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LGUs tapped for faster distribution of seniors’ cash aid
LGUs tapped for faster distribution of seniors’ cash aid.....»»
Former OTS chief lambasts cultural decay at airports
The former Office for Transportation Security chief lambasted the cultural decay in the airport security teams that allows negligent screeners to continue working there, this before he could begin an internal purge. Ma. O Ranada Aplasca, who resigned from his post over the airport screener caught on closed-circuit television swallowing $300 bills taken from an outbound Chinese national, said the problem with airport security is “more than systemic, it is cultural.” “There was the problem with ‘tanim-bala.’ Maybe the problems were not highlighted in the past because no one was caught. Based on our records, for the past several years, no one was dismissed in the OTS for violations of our disciplinary policies,” he said. Aplasca said when he was the director of the PNP Aviation Security Group, his initial task was to clear the country’s airports of the “tanim-bala” scheme, in which airport inspectors hid bullets in travelers’ luggage to extort money. “That tanim-bala was the first marching order to me by former President Duterte, and that’s where I felt his 100-percent support; that’s why, in less than one month, we were able to solve the problem,” he said. Aplasca said that before his resignation Tuesday, the OTS had initiated 68 cases against erring personnel, with at least 11 people dismissed. Found guilty Meanwhile, DoTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the female Security Screening Officer and three other OTS screeners involved in the cash swallowing incident last 8 September were “found guilty of stealing.” Bautista said the guilty verdict was included in the investigation report handed to him by the OTS group of investigators, which included the CCTV footage that showed the lady scanner stuffing the money into her mouth at Terminal 1’s final security checkpoint at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The four SSO screeners face administrative and criminal cases. “The investigation showed that she was guilty and swallowed the money. However, what she said in an affidavit was that it was chocolates. But the investigators saw that she was guilty,” Bautista said in Filipino in an interview with the media after a Senate hearing on Tuesday. The CCTV footage showed that at around 8:20 p.m. on 8 September, a Chinese passenger, identified only as Mr. Cai, placed his shoulder bag on the inspection tray at the final security checkpoint. After trying to promote the gateway to potential foreign investors who may want to operate the NAIA, Bautista expressed frustration and dismay at the incident. He authorized the imposition of the maximum penalty on those found guilty to demonstrate the Department of Transportation’s determined push to rid the NAIA and attached agencies of scalawags. Aplasca submitted his courtesy resignation last Tuesday, 26 September, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through DoTr Secretary Bautista after House Speaker Martin Romualdez told him to resign or the Speaker would personally block the budgets of the DoTr and OTS. Not enough Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe said Wednesday the resignation of Aplasca would not be enough to stop the criminal activities at the country’s airports. “A resignation at the top does not clean up the ranks,” said Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services. “More than ever, the Office of Transportation Security needs steady leadership to implement much-needed reforms,” she said. “There should be zero tolerance for criminal acts and unprofessional behavior,” she added. “While a witch hunt might put a syndicate on pause, the OTS urgently needs to review and tighten its security program,” she said. She continued: “Our airports should improve the physical layout of the security screening stations and provide proactive measures to prevent further incidents.” She also noted that the challenge now is to appoint someone with “immense political will to overhaul the agency and stop these incidents once and for all.” The senator stressed that the OTS must improve its hiring system and enforce ethics training. “Employees must undergo extensive background checks,” she said. “In the long-term, we should also look into providing better compensation and benefits to these employees so they would not be enticed to do this nonsense,” she added. The post Former OTS chief lambasts cultural decay at airports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NAIA lady scanner, others found ‘guilty of stealing’
According to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, the female Security Screening Officer and three other members of the Office for Transportation Security who were caught on closed-circuit television were "found guilty of stealing" in the cash-swallowing incident that occurred on 8 September 2023 at Terminal 1's final security checkpoint at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Bautista said the guilty verdict was included in the investigation report handed to him by the OTS group of investigators, including the CCTV footage showing the lady scanner putting the money into her mouth and three other accomplices. The female SSO is facing administrative and criminal cases, as well as those who were involved in the 8 September incidents. “Ang sinasabi sa imbestigasyon ay guilty na pera ang sinubo. Although ang sinasabi nga ng babae ay chocolate daw, mayroon siyang affidavit. Pero ang nakita ng mga imbestigador na guilty siya,” Bautista said in an interview with the media