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PSA-7: Report to us if PhilSys ID not accepted
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority in Central Visayas (PSA-7) urged Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) ID holders to report to the agency if some entities do not accept their IDs. PSA-7 chief administrative officer of Edwina Carriaga told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the agency is urging PhilSys ID (National ID).....»»
Top 10 e-commerce sites in the Philippines 2019 - ASEAN UP
With a dynamic economy and a large population proficient with digital technologies, the Philippines is a fast-growing market for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. Several websites and digital applications are already fighting for market share, with global, regional and national players. The growing connectivity of the Philippines, rapidly overcoming the countrys infrastructure difficulties, enable more and Continue reading &q.....»»
Marcos approves release of P9.7 billion unprogrammed funds for DPWH projects
President Marcos has approved the release of P9.7 billion from the unprogrammed funds for public works and road repair whose original budget was slashed and included in the P60 billion in last-minute insertions in the 2024 national budget by some members of the House of Representatives......»»
Approved without thinking: P26.7-B ‘mysterious ayuda’
Another last-minute insertion in the 2024 national budget has been bared. The P26.7 billion was slipped in by the bicameral conference committee. Senators and representatives then ratified the bicam report. They are all thus answerable to the people for that hanky-panky......»»
Parañaque approves P12.4 billion budget for 2024
The city council of Parañaque has approved a P12.4-billion budget for next year, Mayor Eric Olivarez announced on Wednesday......»»
Bicam OKs 2024 national budget
Senators and congressmen comprising the bicameral conference committee of Congress approved yesterday the final version of the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024, where the “legacy” budget allocations of President Marcos have been outlined......»»
SP approves P5.4B provincial annual budget
SP approves P5.4B provincial annual budget.....»»
House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016
MANILA, Dec. 17 (PNA) — The House of Representatives assured there will be no reenactment of this year’s national budget by ratifying Wednesday night the bicameral conference committee report on House Bill........»»
Senate approves P5.77-trillion national budget for 2024
The 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) — or House Bill 8980 — received 21 affirmative votes and no negative votes, while one senator abstained......»»
Senate approves P5.7 trillion national budget for 2024
The Senate yesterday approved on third and final reading the P5.768-trillion proposed national budget for 2024, which is seen to strengthen local food production through modernization, mechanization and improved logistics as well as defend sovereignty and protect Filipinos against any threat or violence......»»
Banggaang VP Sara vs Speaker Martin, magkakaalaman sa 2024 budget bicam committee
“Oh, hindi ko nakita… hindi ko nakita iyung nasa social media. Di ako maka-comment… wala akong nakita.” Ito ang pahayag ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa umano’y di niya pagkamay at pagtingin man lang kay House Speaker Martin Romualdez na kasama ni Pangulong BBM nang dumating mula Amerika noong Lunes ng gabi sa Villamor Air.....»»
LGUs’ classification, revenue basis codified
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a bill classifying local government units based on their revenues to establish a basis for their separate financial allocations and other forms of assistance. Republic Act 11964 seeks to institutionalize the automatic income classification of LGUs as a “more responsive approach” to support the local economy and “enable LGUs to realize their full economic potential.” “In line with this, the State recognizes the need to determine the financial capability and fiscal position of local government units,” the new law read in a statement released on Friday. The government determines the level of administrative and statutory help, financial grants, and other forms of support to be given to an LGU on the LGU revenue classification system. Likewise, the revenue categorization of LGUs is used to ascertain its financial capacity to carry out projects and programs, as well as how it would carry out administrative orders on allowances and salary regulations. The first general income reclassification would take place six months after RA 11964 goes into force, and afterward, every three years, Malacañang said. According to the law, municipalities are divided into five classes based on their annual average regular income for three fiscal years before the LGU’s general income is reclassified. The classifications of municipality based on annual average income are as follows: first class: P200,000,000; second class: P160,000,000 to P200,000,00; third class: P130,000,000 to P160,000,00; fourth class: P90,000,000 to P130,000,000; and fifth class: less than P90,000,000. This will determine the “LGU capability to undertake development programs and projects” and the overall yearly supplemental appropriation for personal services for all units. Compensation adjustments for LGU employees will also be predicated on classification following the “Salary Standardization Law of 2019.” The classification also includes the following: Minimum wages for domestic