Binay: Terror law asks us to trust & lsquo;tarnished& rsquo; government agencies
The Anti-Terror Act was created to trust government agencies and institutions “with a tarnished track record of abuse and misconduct,” former Vice President Jejomar Binay said......»»
No objections for e-motorcycle tax breaks in EO12 review
Views and position papers elicited from government agencies and EV industry stakeholders for the revision of an executive order have offered no objection to the inclusion of e-motorcycles in the tax incentives......»»
Whole-of-government approach to protect Mt. Apo from destructive fires
COLLABORATIVE efforts from local government units, national government agencies, communities, and other stakeholders are put in place to protect Mt. Apo against fire amid El Niño......»»
Government calls for Earth Hour switch-off tonight
Government agencies are calling on the public to join the Earth Hour today by switching off non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m......»»
Binay asks DepEd: Resolve issues in 3 ‘embo’ schools
Makati Mayor Abby Binay yesterday appealed to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to resolve the issue of management of three public schools in the enlisted men’s barrio or “embo” barangays that are now under Taguig......»»
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......»»
P1B for Marawi victims a cruel joke (1)
I beg my readers’ kind indulgence for using this column as a platform to air our grievances. This is something personal to us, and it is my moral obligation to add my voice to the public indignation sweeping a part of Morolandia. For transparency and disclosure, my family was a victim of the war and is seeking compensation for the damage to our precious possessions. Having said that, as the national budget deliberations for 2024 draw to a near conclusion, the public discourse in Morolandia on the compensation for the 2017 Marawi Siege victims heightened. It’s the issue much discussed in public fora, coffee shops, and social media platforms of Muslims. The Moro attention is largely riveted to the budget deliberations in the House of Representatives, where the budget bill originates by provision of the Constitution. Social media likewise reported the hearing conducted by the Oversight Committee for the Marawi Compensation Law jointly chaired by Senator Ronald dela Rosa and Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong. According to reports, P1 billion is proposed in the 2024 budget for compensation, which is the same amount appropriated in the current budget, alarmed resident victims. They have reason to fear that P1 billion is becoming the appropriation template for the ensuing years. The Marawi Compensation Board or MCB, created to process, approve and pay legitimate claims, will fold the tent and become a functus oficio in 2028 because the law provides for a five-year life span. Let’s do the math. If the budget is not increased, the aggregate appropriation for Marawi victims will only be P5 billion, which is ridiculously insufficient vis-a-vis the number of victims and the magnitude of their claims. From an unofficial report, we gathered that “as of 18 September 2023, there were 75 death claims, 74 structural claims, 1,858 other properties claims, and 4,041 multiple claims. Hence, there were 6,048 claims as of the latest report by the in-take team from July to September. (And) 362 claims have been evaluated or are ready for final deliberation.” The claims statistics are increasing exponentially by the day, with the list of claimants getting longer. The MCB asks for something like P10 billion or more as an aggregate ballpark figure to compensate all the victims. The sparse appropriation has triggered unkind comments from citizens calling the proposed amount outrageously deficient, cruel jokes and insulting the victims. While the public is amused by the stories in tri- and social media on funding for projects that are less urgent — like the millions needed for the confidential and intelligence funds of agencies to address “kuno” (allegedly) the threat of terrorism — here we have a situation where the threat of terrorism is real. Our security and intelligence authorities will tell you that the remnants of the ISIS-affiliated Maute Dawliyah Islamia group are just around the corner, engaged in sporadic hit-and-run guerrilla ambushes to make their presence known. Terrorist cells are confirmed to be existing in the hinterlands of Morolandia. The disgruntled victims of the Marawi war are easy prey for recruitment by the dissidents. There is no denying the depth and scale of the damage sustained by the Marawi victims of the war. The whole world was watching on their television sets for months the daily telenovela-like bombing of the city in what Confucious described as “burning the house to catch a rat.” We have written numerous published articles pleading for cessation of the bombing, but the thrashing by state authorities continued. We note with gratitude the public expression of support by Senator De la Rosa, chair of the Special Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation, who spent years studying at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, along with Muslim Senator Robinhood Padilla. Senator Risa Hontiveros, in her recent trip to Marawi, saw for herself the progress of the claims processing and has likewise committed support. The list of senators and House representatives joining the chorus of support is getting longer. (To be continued) amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post P1B for Marawi victims a cruel joke (1) 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......»»