after a Senate hearing on Tuesday. “Ang result ay, although hindi pa lumalabas officially, parang lumalabas na talagang nakita na mayroon silang pagkakasala. Apat kasi yung nakita natin dito na may talagang ginawa sa CCTV. Siguro pag nagkaroon ng criminal investigation, may lalabas pa kung mayroon pang other people involved,” he added. CCTV footage showed that at around 8:20 p.m. on 8 September, the Chinese passenger, identified only as Mr. Cai, placed his shoulder bag on the inspection tray at the final security checkpoint. As Cai passed through the body scanner, the screener could be seen conducting a manual search of his bag on the inspection table. The screener “suspiciously turned away while apparently holding something in her left hand with her fist tightly closed. She then swiftly placed something in her waist area and went back to the inspection table.” Cai had returned to the screening area and complained after discovering that his wallet was open and some of his money was missing. The passenger confronted the screener, who turned her back on him. In footage taken by another CCTV camera, she was “clearly seen deliberately swallowing the dollar bills, folded into one small piece,” as she used a handkerchief to cover her mouth. The screener was seen having difficulty swallowing the bills despite drinking water from a bottle given to her by a colleague. The screener’s supervisor approached her, “seemingly communicating with her” as she was “almost choking in her effort to swallow the dollar bills” to “apparently ensure that the bills were properly disposed of (no evidence),” according to the report. Cai has refused to file charges against the screener. Former OTS Administrator Ma.O. Aplasca confirmed on Friday, 22 September, that they received the counter affidavit of the accused and even said that, as of today Friday, she continues to deny the allegations that she swallowed the dollar bills. An OTS source said that it is not the normal way to eat chocolate by pushing something into her throat with her finger and drinking bottled water afterward. Secretary Bautista has directed the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) to immediately file the necessary charges against security screening personnel found involved in an 8 September incident of baggage theft at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Bautista expressed frustration and dismay at the incident at NAIA that the Secretary was recently trying to promote among potential foreign investors who may want to operate and maintain the country's main gateway. He even authorized imposing the maximum penalty on those found guilty to demonstrate the Department's determined push to rid NAIA as well as other attached agencies of scalawags. Former OTS Administrator Ma.O. Aplasca submitted his courtesy resignation last Tuesday, 26 September, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through DOTr Secretary Bautista after Speaker of the House of Representatives Martin Romualdez asked him to resign or the speaker would personally block the budget of OTS and DOTr due to the repeated stealing scandal. The post NAIA lady scanner, others found ‘guilty of stealing’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Total lawfare’: Ukraine’s other front in the war
On 26 February 2022, while Russian tanks were barrelling towards Kyiv, Ukrainian lawyers were fighting on a different front, submitting a case against Moscow at the International Court of Justice. The gilded halls of the Peace Palace in The Hague, where the court sits, are a world away from the trenches of Donbas but Ukraine believes its legal attacks on Russia are a critical part of the fight. What cases are open in Ukraine's campaign of all-out "lawfare" against Moscow and, with little chance of Russian compliance, what's the point? Where are the legal front lines? The Hague, Strasbourg, and Hamburg. Ukraine has dragged Russia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which rules on disputes between nations, arguing that President Vladimir Putin abused the UN Genocide Convention when he used an alleged "genocide" in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for invasion. The final arguments in this case will be heard later Wednesday. Also in The Hague, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children, a war crime. Neither of these courts, however, can try Russian leaders, including Putin, for the crime of "aggression", defined as an attack on one state by another in breach of the UN charter. So a special group of prosecutors from Ukraine, the EU, the United States, and the ICC has been set up in The Hague with a view to establishing a special tribunal to bring senior Russians to trial. Ukraine also has cases open at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg over alleged Russian human rights abuses. Finally, Ukraine also brought cases to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg over what it says is Russia's disregard for international maritime law. Will Russia comply? It seems unlikely that Russia would comply with any ruling from an international court -- for example, in March 2022, the ICJ ordered Moscow to immediately halt its invasion. Russia didn't even turn up to the hearings in that case. But it's far from an academic exercise, said Cecily Rose, assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University. "There are examples of cases in which Russia has complied at least partially with an adverse ruling by an international court," Rose told AFP, citing a 2015 verdict in which Moscow reportedly stumped up half the cash it was ordered to. "It shows that non-compliance cannot be cynically assumed. Most of the time, states do