workers, bases for the creation of new local government units (LGUs), the number of elective members in Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Sangguniang Bayan, free patent titles for residential land, government service insurance system coverage for LGU properties, and the maximum percentage of agricultural land area that can be reclassified and used. On January 1st of the year following the Finance Secretary’s release of the income classification table, the provinces, cities, and municipalities will undergo their first income reclassification. Within three months of the law’s enactment, the Department of Finance will draft the rules and regulations that will carry out its provisions in collaboration with the Department of Budget and Management and after consulting with the local government leagues. The post LGUs’ classification, revenue basis codified appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Solon lambasts ‘conflict of interest’ as private firms leading ASF vaccine trials
A lawmaker on Wednesday grilled the Bureau of Animal Industry for allowing private suppliers to lead vaccine trials on African Swine Fever. In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, BAI Director Paul Limson admitted that they are just “monitoring” the field trials. Limson's remarks came after Senator Cynthia Villar mentioned that the BAI should be leading the trials to make more independent assessments of the vaccines. “Justify niyo nga sa akin bakit ninyo ginagawa, kasi ako nasho-shock (Can you justify it to me why are you not doing it because its shcoking me). You don't think there is a conflict of interest?" Villar, who chairs the Senate panel on agriculture, asked Limson. Limson cited the Food and Drug Administration guidelines stating that "the initiation, management, and or financing of clinical trials" is the responsibility of sponsors—these could be individuals, companies, institutions, or organizations. the FDA guidelines also allow sponsors to tap Contract Research Organizations to conduct the trials. Meanwhile, Villar also criticized the private suppliers of vaccines for apparently hastening the process even if there are no approved vaccines for ASF yet. She then suggested that the budget should be realigned first in the indemnification of hog raisers affected by the disease while waiting for the approval of ASF vaccines. The Department of Agriculture-BAI has earlier asked the Food and Drug Administration to certify a Vietnam-made ASF vaccine for its immediate distribution in the country. It was followed by the bureau’s endorsement to the FDA for the issuance of a Certificate of Product Registration—which will allow the commercial release of the vaccine in the country. On June 2, BAI Assistant Director Arlyn Vytiaco said they have recommended the AVAC doses—which have been proven "effective" - following the completion of safety and efficacy trials in at least six areas in Luzon. Vytiaco noted that 100 percent of the hogs who were vaccinated during the trials produced antibodies, and showed "no ill or side effects.” However, the BAI was still requesting the FDA for the CPR of the vaccine. The first ASF case was detected in the Philippines in 2019. Villar lamented that “lack of vaccine or effective treatment has made the control of the disease very challenging.” The post Solon lambasts ‘conflict of interest’ as private firms leading ASF vaccine trials appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese sci-fi steps into the spotlight
Once effectively banned, Chinese science fiction has exploded into the mainstream, embraced by the government and public alike –- inviting scrutiny of a genre that has become known for its expanding diversity and relative freedom. Its new status was epitomized by this week's Worldcon, the world's oldest and most influential sci-fi gathering, which closed Sunday after taking place in China for the first time. Held in the gleaming new Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, the event's star was Liu Cixin, author of the international phenomenon "Three-Body" series and inspiration for the domestic blockbuster "Wandering Earth". But the wider science fiction fandom has become a rare space where diverse voices have flourished and a vast array of issues -- social, environmental, even sometimes political -- can be explored. "In its nature, part of sci-fi is talking about the present," award-winning author Chen Qiufan told AFP. "It takes advantage of talking about outer space, or being set in different times, but reflects the human condition right now." Chen's own novel "The Waste Tide" is set in a dystopian future in China, where migrant e-waste workers toil in hazardous conditions, exploited by corrupt conglomerates. He grew up near Guiyu, once one of the largest e-waste dumps in the world. Ecological destruction, urbanization, social inequality, gender, and corruption, to name just a few –- "these issues are intersectional and intertwined with each other", said Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University's Liu Xi. Together, they "allow everyone to understand Chinese writers' exploration of Chinese society", she said. That can be rare to find in today's China, where the space for political and artistic expression has shrunk drastically over the last decade under President Xi Jinping. Spiritual pollution Historically, science fiction has had a turbulent relationship with Chinese authorities -– it effectively disappeared during the Cultural Revolution and then was banned as "spiritual pollution" in the 1980s. Though it returned, it remained relatively obscure. Writer