COMELEC asked to exempt DSWD, related agencies from election spending ban
The Commission on Elections has been asked to consider exempting the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other related agencies doing relief work in the province of Albay in light of the impending election spending ban. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, who made the appeal on Saturday, sent a letter to the poll body, requesting that the DSWD and other government agencies involved in relief operations in Mayon Volcano be granted exemption from Omnibus Election Code amid the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on 30 October. "Any minute, Mayon could erupt violently. This could also be a prolonged evacuation effort. Nobody knows for sure. But it's better to be safe and be ready with all the relief programs we need -– this could extend beyond the Barangay elections," the veteran lawmaker said. "Clarity is everything for us. We want to abide by the law. And we want to take care of our people. We want to do both. COMELEC has the means and the power to help us do both. That’s why we are making this request," Salceda added. Mayon's violent eruption, according to Salceda, might affect at least 103,181 people in eight cities and municipalities in Albay, accounting for 7.5% of the province's entire population. Meanwhile, 39,901 individuals are currently directly at risk under Alert Level 3. Since warnings of an imminent violent eruption have been known to come and go, Salceda believes that evacuation operations might take 45, 90, or 110 days. "Evacuation efforts must continue until volcanic activity clearly subsides or until a violent eruption actually occurs. Until then, evacuees will require food aid, training activities, cash-for-work programs, and other socioeconomic support to replace economic activities they are barred from doing due to the evacuation orders," Salceda added. Amid the restiveness of Albay's Mayon, the lawmaker averted that relief operations from various agencies would not end once the eruption. The economist-lawmaker said the eruption will displace agricultural, quarrying, ecotourism, and other economic activities in the danger zones, indirectly affecting Albay's economy as a whole. "Likewise, a violent eruption will also likely cause health issues, which will require immediate medical attention and corresponding support through the Medical Assistance Program." With this, Salceda asks Comelec, which had the power under the Omnibus Election Code, to allow such other expenditures especially forDSWD-like activities. Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits the release, disbursement, and expenditure of public funds 45 days before a regular election and thirty days before a special election, but emergency works due to a public calamity and maintenance of existing public works are exempted from the provision. The BSKE election, which was originally set for 5 December of this year, was moved to an earlier date, pursuant to Republic Act 11935, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos on 12 October last year. The coming grassroots poll this year will break the year-long postponement. Recall that BSKE has been postponed four times since 2016 through RAs 10923, 10952, 11462 and 11935. The post COMELEC asked to exempt DSWD, related agencies from election spending ban appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Makati mayor says to find ways to aid barangays now part of Taguig
Makati Mayor Abby Binay on Monday said their city government will coordinate with national agencies to continue support to more than 300,000 former residents of Makati City that have been transferred to the jurisdiction of Taguig following a Supreme Court ruling on the territory dispute......»»
Nayong Pilipino seeks resumption
DAVAO DE ORO — A high-ranking official of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation said they are hoping that appropriate funding will be finally released to them next year in order to reopen the Nayong Pilipino in Parañaque City. In an interview, NPF executive director Gertie Duran-Batocabe said the park is there but not operational now. “The park is there but there is nothing on it. We really hope that it will reopen, and it should open. We already applied to the National Economic Development Authority for funding. We are also looking for a private-public partnership or PPP,” Batocabe told Daily Tribune during the Philippine Experience program-Davao Region leg on Friday. “Recently, we also sought the help of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority to fund its reopening. And they are exploring how we can be funded,” he added. According to a TIEZA official who requested anonymity, the request for proper funding is already being discussed at TIEZA and they are now delegating the project of reopening Nayong Pilipino to its attached agencies. Nayong Pilipino Foundation is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism and it was created during the time of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in order to revive cultural practices and folkloric traditions that existed before the coming of colonizers. Batocabe said they understand that the DoT is not yet prioritizing the reopening of Nayong Pilipino. Earlier, the Commission on Audit said in its report that NPF has the uncertainty to continue its operations in the future, “considering its inability to raise additional or alternative sources of revenue as funds for its operations would be fully depleted within the next five to six years.” With this, Senator Nancy Binay in April 2023 asked the DoT to avert the expected fund depletion of the NPF by reviewing the organization’s projects and activities. Binay also recommended to the DoT to scrutinize the financial and sales projections of the NPF in the next five to 10 years. The 2022 COA audit report also called on the NPF to draft a long-term financial plan with “detailed and realistic” targets to prevent fund depletion. Nayong Pilipino Park, situated near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, is a 47-hectare property divided into seven regions, each of which was designated with a renowned architect, such as National Artist Leandro Locsin. The old park was closed in 2002 under Executive Order 111 by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to give way to the airport’s expansion. The post Nayong Pilipino seeks resumption appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators ponder new “Love the Philippines” slogan
