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DENR: Manila Bay SC mandamus ruling is most important in reclamation projects
Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga on Tuesday said the Supreme Court mandamus ruling on Manila Bay must be taken into account in all reclamation projects within the historic water body. Loyzaga also emphasized this during the recent Multistakeholder Experts Dialogue on Reclamation (July 17) organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In her opening remarks, Loyzaga said the legal and regulatory context of reclamation activities “must also be paramount in consideration” aside from the environmental aspects. “The most important and relevant (legal and regulatory context) to the dialogue is the Manila Bay Mandamus Ruling,” Loyzaga said. The environment chief referenced the 2008 high court decision directing 13 government agencies led by the DENR to clean up, rehabilitate and preserve Manila Bay; and restore and maintain its waters to a level fit for commercial propagation of shellfish and milkfish, as well as for swimming, skin diving and other forms of recreation. Apart from DENR, other agencies with specific roles to play in implementing the order are the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Health, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Management, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, and Philippine Ports Authority. The areas covered by the mandamus encompass local government units from Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan. Meanwhile, Loyzaga underscored the need to come up with cumulative impact assessments of all reclamation activities, “and not an evaluation of individual projects as they present themselves and stand singly and alone.” “Reclamation is an environmental issue that must be addressed from a lens that considers the intersectionality between ecological dynamics, socioeconomic and builds environments and the costs and benefits of these activities,” Loyzaga explained. “Reclamation decisions must consider interactions between land, air, and sea—and the multitude of environmental factors from physics and chemistry of water, biodiversity, and the demand for sources of food, power and water,” she added. At the same time, Loyzaga said the compounded risks due to hazards must also be factored into the cumulative impact assessments and resilience analytics. These hazards include liquefaction and tsunami from the movements in the Manila Trench; the West Valley Fault and other fault systems affecting the region; and the impacts of climate change such as rising sea surface temperatures, sea level rise, the projected increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones, extreme rainfall events, and exposure to storm surge and flooding. Loyzaga nonetheless said reclamation could serve a beneficial purpose, citing as successful examples much of the city of Rotterdam, new land for transportation infrastructure and urban expansion in Boston, and other reclamation projects across the globe. She also noted that areas of Intramuros, Luneta and the CCP Complex in the cities of Manila and Pasay are also reclaimed. “In each of these areas, however, the level of investment in terms of time, scientific knowledge, planning, evaluation and management was achieved through critical and extensive collaboration between the public and private sectors, and it was maintained through strong science-informed leadership and risk governance,” Loyzaga stressed. On the other hand, DENR Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones said reclamation drives economic activities and generates revenues for the government. "However, reclamation should not only be confined within the economic parameters, but also on the context of environmental protection and conservation, disaster risk and climate change mitigation that are science- and evidence-based," he added. The reclamation forum featured the sharing of global best practices on reclamation from technical experts from the United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and Singapore, and processes and issues on reclamation in the Philippines from academicians, government officials and private sector representatives. It is a means for the DENR to look deeper and accelerate the review of both policy and practice of environmentally critical issues, such as reclamation. The post DENR: Manila Bay SC mandamus ruling is most important in reclamation projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UNITED AND PRODUCTIVE House of Representatives
