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Loan demand up this year on slower inflation
Economists see demand for loans increasing this year as inflation has eased further and prospects of stable interest rates strengthen. Inflation slowed further to 4.7 percent in July from 5.4 percent in June and the peak of 8.7 percent in January due to cheaper prices of food, housing, fuels, and utilities, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed Friday. However, prices in restaurants and accommodations increased to 10.1 percent from 9.8 percent in Metro Manila. Economists said the growth was likely brought by high demand for these services, which signals strong financial capacities among consumers. “Strong demand from consumers is probably preventing this from falling faster as they continue to spend heavily on these services after the pandemic,” Jun Neri, chief economist of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said Friday. In a text message to Daily Tribune, BDO Unibank Inc.’s official statement added that “loan demand may be driven more by consumer demand and potential infrastructure projects.” Prices of most goods and services or core inflation, which excludes volatile items like food and gas, fell to 6.7 percent from 7.4 percent. With the possible inflation downtrend, economists said consumers could have more money to spend and commercial banks could charge more manageable costs of borrowing based on the policy rate of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP. “The current path of inflation gives BSP the space to keep rates steady until the end of the year,” Neri said. BSP aims to pull inflation within the range of 2 percent and 4 percent this year by adjusting its policy rates. Its Monetary Board will announce its next move on 15 August after keeping the rate at 6.25 percent. While BSP often matches the move of the US Federal Reserve, which increased its rate by 0.25 basis point last month, local economists said imposing several hikes this year is unlikely despite possible higher inflation from costlier food prices caused by the recent typhoon and El Nino. Neri said these weather disturbances could reduce food supplies, especially rice and increase their prices through weaker agricultural production and fewer imports. “El Nino is a global phenomenon that could affect the food production of other countries. India recently announced a ban on the export of non-basmati white rice, while a Thai government agency has encouraged farmers to plant less rice to save on water,” he said. Dan Roces, chief economist of Security Bank Corp., believed a likely small increase in the BSP policy rate would be enforced this year as bank executives wait for its full disinflationary effect. “With this, loan rates and demand may still exhibit some growth as monetary policy operates with a lag. A pronounced slowdown in loans, if any, may occur in 2024 should monetary policy remain elevated for long.” Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., added that stable rates for this year are possible as long as there will be no major negative turns in the economy. “The markets recently priced in lower odds of another 0.25 Federal Reserve’s rate hike for the rest of 2023, thereby supporting a possible pause on Fed and local policy rates, as supported by inflation moving closer to the inflation target of the central banks for both countries.” The post Loan demand up this year on slower inflation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DFA summons Chinese envoy over latest sea confrontation
The DFA said in a statement that the agency summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy to protest “aggressive actions” by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia against a civilian boat supplying troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. .....»»
President Marcos signs laws renaming roads, bridge
President Marcos has signed several laws, including those renaming circumferential and bypass roads, a bridge and a national highway in different parts of the country......»»
DFA launches e-Apostille service; first in Asean region
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Consular Affairs (DFA – OCA) announced that it launched an e-Apostille service for civil registry documents. DFA said the system will allow the public to apply online for e-documents and e-Apostilles from the Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) without having to appear in both offices. Foreign Affairs.....»»
DPWH tallies 268 gov’t and school buildings partially destroyed in Hinatuan quake
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao Region reported that a total of 268 school and national government buildings were partially destroyed by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur on December 2. The estimated damage amounted to P108,497,894.84 for school buildings and P1,899,365.60 for national government buildings. The damages included cracks on walls and falling debris such as ceilings. According to Engr. Alexander Turingan of DPWH XI, there were no reported damages in Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur. Franz Irag, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) XI operations head, emphasized the importance of addressing damages to school buildings, which also serve as evacuation centers during calamities. Dean Ortiz, spokesperson of DPWH XI, highlighted the agency's focus on national roads and bridges, clarifying that they will respond to requests to inspect private and government buildings. Architect Kashagar Toghyani, officer-in-charge of the Office City Building Official (OCBO) of Davao City, urged private building owners to promptly engage professional engineers to assess structural integrity, especially for buildings housing more than 10 individuals. He emphasized the necessity of fire inspections and transparency with building occupants to ensure their safety. The recent earthquakes did not affect government buildings in the Davao Region, and DPWH is committed to conducting thorough assessments and ensuring the safety of buildings and their occupants in the aftermath of the quake......»»