comply with awards and judgments rendered by international courts and tribunals." What's the point? Even if Russia doesn't comply, Kyiv and most legal experts think the international community needs to draw a line in the sand. "Some countries do not comply with the law, including Russia. However, it is still important to call them out and to bring a case against them when they do breach the law," said Melanie O'Brien, assistant professor at the University of Western Australia Law School. "The case demonstrates that other countries do not view Russia's conduct as acceptable -- but rather, as unlawful," O'Brien told AFP. A ruling from the ICJ against Russia would be a further element in isolating Moscow and confirming it broke international law, she said. "It is also an important acknowledgment for victims of human rights abuses and international crimes such as war crimes that what happened to them and their loved ones was not lawful," she added. Proving that Russia's actions were in contravention of international law could also be key in future peace negotiations, including over potential reparations, noted Rose. How long will it take? The wheels of justice grind slowly. The ICJ "genocide" case is only about whether the court even has jurisdiction. A special tribunal is politically sensitive and will take a long time to establish. But the wheels of justice also grind exceedingly fine. "Just because Putin won't comply with a ruling now, he won't be in power forever," said O'Brien. "At some point, a change of regime will occur and may lead to compliance with international law." The post ‘Total lawfare’: Ukraine’s other front in the war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Businesswoman scammed out of P265K
CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — A businesswoman was scammed of P265,000 in cash by a suspect who claimed to be a “District Prosecutor.” Victim Natasha Abaya of Barangay San Isidro, Candon City, Ilocos Sur, filed a complaint with the Candon City police on Friday. Abaya said that at about 12:55 p.m. on Thursday, she received a phone call from an unknown person with the contact number 09087793623. The female caller introduced herself as District Prosecutor Angeline Delos Santos Ordonia and said she was looking for a relative of Elvis Imperial (Abaya’s cousin) who was facing criminal charges for violating RA 9165. The caller offered to help dismiss the case. During their conversation, the caller allegedly gave Abaya three options to settle the case, including paying P189,000 to have the charges dropped. At around 1:32 p.m., Abaya went to a store in Barangay San Jose, Candon City, and sent P95,000 to account number 09622372583 through “pay and go.” After Abaya sent the money, the caller told her that “if you fail to complete the amount, we will file the case against him, even if we get a million pesos, we will not be able to release him.” To complete the amount of P190,000, at around 2:24 p.m., Abaya sent another P95,000 to account number 09621662553 through “pay and go.” The caller then told Abaya that her cousin was facing two cases, Section 5 and Section 15. She told Abaya to send another P75,000 so that there would be no more cases against her cousin and that he would be immediately released. At around 3:58 p.m., Abaya sent another P25,000 to account number 09563886041 through GCash. Police gathered that at around 4:13 p.m., she sent another P50,000. The total amount sent was P265,000. After sending the full amount, the caller stopped answering Abaya’s calls after the last payment. The post Businesswoman scammed out of P265K appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 ‘missing environmentalists’ not abducted — NSC
The National Security Council on Friday broke the narratives of left-leaning organizations that the missing students tagged as environmentalists, Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, who were allegedly abducted by government forces, were instead "safe and sound" in a safehouse as they turned themselves to the police for fear that their lives might be in danger after leaving the leftists' movement. "They left the movement. Hindi totoo na abducted itong dalawa. They left the movement on their (own) free will," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan E. Malaya told the media at the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict press briefing held at the National Press Club in Manila. "Second. They are not environmentalists, they were organizers ng kaliwa," Malaya added referring to local communists' front organizations like Kabataan and Karapatan. Since 1 September 2023, the two young girls, according to Malaya, were "planning to leave the movement" as narrated by Tamano and Castro in their sworn statements now forwarded to the Department of Justice to prepare charges against individuals and groups that took advantage of the conditions and experiences by the two students. Their sworn statements, Malaya said, were done "not in front" of soldiers or police, but with lawyers from the Public Attorney's Office and Commission on Human Rights representatives. "This is also a scam, may mga kumakalap ng pera (through G-Cash or Pay Maya) calling for donations (to find the two girls)," Malaya said. He challenged the communist front organizations to turn back the money collected or give it to Tamano and Castro or to their parents who suffered more from false narratives. Malaya said the DOJ will file cases against these groups and individuals. P/Capt. Carlito l Buco Jr., chief public information officer of the Bataan Provincial Police Office, on the other hand, said the case brought also some fears to parents of students in the province, as youngsters are targeted by the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army, and National Democratic Front, for recruitment. "We call on the students, maging matalino (be smart) kayo at isaalang-alang (think of your love ones) ang mahal ninyo sa buhay," the police official said. He added while the two reportedly missing students are now safe and sound, their sworn statements would attest to their experiences inside the Communist movement, which make them fearful for their security. The post 2 ‘missing environmentalists’ not abducted — NSC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DSWD can give small rice retailers up to P15K financial aid amid ceiling order