Senator Nancy Binay on Wednesday expressed hope that campaigning for the country’s newest tourism slogan “Love the Philippines” will work out. In a statement, Binay lamented that rebranding initiatives, such as replacing the country’s tourism slogan, always have corresponding costs. Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, Cultural Communities, and Social Justice, said it would entail a considerable amount of money “to start and sustain a new campaign.” “Sa dami ng mga kailangang nating unahin at i-prioritize na pagkagastusan (with numerous priorities and other important matters we have to allocate our funds to), we don't have sufficient funds to finance a re-brand,” Binay said. According to Binay, accepting the new slogan is the only option left. “Kaso, nandyan na nga 'yan. 'Ika nga, 'pag love mo ang isang tao o bagay, tatanggapin mo anuman 'yung kanyang kakulangan, and willing ka pa rin bigyan ng chance—with the hope na mag-work out (The new slogan is already there. As they say, when you love someone or something, you accept their shortcomings and are still willing to give them a chance, with the hope that it will work out), ” she added. On Tuesday, the Department of Tourism officially replaced the "More Fun in the Philippines" slogan as it bared the country’s "enhanced" tourism slogan "Love the Philippines.” Senator Francis Escudero said the new slogan launched by the DoT is worth giving a chance as the Marcos administration strives to attract more international tourists in order for the country to recover economically from the effects of the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Escudero urged the Filipinos to support the new tourism campaign instead of throwing outright criticism. "The last thing I want is for our country and people to be seen bickering about our slogan in front of foreigners/tourists--our putative market. I refuse to be part of any such thing until we have given it a chance,” he said. Escudero cited how the previous campaign "It's More Fun in the Philippines,” launched in 2012, worked well for the country, generating more than 8.26 million tourist arrivals in 2019—just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines in early 2020. This doubled the 4.47 million tourist arrivals in 2013. "While I believe in the saying 'if it ain't broke, why fix it?' I am willing to give it a chance," he said. He added that a slogan's effectiveness depends on many factors, such as the destination's unique offerings, target audience, and marketing strategy. Escudero assumed that Philippine tourism officials and partner agencies have taken into account the qualities of a good tourism slogan which should be “catchy, memorable, and convey a positive message that captures the essence of the destination.” "My personal favorite is 'Incredible India. This slogan, for me, works well because it is simple, memorable, and accurately captures the essence of the destination it represents,” he said. At the launching, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration is adamant about “propelling the tourism industry forward by embracing the warmth of our people, the beauty of our land, and the rich tapestry of our culture.” The post Senators ponder new “Love the Philippines” slogan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malacañang asks gov’t agencies to conserve water as El Niño looms
Malacañang on Friday has directed all government agencies to strictly implement water conservation measures in light of the looming El Niño phenomenon or the long dry spell. In Memorandum Circular No. 22, dated 7 June 2023 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the Palace orders the Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) and its network of agencies to take the lead in implementing water conservation measures to avert a possible water crisis amid the dry spell in the next months. The palace also directed all government agencies, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges, to "identify and implement specific quantifiable and attainable water conservation measures that will result in ten percent (10%) water volume reduction of their respective first quarter (January to March 2023) water consumption." Malacañang also ordered the Local Water Utilities Administration, National Water Resources Board, and the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage System, while private water service providers (WSPs) are enjoined, to submit to the WRMO a monthly supply-demand projection to determine possible deficit in water supply in the near future. “National government-run WSPs are hereby directed, and local government-run WSPs are hereby encouraged, to immediately complete their projects to reduce non-revenue water and upgrade their distribution pipes,” the memorandum circular read. “Local government units are encouraged to process the requests of WSPs for waterworks within a reasonable period of time," it added. The Memorandum Circular mentioned that the WRMO "shall identify strategies towards water conservation measures and provide quarterly updates to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, on the progress thereof." The post Malacañang asks gov’t agencies to conserve water as El Niño looms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Soriano defends ‘Our Best’ from critics
