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Second graft case filed vs Magalong
Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is facing another graft case before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the allegedly anomalous improvement and rehabilitation of a P50-million multipurpose building in Barangay Irisan......»»
Court of Appeals junks ex- VP Binay’s libel case vs Trillanes
The Court of Appeals has affirmed with finality its decision junking the libel case filed by former vice president Jejomar Binay against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his implication that Binay was involved in an alleged P100 million-a-year racket on “ghost” senior citizens......»»
Makati petitions status quo ante vs Taguig
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay yesterday filed an “Urgent Motion for Clarification with Prayer for the Issuance of a Status Quo Ante Order” before Branch 153 of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court in a case entitled “Municipality of Taguig (Now City of Taguig) v. Municipality of Makati (Now City of Makati) et al.,” Civil Case No. 63896. The lady mayor, in an ambush interview, said there should be a smooth transiton because they don’t want disruption of delivery of basic services to the residents. In the Urgent Motion, Makati City asked RTC-Taguig to issue a status quo order against Taguig City citing its attempts to unilaterally and arbitrarily implement the Supreme Court’s decision without any writ of execution from the trial court and even prior to the metes and bounds of parcels 3 and 4 of Psu-2031 being determined. Binay filed the Urgent Motion accompanied by City Administrator Claro Certeza and City Legal Officer Michael Camiña. The status quo order, which is similar to a cease-and desist order, is an order to maintain the last actual, peaceable, uncontested state of things which preceded the controversy. It was noted in the Urgent Motion that the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that a “status quo order is warranted in order to promote common good as well as protect the public interest.” Binay said the court is the best avenue to address the matter as far as they are concerned because Taguig City doesn’t want to sign the writ of execution and the memorandum of agreement Makati City is proposing to have a smooth transition. “Even the issue of ownership they don’t want to tackle and it seems they have a different interpretation of the SC ruling and we also have a different view and the best solution is for the court to determine this matter,” Binay said. According to Mayor Binay, “Makati only wants an orderly administration of the Supreme Court decision with the least disruption to the residents and the uninterrupted delivery of basic services in the affected areas.” EMBO residents At the moment, Makati City continue to provide the needed services to the affected enlisted men’s barrio residents because they don’t want interruption and they are the ones giving the funding not Taguig City. “The problem with them they are choosing what they want to take over what about disaster, garbage collection, school, health services, electricity? There are so many things that should be settled first and as long as there is no writ of execution we will continue to provide services to the residents,” Binay said. Makati City cited a number of “alarming and highly confusing incidents” caused by Taguig’s attempt to forcibly execute the SC Decision without a valid writ of execution. These include attempts to enter the premises of a housing project owned by Makati City, as well as to forcibly take possession of several school buildings and health centers in the affected barangays. “Taguig cannot simply take the law into its own hands and act as it pleases without any writ of execution issued by the court. Because of Taguig’s arbitrary, whimsical, and capricious attempts to unilaterally implement the SC Decision in a piece-meal manner, the people’s welfare has been unduly prejudiced by Taguig City and has created unwarranted tension and confusion among the residents and various government agencies,” Mayor Binay said. Makati City noted that the Supreme Court did not expressly order any part of the SC Decision to be immediately executory, nor did it expressly mention in the dispositive part the exact metes and bounds of Parcels 3 and 4 of PSU-2031. Makati City, therefore, asked the trial court to clarify and confirm the necessity of Taguig City first obtaining a writ of execution as well as the court determining the exact metes and bounds of Parcels 3 and 4 of PSU-2031 before the SC Decision can be implemented. The Urgent Motion will also allow Makati to assert its rights as owner of properties located in the disputed areas. As stated by Mayor Binay, “[t]he present case involves a territorial dispute. It does not involve ownership of properties located within the disputed territory.” The post Makati petitions status quo ante vs Taguig appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers
Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking should focus more on maximizing modern technology and profiling improvement to fight human trafficking in the country instead of burdening Filipino travelers with strict document requirements. Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, said that the revised departure guidelines set by the IACAT are very restrictive to Filipino travelers “yet inconclusive in stopping human trafficking. Hence, the senator said the IACAT and other related agencies should also be mindful of improving their profiling of travelers as she finds the policy of providing additional travel documents "coercive, restrictive and redundant." Binay said the presence of technology is there to make it convenient for passengers and make them feel secure. Technology also plays a huge role in curbing human trafficking, she added. "Kung kaduda-duda talaga ang background ng byahero at kasamang biktima (If a traveler's background is indeed suspicious including the victim)—that's the time immigration people should do their jobs of cross-checking the info they have in their database and compare it to the claims of the person in question,” Binay further stressed. She then appealed: ”Let's maximize the use of information technology to correctly profile travelers.” Binay lamented that immigration officials should use a combination of methods and criteria to determine travelers who may pose a security risk. “We all know that visa applications are all scrutinized for accuracy and consistency. Kapag medyo kaduda-duda ang impormasyong nakalagay, expect an outright rejection of your application. Ang dapat sigurong higpitan yung mga babyahe papunta sa countries na walang visa at mataas ang human trafficking cases—in this case, cross referencing is necessary to check the background of a particular traveler,” she said. The Department of Justice and Bureau of Immigration, she said, must deploy officers who are well-trained to interpret data contextually and make informed decisions based on the info at hand. Of course, human judgment is prone to mistakes that's why oversight is essential. Kaya dapat trained professional ang nasa frontlines to treat every traveler with respect and sensitivity, at magkaroon tayo ng mechanisms to address false positives to protect an individual's rights," Binay further stressed. The IACAT recently announced the imposition of the revised guidelines for Filipinos leaving the country beginning on 3 September. Under the revised guidelines, outbound passengers should present the basic travel documents consisting of a passport with at least six months validity from the date of departure; an appropriate valid visa whenever required; a confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, if necessary; and a boarding pass. For tourists, immigration officials may also ask for proof of hotel booking/accommodation, financial capacity or source of income; passenger’s declared purpose of travel, proof of employment, and other similar documents. Immigration officials may also ask outbound travelers for a copy of their original Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificate or report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage, copies of documents of sponsor, valid work visa or permit, residency permit, or any equivalent document, overseas employment certificate, e-receipt, or OFW clearance for OFW sponsors. If traveling through a relative’s sponsorship, an original affidavit of support and guarantee duly notarized by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate/Honorary Consulate must be presented. The post Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati City scores anew
Six days after taking over the management and supervision of the 14 schools affected by the dragging boundary dispute between Makati and Taguig City, the Department of Education gave Makati City the go-signal to distribute school supplies to the affected students in 10 EMBO barangays the Supreme Court had ordered transferred to Taguig City. In a letter to Makati City Mayor Abby Binay dated 22 August, DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Michael Wesley Poa said Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte had approved the former’s request to distribute the school supplies, including the use of the school facilities. Binay earlier wrote to Vice President Duterte seeking permission to distribute school supplies in the 14 public schools to alleviate the financial burden on parents who would otherwise have to purchase new school supplies. “On behalf of the city government and all the intended beneficiaries in the 14 public schools, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte. We are thankful that she has the best interest of the students at heart in making a prudent and just decision,” Binay said, adding that the distribution would go on until 29 August when classes start. The 14 public schools are Fort Bonifacio Elementary School, Cembo Elementary School, South Cembo Elementary School, Pitogo Elementary School, East Rembo Elementary School, Rizal Elementary School, Comembo Elementary School, West Rembo Elementary School, Pembo Elementary School, Makati Science High School, Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino High School, Tibagan High School, Fort Bonifacio High School and Pitogo High School. Parents, school kids cheer Mayor Binay, accompanied by her husband, Makati 2nd District Rep. Luis Campos, distributed school supplies at Pembo Elementary School and Pitogo High School yesterday. School supplies