The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Tuesday said they are ready to provide cash assistance to small rice retailers who may incur losses due to the Malacanang-mandated price ceiling on rice which became effective yesterday 5 September. DSWD Secretary Gatchalian said he was directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to use the department’s Sustainable Livelihood Program to help small rice retailers recover their would-be losses from the temporary price cap. "We discussed with the President that we will use the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program once again so that our small retailers affected by this temporary price cap on rice can be assisted," Gatchalian said. Under Executive Order No. 39 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on 31 August, the mandated price ceiling for regular milled rice is P41 per kilo while the mandated price cap for well-milled rice is P45 per kilo. The DSWD chief said the SLP currently has a P5.5 billion budget which can be immediately used to help cushion the impact of the price cap on rice particularly among small rice retailers who have a very small inventory. The SLP is a capacity-building program that provides start-up capital for those who wish to start a small business, capital build for cases similar to the effects of the EO 39 to small businesses, and employment grants. Gatchalian said the Department is just waiting for the list of qualified small rice retailers, which will be provided by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture. “Hopefully, by next week, we can conduct a payout for the sustainable livelihood grant to our affected rice retailers," Gatchalian said. To date, the DTI and the DA are currently coming up with a list of affected rice traders and rice retailers who will receive the government’s assistance. Gatchalian pointed out that the DSWD is ready to begin the nationwide payout to the qualified recipients of financial aid amounting to a maximum of Php15,000. “Bagamat kino-compute pa ng DTI at DA ang dapat matanggap ng bawat tatamaang rice retailers, ang maximum na ibinibigay ng programang SLP ay P15,000. One time big time,” the DSWD chief pointed out. Last Monday, the DSWD chief said he had a meeting with Speaker Martin Romualdez who vowed to raise P2 billion to help augment the SLP budget for the benefit of more small rice traders and retailers. “I told Speaker Romualdez that the SLP’s P5.5 billion is enough to help the distressed small rice retailers. But I also welcome the additional budget as this would mean more Filipinos will be given assistance under the SLP,” Gatchalian said. The post DSWD can give small rice retailers up to P15K financial aid amid ceiling order appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
COMELEC: P2B unliquidated 2022 expenses down to P717M
The Commission on Elections on Monday reiterated that the unliquidated cash advances of more than P2 billion the Commission on Audit had flagged were down to P717 million as of 12 July 2023. At the weekly Laging Handa press briefing Comelec spokesman Atty. Rex Laudiangco said the liquidation of cash advances is continuing process done by the election officials who incurred the expenses during the last national and local elections in 2022. In its 2022 annual report, COA noted that the poll body’s cash advances granted to accountable officers jumped from P380 million to P2.089 billion in a span of a year. Laudiangco, however, said most of the accountable officers have already submitted liquidation reports showing that the funds were used for command conferences, teachers' trainings as election officers, accommodations and honoraria of electoral boards. "At kung hindi man po maili-liquidate ay naku, mapipilitan pong magsampa ang Comelec ng mga kinauukulang kaso sa mga tao po na tumanggap ng mga cash advances na iyan. In both instances, maibalik, mai-liquidate, masampahan ng kaso, sisiguraduhin po ng Comelec na accounted for po ang lahat ng iyan ( If they cannot liquidate those advances, Comelec has to slap them with administrative cases. The funds will be liquidated, and if not, cases will be filed against those who failed to do so. Comelec will ensure that these funds are all accounted for in the end)," Laudiangco said. He added that a total of P1.34 billion had been liquidated so far and the remaining over P700 million balance is still being documented based on expenditures incurred during the 2022 polls. 'Ito naman po ay recorded sa Comelec, at natukoy na po namin ang lahat ng tao na responsable dito. May direkta na pong demand letter na ipinadala sa kanila. At iyong demand letter po ay may kaakibat na aksyon iyan: Kailangan ma-liquidate nila, lahat po iyan ay mai-submit ang dokumento, otherwise, kasunod po iyong dalawang bagay -- una, pagwi-withhold ng kanilang salaries at benefits; ikalawa, kapag hindi pa rin po umubra iyon, iyong pagsasampa po ng kaso patungkol sa unliquidated cash advances (These are all recorded by the Comelec and we already know the people who still have to submit their liquidation reports. Demand letters were already sent to them, and the results may be two-fold -- first, we may withhold their salaries and benefits, and second, a case will be filed against them over their unliquidated cash advances," said Laudiangco. The post COMELEC: P2B unliquidated 2022 expenses down to P717M appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Putting the quit on Quilter
