We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
US Bolstering Philippines Amid Increasing Assertiveness by China
washington - The U.S. and Philippines will for the first time venture outside Manila's territorial waters when they begin joint annual combat drills in April, a Philippines government spokesman said Thursday.Colonel Michael Logico said elements of the Balikatan 2024 drills would be conducted about 22 kilometers (more than 12 nautical miles) off the west coast of Palawan, an island in the archipelago nation that.....»»
PPP Code IRR out; 20 projects up for approval
Around 20 solicited projects that are part of the government’s infrastructure flagship program are expected to be submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee for approval this year, the Public-Private Partnership Center said, following the signing of the implementing rules and regulations of the PPP Code......»»
Kuya Bong backs medical specialty agencies’ establishment
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has recently expressed his full support for the establishment of the National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Medical Reserve Corps, and the Virology Institute of the Philippines. The measures were discussed during the Third Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting after the senator attended the groundbreaking for the Super Health Center in San Mateo, Rizal. When asked about the progress of these initiatives, Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health stressed his full support and is optimistic that these will be approved this year. Go clarified that the NDPMA is essentially the same as the previously named Center for Disease Control and Prevention bill as he reiterated the importance of being prepared for possible future pandemics, citing the country’s experience with Covid-19. He recalled how the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine became a crucial office for Covid-19 testing, despite almost losing its funding during the 2019 budget deliberations. “In 2019, before the pandemic came, the budget for the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine was almost cut. We did not agree. In fact, we increased them during the budget deliberations,” Go said. “My hunch was right, who would have thought that RITM would be one of the most important offices during the pandemic? RITM is also capable of testing other infectious diseases besides Covid-19,” he added. He concluded by saying that he supports these initiatives that will benefit Filipinos, the healthcare system, and the less fortunate. To recall, the senator has filed his own versions of these measures in the Senate — Senate Bill 195 or the creation of a Center for Disease Control and if passed, the CDC will serve as the country’s central hub for disease prevention, surveillance and control, focusing on both infectious and non-communicable diseases. The post Kuya Bong backs medical specialty agencies’ establishment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators seek removal of floating barrier in Bajo de Masinloc
Senators on Sunday sought the removal of the floating barrier installed by China in Bajo de Masinloc, a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea. In separate statements, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Tolentino, called on the Philippine government to remove the floating barrier around Bajo de Masinloc, which prevents Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal for their livelihood activities. According to Zubiri, China has “no right to put any structures within our exclusive economic zone,” referring to the floating barriers allegedly installed by the Chinese Coast Guard around Bajo de Masinloc. “These structures pose a danger on passing fishing boats that can get entangled on the lines and cause considerable damage to the propellers and engines of our fisherfolk,” he said in a message to reporters on Viber. “Therefore I would like to request our Philippine Coast Guard to immediately cut and remove all these illegal structures located at our West Philippine Sea not just to assert our sovereign rights to the area but to protect our fishermen from any possible accidents that may arise from these illegal structures,” he added. The Philippine Coast Guard on early Sunday reported the presence of a floating barrier in the southern portion of Bajo de Masincloc – allegedly installed by China. The Senate chief expressed gratitude to the PCG for its “untiring ang unwavering commitment to watch and protect the areas within our Exclusive Economic Zones and Bajo de Masinloc is well within our 12NM territory.” “We in the Senate stand by our brave men and women who risk their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today,” he said. Senator Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, echoed the Senate chief’s request on the PCG. “I agree with the removal of the floating barrier because it is not allowed to do it. It signifies a restricted zone,” Tolentino said in a separate statement on Filipino. According to him, only the Philippines is allowed to install floating barriers in emergencies such as oil spills or if its part of aquaculture management as a temporary measure. “Bajo de Masinloc is 120 nautical miles only from Zambales. Our fishermen should not be stopped by China from fishing in our fence,” he said. “China violated international law when it installed the floating barrier. It should be removed immediately. The PCG is correct in assisting our fishermen,” he added. Cruelty For her part, Hontiveros described the recent China’s act as “cruelty.” “China’s cruelty knows no bounds. They have no shame in blocking our fishermen from their own waters,” she said. “Filipino fisherfolk are among the poorest in our country. They only rely on our seas for their food and their livelihood,” she added. The opposition senator reiterated China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, particularly the recent coral destruction along Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal. “The next generation would no longer benefit from these natural resources,” she said. “We will not allow China to starve our fellow Filipinos to death. I trust that the Philippine Coast Guard can escort our fisherfolk and ensure that they pass through the floating barriers,” she added. Hontiveros renewed her call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to review the current national policy towards China. “We should no longer accept acts like this going unpunished. If we allow China’s bullying to continue, it will cost the lives of our own people,” she stressed. The Daily Tribune sought comments from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila about the developments in the West Philippine Sea, but they have yet to respond as of press time. The post Senators seek removal of floating barrier in Bajo de Masinloc appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese blockade on Taiwan would be ‘monster risk’: Pentagon