will be given to all 45,000 students in the 14 public schools in 10 former barangays within Fort Bonifacio — Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal, Northside and Southside. Upon arriving at the Pembo Elementary School, Binay and her entourage were cheered by the parents and students who had been waiting for her since 10 a.m. Her arrival at 2 p.m. elicited applause and shouts of “Abby, Abby” from the crowd, many of whom were crying, including the children who rushed to hug the mayor. The parents were particularly ecstatic because they said the school supplies they received from Taguig were not comparable to what they received from Makati. Package contents Under the expanded Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education) of Makati, public school students from kindergarten to senior high school, including Special Education students in elementary and high school, receive school uniforms and supplies. Students in all levels each receive school uniforms, PE T-shirts and jogging pants. School bags, caps and anti-dengue kits are also given to kindergarten pupils. Elementary students each receive a pair of black leather shoes, three pairs of white socks, Randoseru bags (Grades 1 and 4), dengue kits, and school supplies consisting of 10 notebooks, five intermediate pads, and five ballpoint pens and pencils. Junior and senior high school students receive black shoes and socks, and the same school supplies package given to elementary students, with a Math graphing notebook added. Grades 11 and 12 students also get a jacket with hoodie. For SPED students in elementary and high school, the city provides a school supplies package, uniforms, leather shoes and three pairs of socks, and anti-dengue kits for elementary SPED. Schools to be rented out Asked what would happen to the 14 schools formerly under Makati City, Binay said they would be rented out to Taguig as the former held the titles to them. In a Facebook post, Binay said there was a “last-minute attempt” by the Taguig City government to halt the distribution even if Makati had written authorization to carry it out. Taguig City has also started distributing school packages to the students of the city, including those at the EMBO schools. Duterte issued DepEd Order No. 023 last week, titled “Assumption of authority of the Department of Education over the 14 public schools affected by the Supreme Court decision in G.R. No. 235316.” According to the order, DepEd is mandated to promote every Filipino’s right to accessible, equitable, and quality education which is consistent with its mandate to provide a safe and enabling environment for learners, teachers, and personnel. Duterte, in her order, said that relative to the SC’s final and executory decision in the case titled Municipality of Makati vs Municipality of Taguig (G.R. No. 235316), the Department of is cognizant of the increasing tension present in the 14 schools affected by the ruling, that caused uncertainty as to the peaceful and orderly reopening of schools on 29 August 2023. It further stated that in the pursuit of protecting the best interest and welfare of the learners, teachers, and non-teaching personnel, “the Office of the Secretary shall directly supervise the management and administration of all 14 schools, pending a transition plan, effective immediately.” Duterte created a transition committee composed of the regional director (assigned outside of the National Capital Region); DepEd Schools Division Superintendent of Taguig-Pateros; the DepEd Schools Superintendent of Makati City; City Legal Officer of Makati and City Legal Officer of Taguig. Binay has since stood her ground that all 14 public schools are titled to Makati City and therefore Taguig City has no jurisdiction over it, though Mayor Lani Cayetano refuted the claim saying it was included in the SC order that is final and executory. The post Makati City scores anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EMBO teachers worried over Makati-Taguig feud
While the cities of Makati and Taguig are engaged in a tug-of-war on who should exercise control and management of the 14 schools in the enlisted men’s barrio, teachers are wary about its effects on the learners. Raniel Enguancho Biala, a grade 10 teacher at the Benigno Aquino High School in Barangay Comembo, in an interview, said the opening of classes is just around the corner but the dispute between the two cities are affecting the preparation not only of the students but all the stakeholders including teaching personnel. He said there is an urgent need for the writ of execution to be released immediately because it will give them the guide. Biala is basing his observation in an interview with Mayor Abby Binay and he quote, “It is a written command authorizing the office of the said city to implement the decision that has become final and executory.” “So we are waiting for that order because it is a legal basis to the basic issue of who will manage the 14 public schools in the 10 barangays that have been the subject of the Supreme Court ruling,” said the teacher. While the WoE is yet to be issued by the court everything is hanging and the teachers are waiting for a meeting this week so they would know what will they do when the classes open on 29 August. Bial said at present the situation