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Sign up for subsidy, Iloilo low-income power users urged
MORE Electric and Power Corp., Iloilo City’s exclusive electricity provider owned by the group of businessman Enrique K. Razon, Jr., is mobilizing an onsite registration drive to enlist more lifeline power customers in the subsidy program offered by the Department of Energy. A lifeline rate is a subsidized rate given to low-income users consuming electricity below 100 kilowatt-hours who cannot afford to pay their bills at full cost. MORE Power President and CEO Roel Castro, in a statement on Monday, said that the company wants to directly communicate with customers to ensure that those qualified can avail of the program. “In addition to accepting applications in our office, we also deploy personnel to barangays for on-site registration,” Castro said. As of 2 August, MORE Power has already received 1,519 lifeline applications from 42 barangays. The company is holding a five-day onsite application drive from 7 to 11 August across 10 different locations. Due to low application turnout, the full rollout of the subsidy application has been extended by the Department of Energy until September. “There are 4.2 million household beneficiaries of 4Ps, and the registration for lifeline subsidy remains very low. Only those who register will continue to receive a reduction in their electricity bills beginning August 2023,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier said. “If they do not avail of the program through Meralco, they will have to shell out more or less P250, an amount which could otherwise be spent for their other needs such as food,” Lotilla explained. The scale of rate reduction varies depending on the prevailing rates of the DUs. For instance, lifeline end-users in the Meralco franchise area with zero to 20 kilowatt-hours monthly consumption will be granted a 100-percent discount on the generation charges, except for the fixed metering charge of P5. Typically, they only pay P20 for their electric bills. Other marginalized end-user applicants who are not 4Ps beneficiaries but belong to a household of at least five members with a combined monthly income of P12,030 must submit to their DUs a certification by their local Social Welfare Development Office issued within six months before application. The monthly income threshold may change and vary for each DU franchise area as may be determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority. In another related development, MORE Power has implemented its third installment of Bill Deposit Refund to 28 eligible consumers amounting to P173,000 — in compliance with the provision of the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers. Consumers who have consistently paid their electric bill for 36 months are qualified for bill deposit refunds. MORE Power targets to complete a refund of P5 million to customers by the end of the year. The post Sign up for subsidy, Iloilo low-income power users urged appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy
For many of our fellow Filipinos who can barely afford their daily expenses, getting treated in a hospital is oftentimes a burdensome choice that they resort to only if it is a matter of life and death. Usually, our struggling kababayans choose to endure their illness for fear of falling deeper into debt due to huge hospital bills, medicines and other expenses. And by this time, an ordinary disease has already become a serious medical condition. Their plight is what inspired us to initiate the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 which provides one-stop shops where our indigent patients may more conveniently access medical assistance from the government. By bringing together programs of various government agencies under one roof, such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the centers streamline the process of availing medical assistance. I have been appealing to officials and workers in the health sector to prioritize the needs of the poor, especially in public health facilities since these patients have nowhere else to turn to but to seek the help of their government. I also appeal to all hospital staff to be patient and compassionate in guiding Filipinos, particularly the poor, so that they can properly have access to the services offered by our public hospitals and from the medical assistance programs available in any of our 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide. That is why as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and as the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, I make time to personally check on the operations of our Malasakit Centers across the country, in addition to attending the groundbreaking of Super Health Centers and leading our usual relief distributions for Filipinos in need. On 16 June, I conducted a monitoring visit to two Malasakit Centers in Leyte, where I was honored to be declared as an adopted son of the province through Resolution 2020-337 passed on 24 April 2020 and formally granted on 16 June by the provincial government. During the visit, I recognized the efforts of Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla, Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos “Boying” Cari and Vice Mayor Ernesto Butawan, Vice Governor Sandy Javier, Cong. Carl Cari, Cong. Karen Javier, Board Member Carlo Loreto, and other officials for their commitment to bringing government services closer to their constituents. I also visited the Malasakit Center at Baybay City Immaculate Conception Hospital where we assisted 30 out-patients, 140 in-patients, and 192 front liners, while the DSWD extended financial aid to qualified in-patients. We likewise inspected the Super Health Center and the new boardwalk in the city which I supported to help the community. I then checked on the operations of the Malasakit Center at Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City. We also assisted 283 patients and 211 front liners in the hospital, while 133 qualified inpatients received additional assistance from the DSWD. Following