Travel agencies group warns about cheap, illegal operators
The Davao Travel Agencies Association (DTAA) has issued a warning about unregistered and illegal travel and tour operators in their area. These operators have been found to be offering travel and tour services without proper licensing, leading to issues such as lack of refunds, scheduling problems, and other travel arrangement discrepancies. Pia Partoza Montano, a travel agency owner and Vice-President for the Travel and Tours Sector of DTAA, emphasized the prevalence of these unauthorized operators, particularly in inbound tourism, and the challenges in monitoring and regulating them due to their large numbers. Montano also highlighted the potential risks associated with using these unregistered agencies, as they may offer cheaper rates but could lead to problems in case of incidents. To address this issue, the Department of Tourism-Davao (DOT-Davao) has introduced a QR code system to help the public verify the legitimacy of travel agencies by accessing data on authorized and registered operators. The DOT-Davao encourages travelers to transact with accredited enterprises to ensure the quality and reliability of their travel arrangements. Currently, there are at least 109 registered travel and tour agencies in Davao City under DOT-Davao's accreditation. The DOT-Davao also provides information on the requirements for registration and renewal for travel agencies on their official website. This warning serves as a reminder for the public to be cautious and discerning when engaging with travel and tour operators to avoid falling victim to unauthorized and illegitimate services......»»
EDITORIAL - After the K-12 transition
Whichever agency is in charge of the senior high school program, the primordial concern must be the provision of quality education. The Department of Education, which is in charge of basic learning, must show that it can match or even do a better job with senior high school students than the Commission on Higher Education......»»
DMW has spent P414M on distressed OFWs
The Department of Migrant Workers said on Thursday that they have spent about P414 million of its P1.2 billion action fund this year to assist distressed Overseas Filipino Workers. According to DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac, the agency still has a balance of P780 million. “We still have a balance of around P780 million. We have a catchup plan that we are doing for the last two months of the year, most of these funds will be rolled over to the year 2024 anyway,” Cacdac said in a hearing of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs. Cacdac added that the action fund is for legal, medical, or humanitarian assistance. “That three-fold assistance model was assigned by no less than our dear secretary, Secretary Toots Ople because what is stated in the law is legal or other forms of assistance. But Secretary Toots pointed out the other forms of assistance are legal, medical, or humanitarian,” Cacdac added. Cacdac stated that the action fund has benefitted 5,325 Filipinos this year, including those affected by various challenges in Turkey and the Middle East. “This includes the earthquake in Turkey, those affected by the conflict in Sudan, the case of a large fire and building collapse in the UAE, Dubai, and Qatar, and recently, of course, what our OFWs are suffering from the conflict in Israel and Lebanon is also included here,” he added. The OIC added that Filipinos living in war-torn areas tend to get more out of the fund. He said that about 700 OFWs families in Israel have availed of helpline assistance. “At first, we provided P20,000 in financial assistance upon return, but Secretary Toots increased it to P30,000… There is a special case for those who were caught in a conflict or war situation like Sudan. But here in Israel, we handed P50,000,” he said. The post DMW has spent P414M on distressed OFWs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hamas’ direct order: Attack civilians
Hamas terrorists who raided southern Israel were given explicit orders to pillage, kill, and take hostages, including seizing the elderly, women, and children, an interrogation of captured gunmen revealed. A joint announcement by the Israel Securities Authority and the Israel Police said Hamas terrorists from the Nukhba Unit who took an active part in the massacre on 7 October were questioned. The terrorists made statements indicating the intent of the terror leaders and the marauders: • “Whoever kidnaps a hostage and brings them to Gaza gets a stipend of $10,000 and an apartment;” • “The instructions were to kidnap elderly women and children;” • “Cleanse the houses, and kidnap as many prisoners as possible;” • “Her dog came out, I shot him;” • “We took a 15-year-old girl, took a selfie with her;” • “Her body was lying on the floor, I shot her. The commander yelled at me, said I was wasting bullets on a corpse,” and • “We finished, then we burned 2 houses.” In the recordings of the interrogation, the main points that came up repeatedly were that the senior commanders of the military wing of Hamas, of company commander rank and above, stayed behind, protecting themselves in safe houses, while they sent their people to fight, die or be arrested in Israel. In the ISA investigations, terrorists provided detailed information on the morning of the raid and the massacre, including information used to attack targets in the Gaza Strip. In the joint statement, the security forces of Israel ensured the settling of all accounts with terrorists who participated in “the massacre on 7/10.” 