A Chinese blockade on the island democracy of Taiwan would be a "monster risk" for Beijing and likely to fail, while a military invasion would be extremely difficult, senior Pentagon officials told Congress Tuesday. Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory, vowing to seize it one day, and officials in Washington -- a key ally of Taipei -- have cited 2027 as a possible timeline for an invasion. The growing worries come as China has ramped up military pressures on Taiwan, holding large-scale wargames simulating a blockade on the island, while conducting near-daily warplane incursions and sending Chinese vessels around its waters. Ely Ratner, the Pentagon's assistant defense secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, said a blockade would be "a monster risk for the PRC (People's Republic of China)," referring to China by its official name. "It would likely not succeed, and it would be a huge risk of escalation for the PRC, where it would likely have to consider whether or not it was willing to ultimately start attacking commercial maritime vessels," Ratner told the House Armed Services Committee. "A blockade would be devastating to the international community and would likely induce the broad-based wide deep response from the international community... that Beijing would likely be trying to avoid," he said. He was echoed by Army Major General Joseph McGee, a vice director of the Joint Staff. "It is an option but it is probably not a highly likely military option... It is much easier to talk about a blockade than actually do a blockade," McGee said. He also pointed to island's mountainous terrain and the Taiwan Strait waterway separating it from mainland China, saying "there is absolutely nothing easy about a PLA (People's Liberation Army) invasion of Taiwan." "They would have to mass tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of troops on the eastern coast and that would be a clear signal," McGee said, adding that combined amphibious and airborne air assault operations would be "an extremely complicated joint operation." "That would leave them in that (Taiwan Strait) gap, 90 to 100 miles -- that would lead them susceptible to all the fire that could be brought to an invading force that was already telegraphing their intentions." China's latest massive show of force came Monday when Beijing sent more than 100 warplanes in 24 hours around the island, prompting Taipei to decry the "destructive unilateral actions." Also during Tuesday's hearing, Mira Resnick, a deputy assistant secretary at the State Department, warned a US government shutdown could affect foreign weapons sales and licenses to its allies, including Taiwan. "This is something we would like to avoid," Resnick said. Her comments come as the United States is less than two weeks from a potential government shutdown, as lawmakers struggle to agree on a short-term spending bill -- an impasse that could also have repercussions on military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The post Chinese blockade on Taiwan would be ‘monster risk’: Pentagon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go shares Gibo’s stance against proposed MUP reform
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go expressed his alignment with Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr.‘s stance against the proposed military pension reform particularly on the issue of imposing mandatory contributions and removing the automatic indexation for military pensioners. "It was also reported that Secretary Teodoro does not agree with the proposed mandatory contributions and the removal of the automatic indexation of our military personnel," Go stated during the Commission on Appointments committee hearing on Wednesday, 13 September. "Hindi rin po ako sang-ayon dito sa mandatory contributions at pagbago sa automatic indexation," he stressed. Go then elaborated on his stance, emphasizing that there are alternative ways to address financial needs without affecting the pensions of current retirees and those still in active service. “Bagama’t naintindihan po natin ang sitwasyon ng ating mga finance managers at tumataas na budgetary needs ng gobyerno at sa posibleng paglobo ng kakailanganin na pondo po para sa pension, naniniwala ako na may ibang paraan upang matugunan ito nang hindi maapektuhan ang pension ng ating kasalukuyang mga retirees at mga nasa active service," he added. He further suggested some of these alternative methods, "Katulad ng pag-improve sa pagkolekta ng buwis o pag-eliminate po ng corruption sa gobyerno.” Go also took the opportunity to remind his colleagues of the efforts made during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte to increase the salaries of military and uniformed personnel. "Huwag nating kalimutan na noong panahon ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, nagsikap tayo na mapataas ang sweldo ng ating uniformed personnel," Go began. He then elaborated on the collective efforts made to achieve this salary increase. "Nagpursige din tayo upang maisakatuparan ito noong hindi pa po ako senador at naniniwala po ako na marami pong sumuporta dito sa last Congress," he continued. Go also expressed his concerns about the potential impact of mandatory contributions on the increased salaries. "Naniniwala rin po ako na hindi natin dapat bawiin sa pamamagitan ng contributions ang matagal na nilang inasam na pagtaas ng sahod,” he said. The senator further emphasized the need to consider the long-term impact of the proposed pension reform on the lives of current military personnel. “Huwag naman po sanang bigay-bawi. Tandaan natin na marami sa ating kasundaluhan ay mayroon ng plano sa kanilang mga matatanggap kapag magreretire. Nakaplano na yan, naka-loan, may babayaran na yan at pamilya...nakalaan na yan para sa kanilang mga anak,” he said. “Kung iisipin natin, yung ikakaltas po sa kanila ay halos katumbas ng isang sakong bigas at napakahalaga po nito, lalung-lalo na po sa mga ordinaryong sundalo. Maliit na bagay lamang ito na para sa ating mga sundalo dahil sa sakripisyo po na inalay nila para mapanatili ang ating seguridad,” he added. Go has consistently emphasized the need for fiscal stability while ensuring the welfare of military and uniformed personnel. He has previously suggested that any pension reform should not adversely affect pensioners and those still in active service. “Buhay ang isinasakripisyo nila para mapanatili ang seguridad