is somewhat hazy and as a teacher he is receiving messages from the parents about what will happen to their children if the school supplies are not given to their children. The free school supplies were rejected by Mayor Lani Cayetano, who proposed that it be given to the victims of calamities. The problem, according to the teacher, is what will be the benefits they (teachers) will get from Taguig City that include the students since in two weeks time the classes will open but they have yet to see some development. Even if there are the so-called meetings held by officials, the needs of the teachers for their teaching chores are not highlighted and what is being tackled are the needs of the students which are also vague. “It seems they are talking always about the needs of the students but the needs of the teachers are not mentioned. I think they need to consider it also because in the case of Makati City we are provided without basic needs that we can utilize in our teaching chores,” said the teacher. The teachers of the EMBO barangays are provided with laptops and other materials and also allowances. But now the teachers feel that they will go back to the basics of using cartolinas when they teach because it is possible that the laptops issued to them by Makati City will be taken away. The post EMBO teachers worried over Makati-Taguig feud appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati Mayor Binay welcomes VP Sara’s takeover of 14 EMBO schools
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay welcomed the decision of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to take over the management and supervision of the 14 schools affected by the boundary dispute between Makati and Taguig City. “We look forward to working wholeheartedly with the transition team created by the Vice President. This decision will greatly ease the worries and concerns of our students, parents and teachers. Kaisa kami ni Vice President Sara sa kanyang layunin. Unahin natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga guro, mga kabataan at kanilang mga magulang,” Binay said. Duterte issued DepEd Order No. 023 dated 26 August 2023 titled “Assumption of authority of the Department of Education over the 14 public schools affected by the Supreme Court decision in G.R. No. 235316.” The order stated that the DepEd is mandated to promote every Filipino’s right to accessible, equitable, and quality education which is consistent with its mandate to provide a safe and enabling environment for learners, teachers, and personnel. Duterte in her order said that relative to the SC’s final and executory decision in the case titled Municipality of Makati vs. Municipality of Taguig (G.R. No. 235316), the Department of is cognizant of the increasing tension present in the 14 schools affected by the ruling, that caused uncertainty as to the peaceful and orderly reopening of schools on 29 August 2023. It further stated that in the pursuit of protecting the best interest and welfare of the learners, teachers and non-teaching personnel, “the Office of the Secretary shall directly supervise the management and administration of all 14 schools, pending a transition plan, effective immediately." The transition committee created by Duterte is composed of the regional director (assigned outside of the National Capital Region); DepEd Schools Division Superintendent of Taguig-Pateros; DepEd Schools Superintendent of Makati City; City Legal Officer of Makati and City Legal Officer of Taguig. Sara said the transition committee shall undertake the preparation of a physical inventory of all properties involved: collate transition documents including, but not limited to, a complete list of existing contracts involving operations of the subject schools and create a final transition plan. During the transition period, all activities to be conducted within the premises of and/or in relation to the public schools, that involve the local government units of Makati and Taguig, shall require prior approval from the office of the Secretary. The schools head was also ordered to directly report and defer to the OSec on matter pertaining to the daily operations of the subject public schools. Duterte likewise stated that the Philippine National Police will strictly implement the order and all existing orders, memoranda, and other issuances are repealed rescinded or modified. Binay has since stood her ground that all 14 public schools are titled to Makati City and therefore Taguig City has no jurisdiction over it, though Mayor Lani Cayetano refuted the claim saying it was included in the SC order that is final and executory. The Duterte order somewhat quelled the animosity among the residents of the EMBO schools since many people has arrived which are unknown to the neighbourhood that creates uneasiness. The post Makati Mayor Binay welcomes VP Sara’s takeover of 14 EMBO schools appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati resists Taguig City attempt to takeover 14 public schools at EMBO