120 OFWs going home Meanwhile, 120 Filipinos working in Israel have requested the government’s help to return to the Philippines. Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency is processing the repatriation requests. “When I say process, we are calling them twice or thrice to make sure that they really want to go home. Second, we are ensuring that they’ve finished their contracts and that they’re really scheduled to go home,” Cacdac said. “As for the others, we make sure that their separation from their employers was okay and that there was no job abandonment,” he added. Jing Villamente The post Hamas’ direct order: Attack civilians appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Electric cute
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian raised a valid point when he said last week that the use of purely electric vehicles, or EVs, in this country will never become widespread unless and until an extensive infrastructure for charging their batteries is put in place. Indeed, unlike hybrids — whose owners can always count on the vehicle’s ICE or internal combustion engine to get them back home should the battery go flat — battery-only cars will leave you stuck should your lithium-ion cell’s charge go kaput. This concern has given rise to a new addition to the lexicon: Range anxiety, the worry an EV owner feels when his car’s battery is about to be depleted during a trip. This is ironic, considering how the Philippines is presently being flooded with affordable EVs, and how, almost a decade ago, cities like Manila under then-Mayor Erap Estrada took the lead in adopting EVs for public transport by subsidizing the purchase of e-tricycles and e-jeepneys. Indeed, although the “green-ness” of EVs is still open to question (with critics saying that you still need power generated by fossil fuels to charge them), EV enthusiasts are quick to point out its many advantages over ICE vehicles: Zero emissions, lower maintenance costs, better road performance, among other things. Charging under present circumstances, however, is a bitch. An EV comes equipped upon purchase with a cable that allows you to plug the car into an ordinary wall socket, but this takes eight to nine hours for a full charge. A fast charger is available (although not always) that will charge the unit in an hour or so, but the cost is prohibitive and will negate whatever tax incentives the government is giving on EVs. The solution in other countries is to provide fast charging outlets all over their cities, and to require owners of private parking lots to provide dedicated EV parking with fast chargers. As things are, however, only SM malls have so far provided charging ports for EVs. As for public charging stations, well, not to denigrate our people, but how long will it take for some a-holes to tap into them for free electricity or to vandalize them? With an average range of 350 kilometers (and under ideal conditions at that), EVs can only be used around town. It will take a generation or two before we can build fast charging stations out of town in convenient places, let alone in urban centers, enough to encourage EV owners to use their cars daily and on provincial jaunts. And then, the durability and reliability of EVs over ICE vehicles are yet untested. While EVs have fewer parts to wear out and have lower maintenance costs, the car is run by sophisticated electronics and is practically a rolling computer that requires highly trained technicians to fix. We still don’t know how the microchips will hold up in the Philippines’ tropical weather and bumpy roads. Parts are also expensive; the cost of the battery alone is a third of the price of the car. Heaven help you if that should conk out. Whereas with older ICE vehicles and newer lower end ones, parts are cheap and aplenty, and your friendly neighborhood “taller” around the corner has someone who can repair your regular car in a day or two. Unless these problems and concerns are addressed, EVs will remain relegated to novelty: for rich kids flexing their supposed environmental consciousness; or for the smaller, cheaper EVs, a toy for zipping around the immediate environs of your home. In the final act, EVs will remain as second or third cars, to be used during coding days (since they are exempt), and for showing off to friends. In other words, pampa-cute. The post Electric cute appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