ng bansa. Iba po ang sakripisyo nila dahil buhay po ang nakataya dito. Kahit isang boto lang ako dito, palagi kong ipaglalaban kung ano pong makakabuti sa mga nagseserbisyo sa bayan,” assured the senator before. On the same day, Go expressed his full support for Teodoro's ad interim appointment as Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND). "As we discuss the welfare of our uniformed personnel, it's crucial that we have a competent and reliable individual leading the DND. I fully support the ad interim appointment of Secretary Gibo Teodoro for this role," Go declared. He praised Teodoro's previous performance as DND secretary under the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, stating, “Sec. Gibo Teodoro Jr. is a man of competence and integrity. Ito po ay napatunayan na nung una siyang manungkulan bilang Kalihim po ng Department of National Defense noong panahon ni pangulong Arroyo." He also mentioned that Teodoro's primary objectives during his previous term were focused on modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and DND personnel, upholding human rights, and taking a proactive approach to disaster risk management. The senator also took the opportunity to discuss his own advocacy for disaster preparedness. "Like Secretary Gibo, I share the same advocacy in strengthening our country’s disaster preparedness and response, which is why I filed for the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DND).” Earlier, Go filed Senate Bill No. 188, which aims to establish the DDR to centralize efforts, streamline coordination, and ensure a more swift and effective response to emergencies. “This proposed department will be headed by a cabinet secretary. Napapanahon na po. Sana magkaroon tayo ng isang timon na nakatutok po,” he added. The creation of the said department, if enacted into law, shall concentrate on three key result areas, namely: disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and response, and recovery and building forward better. Towards the end of his speech, Go extended his trust and confidence in Teodoro. "Mr. Secretary, you have my full trust and confidence. Ako po ay naniniwala that under your watch, mas lalo pa ninyong mapapalakas ang ating defense department at mga programang nakapaloob dito," he concluded. The post Bong Go shares Gibo’s stance against proposed MUP reform appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Economic team supports rice price cap as sound ‘stop-gap’ measure
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman reiterated on Monday their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to impose a rice price cap. In a statement, Diokno underscored the importance of immediately implementing a comprehensive set of measures aimed at securing long-term stability within the rice market. "Executive Order No. 39 was issued by the President as the chief executive and the concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture. EO 39 serves as a lifeline, extending much-needed relief to Filipinos grappling with the high rice prices,” he said. Under EO No. 39, the mandated price of regular milled rice is P41 per kilogram while well-milled rice is at P45 per kilogram. The Finance Secretary said the economic team views EO 39 as an essential stop-gap measure that needs to be supplemented with additional measures to achieve long-term rice price stability in the country. “We agree with the President that implementing a price cap on rice is the most prudent course of action at the moment to achieve two critical objectives: stabilizing rice prices and extending immediate support to our fellow countrymen," he added. The Finance chief said the President has directed the economic team to implement measures that will mitigate the negative impact of the price controls on rice retailers and farmers. In a separate statement, Pangandaman said the EO will “effectively serve” as an “active stop gap” to address the market’s current circumstances. Pangandaman added that current measures warrant a special mitigating measure. “In an ideal scenario, we can let the market dictate prices. However, as NEDA noted, we are now faced with extraordinary factors that we have to consider," Pangandaman explained. “I join the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Economic Development Group of the Cabinet in supporting this measure because it is necessary at this time to help those most affected by the otherwise uncontrollable sharp increase in the price of rice,” Pangandaman added. Diokno said in a briefing last Friday that Marcos did not consult the economic team before imposing the order. The economic managers were in the 14th Philippines-Japan High-Level Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation in Tokyo during the last week of August when Marcos made the announcement, he said. "We were in Japan when that was announced. I was sitting with (NEDA Secretary) Arsi (Balisacan) and we were talking to Japanese investors. Of course, we were shocked." Diokno, the head of the Marcos administration's economic team, said the price cap shouldn't be imposed for too long because it is not sustainable. Price controls "don't really work" under ideal market conditions, and "it has adverse effects if allowed to linger for a longer period," he added. The post Economic team supports rice price cap as sound ‘stop-gap’ measure appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tulfo wants confidential funds for DMW to combat illegal recruitment
Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday proposed the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds for the Department of Migrant Workers to help the agency combat illegal recruitment and scammers that victimize overseas Filipino workers. During the Senate Committee on Finance’s budget deliberation for the DMW’s proposed P15.542 billion budget for next year, Tulfo said that he has no problem with several agencies having billions worth of CIFs. However, he pointed out that the DMW should also be equipped with secret funds. “I am not complaining when various agencies are receiving confidential funds. If you have noticed, I am silent about it. However, for me, perhaps it’s about time to also allocate confidential funds to DMW,” he said. He explained that the DMW, an agency mandated to facilitate the overseas employment and reintegration of Filipino workers, may use the secret funds to halt illegal operations of syndicates that victimize OFWs. “There are so many illegal recruiters here. There are so many illegal recruitment agencies that should be dismantled. There are so many scammers that are preying on our OFWs,” he said. “So, we need intel information. [The] DMW needs intel information to combat these