Regina Kanyu Wang said it was only at university that she met other fans -- together they formed one of the smaller clubs on campus. Sci-fi was not taken seriously, and seen as something for children and young adults, Chen said. That had its advantages. "There was a lot of freedom... because nobody was reading science fiction, (authors) could just do whatever they wanted," the University of Zurich's Jessica Imbach told AFP. The global success of the "Three-Body" series changed everything, catapulting its epic themes of technological prowess and the fate of humanity into the public consciousness. "Whether you like science fiction or not, the social reality we are facing is becoming more and more like science fiction," said Yu Xuying from Hong Kong Metropolitan University. "We live in a high-tech era. And then your daily life is completely technological," she said. The pace of digital change in China, already fast, was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Cash has all but disappeared, and stringent health regulations further enhanced the state's significant surveillance capacity. The international interest spike in Chinese sci-fi is also related to real-world concerns, Chen believes. "I think there are different layers of reasons for the phenomenon," he said. "But a major one is the rising economic and technological power of China on the world stage." A good vehicle China's government has been happy to capitalize on all this. "At a national level, science fiction is a good vehicle for conveying the country's discourse on its science and technology strength," said Yu. It can also help "highlight the relationship between the Chinese dream (a Xi-era aspirational slogan) and science", she said. Authorities have put their money where their mouth is. The nebula-shaped Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, was built at lightspeed in just a year to coincide with Worldcon. The event, historically fan-led and funded, this year was a "capitalistic initiative, coming top-down from the Chinese government", said Chen. "They want sci-fi to be the name card of the city, showing China's openness and inclusiveness to the world," he said. Government attention comes with potential risk. "The Three-Body Problem" has a different structure in English, with the narrative beginning with a violent Cultural Revolution scene. In the original Chinese, it was buried halfway through the book to make it less conspicuous, the translator Ken Liu was told. Liu told the New York Times in 2019 that increasingly, "it's gotten much harder for me to talk about the work of Chinese authors without... causing them trouble". Some works he has translated into English, deemed too sensitive, have never been published in Chinese at all. "If you're very marginal if you have low print numbers in China, then it's OK, you have more leeway. If you're doing a mega big-budget movie... it's much more complicated," said Imbach. "That's what's now also happening with science fiction," she said. "As it's becoming more mainstream, there is increased scrutiny." The post Chinese sci-fi steps into the spotlight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Update on Magna Carta for Public Schools Teachers sought
Senator Win Gatchalian on Thursday bared his plan to file a measure that will update the current provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, in time for the observance of World Teachers’ Day. In updating Republic Act 4670, Gatchalian revealed that he plans to push for the granting of a special hardship allowance to mobile teachers, including those involved in the Alternative Learning System jobs. The senator also seeks to “protect teachers from out-of-pocket expenses and non-teaching tasks.” He is likewise pushing provisions for teachers’ basic rights and longevity pay. Gatchalian emphasized the need to ensure full implementation of the law, which primarily aimed at improving the living and working conditions of public school teachers. He pointed out that it has been 57 years since RA 4670 was passed, yet some of its provisions have not been fully realized, citing Section 22 of the law, which entitles public school teachers to a free annual physical examination. Gatchalian lamented that while the Department of Education has provided teachers with monetary medical assistance since 2019, he pressed that “there is still no program for the annual check-up of teachers” as mandated by the Magna Carta. In Section 26 of the RA 4670, a retiring teacher should be promoted one rank higher, and the salary of that rank should be the basis for calculating retirement benefits. However, Gatchalian noticed that the current method of computation, being used by the Government Service Insurance System, relies on the average monthly compensation that the employee received during the last 36 months of service prior to retirement. While Section 31 of the Magna Carta requires the DepEd Secretary to submit the annual budgetary requirements to implement the Magna Carta, Gatchalian observed that the agency only submits an omnibus budget request to Congress for its annual needs. “Napapanahon na upang tiyakin nating tumutugon ang Magna Carta sa mga pangangailangan at hamong kinakaharap ng ating mga guro,”Gatchalian said as he bared to reporters his plans as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education. The post Update on Magna Carta for Public Schools Teachers sought appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
S. Korean migrant’s tale to open Asia’s biggest film festival