House monitoring spikes in agri prices
The House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture has vowed to keep a close eye on the prices of basic staples such as rice and onions to stop them from skyrocketing due to supply shortages. The panel’s chair, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, said Sunday the commitment was in response to the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Speaker Martin Romualdez to prevent unjustifiable price increases on agricultural products. The Philippines has experienced shortages of agricultural products since last year, including onions, which saw prices reaching as high as P700 per kilo. “To make food products affordable, we will observe and address food inflation,” Enverga said, adding that the committee will conduct public hearings, inquiries, and consultations with stakeholders. The panel spearheaded a months-long probe on the sudden scarcity of agricultural commodities blamed on hoarding and price manipulation by supply cartels. The congressional inquiry led to a drastic drop in onion prices, from P700 to P160 per kilo. It also paved the way for the filing of charges by the National Bureau of Investigation against three officials of the Department of Agriculture, namely, Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service officer-in-charge Junibert de Sagun, and Bureau of Plant Industry Director Gerald Panganiban. The three were allegedly involved in the agency’s P140 million procurement of onions last year from the Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative at P537 per kilo, which triggered the price increase last year. Bonena officials Israel Reguyal, Mary Ann dela Rosa, and Victor dela Rosa Jimenez were also charged. According to Enverga, the panel will continue conducting inquiries if necessary and “will not be intimidated by pressure from any source.” Pursuant to Mr. Marcos’ and the Speaker’s directives, the panel reopened its motu proprio (probe) in August in the wake of the reported inadequacy of the country’s rice supply and the impending rice crisis. Executive Order 39, which capped the price of regularly milled rice at P41 and well-milled rice at P45 per kilo, was imposed to immediately reduce the cost of the staple grain and consequently discourage hoarding, further decreasing its price. However, Mr. Marcos lifted the price cap a day before the imposition marked its first month. The post House monitoring spikes in agri prices appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BuCor opposes SC writ of kalayaan
The Bureau of Corrections on Thursday expressed its opposition for the passage of writ of kalayaan being proposed by the Supreme Court’s Committee on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in addressing jail congestions and sub-human prison conditions in the country. The proposed writ of kalayaan stated it will be a continuing order that those in charge of the custody of the persons deprived of liberty to comply with the court-sanctioned plan to rectify or improve the substandard or inadequate conditions of prison facilities within a reasonable time and if not met, an order will be issued for the release of the PDL, either through bail, recognizance or probation, following the order of precedence until the facility have been brought to a humane level. Based on the position paper signed by BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. submitted to the committee chaired by SC Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, it disclosed that the problems of congestion is now being addressed by the Bureau on the basis of the passage of two laws — the RA 10575, otherwise known as the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013 which provides for the modernization, professionalization and restructuring of the BuCor and RA 11928 which provides for the establishment of a separate facility for PDLs convicted of heinous crimes. The BuCor also said that in line with the Department of Justice plan, formulated a five-year Development and Modernization Plan 2023-2028 to build regional prison facilities to decongest and modernize the existing penal institution and accommodate the increasing number of PDLs committed to the agency. The Plans and Program of the BuCor to decongest the state penitentiary include the creation of the Regional Prison and Penal Farms in all the regions of the country except NCR. The post BuCor opposes SC writ of kalayaan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Only 5 unaccounted Filipinos in ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Department of Migrant Workers reported that the number of unaccounted Filipinos in the ongoing Insraeli-Palestinian went from 10 to five. DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac said in an interview that the effort of the agency continues to ensure the welfare of the Filipino community in Israel. “The search continues— day to day— since Saturday. We count