illegal recruiters, illegal recruitment agencies and scammers. That’s why I believe it should have confidential funds,” he added. The lawmaker proposed P25 million to P50 million for the CIFs of the DMW. For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who presided over the budget deliberation, said the DMW should be strengthened instead of being given confidential funds. “We can strengthen the bureau instead under Usec. Bernard Olalia since you are effective. So, we don't have to use confidential and intelligence funds. Let us be an example that civilian departments do not need this,” Ejercito said. He noted that it might be more fitting to leave the request for CIFs to departments or agencies concerned with national security. Olalia, who heads the licensing and adjudication services at the DMW, said the agency was able to padlock at least four recruitment agencies in the past year. Hans Cacdac, who is now temporarily taking the helm at the DMW, said that the agency requested P10 million worth of CIFS in their proposed budget. However, the Department of Budget and Management did not include it in the National Expenditures Program. Prior to this, Ejercito expressed support for the DMW’s crackdown on illegal recruitment agencies. “I believe that addressing this issue will be a significant challenge for the DMW. I completely agree that many people are taking advantage of our OFWs, and it's truly unfortunate. Even before they leave the country, many of them are already victimized,” Ejercito said. The DMW originally requested P29.488 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but the DMW only recommended P15.542 billion in total appropriations, which is 4 percent lower than the agency's 2023 budget amounting to P16.1 billion. Under the proposed P.768-trillion NEP for next year, a total of P9.2 billion was allocated for confidential and intelligence funds of various government agencies and offices. The Office of the President is asking for P4.56 billion worth of secret funds, while the proposed confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President is P500 million. The post Tulfo wants confidential funds for DMW to combat illegal recruitment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP budget breezes through House
Owing to a “parliamentary courtesy,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s P10.70 billion proposed budget for his office for 2024 swept through the House committee on appropriations on Tuesday in less than 40 minutes. Tensions flared, however, when members of the Makabayan bloc tried — but failed — to oppose the termination of the deliberations without scrutinizing the OP’s budget. “The highest form of courtesy in this country should be extended to the Filipino people, that the people have the right to know how the public funds are spent, and that should prevail at all times,” Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said in his manifestation. ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro first objected to Abra Rep. Ching Bernos’ motion to terminate the hearing but later withdrew, prompting Manuel to intervene to make their manifestation first before ending the budget deliberations. “I don’t believe that it’s proper for us to terminate the deliberations without the manifestations becoming part of the records of the House. We should give the members their right and the time to pursue their objections. We can’t rush it again, Madam Chair. Again, the budget that is being discussed here is the Office of the President,” Manuel said. Presiding chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, however, carried Bernos’ motion and terminated the hearing before allowing the members of the Makabayan bloc to raise their concerns in a two-minute manifestation. “At the point that the objection was withdrawn, then automatically the motion to terminate the budget briefing was carried,” Quimbo said. The three-member Makabayan bloc, namely, Manuel, Castro and Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, mainly argued why the OP approved the P1.25-million confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte notwithstanding that it was excluded under the General Appropriations Act in 2022. Excessive travel expenses They also questioned the “excessive” travel expenses of the OP worth P1.15 billion and its P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds. “Regarding the confidential and intelligence funds, for the record, there are many of our compatriots do not agree with this, given the record high confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. But if we compare the OP’s CIF, it is significantly larger (than the OVP),” Manuel stressed. Manuel said the confidential funds under the OP are P2.25 billion, while the intelligence funds are P2.31 billion. In total, he said, the CIF constitutes 43 percent of the OP’s proposed budget. Echoing Manuel, Castro, meanwhile, argued that instead of giving the OP a “courtesy” and “respect,” members of Congress must not allow secrecy and silence to prevail when the concerns of the Filipino people are too loud and echoing. “Why are there billions in secret funds when the urgent needs for aid, free education and medical services, affordable housing, and so on are piling up?” Castro said. The teacher solon also quizzed the OP if their P4.56 billion CIF would lower the price of rice, other food in the market, electricity, water, and basic commodities. According to Castro, the OP must not go with the CIF trend, which first ballooned during the Duterte administration, as it goes against the Constitution and deprives the Filipinos of transparency and full public disclosure. “This trend must not continue. This is against the policies of transparency and full public disclosure especially in matters related to public money, the government’s obligation to fight graft, corruption, plunder, and other hocus pocus on the public’s wealth, and other mandates of the Constitution,” she said. Black budget We believe that the refusal of the OP, as well as the OVP, to undergo public deliberations regarding their budget especially their confidential and intelligence funds is just one of the increasing reasons why instead of approving their ‘black budgets,’ they should even be abolished.” The post OP budget breezes through House appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP budget sails through House, Makabayan tries to oppose termination of deliberations