Given its record harvest of legislation, the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez concluded the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress on a high note. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez Speaker - 19th Congress, House of Representatives First Regular Session Legislative Accomplishments BILLS PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LEDAC Priority Bills: SIM Registration Act (RA 11934) Postponement of Barangay and SK Elections to October 2023 (RA 11935) Amending the Fixed Term of the AFP Chief of Staff and other High-Ranking Officials (RA 11939) Agrarian Reform Debts Condonation (RA 11953) Maharlika Investment Fund (RA 11954) Magna Carta of Seafarers E-Governance Act / E-Government Act Negros Island Region Virology Institute of the Philippines Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act National Disease Prevention Management Authority or Center for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Reserve Corps Philippine Passport Act Internet Transaction Act / E-Commerce Law Waste-to-Energy Bill Free Legal Assistance for Police and Soldiers Apprenticeship Act Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers Valuation Reform Eastern Visayas Development Authority Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery National Citizens Service Training Program Rightsizing the National Government National Land Use Act 30-Year National Infrastructure Program Department of Health Specialty Centers Act/Regional Specialty Hospitals Ease of Paying Taxes Local Government Unit Income Classification Amendment to Universal Health Care Act Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act Philippine Salt Industry Development Act Social Impact Bills: HB 5001 - No exam fees in private HEIs for underprivileged students who rank in the top 10 in high school HB 00005 - On-site, in-city, near city, and off-city resettlement program based on people's plan HB 0227 - Protection and welfare of caregivers HB 00988 - Increasing service incentive leave HB 00454 - Enhanced protection, security, and benefits for media workers HB 4477 - Greater responsibility and accountability from private employment agencies, amending Batas Kasambahay HB 04479 - Expanding prohibited acts of discrimination against women on account of sex, amending Labor Code HB 06416 - Strengthening mental health services of state universities and colleges HB 06483 - Abolition of "no permit, no exam" practice in college HB 06509 - Free legal assistance to uniformed personnel for the performance of duty HB 06492 - Freedom of Religion Act HB 00206 - Lowering the optional retirement age of government workers from 60 to 56 HB 06574 - Promotion and delivery of mental health services in basic education HB 06572 - Establishment of public schools of the future in technology HB 06680 - Free full insurance coverage to all qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries HB 01270 - Protection and promotion of the welfare of workers in the film, television, and radio entertainment industry HB 06716 - Mandating the establishment of fisherfolk resettlement areas HB 06718 - Protection and incentives for freelance workers HB 07354 - Evacuation centers in every city and municipality HB 04605 - Right of married women to retain their maiden surnames HB 06772 - Presidential power to suspend or adjust PhilHealth premium increases HB 07387 - Expanding the services for crop insurance HB 07535 - P1 million for centenarians HB 07561 - Mandatory insurance coverage and benefits for all line workers HB 07584 - Abolition of "no permit, no exam" in elementary and secondary classes HB 07909 - Extension of estate tax amnesty HB 07718 - Strengthening the law against illegal recruitment Quote (SFMGR): “As the House of Representatives amply demonstrated, we remain committed to implementing policies that will further stimulate economic activity, attract investments, and generate employment opportunities for our fellow Filipinos. We will not allow any distraction to derail our efforts at finding appropriate and timely solutions to the problems affecting the lives of our people.” House Leaders: Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" D. Puno Deputy Speakers: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Isidro T. Ungab Roberto V. Puno Camille A. Villar Kristine Singson-Meehan Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza Ralph G. Recto Vincent Franco "Duke" D. Frasco Majority Leader Manuel Jose "Mannix" M. Dalipe Minority Leader Marcelino C. Libanan Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" A. Marcos The post UNITED AND PRODUCTIVE House of Representatives appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘As long as we have AC’: Phoenix heat shows gap between US rich, poor
Melanie Floyd took her kids to the zoo in Phoenix in the morning, when temperatures in the heat wave roasting the city and much of the US southwest were still bearable. Standing before a turtle exhibit, she downplayed this extreme weather event in a world grappling with climate change. "As long as we have AC and as long as everyone is making smart choices," this stay-at-home mother aged 32 told AFP, "staying hydrated, going in the shade, staying cool, not overexerting themselves, I think it's tolerable." At her home it is, indeed, nice and cool. She keeps the air conditioning between 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 and 26 degrees Celsius) so she can look after her kids, aged two and six, comfortably as they play with coloring books and crafts. Outside, day after day for more