Presidential Adviser on Creative Communication Secretary Paul Soriano yesterday defended the Philippines’ new tagline, “We give the World Our Best.” Soriano claimed the tagline is different from the country’s renowned tourism slogan, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” adding the tagline is “not solely a tourism campaign.” The tagline that appeared in London bus advertisements drew negative reactions as it featured the Filipina-British nurse May Parsons wit the slogan: “A Filipina. We Give The World Our Best. The Philippines.” Among those who took issue with the slogan was Senator Nancy Binay who said it had a messaging disconnect. Parsons was the nurse who administered the world’s first coronavirus vaccine. Soriano averred they rolled out the country branding campaign with the goal of “making us proud to be a Filipino, here at home and anywhere, everywhere all over the world.” “At its core, the project intends to let the whole world know how good, compassionate, and competent Filipinos are. Filipinos bring their ‘best’ through daily actions that touch lives all over the world,” he said. He added that the campaign spearheads a long-term country branding initiative, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s bid to uplift the Filipino name and reputation in and around the world. Soriano said the advertisement was “among the first communication outputs” of his office’s nation-branding campaign. It was rolled out in time for the coronation of King Charles III of Britan last 6 May. “Unfortunately, the London (advertisement) was misconstrued as part of the country’s tourism promotion campaign. OPACC wants to clear the confusion and clarify that it was not meant, in any way, to promote the country’s tourist destinations,” he said. “Video (advertisements) featuring true stories of successful Filipinos in different countries were also released within the same period, aired overseas. The first two ads tell the story of Charm, a Filipina caregiver in the UK, and DJ, a barista in Italy.” His office, Soriano said, is planning to release similar advertisements in the United States and the Middle East, featuring overseas Filipino workers making a name for themselves. Soriano maintained he had engaged several “respected and well-known” creative directors to conceptualize and prepare communication materials to be used in implementing the project. He had already informed and briefed various government agencies that will play key roles to make the long-term country branding campaign successful, he stressed. Soriano said talks with several government agencies, including the DOT, are underway for the launch of their “own versions of the ‘best’ branding.” Binay suggested that the government should focus on more important issues, such as poverty and corruption, instead of spending money on a new country branding campaign. The post Soriano defends ‘Our Best’ from critics appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu City Council asks law enforcement agencies to solve lawyer’s ambush “swiftly”
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council requested all concerned law enforcement agencies to act “swiftly and decisively” in investigating the ambush of Atty. Karen Quiñanola-Gonzales and her son, as the council strongly condemned this recent attack to a member of the legal profession. Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, also a lawyer, […] The post Cebu City Council asks law enforcement agencies to solve lawyer’s ambush “swiftly” appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Contagious pertussis disease continues spreading in Philippines
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The contagious pertussis has continued spreading in the Philippines, where it has caused at least 40 death cases, after a province near the capital region reported an outbreak of the disease. In a social media post on Wednesday night, the Cavite government posted a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity "due to the outbreak of pertussis" after logging 36 cases an.....»»
Cavite nagdeklara ng ‘state of calamity’ dahil sa ‘pertussis outbreak’
NASA ilalim na ng “state of calamity” ang probinsya ng Cavite. Ito ay dahil dumadami na ang mga nahahawa ng pertussis o whooping cough sa probinsya. Ayon sa provincial government, nakapagtala na sila ng 26 confirmed cases at kabaling na riyan ang anim na namatay dahil sa nasabing sakit. Narito ang datos ng Cavite kaugnay.....»»
Belmonte, Binay call for climate action funding from development banks
The C40 coalition of cities, a network of nearly 100 mayors, asked MDBs to increase urban climate investment, integrate urban climate action into their strategies, and implement tailored programs to support city projects. .....»»
Antipolo City throws support on Ajido
The Antipolo City government led by Mayor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III will provide support to Antipolo-born swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido, who won the country’s lone gold medal in record-breaking fashion at the recent 11th Asian Age-Group Swimming Championships......»»
Milk tariff collections rise by 31% to P2.4 billion
Revenues raised by the government from various imported milk products jumped by 31 percent to P2.36 billion in 2023, the highest in at least eight years, from P1.8 billion in 2022......»»