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Batangas offshore wind port eyed
As part of its drive to become a strategic power industry player, state-run Philippine National Oil Company or PNOC targets to convert its 19-hectare Batangas port into an Offshore Wind or OSW Power Integration Port. At a recent budget hearing of the Senate sub-finance committee last week, PNOC president Oliver Butalid said the company is currently looking for a potential partner from the private sector to complete the proposed venture. "We are exploring going into a joint venture with a port developer, and we are discussing now with the Public-Private Partnership Center. This is going to be a dedicated integration port for OSW. I think it is responding to the need rather than perceived to be changing direction," Butalid said. He noted that PNOC has also tapped the University of the Philippines National Engineering Center to "help us because the decision not to award the contract for the commercial port expansion and shift to an offshore integration port was only last month." Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalia, vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, said that PNOC should ensure that the project would be feasible to justify using taxpayers' money for the undertaking. "I respect your corporate decision, but then I will be looking at what you have achieved after one year (because I )am accountable to our constituents on the money that is being spent on all these projects," the senator said. PNOC's proposed corporate budget for 2024 stands at P1.96 billion, 86 percent higher than this year's allocation, and 60 percent of which will be earmarked for the port project. Last year, PNOC remitted close to P1.7 billion pesos in dividends and about P1.2 billion in taxes to the government. Since 2010, the company has remitted a total of P21.12 billion to the national coffers. For PNOC, significantly investing in the Batangas facility will bankroll its conversion into becoming a dedicated OSW integration port from being just a general commercial port. The Department of Energy or DoE has been pushing for the development of OSW to ramp up local indigenous supply amid growing demand. As such, it vowed to enhance the policies on the development of offshore wind, taking into account the streamlining and stricter timeframe outlined in the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop law on the processing and issuance of licenses and permits by the concerned national and local government entities. The Philippines OSW Roadmap launched last year showcases the country's potential OSW resources estimated at 178 GW. As of 22 June, the DOE has awarded 66 OSW Contracts with a total potential capacity of 53.85 gigawatts — enough to supply the country's future electricity demand. The post Batangas offshore wind port eyed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go supports DMW budget
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed his unequivocal support for the Department of Migrant Workers and its proposed budget during a hearing on Monday, 18 September. Also included in the hearing is the proposed budget for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. “I want to put on record my full support for the proposed budget of the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration,” Go declared. The senator highlighted the important role played by Overseas Filipino workers, and referred to them as modern-day heroes. Meanwhile, Go raised significant concerns about the underutilization of the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan Fund, a financial resource designated for the immediate care and assistance of OFWs in need. “I note that P1.2 billion budget for the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan or AKSYON Fund has not been fully utilized as of 31 August. Only 20 percent has been utilized.” In addition to the issue of fund utilization, Go also drew attention to the human resources aspect of the department. Go took the opportunity to discuss the state and condition of the OFW Hospital, a facility aimed at providing comprehensive healthcare services to OFWs who return to the Philippines. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go has stressed the importance of investing in healthcare infrastructure, with a particular focus on the establishment of Super Health Centers in far-flung communities. The adopted son of CALABARZON with familial roots from Batangas, lauded the groundbreaking ceremony of the San Jose Super Health Center in Batangas on Monday, 18 September. The post Go supports DMW budget appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go, go, go for the gold!