Owing to a "parliamentary courtesy," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s P10.70 billion proposed budget for his office for 2024 swept through the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday in less than 40 minutes. Tensions flared, however, when members of the Makabayan bloc tried--but failed—to oppose the termination of the deliberations without scrutinizing the OP's budget. "The highest form of courtesy in this country should be extended to the Filipino people, that the people have the right to know how the public funds are spent, and that should prevail at all times," Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said in his manifestation. ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro first objected to Abra Rep. Ching Bernos' motion to terminate the hearing but later withdrew, prompting Manuel to intervene to make their manifestation first before ending the budget deliberations. "I don't believe that it's proper for us to terminate the deliberations without the manifestations becoming part of the records of the House. We should give the members their right and the time to pursue their objections. We can't rush it again, Madam Chair. Again, the budget that is being discussed here is the Office of the President," Manuel said. Presiding chairperson Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, however, carried Bernos’ motion and terminated the hearing before allowing the members of the Makabayan bloc to raise their concerns in a two-minute manifestation. “At the point that the objection was withdrawn, then automatically the motion to terminate the budget briefing was carried,” Quimbo said. The three-member Makabayan bloc, namely, Manuel, Castro and Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, mainly argued why the OP approved the P1.25 million confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte notwithstanding that it was excluded under the General Appropriations Act in 2022. They also questioned the “excessive” travel expenses of the OP worth P1.15 billion and its P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds. “Regarding the confidential and intelligence funds, for the record, there are many of our compatriots who do not agree with this, given the record high confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. But if we compare the OP's CIF, it is significantly larger [than the OVP],” Manuel stressed. Manuel said the confidential funds under the OP are P2.25 billion, while the intelligence funds are P2.31 billion. In total, he said, the CIF constitutes 43 percent of the OP's proposed budget. Echoing Manuel, Castro, meanwhile, argued that instead of giving the OP “courtesy” and “respect,” members of Congress must not allow secrecy and silence to prevail when the concerns of the Filipino people are too loud and echoing. “Why are there billions in secret funds when the urgent needs for aid, free education and medical services, affordable housing, and so on are piling up? Castro said. The teacher solon also quizzed the OP if their P4.56 billion CIF would lower the price of rice, other food in the market, electricity, water, and basic commodities. According to Castro, the OP must not go with the CIF trend, which first ballooned during the Duterte administration, as it goes against the Constitution and deprives Filipinos of transparency and full public disclosure. “This trend must not continue. This is against the policies of transparency and full public disclosure especially in matters related to public money, the government's obligation to fight graft, corruption, plunder, and other hocus pocus on the public's wealth, and other mandates of the Constitution,” she said. “ "We believe that the refusal of the OP, as well as the OVP, to undergo public deliberations regarding their budget especially their confidential and intelligence funds is just one of the increasing reasons why instead of approving their ‘black budgets,’ they should even be abolished.” In a similar vein, Brosas voiced concern that Mr. Marcos may have a hand in the unprogrammed funds and even the special purpose funds, given that the P4.5 billion confidential and intelligence funds are only part of the more than P1 trillion funds that the President will control next year. "The numbers are overwhelming, but at the end of the day, the Filipino people are making ends meet while Marcos Jr. has more than P1 trillion under his control," Brosas said. Panel chairperson, Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, prior to the manifestation of the Makabayan bloc members, stressed the importance of the role of the OP, saying it “bears the immense duty of upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice, and preserving the unity and welfare of our nation.” “The presidency is not merely a symbolic figurehead or a ceremonial role; rather, it is the epicenter of governance, the fulcrum upon which the entire nation pivots. It is a position laden with responsibilities, obligations, and the immense weight of leadership,” Co said. The post OP budget sails through House, Makabayan tries to oppose termination of deliberations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NIA’s incomplete, substandard projects slammed
Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday lambasted the National Irrigation Administration over the alleged irregularities persisting in its several irrigation projects. In a public inquiry by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Tulfo raised alarm on the agency’s numerous irrigation projects that have been pending for more than five years describing it were “failed, uncompleted and substandard projects.” During the probe, Tulfo asked NIA acting chief Eduardo Guillen if there was any corruption within the agency. Guillen replied: “I think they said that all, even abroad, all organizations have certain corruption.” Tulfo got irked and told Guillen not to involve other organizations. “Don’t include other organizations here. I’m just talking about NIA Let’s accept it. You agree?,” Tulfo said. “Because the only time you can solve a corruption problem in the agency you are handling is to accept that there is corruption. Because, if you don’t accept that there is corruption, how can you solve that corruption problem? Denial is not the right answer to solve any problem,” he added. Guillen then said there were “lapses” within the NIA. Tulfo replied that “lapses” and “corruption” are not the same. He also told Guillen not to “sugarcoat” his answers before the senate panel. “If there’s corruption, we must solve this. So you admit that there’s corruption?” Tulfo has again asked Guillen. The NIA acting chief meanwhile replied “Yes, that’s is why we’re trying to fix the system.” Tulfo lamented that lapses are still “unacceptable.” “Don’t imply that there are no problems, just lapses. It’s unacceptable in my terms,” he said. The post NIA’s incomplete, substandard projects slammed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lebanon freezes former central bank chief’s bank accounts