this, I led a relief operation for 1,065 struggling residents in the city and attended the ribbon-cutting of the newly constructed pentathlon facility with a dedicated fencing hall, among others — a project I supported as Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, together with the local government led by Cong. Richard Gomez and Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez. Earlier that week, I was in Davao del Norte to participate in the celebration of the first anniversary of an insurgency-free Davao del Norte led by Gov. Edwin Jubahib, held in Tagum City on 13 June. I also personally spearheaded a relief operation for 1,500 struggling residents in the city. Simultaneously, we provided more support to the community in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment which held an orientation for temporary employment to 721 individuals. Following this, I visited the town of Carmen with Mayor Leony Bahague to witness the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center and provide aid to 1,666 more indigents. On 15 June, I was in Quezon City with my team to witness the inauguration of two multipurpose buildings in Barangays Commonwealth and Payatas which I also supported for funding together with Councilor Mikey Belmonte. We likewise aided a thousand indigents in the city with Mayor Joy Belmonte. We then headed to Marikina City to assist 3,000 more struggling residents from Marikina City and the towns of San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal, together with Congresswoman Maan Teodoro and Mayor Marcy Teodoro; as well as the local officials from both towns in Rizal, such as Rodriguez Mayor Ronnie Evangelista and San Mateo Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr., among others. We also visited North Cotabato on 17 June, where we celebrated the 54th Araw ng Alamada led by Mayor Jesus Sacdalan and Cong. Joel Sacdalan and helped 840 farmers and 1,500 struggling residents in the town before going to Matalam to witness aspiring athletes in the Serbisyong Totoo Basketball Sports Clinic and to lead another distribution activity for 1,318 more residents from various sectors together with Gov. Lala Taliño-Mendoza. Across the country, my team aided indigent families and various sectors, including 136 in Samal, 33 in Balanga, and 82 in Limay, Bataan; 990 in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur; 150 in Damulog, Bukidnon; 350 in Iligan City; 100 in Tubod, Lanao del Norte; 550 in Malinao and Sto. Domingo, Albay; and two fire-hit households in Carcar City, Cebu. My team also attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Tiguma, Pagadian City. It is the fundamental right of every Filipino to receive proper medical care and social assistance from our government. I hope that with compassion for our struggling kababayans and the persistence to help uplift their lives, we can collectively ensure that the poor and most needy are not neglected as we continue our pursuit for progress and development. The post Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go proposes health bills aiming to improve access to medical care
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has championed a series of important health bills with the aim of improving the accessibility of government services for the Filipino people, particularly the poor and indigents. These proposed measures seek to bridge the gap between citizens and essential healthcare, as well as enhance mental health support across communities. The first bill, the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which recently passed the Senate’s third and final reading, is currently awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Go, an author and the principal sponsor of the bill, underscored the significance of establishing specialty centers in various regions. If enacted, these centers would provide specialized medical services to individuals who cannot afford or travel to Metro Manila for treatment at National Specialty Centers like the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center, or National Kidney and Transplant Institute. “With this, we can bring medical services closer to our fellow citizens who have serious illnesses but lack the means to come to Metro Manila for treatment at specialty hospitals,” said Go. The bill’s bicameral conference report includes provisions for establishing specialty centers within existing government-owned and controlled corporations or specialty hospitals, ensuring the availability of quality healthcare in different regions. Furthermore, the Regional Specialty Centers Act sets clear service standards that the Department of Health (DOH) will establish in hospitals serving subnational and regional catchment populations. By doing so, the bill aims to ensure that these specialty centers possess the necessary expertise and resources to effectively address patients’ specialized medical needs across the country. The measure also specifies the medical specialties that the DOH will prioritize in the establishment of these centers, further streamlining the provision of specialized care. In addition to the Regional Specialty Centers Act, Go has been a strong advocate for mental health support in the country. In this regard, Go has also filed Senate Bill No. 1786 which seeks to mandate public higher education institutions (HEIs) to establish Mental Health Offices on their respective campuses. Recognizing the importance of mental health, Go emphasizes the need to address mental health disorders, which are often overlooked and underestimated. “Addressing mental health disorders requires comprehensive efforts, including awareness, services, and mechanisms within our educational institutions. We must create a supportive environment that promotes mental health and wellness,” said Go. The post Bong Go proposes health bills aiming to improve access to medical care appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Got time for that