We have nothing but admiration and best wishes for our national athletes who are currently competing at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. Together with my colleagues, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Francis Tolentino, Philippine Sports Commission Chair Dickie Bachmann and Commissioner Matthew Gaston, among other officials, we took the time last weekend to personally cheer on our representatives in the regional biennial sports meet in Cambodia. There, we witnessed once again the never-say-die attitude and spirit of all our Filipino athletes. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports and a firm advocate of long-term and grassroots sports development in the country, I was particularly filled with pride after seeing the dedication, discipline and undeniable talent of our athletes. That is why I remain committed to helping strengthen the development of sports in our communities. Sports keep our young people away from vices and criminality. As I always say, “Get into sports, stay away from drugs!” Last year, I sponsored and defended additional funding for the PSC during its 2023 budget deliberation, particularly for grassroots sports development and in support of athletes joining international competitions. What was supposedly just more or less P200 million proposed annual budget for PSC was increased by P1 billion through our efforts and with the support of my colleagues in the Senate. Particularly, the increase in the PSC’s 2023 budget is intended to support the Filipino athletes in international competitions, such as the Asian Games, SEA Games, Summer Olympics in Paris, ASEAN Para Games, Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games, World Combat Games, World Beach Games, and Asian Beach Games, among others. Portions of the funds were also allotted for the country’s hosting of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 as well as for grassroots sports programs, such as Batang Pinoy, the Philippine National Games, and those under the Sports Development Council. Moreover, funding was allocated for the development of sports infrastructure across the country, as well as for advanced research and development in sports sciences and sports technology. The provision of other financial assistance to Filipino athletes was also funded. I have also authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11470, establishing the National Academy of Sports in 2020 to help ensure that our promising young athletes can further hone their talents while getting quality education. More recently, I filed Senate Bill 423, or the proposed Philippine National Games Act of 2022, with the aim of institutionalizing and providing a structure for a more comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to national sports development. Meanwhile, together with my team, I was in Batangas province on 8 May where I personally led a series of relief operations for 1,109 indigents in Batangas City and 1,000 more in San Pascual town. As an adopted son of CALABARZON and a fellow Batangueño, I am thankful for being able to serve them to the best of my capacity as a public servant. I likewise visited the newly renovated San Pascual Super Health Center and met with some health workers to listen to their concerns and discuss ways to improve the delivery of healthcare services in their communities. The Super Health Center is an improved version of a polyclinic, which seeks to provide our fellow Filipinos, especially those in remote areas, easier access to basic health services. Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers and the Department of Health, 307 SHCs were funded in 2022 and 322 more in 2023. Last Tuesday, we conducted a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Health on mental health. As the committee’s chair, I reiterated that the state of our National Center for Mental Health is in need of utmost attention and improvement to preserve the basic right of all Filipinos to healthcare. Meanwhile, on 10 May, I led a relief effort for 672 fire victims from Pritil Public Market in Tondo, Manila. This was followed by a visit to Nueva Ecija last 11 May, where I personally inspected the Talavera bridge — a project I had earlier supported as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. I then conducted a monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at the Talavera General Hospital to personally assess its operations and ensure that indigent patients are given the assistance they need. In line with this, we extended relief to 79 patients and 406 front liners in the hospital while the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial aid to the qualified patients. On the same day, my team and I visited the town of Llanera to inspect its Super Health Center and attend the inauguration of the public wet market there, both of which I had advocated and supported. We then assisted 1,000 indigents in the town. As an adopted son of Nueva Ecija, I continue to support the province and help its people as much as I can. Separately, my outreach teams mounted several relief operations last week that benefitted 100 indigents in Veruela, 100 in Sta. Josefa, 40 in Esperanza, and 40 in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; 227 in Botolan and 163 in Iba, Zambales; 520 Kibawe, Dangcagan, Cabanglasan and Malitbog, Bukidnon; 141 in General Natividad, Nueva Ecija; 2,199 in Gingoog City, 50 in Naawan, and 50 in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental; 332 in Minalin, Pampanga; 129 in Hamtic, Antique; 233 in Casiguran, and 166 in Dilasag, Aurora; and 44 in Sta. Maria and 45 in Malolos City, Bulacan. Fire victims, including 205 in Taytay, Rizal; 58 in Caloocan City; and 12 families in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan were likewise supported through our efforts. In the same way that our athletes remain unyielding in the face of tough competition, I hope that we can all remain resilient in the face of challenges. Through our support for one another and our unbeatable pusong Pilipino, let us all go for the gold and continue bringing honor to our country and our people. The post Go, go, go for the gold! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
D& L sets 2023 capex at P1.6 billion
D&L Industries Inc., the country’s top specialty food ingredients and oleochemicals producer, has earmarked P1.6 billion in capital expenditure this year, lower than last year’s P3.5 billion. At a recent press conference, D&L President and CEO Alvin D. Lao said the budget will be primarily allocated for the completion of the company’s Batangas plant and maintenance of other existing production facilities. Lao said the Batangas expansion will be instrumental to its future growth, as this facility allows the company to develop more high-value-added coconut-based products and penetrate new international markets. The new plant will operate under D&L’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, Natura Aeropack Corporation and D&L Premium Foods Corp. For the first quarter of the year, D&L reported lower earnings at P594 million due to supply chain concerns in January and February. “While the first two months of the year were weaker-than-expected, we anticipate things to be much better moving forward as we started seeing volumes coming back in March,” Lao said. Lao said the momentum is now back as the supply chain is back to normal and customers have used up their excess inventories. March sales are up 62 percent and 26 percent compared to earnings in January and February, respectively. He also noted that the company expects incremental revenues coming from new capacities to be contributed by the Batangas plant once it starts operations in July. The post D&L sets 2023 capex at P1.6 billion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P1.1 billion released to restore heritage school buildings
The Department of Budget and Management has released P1.1 billion to conserve and restore heritage school buildings in the country......»»