Lebanon ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of its embattled former central bank governor on Monday, days after the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada slapped him with sanctions. Former governor Riad Salameh, 73, who left his post of 30 years at the end of last month without a successor, is widely viewed as a key culprit in the country's dramatic economic crash. The central bank's special investigation committee has ordered the lifting of banking secrecy as well as the freezing of accounts "that are directly or indirectly" linked to Salameh, it said in a statement. The same decision measures were applied to Salameh's son Nady, his brother Raja, his former assistant Marianne Hoayek and his former partner Anna Kosakova. On 10 August, the US Canada and Britain announced sanctions against Salameh, his brother Raja, and Hoayek, while Washington and London also included his former partner Kosakova in their lists. In addition, the US sanctioned his son Nady Salameh. Salameh is wanted in France and Germany, and Interpol has issued a Red Notice for his arrest, but Lebanon does not extradite its nationals. Lebanon's deeply divided political class has failed to agree on a permanent replacement for Salameh, creating another power vacuum in a country that also has no president and is ruled by a caretaker government. The central bank's first vice-governor, Wassim Manssouri, has temporarily picked up the reins. A preliminary forensic audit of Lebanon's central bank by professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has painted a damning picture of the institution under Salameh. The post Lebanon freezes former central bank chief’s bank accounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (15)
Daily Tribune reports during the term of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as a senator provided a window to his foreign policy now as the President. He had criticized the rejection of bilateral talks that China offered in July 2015 as having the effect of forcing the superpower to take a more hardline position in the West Philippine Sea dispute. China had proposed then that the two countries hold bilateral talks to resolve the maritime row. “China opened the door and we shut it. The Chinese said let’s talk and we snubbed them. It’s like the Philippine government itself was encouraging China to take and maintain an unbending stance on the issue,” Marcos had lamented. Marcos’ position was that the Philippines was not going to lose anything by accepting the Chinese invitation to a dialogue on the West Philippine Sea dispute. “So we talk, and tell them: We are not happy with what you are doing and we do not agree with what you are doing. But the next thing we say is: How do we fix this?” said Marcos, who was then vice chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations. Marcos had called on the government to engage China in bilateral talks after it aggressively built structures in areas the Philippines claimed as being within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Marcos pointed out that there were three ways to resolve the dispute: By war, adjudication, or multilateral/bilateral agreements. “We do not want war. Arbitration is not one that is going to be recognized by the Chinese. So it has to be negotiations,” Marcos said. Interestingly, the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating the nine-dash line claim of China came almost exactly a year after Marcos made the statement. Cod Wars recalled In pushing for negotiations, he cited the so-called “Cod Wars” or the dispute over rich fishing grounds between the United Kingdom and Spain in the early 1980s. At the height of the tension, warships even rammed fishing boats. “In the end, what did they do? They came to a bilateral agreement to share and now they are working on that basis,” Marcos said. “We should talk to China bilaterally because it is still the best option. Our Filipino businessmen can also help by reaching out to their Chinese counterparts and friends in China to try to come up with a solution that would persuade both governments to, at least, sit down and negotiate or, at most, resolve the problem outright,” he said. Marcos said that rejecting China’s offer to hold bilateral talks with the Philippines was limiting the government’s strategic options. “We should not be snobbish. I can’t see any reason at all why we are not talking to China. On the contrary, there are more than enough obvious reasons why we should talk to superpower China,” he said. With China’s own geo-political interests and its concern over the presence of the Americans in the area, bilateral talks between Manila and Beijing “is not going to be easy,” he acknowledged. “We’re strategically important to any great power in the Asia-Pacific, but we have to play that role even-handedly. We have to stop thinking in terms of kakampi ko ang Chinese, kakampi ko ang Kano. Ang kakampi mo lang Pilipino (I’m on the side of the Chinese, I’m on the side of the Americans. The only side you’re on is the Filipinos’),” Marcos said. “What is the national interest, what is good for the Philippines, that’s all that we have to be thinking about,” he added. “It’s important for the Philippines and China to talk, that’s the first step.” “Even if we don’t manage to arrive at an agreement immediately, if we are talking there’s a chance that we might be able to reason with China to stop doing what it’s doing and continue talking. If we manage to do that, there is hope for a peaceful resolution,” Marcos said. The senator said the Philippines will be on the losing end if caught in the crossfire in case of a confrontation between the US and China. “The end game of all our diplomatic efforts is to secure an agreement with China over the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea — that is what we should do,” Marcos said. (To be continued) The post Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (15) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
9-dash-line in ‘Barbie’ movie ‘injurious’ to Phl prestige — Sen. Tolentino
Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday warned that the depiction of China’s nine-dash line over the South China Sea in the upcoming fantasy comedy film “Barbie” is “injurious to the prestige” of the Philippines. In a television interview, Tolentino said that screening of the movie in the country would cause a “dilute” in Philippine sovereignty. A scene in the movie shows a map with the nine-dash line, a representation of the territorial claims of China in the South China Sea that overlaps with the exclusive economic zone claims of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. “Allowing the local screening of the motion picture… would not just be injurious to the Republic of the Philippines but would be contrary to what our country fought for and achieved under that Arbitral Ruling in 2016. What that effect would be? Something that would dilute our sovereignty,” said Tolentino, the vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tolentino earlier urged the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board to prevent the upcoming screening of the Barbie movie, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, in the Philippines. “The Vietnamese government already decided to totally ban the screening of Barbie following a review, in which, the depiction of the nine-dash line scene was first noticed,” he said. However, Tolentino said he would still be leaving it up to the MTRCB to decide on the banning of the film. “It’s up to [the] leadership of the MTRCB on whether to forbid the showing of Barbie, similar to what the said the agency did when it decided not to allow the local screening of the films ‘Abominable’ and ‘Unchartered’ in 2019 and 2022 respectively, due to their depiction of the nine-dash line,” he said. “The Arbitral Ruling clearly stated that the claim of China here has no legal basis,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla said he cannot make a personal call at this time on whether to allow the showing of “Barbie” in the Philippines without first watching it. “But this is clear: The decision of whether to allow the showing of this film due to its scene about China’s 9-dash line — which contradicts the arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines — ultimately depends on the messaging of the film,” he said in a separate statement. “If the scene or scenes will affect the arbitral ruling, but if the producers would agree to edit it or them out, then I have no problem having it shown,” he added. However, the actor-turned-senator said if an agreement cannot be reached to make sure the film does not become a geopolitical issue, then there is no choice but to disallow its showing here. Padilla believes the showing of the movie will depend on the context of the film, and the extent the producer is willing to address concerns on the arbitral ruling. In 2016, The Hague Tribunal invalidated Beijing’s ‘nine-dash line doctrine’ over the entire SCS region following an arbitration case filed by the Philippine government on 22 January 2013. The Tribunal ruled that China’s nine-dash line unilaterally encroached on territories of other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.### The post 9-dash-line in ‘Barbie’ movie ‘injurious’ to Phl prestige — Sen. Tolentino appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Escudero backs proposed air passenger rights
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero stressed it’s about time to pass a law that would institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights and urged for stiffer penalties on violators amid the rising customer complaints against poor airline services. "Similar measures had been filed in previous Congress but nothing happened. It is about time that we in the 19th Congress should look into this seriously and hopefully pass the necessary legislation," Escudero said. The current Congress, according to Escudero, should look into legislating the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, a proposal that was backed by the Civil Aeronautics Board during Wednesday's hearing conducted jointly by the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Public Services, chaired by Senators Nancy Binay and Grace Poe, respectively. During the hearing, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he is mulling a measure that would institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill Rights in order to protect the public from any abuse by airline companies. Dela Rosa also asked CAB about its position in pushing the institutionalization of the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal as she cited the violations and penalties provided in the 71-year-old Republic Act 776 or the "Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines" have not been revised and limits the fine to P5,000 for each violation. On the other hand, the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights was not legislated but contained in the Joint Administrative Order 1 of the then Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Trade and Industry in 2012. The Airline Passenger Bill of Rights specifically tries to resolve passengers’ complaints, including delayed or canceled flights without appropriate warning, lost luggage, and overbooking of flights. It also covers pre-flight issues, such as misleading fare advertisements. The post Escudero backs proposed air passenger rights appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU lawmakers to back world’s first AI rules
European Parliament lawmakers will vote Wednesday to kickstart talks to approve the world's first sweeping rules on artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, aiming to curb potential harms while nurturing innovation. Although the EU's plans date back to 2021, the draft rules took on greater urgency when ChatGPT exploded onto the scene last year, showing off AI's dizzying development and the possible risks. There is also growing clamour to regulate AI across the Atlantic, as pressure grows on Western governments to act fast in what some describe as a battle to protect humanity. While AI proponents hail the technology for how it will transform society, including work, healthcare and creative pursuits, others are terrified by its potential to undermine democracy. Once adopted by the EU parliament, officials say negotiations for a final law with the bloc's 27 member states will begin almost immediately, starting later Wednesday. The race is on to strike an agreement on final legislation by the end of the year. Even if that ambitious target is achieved, the law would not come into force until 2026 at the earliest, forcing the EU to push for a voluntary interim pact with tech companies. Brussels and the United States agreed last month to release a common code of conduct on AI to develop standards among democracies. Lawmakers have hailed the draft law as "historic" and pushed back against critics who say the EU's plans could harm rather than encourage innovation. "Is this the right time for Europe to regulate AI? My answer is resolutely yes -- it is the right time because of the profound impact AI has," MEP Dragos Tudorache said during Tuesday's parliamentary debate in Strasbourg. "What we can do here is to create trust, legal certainty, to enable AI to develop in a positive