The world premiere of Jang Kun-jae's "Because I Hate Korea" will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday night as it looks to rally from a year marked by scandal and budget cutbacks. The South Korean director's tale of a disillusioned young woman who relocates to New Zealand is among 209 official entries from 69 countries set to unspool at the Busan International Film Festival, which runs until 13 October. Eighty will be making their world premieres in the southern port city. This year's edition comes as organizers grapple with the fallout from former festival director Huh Moon-yung's resignation in May amid accusations of sexual misconduct. The scandal saw BIFF's 2023 budget reduced by about 10 percent as sponsors withdrew in the wake of the allegations, according to organizers. Kang Seung-ah, now serving as acting deputy director, acknowledged they had endured a "difficult phase" before assembling a lineup she said was "more substantial than ever before". Opening night director Jang, who noted he'd attended BIFF far more as an audience member than a filmmaker, told a late afternoon news conference he had sought to address serious questions with his film. "I believe it's necessary to pay attention to the fact that many young people are finding it difficult to navigate through Korean society. I started questioning whether our society is providing a fair and equitable foundation for young people to pursue their dreams," he told reporters after a preview screening. Based on the best-selling Chang Kang-myoung novel, "Because I Hate Korea" received support from BIFF's Asia Project Market back in 2016. South Korea has transformed itself into a cultural powerhouse since then thanks to the explosive success of the Oscar-winning "Parasite" and the Netflix series "Squid Game". "Many people are now showing great interest in Korean content such as K-pop, K-movies, and K-dramas. Living in such an era, they might develop a certain fantasy about South Korea, I think," Nam Dong-chul, the festival's acting interim director, told reporters. But "I thought it might be good to consider these views from the perspective of people living in Korea and especially the youth in South Korea", he said of the opening night choice. "They might have different thoughts and experiences." Frequent Bong Joon-ho collaborator Go Ah-sung, who delivered a memorable performance as the protagonist of "Because I Hate Korea", was unable to attend the festival due to a back injury. 'Dear Jinri' Despite Go's absence, the festival will still feature serious star power, with acclaimed Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat scheduled to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award. Three of Chow's films -- "A Better Tomorrow" (1986), "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000) and 2023's "One More Chance" -- will be screened in his honour. Other highly anticipated screenings include "Dear Jinri", a documentary that features late K-pop star Sulli's last and incomplete project. Sulli, born Choi Jin-ri, took her own life in 2019 after a long struggle with online bullying. The film includes her final media interview, which has not been disclosed previously. Korea's filmmaking diaspora will also be showcased with a special series of screenings that includes "Searching" (2018), starring John Cho, and director Celine Song's Sundance favorite "Past Lives". Netflix's highly anticipated "Yellow Door: 90s Lo-fi Film Club" will also have its world premiere at BIFF. The documentary spotlights South Korea's renowned cinephile generation of the 1990s, acclaimed "Parasite" director Bong among them. "The Movie Emperor", director Ning Hao's satirical take on the Chinese film industry starring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, is set to close the festival. Ning's comedy "deftly captures the fine line between the film industries in Hong Kong and mainland China", as well as the "delicate relationship between Western film festivals and Asian filmmakers", according to the program notes. The post S. Korean migrant’s tale to open Asia’s biggest film festival appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go aids fire victims in General Santos City
Senator Bong Go provided assistance to 13 fire-hit households in General Santos City on Friday, September 29. The affected families received financial assistance, grocery packs, snacks, shirts, and balls for basketball from the senator’s office. “Huwag po kayong mawalan ng pag-asa, ang importante ay buhay kayo. Ang gamit po ay napapalitan, ang pera ay kikitain pero ang pera ay hindi nabibili ang buhay. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya pangalagaan natin ang buhay na binigay sa atin ng Panginoon,” Go said in a video message. Go then highlighted Republic Act No. 11589, also known as the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021. The said law, which was authored and co-sponsored by Go, mandates the BFP to undergo a ten-year modernization program that will improve the capabilities of the agency by implementing a ten-year modernization program, which includes recruiting more firefighters, acquiring new fire equipment, and developing specialized training, among others. The senator, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also offered to help those in need of medical care. He encouraged them to visit the Malasakit Centers at Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital in the city or South Cotabato Provincial Hospital in nearby Koronadal City. Under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go, a Malasakit Center shall provide convenient access to medical programs offered by concerned agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. To date, there are 159 Malasakit Centers that have already assisted seven million Filipinos nationwide, according to DOH. The senator also shared that he continues to push for the establishment of more Super Health Centers nationwide. Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, the budget was allocated for the construction of some 307 Super Health Centers across the country in 2022 and another 322 in 2023. DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic locations where such centers shall be established. In General Santos City, two Super Health Centers have been funded to be established. To help create more opportunities for the province amid difficult situations, Go, who also serves as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has supported the construction of roads in Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Tantangan, and Surallah; acquisition of a dump truck for the local government of Norala; construction of riverbank protection in Koronadal City and T’boli; installation of street lights in Koronadal City, Norala and Tupi; and the construction of a slaughterhouse in T’boli. “Basta, ‘wag kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa amin. Huwag din kayong magpasalamat sa amin dahil trabaho naman namin ito sa gobyerno. Kami ang nagpapasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan niyo kami ng pagkakataon para makapagserbisyo sa taumbayan. Ibabalik namin sa inyo ang serbisyong dapat sa inyo,” pledged Go. The post Bong Go aids fire victims in General Santos City appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go pushes for increased Cancer Fund
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go emphasized the importance of allocating sufficient funds for specific healthcare programs, such as those addressing cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders, during the Committee on Finance hearing for the Department of Health’s budget on Thursday, 28 September. “We must also give enough focus and ensure funding for our programs to address other diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders,” Go said. He pointed out that the Cancer Assistance Fund for this year was set at P500 million through the collective efforts of lawmakers last year. Go proposed for this to be doubled to P1 billion for the next year. However, he expressed concern over the current reported underutilization of the fund. Drawing from his previous advocacy, Go has been a consistent voice for increased funding for the CAF. “Dapat patuloy na pataasin ang budget para sa cancer assistance fund,” he said in an earlier interview. The senator’s call for increased funding aligns with the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, under Republic Act 11215, signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019. Within NICCA, CAF plays a pivotal role in offering financial support to cancer patients across the nation. He also emphasized the need to bridge the gap between the high cost of cancer treatment and the financial means of those who need it most. “It is for this reason that we continus to advocate for a larger allocation for the CAF and recognizes that every peso invested in cancer assistance is an investment in the health and well-being of countless individuals and their families,” he said. Furthermore, Go expressed his support for a proposed cancer fund intended to aid Overseas Filipino Workers, a project championed by the late Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople of the Department of Migrant Workers. “This initiative highlights the urgent requirement to offer aid and compassion to the modern-day heroes who are confronting cancer while working far away from their homes,” he concluded. The post Go pushes for increased Cancer Fund appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go extends assistance to indigents in Lupao, Nueva Ecija
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, an adopted son of Nueva Ecija, sent his team to provide assistance to indigent families in Lupao, Nueva Ecija, on Friday, 29 September. Go’s team assisted residents who gathered at the Brgy. Gymnasium of San Antonio Este. The team distributed masks and shirts to the identified beneficiaries, as well as shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients. The beneficiaries also qualified for financial assistance from the national government through the initiative of GP Partylist Rep. Jose Padiernos. “Huwag ho kayong magpasalamat sa amin. Sa totoo lang po kami po ang dapat magpasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan n’yo po kami ng pagkakataon na magserbisyo sa inyo. Magta-trabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. Iyan po ang pwede kong i-alay sa inyo, ang kasipagan ko sa trabaho,” Go said in a video message. “Utusan n’yo lang po ako, parang kapitbahay lang tayo bilang isang adopted son ng inyong probinsya. Ayaw kong ituring nyo ako na ibang tao,” he added. Go stressed the significance of extending aid to impoverished individuals, and said government should prioritize the needs of the poor who were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises. As principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, Go vowed to monitor the continuous operations of the Malasakit Centers, which has helped more than seven million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health (DOH). There are 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide so far. Indigent patients in Nueva Ecija can seek the services of the Malasakit Centers located at Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital and Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center (PJGMRMC), both in Cabanatuan City; and in Talavera General Hospital in Talavera town. “Ang Malasakit Center po ay batas na. Isinulong ko noon, nu’ng naging senador po ako nung 2019. Pinirmahan ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. It’s a one stop shop. Nasa loob na po ng ospital ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno – PhilHealth, PCSO, DOH, DSWD na handang tumulong po sa ating mga kababayan. Para po ‘yan sa mga poor and indigent patients. Lapitan n’yo lang po ang pinakamalapit na Malasakit Center sa inyong lugar,” Go said. The senator also highlighted that Super Health Centers will be established in Cabanatuan City, San Leonardo, Aliga, Bongabon, Llanera, Science City of Muñoz, Zaragoza, Sto. Domingo and Rizal — the last two of which he personally inspected in February. The Super Health Centers are improved versions of polyclinics that offer basic health services, including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray and ultrasound), pharmacy and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine. Through the concerted efforts of DOH and fellow lawmakers, adequate funding has been allocated in the national budget for the establishment of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 more in 2023. Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has supported several infrastructure projects in the province to help boost the local economy. Among these are the construction of the Talavera National High School Amphitheater; the rehabilitation of roads in Cabiao, General Tinio, Pantabangan, Zaragoza and Cabanatuan City; the construction of flood mitigation structures in General Tinio, Quezon, San Antonio and Zaragoza; the construction of multipurpose buildings in Gabaldon, Sta. Rosa and Cabanatuan City; the completion of the Dr. PJGMRMC in Cabanatuan City; the reconstruction of the Llanera public market; the rehabilitation of the Baloc public market; and the installation of streetlights in Zaragoza. The post Bong Go extends assistance to indigents in Lupao, Nueva Ecija appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro
Davao City’s confidential expenses that ballooned to P2.697 billion during Vice President Sara Duterte’s stint as mayor should be probed by the Commission on Audit, a lawmaker said Monday. The call for investigation was prompted by the 2022 report of the CoA, which found that Davao City spent P2.697 billion on confidential expenses between 2016 to 2022, or an average of PP385.3 million per year over the preceding six years. Duterte served as the Davao City mayor from 2016 to 2022 before she assumed the VP post in July of last year. Based on CoA findings, Davao City incurred P144 million of confidential expenses in 2016, which was more than doubled to P293 million in 2017 and further climbed to P420 million in 2018. The city’s confidential fund expenses further grew to P460 million in 2019 and were maintained consistently for the subsequent years of 2020, 2021, and 2022. In an interview on Monday, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, who sought the CoA probe, stressed that the P2.697 billion totality of confidential expenses of Davao City in the previous six years “could have been utilized more effectively to benefit the education sector, specifically by providing much-needed support to teachers.” “We were shocked also [by] the report of the CoA. With this controversy of confidential funds, we are thinking of asking the CoA to investigate,” she said. “The CoA should file an audit observation memo and then ask them to explain maybe the misuse of funds and then file necessary legal action.” She added, “Imagine more than a million a day spent for the confidential funds in a city. I just wonder how it was spent and where it was spent. So, we want the CoA to review if the city government of Davao City led by Vice President Sara Duterte by then really followed the guidelines or the joint circular 2015-01.” The said joint circular outlined by CoA with the Departments of Budget and Management, National Defense, and of the Interior and Local Government, and Governance Commission for GOCCs, contains guidelines on the entitlement, release, use, reporting, and audit of confidential and intelligence funds that are in the General Appropriations Act. Daily Tribune has been asking for Duterte’s comment, but she remained mum on the issue. While Castro admitted that the local government units are entitled to confidential funds for peace and order maintenance, it was “ironic” that Duterte sought allocation of such funds given that she claimed Davao City was “very peaceful, disciplined, and well” during her tenure. "So why is it necessary to have an increasingly confidential fund?" the lawmaker stressed, noting such a fund should be used for other fruitful endeavors. "I remember the time the teachers of Davao City were asking for city allowance, but she did not grant it. Instead, she refused and even got mad with ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers) during that time," Castro pointed out. While none in the law limits the amount of confidential funds, the militant lawmaker pointed out that it should be rationalized. A proposed law aimed at imposing a cap and limit on confidential funds, streamlining the allocation of such that would promote transparency and accountability, is currently being crafted, according to Castro. It will be filed in Congress when the session resumes in November. The post Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»