Low subsidy forces LRTA to cut budget for train rehab
The Light Rail Transit Authority is cutting its budget for the restoration of trains to make the most of the lower subsidy given to the agency this year......»»
Taal Volcano back to spewing high-volume of toxic gas
LUCENA CITY, Philippines – After spewing lower volumes of sulfur dioxide (SO2) for the past five days, Taal Volcano in Batangas province again emitted a high level of toxic gas on Saturday, March 23. A total of 14,287 metric tons (MT) of SO2 from Taal’s main crater was measured over the past 24 hours and.....»»
DBM releases P1.3 billion to light up public schools
The Department of Budget and Management has released nearly P1.3 billion for the electrification of public schools nationwide......»»
Government posts P88 billion surplus
The Marcos administration snapped eight consecutive months of budget deficit after it recorded a surplus of P88 billion in January as revenue collections outpaced spending......»»
Leviste firm to invest over P5 billion in Batangas
Countryside Investments Holdings Corp., a company owned by Leandro Leviste, is investing over P5 billion to help boost development in rural Batangas......»»
Unprogrammed appropriations boosted 2023 budget by P374 billion
The government has included a P374-billion additional program, on top of the P5.268 trillion national budget in 2023, the bulk of which were unprogrammed appropriations......»»
Agusan Sur highway gets huge chunk of road rehab fund for Caraga
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 10 March) —The 122-kilometer Daang Maharlika Highway segment in Agusan del Sur has been allocated P3.19 billion of the P4.4 billion budget for major road rehabilitation projects along the Surigao-Agusan and Agusan-Davao Sections of the national highway within the Caraga Region, the Department of Public Works and Highways […].....»»
DENR launches mobile game app for biodiversity conservation
Only P4 billion of the P25 billion needed to fund biodiversity conservation was allotted under this year’s budget, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources......»»
PLDT back on growth track, doubles profit to P26.61 billion
Telco leader PLDT Inc. returned to growth mode in 2023 as its profit doubled from a year ago, as it cleaned up the P33-billion budget overrun that messed up its balance sheet in 2022......»»
Audit of P10.3 billion free tuition fund sought
A lawmaker has sought an audit of the P10.3-billion budget for free tuition and living allowance of poor students in state universities and colleges and private higher education institution......»»
Villar pushes extension, higher budget for RCEF
Sen. Cynthia Villar wants to double the annual guaranteed allocation for the rice competitiveness enhancement fund to P20 billion as she seeks to extend the fund by another six years or until 2030......»»
‘4Ps registered P9 billion deficit due to budget cuts’
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the government had already registered a “budget deficit” of P9 billion after Sen. Imee Marcos slashed its budget by P13 billion......»»
Marcos approves release of P9.7 billion unprogrammed funds for DPWH projects
President Marcos has approved the release of P9.7 billion from the unprogrammed funds for public works and road repair whose original budget was slashed and included in the P60 billion in last-minute insertions in the 2024 national budget by some members of the House of Representatives......»»
‘Imee budget realigning led to millions not receiving 4Ps’
Nearly 4.3 million poor Filipinos were deprived of cash aid under the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in 2023 after Sen. Imee Marcos realigned the 4Ps funding of P13 billion in the national budget to another social amelioration program, a member of the House of Representatives said yesterday......»»
Approved without thinking: P26.7-B ‘mysterious ayuda’
Another last-minute insertion in the 2024 national budget has been bared. The P26.7 billion was slipped in by the bicameral conference committee. Senators and representatives then ratified the bicam report. They are all thus answerable to the people for that hanky-panky......»»