manner," European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said. - 'Common' approach - The law will regulate AI according to the level of risk: the higher the risk to individuals' rights or health, for example, the greater the systems' obligations. The EU's proposed high-risk list includes AI in critical infrastructure, education, human resources, public order and migration management. The parliament has added extra conditions before the high-risk classification would be met, including the potential to harm people's health, safety, rights or the environment. There are also special requirements for generative AI systems -- those such as ChatGPT and DALL-E capable of producing text, images, code, audio and other media -- that include informing users that a machine, not a human, produced the content. Another MEP spearheading the law in parliament, Brando Benifei, called for a "common approach" to tackle AI risks. "We need to compare notes with lawmakers all around the world," he said. Tudorache added that the law was needed "because hoping that companies will self-regulate is not enough to safeguard our citizens". - Risks versus rights - Throughout the parliament's scramble to reach an agreement that began last year, rights defenders have urged the EU to protect rights. Under the parliamentary committee text approved last month, lawmakers propose bans on AU systems that use biometric surveillance, emotion recognition and so-called predictive policing. But Mher Hakobyan of Amnesty International warned this was at risk because "parliament may upend considerable human rights protections" that were agreed on by parliamentary committees last month. There are still fears that, even if lawmakers agree on those bans, they may not make it into the final law after negotiations with EU member states. "There's a real risk that when the state representatives get involved, a lot of these protections could be removed or significantly watered down," Griff Ferris, senior legal and policy officer at the non-governmental group Fair Trials, told AFP. raz/rmb/imm © Agence France-Presse The post EU lawmakers to back world’s first AI rules appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zubiri: 22 measures ready for signing
As the first regular session of Congress ended Wednesday, a total of 22 proposed measures moved a signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. away from becoming laws. Of the 22 approved bills, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri boasted that eight were approved by the Senate. “The Senate produced a total of six measures enacted into law — four of national application and two local laws,” Zubiri said in a statement on Thursday. “Twenty-two bills are now also up for the President’s signature — seven of them national, 15 local. Two national bills are pending in the bicameral conference committee, and six more national bills have been approved on third reading,” he added. Zubiri said eight measures approved by the Senate are priority measures of the administration. Three of these measures had passed into law, namely, the SIM Registration Act, the Act Postponing the Barangay Elections and the AFP Fixed Term Law. Meanwhile, the Condonation of Unpaid Amortization and Interest on Loans of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Act, the Regional Specialty Centers Act, the Extension of the Estate Tax Amnesty Act, and the Maharlika Investment Fund Act are awaiting the signature of the President. The Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act was approved by the Senate on the third reading and needs only its House counterpart before it can move forward. The Maharlika Investment Fund bill was one of the last measures approved by the chamber after a 12-hour marathon session that ended at 2:32 in the morning of Wednesday. Zubiri stressed that the Senate in the first regular session of the 19th Congress had stood up to its mandate by making sure that the bills approved by the chamber were “quality” measures. “While this scoreboard shows the quantity of our output, it does not describe the quality of each of these measures,” he said. “True to our tradition, we do not agree to proposals without discussion, nor embrace ideas without debate. We improve before we approve. We do not trade scrutiny for speed,” he said. He credited the performance of the Senate to his colleagues. “All of the senators across the majority and the minority have toiled very hard, from the committee hearings to the rigorous debates and interpellations in plenary,” he said. “If the Senate has had an excellent performance thus far, it is all thanks to them,” he added. He also highlighted various local measures taken up by his fellow senators, which he said would “infuse much-needed funding into local governments and schools.” The post Zubiri: 22 measures ready for signing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
National Greed?
Those who watched last week’s hearing of the Senate Energy Committee will tend to agree with a suggestion that NGCP should be renamed National Greed Corp......»»
Frasco: DoT tweaking tourism pitch
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco yesterday said they will enhance the travel promotion slogan, “We give the world the best,” following criticism by Senator Nancy Binay and several others. “There is a sea of opinions about this. But I would like to remind our fellow Filipinos that the statement ‘We give the world our best’ is a statement of fact,” Frasco said. “Do you not agree?” Binay described the tourism pitch, which seemingly highlights the work of Filipino nurses, as having a “disconnected messaging.” Other critics said it gives the impression that the Philippines is offering its best workers to other countries even as it grapples with unfilled positions at home, including in hospitals. Introduced by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Creative Communications, which is headed by Secretary Paul Soriano, the new slogan was seen on buses in the United Kingdom. “Is it not true that our Filipino workers all over the world have shown nothing less than a devotion to duty, commitment to responsibility, and a willingness to go the extra mile to serve with love and compassion? We are Filipinos. We give the world our best,” she said. Previous Philippine tourism campaigns were anchored on the slogan: “It’s more fun in the Philippines!” Binay on Wednesday wondered if the ad intended to encourage tourists to visit the country or to lure foreign investments. “Or is it meant for hospitals abroad to hire our nurses? This is really vague,” said Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism. The post Frasco: DoT tweaking tourism pitch appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»