Taguig City personnel's attempt to take over the 14 schools in ten enlisted men's barrio (EMBO) on Saturday, 12 August was thwarted by a barricade of combined force of residents non-government organizations, Bantay Bayan, and the police. As early as 6:00 a.m. the barricade was put up near the said schools as they get ready for the arrival of those ordered to take over the schools. In a one-page notice to proceed signed by Dr. Cynthia L. Ayles, officer-in-charge of the Schools Division Superintendent of Taguig City, Mr. Alvin I. Riberfa, the authorized representative of Joint Ventures of Best Security Agency, Inc. and Best Arms Security Agency Inc., was directed to assign and deploy the necessary number of security guard to man the public schools. The schools indicated in the notice are Fort Bonifacio Elementary School, Cembo Elementary School, South Cembo Elementary School, Pitogo Elementary School, East Rembo Elementary School, Comembo Elementary School, West Rembo Elementary School, Pembo Elementary School, Makati Science High School, Benigno S. Aquino High School, Tibagan High School, Bonifacio High School and Pitogo High School. However, Makati City General Services Officer Arnold Magpantay quickly directed Jaime M. Dimaano, authorized the representative of Greatstar Security Services Inc. to implement strict security measures and safeguard the property by not allowing the personnel from Taguig City to enter the school premises without written consent from the city government of Makati. The concerned residents, bantay bayan, NGOs, and the police of Makati City immediately deployed their personnel to prevent the apparent takeover without the necessary papers from the city government of Makati and even from the court. When the entourage from Taguig City composed of the Traffic Management Office and the supposed security guards to be deployed arrived they failed to implement the takeover because they could not show any pertinent papers for their action. Earlier, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said the schools and other facilities at the 10 EMBO barangays are titled with the city government and said it cannot be taken by Taguig City even if they have won the jurisdictional case as per the Supreme Court ruling. Further, Makati City challenged Taguig City to show their numbers to make sure that they can give the necessary services amounting to P9 billion the city has been giving its 322,000 residents that will be under their wings now base on the court ruling. Residents are also wary of the free maintenance medicines, school uniforms and other services Makati has been giving them since time immemorial. The only response the residents has been receiving from Mayor Lani Cayetano is that they can give the necessary services without elaborating where the city government will get it. The post Makati resists Taguig City attempt to takeover 14 public schools at EMBO appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Binay concedes on Makati-Taguig row: ‘Tapos na ang laban’
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay conceded defeat in the land dispute between the cities of Makati and Taguig, after receiving the final judgment on the second motion for reconsideration the Makati city government filed before the Supreme Court In a radio interview, Binay said, “Tapos na po, lahat nagawa na namin na paraan, and final and executor na po ang ruling ng Korte Suprema. Wala na hong paraan para maisalba pa ito. More than 30 years po ang land dispute na ito.” She also called on the affected residents of the 10 barangays in the second congressional district that will be under Taguig City to follow the verdict of the high court since it is already final and executory. “Kahit maglupasay at magrally po tayo ay hindi na natin mababawi ang ating teritoryo. Kailangan po tayong sumunod. Hindi po solusyon ang pagrarally sa SC dahil tapos na ang laban,” said the mayor. The foremost concern of the mayor are the school children, the senior citizen and other residents because they can no longer avail of the services that the city govenrmenthas been providing for them for the longest time. The mayor challenged the city of Taguig to provide the necessary services to Makati schoolchildren, senior citizens and other residents, such as free check-up, medicines and other services. “Sana ho handang handa sila. Hindi po kailangan ang moral support, ang kailangan meron silang perang pantustos at kung kaya nilang tapatan o lagpasan ang serbisyong maibibigay nila sa lahat ng apektado," said Binay. The services for this year will be given by Makati since the funds have already been allocated, but starting next year, Taguig will have to assume the responsibility for the 10 new barangays under its jurisdiction, she added. In retaining the ownership of University of Makati, Ospital ng Makati and other properties funded by Makati City, Binay cited the case of the South Cemetery that is located in Makati but is actually owned by the city government of Manila. The post Binay concedes on Makati-Taguig row: ‘Tapos na ang laban’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Love The Philippines’ campaign now in marketing limbo—Sen. Binay