Truly a bank that knows it’s Tyme to Go the extra mile—GoTyme Bank recently gathered members of its Facebook community to personally field suggestions on what features they’d like to see on the GoTyme Bank app as wise and helpful additions to maximize their accounts. Marking the bank’s recent milestone of reaching 500,000 GoTyme accounts, the question was raised by Nathaniel Clarke himself, none other than the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GoTyme Bank. Nate, as he’s fondly called by the GoTyme Bank team, recently posted on the GoTyme Bank community—a growing Facebook group of more than 13,000 clients—candidly sharing his scheduled leadership meeting with the GoTyme Team and expressed his enthusiasm to hear everyone’s suggestions on features they’d like to be prioritized. The post was well-received in the group, with over 700 likes and 300 comments within 24 hours, and continues to be an active forum where participants get direct responses from Nate himself. It’s not typical for a financial service organization in the country to be so in touch with its clientele—so much so that it becomes willing to hear its customers’ needs even before thinking of launching them. “That’s exactly what the market is looking for,” Nate says. “As the guardians of our clients’ well-earned savings, banking institutions, and financial apps simply cannot afford to disappoint the people that entrust their money to them. And what better way for GoTyme Bank to ensure that we’re in step with what our customers need than to ask them their needs and how we can make the GoTyme app even better.” That said, Nate promises that the rollout of the GoTyme app’s Bills Payment feature and QR payment feature is something clients won’t have to wait long for. “Now more than ever, people scan QR codes for everything and pay their bills and purchases from just about anywhere,” Nate explains. “At this crucial time where people are searching for an efficient and trustworthy Bills Payment and QR payment app that will not fail them, GoTyme Bank is poised to launch these crucial features sooner rather than later.” The post Got time for that appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ELCAC Act will sustain momentum vs. insurgents: senator
MANILA - The country cannot afford to lose the gains and momentum achieved by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) during the Duterte administration.Senator Ronald dela Rosa thus filed the ELCAC Act, one of his priority bills in the 19th Congress, to furt.....»»
Beep card and Internet woes
On the Beep card fiasco I spoke out recently on the chaos caused by the mandatory use of the “Beep card” for consumers riding the public buses under the “no-card no-ride”policy. It was as if the riding consumers were being required to purchase a Beep card at “gunpoint” or forget about riding the bus. This chaotic scenario could have been avoided had the regulators done its work mindfully by first consulting with the stakeholders (“who”), drafting the new policy (“what”) and once agreed upon, by ensuring wide dissemination of the changes – the Implementing Guidelines. Where did “complete staff work” go? Or are the consumers just being given an example of doublespeak? What happened this week was consumers were confronted with the “no- card no-ride”signs on the buses and were required to pay for a ride plus the cost of the card, something they did not need to do before. For those who did pay the extra cost, they then had to find out that the policy was “suspended,” although no refunds were being offered.There was also the spectacle of the agency head announcing that the cards were free, contradicting the policy his agency had just announced and implemented. The card providers then said they were not about to waive their right to be paid. In another statement, a regulator functionary reasoned that it had nothing to do with the fine print on the contract for the cards since they were only responsible for “policy.” This violates the consumer’s right to be informed. The agency should have studied the sector most affected by the shift to cashless transaction – the consumer who must rely on public transportation because he has no alternative and the same consumer who must make every peso count and who cannot afford any extra expense. This consumer deserves earnest and timely information from government on why he has to pay an additional amount and how it will benefit him, and for the consumers who did pay the additional cost of the card, they should enjoy a swift refund. The lesson that we consumers learned in the Beep card fiasco is always to be aware and conscious of our consumer rights and to speak up when these rights are threatened or belittled. We should always be vigilant consumers about our rights lest we find these rights trodden again. On Internet speed Like every other consumers, I have problems with Internet speed. I pay my bills and fees on time , however, I believe I should only pay for the speed that I receive and I did not think I was getting what I paid for under my plan. Therefore, I conducted my own speed test and sought redress from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). I was able to get a refund and am paying now for the plan that is nearest to the speed I am getting. Consumers should exercise their right to seek redress for bad Internet speed. Consumers should be reimbursed for speed that is not delivered. In this time of the pandemic, profiteering should not be tolerated in any form. I call upon the NTC to take the lead by issuing implementing guidelines on refund for both prepaid and postpaid plans. Consumers should also ask for faster response on consumer complaints. The complaints of Messrs. Foronda and Platon posted in the Laban Konsyumer emails should be resolved faster. Hopefully, the reported 1,171 new cell tower permits should alleviate consumer woes in the near future. In the meantime however, if you are not getting value for the service you paid for, your option is to downgrade your plan to correspond to the speed you are getting and claim a refund of excess fees paid. You can submit your complaint online at www.ntc.gov.ph. Atty. Vic Dimagiba is President of Laban Konsyumer Inc. Email: labankonsyumer@gmail.com.....»»
