed the bill proposing to expand the franchise of the Davao Light “due to, among others, its susceptibility to infringe on the franchise coverage area of the NORDECO.” NORDECO currently serves most of the municipalities and cities that were proposed to be transferred to Davao Light. Meanwhile, Davao Light’s franchise area covers Davao City, areas of Panabo City, and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali and Santo Tomas in Davao del Norte. MBr The post Davao co-op hits expansion bills appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Davao power coop hits pending franchise change
Northern Davao Electric Cooperative or NORDECO has warned that proposed House Bill Nos. 5077, 6740, 6995, and 7047 — all seeking to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company, Inc. — might trigger a “constitutional crisis” that may be detrimental to end-users. NORDECO legal counsel Atty. Jeorge Rapista lamented that these four bills, if passed into law, might substantially amend the existing franchise rules in Mindanao, including the one it is maintaining. “The Constitution does not allow laws that impair contracts. With HBs 5077, 6740, 6995, and 7047, existing contracts of NORDECO will be substantially impaired. For example, power supply contracts will be servicing a much smaller franchise area,” Rapista said in a press statement on Tuesday. The bills were recently deliberated upon by lawmakers for their alleged violations of the Constitution and the Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. As such, instead of a franchise area amendment that may adversely affect the industry landscape, some policymakers recently pointed out that what Mindanao needs is a measure to help improve the services of the island’s power distributors. APEC Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc and PHILRECA Partylist Rep. Presley De Jesus, at a recent hearing, proposed that the House should work on creating measures that will protect the existing contracts of electric cooperatives. Likewise, they agreed that policymakers should adopt a bill instituting proper administrative processes to review said franchise areas. In July 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., vetoed the bill proposing to expand the franchise of the Davao Light “due to, among others, its susceptibility to infringe on the franchise coverage area of the NORDECO.” NORDECO currently serves most of the municipalities and cities that were proposed to be transferred to Davao Light. Meanwhile, Davao Light’s franchise area covers Davao City, areas of Panabo City, and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali and Santo Tomas in Davao del Norte. The post Davao power coop hits pending franchise change appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
13-point road map against natural disasters unveiled
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga over the weekend unveiled a comprehensive 13-point roadmap to prepare the country against natural disasters resulting from climate change and to reduce its carbon footprint. The initial step is to conduct an inventory of the country’s natural resources because “we can only manage (them) better if we measure what we have,” Loyzaga said at the multi-stakeholder forum, "Towards a Greener Footprint", in Iloilo City last week before local leaders, architects, and urban land planners. Loyzaga said local governments must work together since these risks know no political boundaries. She stressed the need for an urban development plan that local governments must follow so their political neighbors can jointly benefit from their investments in well-being and quality of life. Topping the roadmap list is the full greenhouse gas inventory which will identify how each sector contributes to the local government unit’s emissions; and therefore, establish goals for emissions reduction. Next, to complement the inventory, Loyzaga said, “It is important to design a strategy for emissions reduction that assigns the responsibility of achieving the targets per sector." The third point is the inventory of each locality’s “green and blue assets”. Citing examples from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which show that mangroves and wetlands sequester carbon as much as 10 times greater than mature tropical forests. “Our terrestrial, coastal, and marine forests are here and we can calculate their carbon sequestration capacity and storage,” she said. With the data from the inventory, local governments can also learn how to prepare better for disasters caused by natural hazards and climate change. “Local governments will also need to conduct a biodiversity inventory that covers both flora and fauna and adopt nature-based and gray-green solutions to natural hazards,” Loyzaga emphasized. “The right species of mangroves, in particular, can save both lives and livelihoods from storm surge by understanding the risk that we all face," she added. Fourth, Loyzaga encouraged the adoption of industry practices that advance building more with less. “We must check the carbon intensity of our building materials for the greening programs of LGUs. Further to building and land development, her fifth point is the use of vernacular architecture, or the use of traditional materials, design, and resources from the area where the building is located, as a climate adaptation measure. “Sixth, we need to conduct a metro-wide diversity inventory that covers both flora and fauna and adopt nature-based and gray-green solutions to natural hazards,” she continued, citing that the right species of mangroves can save lives from storm surges. “Almost 60 percent of production in our croplands and fish ponds are affected by flooding. These can all be addressed by nature-based solutions,” she said. Loyzaga also stressed the importance of a “science-informed disaster resilience strategy” as