Senator Nancy Binay on Wednesday said the campaign for the country’s new tourism slogan is now in “marketing limbo” Binay added that the Department of Tourism should “accept” that the enhancement of the Philippine tourism branding is going through uncertainties following the video mess by its contracted advertising agency. The DoT said an “exhaustive” investigation on the non-originality of footage by its contracted agency, the DDB Philippines is ongoing. The probe was followed by the DoT’s termination of the contract with the ad agency for more promotional tourism videos. "We appreciate the actions taken by the DoT against the ad agency. But the big question right now is whether or not to continue with the 'Love' campaign,” Binay said. The senator lamented the use of non-original footage in the video has put the tourism industry into trouble and become a “laughing stock” with people creating memes and lampoons—poking fun at the "Love the Philippines" slogan. "We need to accept that it really happens—marketing campaigns fail. In DoT's case, it's best to move forward from failure and save the brand at all costs,” Binay said. “We cannot afford to put to waste everything that we built for Philippine tourism. Let's do the right thing to protect the integrity of the brand,” she added. Binay underscored that tourism should be taken as a “sensitive market.” “Political unrest, negative media and people's perceptions influence travelers' decisions…It is not wise for the DoT and the people behind the marketing campaign to insist on continuing with "Love the Philippines" given the negative impact brought by the video fiasco,” she further stressed. She said the people are now awaiting the “iteration of spoof” as DoT pursues the replacement of the tourism campaign. “The recommendation is to revert to the tried-and-tested campaign, and from there, create a tactical marketing plan to prevent a window for sabotage," Binay said. The goals set by the DoT have already been tilted and shifted, she added, noting that the entire plan “may look good on paper, but the campaign was beaten and battered in the real world.” "The DOT's enhanced campaign has lost the persuasion game. We all can sense the discombobulating algorithms with promotion-limiting consequences,” Binay said. “The campaign has lost its redeeming value and has become unsalvageable—I hope the DOT is level-headed enough to accept this. We expect them to be agile and move forward from failure because we don't want the slogan to become a national embarrassment and look like losers," she maintained. Binay urged the DoT to stop forcing its rebranding saying: “Love was not meant to be. Let us all move on and just bring back the 'Fun' to the Philippines,” referring to the success of the previous tourism campaign. The post ‘Love The Philippines’ campaign now in marketing limbo—Sen. Binay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati to file land dispute comment at SC
Makati City administrator Atty. Claro Certeza on Tuesday disclosed that the local government of Makati City will be filing a comment in response to the petition filed by the local government of Taguig City in connection with their land dispute. Certeza said that they will file the petition on behalf of Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who is now in London to attend the London Tech Week and attend a garden reception at 10 Downing Street hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “The city has not seen the supposed petition filed by Taguig. However, we have read a press release prepared for the mayor of Taguig. This is perhaps the first time that a petition has been brought before the Supreme Court on the basis of social media posts with dubious authorship, accuracy and credibility,” Certeza said. He also explained that the social media posts invoked by Taguig have made outrageous and irresponsible allegations against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and the Supreme Court. “No right thinking lawyer would petition the High Court on the basis of these posts. Yet, Taguig, displaying unfathomable wisdom, has chosen to do so. Regardless, if we are asked to comment by the Supreme Court, we will file our comment,” said the city administrator. On Tuesday, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano on Monday had asked the Supreme Court to probe the Makati mayor’s “troubling claims” on the Fort Bonifacio case as the row between Taguig and Makati over Fort Bonifacio continues to heat up. The urgent manifestation and motion was filed personally by Cayetano asking the tribunal to look into Binay’s statements and to ask her and the Makati City government to show cause on why they should not be sanctioned. She cited Binay’s media statements where she reportedly said she received an order from the Supreme Court setting the Fort Bonifacio territorial dispute for oral arguments. The Supreme Court spokesperson later denied there was such an order. The social media posts, which came out days before Binay’s interview, claimed that the Makati mayor had spoken with top officials in the country, who supposedly promised to help reopen the case. Cayetano said she has “grave concern” over the developments. In a statement in April, the SC said that it has put an end to the Fort Bonifacio case. It ruled that the military reservation, where Bonifacio Global City now stands, is within the jurisdiction of Taguig and not Makati. It also denied Makati’s motion for reconsideration with finality, as well as Makati’s motion to refer the case to the en banc. The post Makati to file land dispute comment at SC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘What oral arguments re Taguig-Makati dispute?’