Karl Quilter, a Chicago resident, was recently handed a sentence of 30 years in a United States federal prison for OSEC, or the online sexual exploitation of children based in the Philippines. The 58-year-old Quilter entered last year a guilty plea, claiming that the minors he spoke with on social media sites Facebook, Viber, and Skype from 2017 to 2020 were his “girlfriends.” His modus operandi, court records showed, involved dangling money transfers to persuade his victims to send the requested images. Quilter, in fact, visited the Philippines in 2017 and 2018, but he would not admit to actually having physical sex with minors, something that could have added to his sentence. He, nonetheless, admitted to having vowed to return to the Philippines in 2020 to act out his OSEC fantasies, yet more proof that OSEC oftentimes leads to actual physical abuse by moneyed, well-traveled monsters. The successful prosecution of Quilter and others like him, however, represents only one side of the coin as there’s also a pressing need to stop the abuse at the source, hundreds of miles away. Putting behind bars adults, frequently family members, who enable this heinous crime within the Philippines and other poor countries, is equally important. Unicef, the International Justice Mission, and Interpol have conducted extensive research that indicates that the Philippines, even before the start of the pandemic, had become a major global hub for live-streaming or the distribution of videos and photos of sex acts involving children as young as two years old. According to their estimates, the incidence of OSEC in the country had more than tripled in recent years, with the Philippines receiving more than eight times as many referrals as any other country, “making it the center of the global live-stream sex abuse trade.” The IJM, which started working closely with authorities in the Philippines in 2020 to close physical channels of sexual abuse of minors like bars and prostitution houses, had warned that Covid-19 lockdowns spanning two years had significantly contributed to a threefold rise in OSEC cases. With his department as the lead agency in the government’s efforts against human trafficking, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has gone, so far, as to warn telecom companies that they would be prosecuted if they did not provide checks and filters against OSEC materials being routed through their networks. The biggest telcos have been heeding Remulla’s call, but as technology moves fast, they have to contend not only with the traffickers but also with tech wizards, those who live off the Dark Web, and who provide the backend support to ram OSEC materials through governmental and corporate check valves. IJM has drawn a silver lining around the dark clouds, saying that significant progress has been made in reducing the availability of children for sale on the streets and for internet-based sex trafficking. The figures, the group claimed, have fallen by as much as 86 percent in the cities where they were present. The relationship between OSEC and money transfers has been made crystal clear by recent research by the Anti-Money Laundering Task Force. It said that to stop the cycle of exploitation and bring the offenders to justice, it is necessary to destroy the illegal financial networks and stop the use of legal ones for OSEC payments. Although Quilter’s sentencing represents an important development in the prosecution of foreign offenders, he is just one among the millions of pedophiles and other perverts who have fueled OSEC, a multi-faceted problem that requires creative solutions and cross-border cooperation among governments, non-governmental organizations, and communities. OSEC operations by families in far-flung barangays are an open secret in communities, betrayed by the sprouting of Wi-Fi antennas in homes that also suddenly had access to extra cash. Cracking down on them has been easier, but the additional challenge now is stopping OSEC coursed through smartphones with internet data access. OSEC has been and will always be a cat-and-mouse game. It’s a virtual one-upmanship in trying to put the quit on depravities perpetrated by the likes of Quilter. The post Putting the quit on Quilter appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mayon simmers; funds assured
State volcanologists reported that Mayon Volcano produced fewer rockfalls and volcanic earthquakes on Thursday. Two volcanic tremors and 306 rockfall occurrences were recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology between 5 a.