her seventh point. She cited Iloilo City’s disaster information and environmental data collection and how the city’s local disaster group is strategically working with community organizations including the business sector for an urban plan that is sensitive to climate disaster and risks. For her eighth point, Loyzaga called on local governments to help DENR in ensuring the full implementation of the Extended Producer’s Responsibility (EPR) law, which obliges enterprises to collect all the plastics they use in packaging. “We cannot do this alone; it is with your help that we can implement this effectively,” she stressed. Ninth, Secretary Loyzaga highlighted the importance of integrated water resource management to address the water crisis. “The lack of accessible safe water and sanitation is especially felt by many Filipinos living in the coastal and geological hazards zones,” she explained. "Invest in the appropriate engineering and infrastructure to deliver water from source,” she told local leaders. The 10th item in the 13-point roadmap is the shift to renewable energy to meet the country’s target of 35 percent reliance on renewable energy by 2030. Loyzaga disclosed that the DENR recently supported the approval of floating solar projects in Laguna de Bay, with offshore wind to follow soon. The Secretary’s 11th point is the promotion of climate adaptation technologies such as the use of drought and flood-resistant seeds to achieve food sufficiency and nutrition. “Water intensity counts,” she said, citing a 2008 study by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that showed it takes 2,500 liters of water to produce just one kilo of rice. The 12th point on the roadmap delves into the balance of governance and greenness to meet the population’s basic needs. To achieve a green footprint, local leaders need to go beyond policy domains to provide access to safe affordable housing, health and education, social protection, and livelihood, while ensuring opportunities that respond to the daily needs of the poor for food, water, and hygiene. She was referring to the need to study the design of informal settlements. “This is where urban architecture is at its most basic, but these needs are yet unmet by the city," Loyzaga added. On her last point, the Environment chief emphasized that climate resilience demands unity, strength, and endurance. Designing cities for a greener footprint, therefore, must embrace, maintain, and protect the cultural and social identity of a city, she added. The post 13-point road map against natural disasters unveiled appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sustainable infrastructure needed to fight climate change
Cities need to adopt green urban planning strategies, including investing in sustainable infrastructure to boost resilience to the impact of climate change, according to the World Bank......»»
More LGUs adopt cashless payments in markets, transport
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has intensified its push for cashless payments in public markets and transportation services in more cities and municipalities nationwide......»»
EO on travelers in Mandaue still in effect; new policy of IATF not yet enforced
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City had yet to adopt the newest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID or IATF), where fully vaccinated individuals would no longer need to present a negative RT-PCR test if they would travel to other cities and provinces in the Philippines. Lawyer […] The post EO on travelers in Mandaue still in effect; new policy of IATF not yet enforced appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Belmonte, Binay call for climate action funding from development banks
The C40 coalition of cities, a network of nearly 100 mayors, asked MDBs to increase urban climate investment, integrate urban climate action into their strategies, and implement tailored programs to support city projects. .....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
‘Extreme danger heat index seen in May’
The cities of Puerto Princesa in Luzon and Cotabato in Mindanao sizzled with a heat index of 42 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to state meteorologists......»»
AS Watson supports gender equity with commitment to empowerment principles by UN Women
This International Women's Day, AS Watson proudly announces that it’s the first health and beauty retailer to be a signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles......»»
Davao City among richest cities outside Metro Manila
Davao City was hailed as the ninth richest city outside Metro Manila, while Davao Oriental was the fourth fastest-growing province and highly urbanized city (HUC), based on the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)......»»
JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes and leaving 5 cities
JetBlue Airways is making significant changes to its route network in response to a failed bid for Spirit Airlines. The airline has announced that it.....»»
Tubod in Surigao del Norte named most competitive municipality
Tubod, a municipality in Surigao del Norte, has been recognized as the most competitive among 315 5th-6th class municipalities during the Philippine Creative Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Congress held on September 28......»»
Intellectual property filings up 2.5 percent in 2023
“We hope to see more areas realize the importance of IP assets not just in pushing their ranks in the cities and municipalities competitiveness index but also in fueling their residents’ creativity and innovativeness which their very own communities could benefit from.”.....»»
LIST- Special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns for March 2024 - Rappler
LIST: Special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns for March 2024 Rappler.....»»