Upscale Bonifacio Global City belongs to Taguig City, the Supreme Court has ruled. SC spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka yesterday said he was not aware of an order supposedly issued by the Supreme Court setting oral arguments in the territorial dispute between the cities of Taguig and Makati. The dispute had already been settled with finality by the SC in favor of Taguig, handing to its control and jurisdiction the 729-hectare Fort Bonifacio military reservation, where the thriving Bonifacio Global City business and commercial district is situated. Some other barangays contested by Makati were also recognized by the court as being under the jurisdiction of Taguig. “I have no information about this,” Hosaka said in a text message to journalists in response to the alleged oral arguments order. Hosaka noted that there was already an entry of judgment in the case which meant the decision was final and executory. He said that if the SC had indeed issued such an order, it would have been published on the website and social media account of the high court. “(The) SC has shut down all efforts of Makati City to revive the land dispute as the resolution ordered to no longer entertain pleadings, letters, motions, or any other communication regarding the case,” Hokasa said. “The ruling also enjoined Makati from exercising jurisdiction over, making improvements on, or treating as part of its territory the area comprising Fort Bonifacio,” he added. Hosaka noted that there was already an entry of judgment in the case which meant the decision was final and executory. The statement was issued by Hosaka following Makati City Mayor Abby Binay’s pronouncement that the Makati City Legal Office had received a document saying that the SC was set to conduct oral arguments on the territorial dispute. “As far as the document that we received, they actually even set it for hearing. That means it’s not yet final. Because in our omnibus motion there was still no action so as far the city is concerned there is still a pending motion,” Binay said. “These are oral arguments because part of our motion is to go before the en banc and have oral arguments. This is a very important issue that would affect 200,000 residents,” she said. The Taguig City government said it had not received a notice or any document about the setting of oral arguments. The post ‘What oral arguments re Taguig-Makati dispute?’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati activates task force against El Niño
Makati Mayor Abby Binay has announced the creation of a dedicated El Niño and Southern Oscillation Task Force that will work to mitigate the effects of the weather phenomenon in the city. "Makati is taking proactive action to mitigate the risks and impacts of extreme weather conditions on our citizens. As early as now, we will implement contingency measures to ensure the continuity of basic services and guarantee enough food and essential supplies for Makatizens," Binay said. Task Force ENSO is composed of key departments in the city government and power and water utility providers who will analyze and assess the city’s readiness and response to the El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomenon and its effects. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the probability of an El Niño occurrence from June to September has risen from 55 percent to 80 percent. According to Binay, Task Force ENSO will be headed by the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to oversee risk-mitigating strategies and ensure the unhampered delivery of health, food and sanitation services. The task force's mandate is to monitor the ENSO phenomenon and develop measures for the city's readiness regarding water supply, power outages, food availability, emergency healthcare services and infrastructure protection against flooding and landslides. Binay also asked power and water concessionaires servicing Makati to develop concrete and implementable contingency measures to ensure power and water supply during the period of heightened risk. For its part, Meralco has assured the city of uninterrupted power supply in key government offices, hospitals and, as much as possible, the financial district. The power company said it will implement rotational brownouts in residential areas and have already coordinated with establishments with backup power generators. On the other hand, water concessionaires assured Makatizens of continued water supply by ensuring that their reservoirs are well-supplied and that their water treatment plants will continue to operate without disruption. Maynilad and Manila Water have tapped deep well reserves to augment supply in case of shortage. They will activate additional water treatment facilities, explore alternative water sources and add more water tankers to deliver water to various barangays during scheduled service interruptions. More importantly, Binay said the task force will implement a multi-sectoral awareness campaign to educate Makatizens on weather advisories and create a culture of preparedness amid climate change. "This is an example of climate situations we should be prepared for. By conserving resources, being mindful of our environmental footprint and following the advisories and guidelines issued by Task Force ENSO, Makati and its stakeholders can effectively mitigate the effects of El Niño and its threats," the mayor concluded. The post Makati activates task force against El Niño appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Giving the best?