down those numbers. It used to be around 15 or 16 in the beginning (unaccounted Filipinos), and now it’s down to five. The effort continues, and it’s possible that they are in safe rooms or in houses where possibly they have transferred or decided to move to places where their fellow Filipinos might be or where they feel they would be safer,” speculated Cacdac. Cacdac stated that around 281 Filipinos are safe, while four have sought assistance. “We put up a Google survey, [for] those in the affected areas most especially, and 281 have said that they are safe. When I say 'affected' area, I mean to say the southern part that is near the Gaza strip border. Four have sought for assistance from the survey respondents...so we are currently assisting them on the ground as we speak,” he said. He added that communication is one of the challenges facing the Filipino community in Israel. “Of course, communication poses a challenge," Cacdac said. "Many have either shut down their cellphones or find it difficult to contact their family back home so we're hoping that we’ll eventually locate them.” Despite the challenge, the DMW is in coordination with the Filipino community leaders to ensure the safety of the Filipinos. “We have a network with Filipino community leaders who are known to most Filipino Community members, and we are confident that they can be found whether they are documented or undocumented. Safer ground essentially means finding the right Filipino homes and communities, and indeed when we find some of those who were unaccounted for last Saturday, we find out how they are because they send pictures— group pictures of Filipinos with whom they are associated, or stayed with. So, we are, of course, glad to see that the Filipino community also helps those who are unaccounted for, so we eventually locate them.” The post Only 5 unaccounted Filipinos in ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NIA: Over 200K farmland hectares nationwide vulnerable to El Niño
The National Irrigation Administration on Saturday said it has prepositioned seedlings to over 200,000 farmland hectares in preparation for the possible drought impact of the El Niño phenomenon in the country next year. Josephine Salazar, officer-in-charge of NIA-Engineering and Operations, said the move is part of the agency’s immediate measures to help farm industries cope with the negative impact of the dry season. Salazar said the NIA has positioned these seedlings within the identified farmlands “that have high-value crops.” “So we are promoting po na iyong tail-end portion of the irrigation system of… iyong magkakaroon tayo ng problema on these identified areas na high-value crops ang itanim,” she said. The NIA, she added has already coordinated with the Department of Agriculture for the preparation and positioning of seeds for high-value crops “For the overall direction of NIA this 2024, we are also preparing for the El Niño as well. Under our proposed budget for 2024, we already have immediate measures for that,” she said. NIA said some 257,600 hectares nationwide were identified as vulnerable areas to the El Niño phenomenon. Of the figure, 27,000 hectares were identified in Soccsksargen; 13,000 hectares in Zamboanga Peninsula; 14,000 hectares in Central Visayas; 15,000 hectares in Western Visayas; 17,000 hectares in Mimaropa; 85,000 hectares in Central Luzon; and 24,000 hectares in Ilocos Region. The post NIA: Over 200K farmland hectares nationwide vulnerable to El Niño appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoE eyes OSW, taps USAID
Due to the lack of financial allocation, the Department of Energy or DoE is turning to the United States Agency for International Development or USAID to bankroll the inclusion of offshore wind or OSW and floating solar energy, among other new technologies, into the country’s competitive renewable energy zones or CREZ. In a recent interview with reporters, Assistant Secretary Mylene C. Capongcol said these new power technologies should be included in the CREZ so that its integration into the grid will be efficient. “The first stage of CREZ, that finished does not include offshore wind and floating solar and other bodies of water. So the second stage, hopefully, will be supported by a USAID grant because we don’t have the budget here,” Capongcol said. “We will talk officially with USAID but we have sent our official request so we will just have a meeting about what is the scope of work and the timeline,” she added. OSW potential high Based on the Philippines OSW Roadmap launched in 2022, the country has about 178 gigawatts or GW of OSW potential. To date, the DoE has awarded a total of 79 OSW Contracts with a total potential capacity of 61.931 GW, spread mainly North of Luzon, West of Metro Manila, North and South of Mindoro, Panay and Guimaras Strait. Meanwhile, in terms of floating solar energy ventures, one of the latest developments was the Laguna Lake Development Authority’s move to offer 2,000 hectares of the