than three weeks, the temperature in Phoenix is surpassing a hard-to-fathom 110F. The heatwave affecting much of the southwest and southern United States -- including the record temperatures in Phoenix -- is igniting debate on how fast global warming is moving. For Floyd, this particular weather event is no big deal. "You have to fluctuate as the weather fluctuates, so you have to be flexible with it," Floyd said. In this desert city many people that spoke to AFP expressed similar views about the rising frequency of brutally dangerous heat as global warming caused by human activity grinds on: One must learn to live with it. - Living without AC - For many of them life is a series of mad dashes from offices to restaurants to shops, all with air conditioning cranked up good and frosty. In the city center and well-to-do suburbs, people do not think twice about leaving their car running while they get out to do an errand, so as to keep it cool for when they come back. But in less wealthy areas, heat like this is another thing altogether. "If the temperatures go on like this, many people will not be able to cope," said Rosalia Licea, 37, who is raising five kids on her own. She lives in a mobile home park where most of the trailers are from the 1950s. Early in this heat wave her air conditioning broke down. For two days the temperature inside their mobile home hit 97F. The whole family had to take refuge in the room of the eldest child, which had a window AC unit. One of the smaller kids started having headaches. Licea, who hails from Mexico, works several low-paying jobs to make ends meet. She does not have the $2,000 it would cost to buy a new AC system. So she came up with a makeshift solution: spend $800 to fix the broken one. "I had no choice, what with my kids," she said. "It was the priority, more than buying groceries or paying my rent." Even with the new motor in the old AC unit, one of the air conduits is broken so the cold does not reach her living room. That is something else she will have to pay to have fixed. - AC going full blast - Licea tried but failed to qualify for aid offered by the city or some utility companies for people to upgrade their air conditioning units. A study in 2022 by Arizona State University found that while mobile homes make up five percent of all housing in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and its suburbs, they account for 30 percent of indoor heat-related deaths in the city. "It is easy to say 'we can adapt' when you have access to everything," Licea said. "It is different for us." A fire broke out some days ago at her mobile home park, where the residences are hooked up directly to electrical pylons through shoddy connections. One mobile home was destroyed. The fire is believed to have started because of an electrical overload, with washing machines, dryers, fridges and full-blast air conditioning all operating at once. After 19 years in Arizona, Licea lives in fear of an electrical short circuit. So she mainly prepares salads for meals and tries to avoid turning on the lights to keep her electricity consumption, and the temperature, as low as possible. "If I could move to a state that is not so hot I would do it," Licea said. rfo/dw/bfm © Agence France-Presse The post ‘As long as we have AC’: Phoenix heat shows gap between US rich, poor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese hackers breached US govt email accounts: Microsoft
Chinese-based hackers seeking intelligence information breached the email accounts of a number of US government agencies, computer giant Microsoft said. "The threat actor Microsoft links to this incident is an adversary based in China that Microsoft calls Storm-0558," the company said in a blog post late Tuesday. Microsoft said Storm-0558 gained access to email accounts at approximately 25 organizations including government agencies. Microsoft did not identify any of the targets but a US State Department spokesperson said the department had "detected anomalous activity" and had taken "immediate steps to secure our systems." "As a matter of cybersecurity policy, we do not discuss details of our response and the incident remains under investigation," the spokesperson said. According to The Washington Post, the breached email accounts were unclassified, and "Pentagon, intelligence community and military email accounts did not appear to be affected." In the blog post, Charlie Bell, a Microsoft executive vice president, said "We assess this adversary is focused on espionage, such as gaining access to email systems for intelligence collection. "This type of espionage-motivated adversary seeks to abuse credentials and gain access to data residing in sensitive systems," Bell said. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan addressed the hack in an appearance on Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America, and said it had been detected "fairly rapidly." "We were able to prevent further breaches," Sullivan said. "The matter is still being investigated, so I have to leave it there because we're gathering further information in consultation with Microsoft and we will continue to apprise the public as we learn more," Sullivan said. Microsoft said Storm-0558 "primarily targets government agencies in Western Europe and focuses on espionage, data theft, and credential access." The Redmond, Washington-based company said it had launched an investigation into "anomalous mail activity" on June 16. "Over the next few weeks, our investigation revealed that beginning on May 15, 2023, Storm-0558 gained access to email accounts affecting approximately 25 organizations including government agencies as well as related consumer accounts," it said. "They did this by using forged authentication tokens to access user email using an acquired Microsoft account consumer signing key," the company said. "Microsoft has completed mitigation of this attack for all customers." US Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the panel is "closely monitoring what appears to be a significant cybersecurity breach by Chinese intelligence." "It's clear that the PRC is steadily improving its cyber collection capabilities directed against the US and our allies," Warner said in a statement. The post Chinese hackers breached US govt email accounts: Microsoft appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP cuts 2-year BOP forecasts
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday lowered its forecasts for the country’s balance of payments for this year and 2024 due to weaker global growth prospects and the downside risks of the trade outlook. The BSP expects the BoP to be in deficit this year, with a shortfall of $1.2 billion, down from the $1.6 billion deficit that the BSP forecasted in March. “The overall BoP position is expected to post lower deficit levels in 2023 and 2024 than previously anticipated due to revisions made in the forecasts for both the current account and financial account,” the BSP said. In a briefing, BSP Director Sittie Hannisha Butocan of the Department of Economic Research explained that domestic and external risks affect the country’s BOP. She added that these risks come from inflation, less pent-up demand because of higher interest rates, and tighter fiscal space. China risks Butocan noted that China poses risks and opportunities for global trade, especially for regional trade that affects BOP. Even though China’s economy is reopening and getting back to normal after supply-side problems, especially with oil, it is growing more slowly than projected. The BSP said that weak external demand is likely to continue, which will “weigh on the trade and investment prospects in emerging market economies, including the Philippines. Even as the domestic economy continued to recover strongly from the pandemic, the spillover effects from the global economic slowdown can be a major drag.” The BOP shortfall is $3.3 billion as of the end of April this year. The BSP only gives information about the current account, which is a big part of the BOP, every three months. Monetary Policy Subsector officer-in-charge Paolo M. Alegre Jr., for his part, said the latest current account showed a deficit of $4.3 billion as of the first quarter of this year. He said that this was because of the growing trade-in goods deficit and lower net receipts in the main income account. The increase in net receipts in the trade-in services account helped to lessen the effect of these factors. The BSP now thinks that this year’s current account deficit will be $15.1 billion, which is less than its earlier prediction of $17.1 billion. Butocan said that the current account will be helped by a steady recovery in the BPO and tourist industries and by remittances that keep coming in. 2024 expectations Next year, the Central Bank expects the country’s BOP to have a $0.5 billion deficit, which is -0.1 percent of GDP. “For 2024, the overall BOP position is projected to post a slightly lower deficit relative to the previous forecast. This is hinged mainly on the foreseen normalization and return to pre-pandemic levels of global and domestic economic activity,” the BSP said. The central bank predicts a $15.4 billion current account deficit next year as the trade-in goods gap narrows. The BSP also predicted 6 percent export growth and 8 percent import growth for next year.The Central Bank also expects the services exports to rise by 16 percent and imports by 10 percent in 2024. Next year, BPO receipts may climb by 9 percent and travel receipts by 50 percent. Growth prospects “Growth prospects for BPO and travel sectors remain on a steady course. The latter is forecasted to exceed its pre-pandemic level by 2024 buoyed by much-improved international mobility and supported by government-led tourism promotion programs to regain market losses from the pandemic,” the BSP said. The central bank also expects 3 percent cash remittance growth in 2024 as Filipino workers fill in for the labor shortage resulting from pandemic-induced job losses and aging populations in host economies. Meanwhile, BSP reduced its financial account prediction to $14.4 billion from $15.7 billion next year. It also expects the Foreign Direct Investments net inflows to reach $11 billion and foreign portfolio investments net inflows at $3.5 billion. The central bank said its forecasts are limited due to persistent external concerns. The BSP assured that it would regularly monitor external sector developments and risks affecting its pricing and financial stability objectives. The post BSP cuts 2-year BOP forecasts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Southern Leyte rural bank shut down