A Philippine government advertisement on a London bus featuring May Parsons, a Filipina-British nurse, launched during King Charles III’s coronation last week, stirred controversy. In the ad on a double-decker bus, Parsons was holding up a syringe and described as the nurse who gave the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, with the tagline “A Filipina. We Give the World Our Best. The Philippines.” It did not sit well, though with Senate Committee on Tourism chairman, Sen. Nancy Binay who said, “There seems to be a disconnect in the messaging. It’s bothersome because when you see the ad, it seems that we are offering the world our nurses — which is a bit off since we’re already running low on health workers here.” “We don’t want to commodify our people, and we don’t want to be labeled as a country that exports labor,” she went on to say. “What is the connection of a nurse, syringe, and vaccine to the tourist destinations we’re promoting.” Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Secretary Paul Soriano was quick to clarify that the ad was part of a “country branding campaign” to raise the spirits of Filipinos who are doing well in other countries. “We Give the World Our Best — The Philippines” is meant to promote and focus on the Filipino achievers abroad,” he said. “PACC wants to clear the confusion and clarify that it was not meant, in any way, to promote the country’s tourist destinations.” While Binay recognized that the results of such an advertisement have yet to be seen, Binay said the ad’s messaging is not aligned with the country’s goals for tourism. Tourism ad or not, Binay’s comments make sense. The government should not be focused on labor export but instead, prevent brain drain by providing decent-paying jobs, and promoting the country’s tourist destinations. The government’s neglect of our healthcare workers pushes them to seek good fortune in other countries, while those who choose to stay have to make do with meager pay. It should stop acting as a recruitment agency rather than giving its citizens a living wage. The life of an overseas Filipino worker is not a movie material that the government can produce to influence others to leave their families and homeland. We should walk the talk when we praise our local healthcare workers for their heroism during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing them their due protection through adequate support and benefits. A case in point is the unpaid Health Emergency Allowance during the pandemic. Although sending workers abroad can sometimes be related to tourism, it is not necessarily a core aspect of the tourism industry. In some cases, workers may be sent abroad to work in tourism-related jobs, such as hotel staff, tour guides, or restaurant workers who may play an important role in facilitating tourism experiences for visitors. Exporting labor can be related to other industries such as construction, healthcare, or technology, and not necessarily related to tourism. Clear as day, the tourism industry consists of many components, such as transportation, attractions, events, and activities that do not involve sending workers abroad. The role of health workers in tourism is usually focused on ensuring the health and safety of tourists, rather than promoting tourism itself — typically viewed as a public health and safety issue, rather than a component of tourism promotion. Campaign branding abroad can wait. Why not improve country marketing first which will drive tourist traffic to the Philippines and define the overall tourist experience? Start with the country’s gateways — airports and seaports. It is an overdue plan announced in August 2022. There is so much to be done to bring improvements to the country’s air and seaports that will encapsulate the “Filipino Brand” and give tourists a good first and last impression when they visit the Philippines. Pick up the lessons learned from the NAIA fiasco and horrific seaports. For now, the best tagline should be “We Give Tourists Our Best. The Philippines.” The post Giving the best? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Going negative
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ED attaches asset worth Rs 70 lakh in bank fraud implicating Hyderabad-based Jasleen Enterprises
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Emergency protocols in case of bridge collapse sought
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DOJ charges 2 alleged NPA financiers with terrorism financing
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