Laguna de Bay for floating solar projects. Of these, 800 hectares were taken by ACEN Corp. Half, or 1,000 hectares were leased by renewable energy firm SunAsia Energy, which aims to develop a 1300-MW facility for $1.2 billion. The remaining 200 hectares, on the other hand, were allocated to Singapore-based firm Vena Energy. Capongcol reiterated that the CREZ project will significantly complement the government’s drive to augment the country’s supply of clean energy. By proactively focusing transmission expansion to these resource areas, clean energy generation development obstacles such as transmission access, energy curtailment, land permitting, and regulatory barriers will be resolved. Thus, reducing the risk for private players who will invest in the sector. Relatedly, the DoE official bared that the 2023-2050 Philippine Energy Plan or PEP will also highlight the adoption of modern technologies, smart grid systems, and demand-side management to bring down overall energy consumption and cut down greenhouse gas emissions. The government set the target of a 35 percent share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix by 2035 and increased it further to 50 percent by 2040. However, it is still notable that despite an aggressive stance on clean energy utilization, the Philippines continues to heavily rely on coal. Coal, which is cheaper than other forms of power but more detrimental to the environment, is still the highest contributor to the power generation mix at nearly 60 percent. Renewable energy only takes a little over 20 percent of the mix. The post DoE eyes OSW, taps USAID appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P23.6-B narcotics seized in PBBM term
Authorities have seized P23.62 billion worth of narcotics across the country since the start of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Monday. The latest PDEA data also showed 61,269 were arrested, including 4,174 high-value targets, during 44,338 anti-illegal drugs operations from 1 July 2022 to September 30 this year. It said a total of P23.62 billion worth of illegal drugs which includes over 3,000 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as shabu, 25.78 kilograms of cocaine, 43,940 pieces of ecstasy, and 2,739.93 kilograms of marijuana were apprehended. Authorities likewise dismantled 683 drug dens and one clandestine shabu laboratory during the same period. At least 27,748 out of 42,046 barangays (villages) have been declared drug-cleared as of September 30 while 7,785 are still drug-affected. The barangays with drug-cleared status were issued certifications by members of the oversight committee on the barangay drug-clearing program. In a related development, Quezon City Police District Director Brg. Gen. Redrico Maranan on Monday said that 817 drug suspects and confiscated P41,124,151.60 worth of illegal drugs in a series of buy-bust operations conducted for the third quarter of this year in the city Maranan also said that a total of 458 anti-drug operations were conducted by the different police stations and units of QCPD which resulted in the confiscation of 5,699.72 grams of shabu, 18,442.13 grams of marijuana, and 158 grams of Kush or high-grade marijuana. On top of these were the operations conducted by the Novaliches Police Station 4 under Lt. Col. Jerry Castillo that led to the arrest of 74 drug personalities and the confiscation of P9,363,399.60 worth of illegal drugs followed by the District Drug Enforcement Unit under officer-in-charge Maj. Wennie Ann Cale who apprehended 29 drug peddlers and confiscated PHP8,851,200.00 worth of shabu and marijuana. Likewise, the Kamuning PS 10 under Lt. Col. Robert Amoranto confiscated P4,017,304.00 and arrested 78 drug suspects while the Talipapa PS 3 under Lt. Col. Morgan Aguilar nabbed 53 drug suspects and seized P3,962,680 worth of illegal drugs. Meanwhile, 55 drug peddlers were also arrested and P3,628,304 worth of illegal drugs and confiscated by the operatives of the Batasan PS 6 under Lt. Col. Paterno Domondon Jr. The post P23.6-B narcotics seized in PBBM term appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LAWMAKER ON WHEELS — Ejercito’s love for Phl sports is one of a kind
Senator JV Ejercito’s love for cycling is hard to miss. From interviews to his social media posts, the 53-year-old lawmaker would always find a way to display his love for cycling — and sports in general. That’s why in a recent interview with Daily Tribune, Ejercito took the opportunity to preach the benefits of cycling and how he wants to spearhead the staging of more local and international tournaments that would encourage a lot of enthusiasts to take the sport seriously. “We need to have more competitions like Ronda Pilipinas. I hope somebody picks up the cudgels for it to continue because competition improves the quality of our athletes,” said Ejercito, referring to the annual professional road cycling competition that covers major cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The