88% of Pinoys oppose Cha-cha – Pulse Asia
Public opinion on Charter change, which last year was roughly divided among Filipinos, is now largely skewed toward those opposed to changing the country’s Constitution, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed......»»
2 Best Ways to Save Up for Something
Sometimes, you find yourself unable to afford something you desire. While resorting to debt might seem convenient, it’s far from ideal. Saving money is a superior alternative, albeit challenging. Often, the struggle lies in maintaining savings, as funds intended for one purpose end up diverted elsewhere. We’re all familiar with the difficulty of saving money. […].....»»
Solon bats for expansion of motorcycle taxis outside Metro Manila
A House lawmaker has voiced his support for expanding the government's allotment of motorcycle taxis outside Metro Manila as the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board is set to greenlight the participation of more players in its pilot study......»»
Stop motorcycle taxi expansion, Marcos urged
Various transport groups yesterday appealed to President Marcos to stop the expansion of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila amid the impending decision of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board o authorize several companies as players in the pilot study......»»
Sulaiman leaves with Pinoys in his heart
World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman left Manila yesterday to return home to Mexico with fond memories of his five-day visit where he experienced Filipino hospitality, warmth and friendship. He said there will always be a place in his heart for the Philippines......»»
Japan policy paper to focus on US, Philippines to counter China
Tokyo [Japan], March 23 (ANI): Japan released a draft of its annual foreign policy report stating that it will pay attention to the importance of boosting collaboration with the United States and the Philippines to counter China's assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region, Kyodo news reported on Thursday. The Diplomatic Bluebook for 2024 will also underscore that Tokyo "cannot afford to waste even a moment" to solve.....»»
Bills vs online piracy to be prioritized with public hearing
Two legislative measures granting additional capability to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in curbing online content piracy will be tackled during the recess of the Senate sessions......»»
Al-Shifa Hospital raid one of the single largest operations in the war: Israeli military sources
Israeli military sources have hailed the weeklong raid on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as one of the most successful operations in the ongoing conflict with.....»»
King Charles toddled in robe to see Kate Middleton inside the hospital they both recovered from surgeries
King Charles was recently spotted paying a visit to his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton at the London Clinic, where both of them were recovering from surgeries......»»
Japan policy paper to focus on US, Philippines to counter China
Tokyo [Japan], March 23 (ANI): Japan released a draft of its annual foreign policy report stating that it will pay attention to the importance of boosting collaboration with the United States and the Philippines to counter China's assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region, Kyodo news reported on Thursday. The Diplomatic Bluebook for 2024 will also underscore that Tokyo "cannot afford to waste even a moment" to solve.....»»
DFA: No Pinoys hurt in Russia terror attack
No Filipinos were hurt in the terror attack at the Crocus Hall in Moscow on March 22 that resulted in the deaths of about 115 people, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday......»»
Why Trump May Benefit from Truth Social Stock Market Merger
A recent study has shed light on the negative effects of excessive screen time on children’s development. Researchers have found that children who spend extended.....»»
‘One More Chance’ reincarnated as musical
Musical theater is booming. Pinoys are not lacking for shows to watch anymore......»»
Asian Study Reveals Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals Found in Personal Care Products from the Philippines
In a press briefing in time for the observance of World Consumer Rights Month, BAN Toxics, a chemical and waste management NGO, discloses the findings of recent laboratory testing indicating the presence of parabens, triclosan, and triclocarban, classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), in personal care products sold in the country. The result underscores potential health risks for.....»»