TACLOBAN CITY — The Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has shut down the Rural Bank of San Juan (Southern Leyte) Inc., affecting over 1,000 depositors in the province. The MB issued Resolution 662.B on 25 May 2023, directing the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver to proceed with the takeover and liquidation of the bank. The PDIC said in a statement late Tuesday that they took over the bank on 29 May 2023. The single-unit rural bank in the town center San Juan, Southern Leyte has 1,007 deposit accounts with P37 million total deposit liabilities and P20.8 million insured. The PDIC said all valid deposits and claims would be paid up to the maximum deposit insurance coverage of P500,000 per depositor. “Individual account holders of valid deposits with balances of P100,000 and below, who have no outstanding obligations or have not acted as co-makers of obligations with Rural Bank of San Juan (Southern Leyte) Inc., are not required to file deposit insurance claims,” it said. The post Southern Leyte rural bank shut down appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PH media slam Chinese foreign ministry’s claims of manipulating WPS reports
Philippine media groups criticized the Chinese foreign ministry for suggesting that recent reports on Chinese harassment of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea involved video manipulation and sensationalism to portray the Philippines as a victim. The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) expressed offense.....»»
Pokwang tinawag na laos, rumesbak: Jusko! Saan galing mga animal na ‘to?
SINUPALPAL ng Kapuso TV host-comedienne na si Pokwang ang isang laiterang netizen na tumawag sa kanya ng “laos.” Miyerkules Santo, March 27, rumesbak ang komedyana sa isang hater na tumira sa kanya sa X (dating Twitter). Ni-repost ng isang supporter ni Pokwang sa kanyang social media account ang pangnenega ng basher na nagsabing “laos” na.....»»
In Papa’s footsteps
The late Lope Sarreal Sr. is the only Filipino who wasn’t a fighter inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York......»»
Creamline still team to beat
Creamline’s dramatic, come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed that it’s still the superpower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.....»»
Jollibee invests $28 million in beverage tech firm
Filipino-owned Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Foods Corp. is investing $28 million for a 10 percent stake in beverage technology company Botrista Inc. to support the growth of its coffee and tea business......»»
Councilor Javi’s FB account hacked
DAVAO City Second District Councilor Javi Campos confirmed that his account has been hacked by still unknown individuals......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
The significance of Holy Thursday
In the Christian world, there are three very popular scenes found in many Filipino homes......»»
Eala advances in W75 Croissy-Beaubourg tennis tilt
Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala has gone into the next round of the W75 Croissy-Beaubourg tournament in France after sweeping hometown bet Emeline Dartron, 6-3, 6-4, late Tuesday night (Manila time)......»»
Rest of PVL catching up to perenially dominant Cool Smashers?
Creamline’s dramatic come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed it remained the team-to-beat in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference......»»
K-pop group Unis releases debut mini-album, Superwoman MV
After surviving the reality show "Universe Ticket," the eight-member K-pop group Unis, with Filipino members Gehlee and Elisia and Filipino-Korean Jin Hyeonju, launched its mini-album......»»
Philippine scientists harassed by China helicopter
Another case of harassment at sea by the Chinese has been reported – this time near Pag-Asa Island last Saturday – involving a helicopter, which hovered dangerously close to a group of Filipino scientists doing research work on a sand bar called Sandy Cay, causing minor injuries......»»
Van Sickle, Petro Gazz pummel Capital1
Petro Gazz used hammer, Brooke Van Sickle and sword as it overpowered Capital1 Solar Energy, 25-11, 25-19, 25-14, Tuesday to revive its semifinal hopes in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.....»»
Angels rebound, Crossovers roll on
Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo carved out contrasting wins over Capital1 Solar Energy and Nxled, respectively, and stayed in the thick of the fight for the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena last night......»»