prestigious bikefest started in 2011 and has drawn the interest of the best local and international riders. It, however, got canceled this year as it prepares to transition from being an annual to a biennial event. “We need competitions,” Ejercito stressed. But batting for the staging of a professional cycling competition is just a mere fraction of Ejercito’s love for the sport. In fact, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Ejercito took the cudgels for the cyclists when he slammed the Inter-Agency Task Force for raising the proposal of requiring cyclists to wear face shields on the road. Ejercito stressed that this proposal will put the cyclists’ lives at risk as they might suffer hypoxia or lack of oxygen. Having first-hand experience on the challenges of the sport, Ejercito asserted that the proposal might create more harm than good. “I am not in favor of requiring face shields to those who are biking and exercising. This might cause hypoxia or lack of oxygen. While breathing hard, intake of oxygen is already minimized with masks so what more if they will require them to wear face shields? This can be fatal,” Ejercito said. “Cyclists usually are away from each other. Face shields should be required in enclosed and crowded places. There is already a mask that is required anyway.” “Wearing a face shield while cycling is dangerous. The mask is enough.” But that’s not all. Ejercito also fought hard for the rights of cyclists through Senate Bill 393 that pushes for more bicycle lanes in major thoroughfares. He believes that by putting up bicycle lanes, the government would encourage the public to bike to their respective schools or offices instead of riding cars, buses or trains. The public would also get to save a lot on their transportation expenses while helping the government solve the worsening traffic situation. “This legislation is one way to help unburden commuters who are choosing to ride their bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles in order to escape the worsening traffic situation and save money on fares and fuel, especially now that prices of petroleum products have skyrocketed,” the bill’s explanatory note said. Ejercito said the government will also benefit from this proposal. “Though we admire such resilience and innovation, the government should also look into improving road conditions for alternative means of transportation,” Ejercito, the son of former President Joseph Estrada, said. “Until such a time that the government has finished its goal to provide mass transportation that is people-centered and accommodating to every walk of life, there will always be room for alternative forms of travel.” Ejercito admitted that he even considered riding his bicycle to work. “Even I couldn’t bear it each time I load up on gas. I shell out P5,000 every time. It’s hard on my pockets. Hopefully, I can save by biking to work,” Ejercito said. As of May 2023, about 546 kilometers of bike lanes were already established in Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, according to the Department of Transportation. Aside from cycling, Ejercito also plays golf and boxing. He is also an avid fan of basketball. In fact, he was at the sidelines when Gilas Pilipinas battled China in the FIBA Basketball World Cup together with other senators in Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Joel Villanueva and Juan Miguel Zubiri. Ejercito said if there will be a chance, he will gladly lend a helping hand to Philippine sports. After all, he is no stranger to grassroots sports after serving as chairman of the committee on youth and sports when he was still representing San Juan City in the House of Representatives. With him in charge, he was able to help the Philippine Sports Commission with its funding that led to the rise of promising athletes like Hidilyn Diaz, who went on to become the country’s first Olympic gold medalist. “There’s no specific NSA (national sports association) but if there is an opportunity, I will help. I box, I cycle and I even played basketball before,” the mild-mannered Ejercito said. Truly, sports, especially cycling, occupies a very special place in Ejercito’s heart. And he will keep on helping Filipino athletes — one pedal at a time. The post LAWMAKER ON WHEELS — Ejercito’s love for Phl sports is one of a kind appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that, of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the Secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the Secretary or say anything that would be against his policies,” she added. Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent similar cases in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said the agency has yet to restore its online system. “All transactions are offline, and we've resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro, defines “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing a system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire, and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa, presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed her confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I don't think that the DoH body institution system comprised of career people who -- it may be a headless agency this is insofar other secretaries concerned -- but all the systems are covered by the Usecs. and Asecs,” she added. She continued: “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the secretary or say anything that would be against his policies.” Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent encountering a similar case in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said that the agency has yet to return its online system. “All systems now are all transactions are offline and we resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. He continued: “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro defined “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Despite House vow, VP Sara’s confidential funds still ‘intact’
The confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education totaling P650 million have yet to be transferred to security and intel agencies. Lawmaker Johnny Pimentel of Surigao on Thursday disclosed in an interview that the multi-million CF initially allocated to the OVP and DepEd remains within the purview of Vice President Sara Duterte, who governs the two agencies. Duterte sought P2.395 billion for OVP and P758.6 billion for DepEd in the proposed 2024 budget, including P500 million and P150 million in confidential funds, respectively. "At the moment [the OVP's and DepEd's CF is] not yet [transferred] because of time constraints. The budget was passed last night. The confidential funds allocated in each agency [are] still intact," he said. "However, there will be a small committee of four that will tackle the proposed amendment. It could be done there, or it could be done during the bicameral conference," he said. Pimentel was one of the party leaders in the House who decided to realign Duterte's P650 million to agencies involved in security and intelligence, such as the Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources amid China's persistent assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea. The most recent was the installment of a floating barrier in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough shoal off the coast of Zambales by the Chinese Coast Guard. The Senate leadership, according to Pimentel, concurs with the House's proposal and has expressed willingness to reallocate such funds to other agencies that most need them. "If you recall, Senate President Migz Zubiri also issued a statement that they will follow suit or follow the direction of the proposal of the lower house to reallocate the confidential intelligence funds," Pimentel said. "So, this will be up for discussions during the bicameral conference meeting or probably during the deliberations in the Senate," he added. The House leadership said it will reallocate Duterte's P650 million confidential funds following a consensus by the chamber's party leaders to augment funds for security and intel agencies to better safeguard Philippine territorial waters and guarantee Filipino fishermen rights and access to their traditional fishing grounds. House committee on appropriations chairperson Elizaldy Co confirmed on Wednesday that the lower chamber agreed to eliminate the confidential and intelligence of several agencies and that the OVP and DepEd were the first to be identified to received the budget cuts. "The country's safety and security are of paramount importance. To protect our territorial integrity from external threats, Congress is giving top priority to agencies directly in charge [of] protecting the country's safety and securing its borders," he stressed. "As discussed, we will realign the confidential funds of various civilian agencies. Now is the time to give our intelligence community the means to perform their duties, especially in these pressing times when we’re facing serious concerns in the West Philippine Sea," Co explained. Marathon deliberations in the proposed P5.768 trillion budget for 2024 have led to intense debates in the House, particularly on the grant of multi-million confidential funds to numerous civilian agencies, including the OVP and DepEd, that have nothing to do with surveillance. Last week's deliberations revealed that Duterte's office spent P125 million in confidential funds in 2022 in merely 11 days— not 19 days-- as initially claimed by some opposition lawmakers. The P125 million CF was part of the P221.42 million contingent fund of the OP transferred to the OVP in 2022, with the opposition claiming it was unconstitutional since there was no line item in the OVP's 2022 budget on confidential funds in the 2022 General Appropriations Act. The post Despite House vow, VP Sara’s confidential funds still ‘intact’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»