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday. The volcano recorded 309 rockfall events in the previous update, along with seven volcanic temblors. Mayon, however, showed a modest rise in sulfur dioxide flux, going from 149 tons per day to 193 tons per day. Since 8 June, the volcano has been on Alert Level 3 due to “potential explosive activity happening within days or weeks,” according to Phivolcs. Volcanologists said the volcano’s unrest may continue for a few months based on observations and past eruptions. Meanwhile, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. yesterday vowed quick response to Mayon’s unrest and the needs of the thousands of evacuees. Marcos pledged funds and other assistance to the affected province of Albay on the sidelines of a Department of Trade and Industry forum. “Whatever is needed, we will have to provide. Many people are already helping, all agencies are already engaged in their rehabilitation efforts, in the support for the evacuees,” he said. The government, he said, “must be sensitive” to the needs of the province during the emergency as each municipality faces different difficulties in carrying out quick response operations. He spoke about the elderly who need to take their medication, workers who had to leave their employment, and the children and parents whose mental and physical health are affected at the evacuation centers. “I think in terms of actual funding, I think, as far as I know, we have a budget for that but my instruction to them is to assess thoroughly, and not just keep giving money,” Marcos said. “You have to check what their problems are so we can fix them, and if it takes cash then that’s well and good, but sometimes it’s not cash,” he added. He instructed Cabinet officials to “take the load off” Albay in terms of quick response funding as Mayon’s restiveness may last from 45 to 90 days. “If it takes cash, then that’s good. Well and good. But sometimes, it’s not cash. We have been discussing what to do about the hampered education of the children; they cannot go to school. These are other issues are basically not quantifiable but they are important,” Marcos said. “The issues of the mental health of those children, even the parents. We need to think about them because what they are going through is really difficult. So we have to give all the support that we can,” he added. Latest data from the National Risk Reduction and Management Council showed that 9,167 families or 37,682 individuals were forced to evacuate due to Mayon’s restiveness. Of the number, 17,914 were counted as displaced persons staying in the 25 activated evacuation centers or temporary shelters. The remainder are staying with relatives or friends. The Philippine Army has conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations for 15,000 evacuees from Albay’s 23 barangays since 10 June. The government has so far provided more than P37.3 million to assist affected residents. The Office of Civil Defense said it has extended additional assistance to the Albay government, including the provision of 3,200 sacks of rice and other relief items such as tarpaulin rolls, N95 masks, family food packs, hygiene kits, pelican cases, portable water filtration units, and a water filtration truck to Albay to assist residents of affected areas. The post Mayon simmers; funds assured appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu City turns over millions worth of cash assistance to 31 brgys
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of 31 of the 80 barangays in Cebu City have received cash aid ranging from P3 million to P15 million from City Hall. The turnover of the cash assistance led by Mayor Michael Rama was made last Dec. 23, the city government said in a statement. Amilo Lopez, head […] The post Cebu City turns over millions worth of cash assistance to 31 brgys appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Govt calls for public cooperation as COVID-hit brgys in Cebu City reach 58
CEBU CITY, Philippines – As new coronavirus infections continue to rise, only 22 barangays in Cebu City remain to have zero active cases in the past 14 days. This prompted local officials here to advise the general public to brace for ‘stricter enforcement’ of health protocols and quarantine restrictions. In a report from the city’s […] The post Govt calls for public cooperation as COVID-hit brgys in Cebu City reach 58 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cebu City brgys warned against celebrating fiestas
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City barangays have been warned against celebrating their local fiestas amid the rising number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the city. Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said that there are barangays celebrating their parish or local fiestas in January close […] The post Cebu City brgys warned against celebrating fiestas appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
24 barangays to receive P100K cash incentive for having zero COVID cases
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of 24 barangays in Cebu City were qualified to receive financial incentives amounting to P100,000 for having no active cases of the new coronavirus within two months. Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, on Sunday, January 3, announced the list of villages expected to receive the cash reward for having […] The post 24 barangays to receive P100K cash incentive for having zero COVID cases appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Mass testing of 12 Lapu-Lapu brgys starts
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Health Department has started conducting mass testing to the top 12 barangays in the city with the most number of cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Grace Carungay, head of the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said that the barangays with the most number of cases of […] The post Mass testing of 12 Lapu-Lapu brgys starts appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Coke PH expands Balik Pinas program for repatriated OFWs
Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI)—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country—has expanded its Balik Pinas program to national scale to reach more repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and help them start their own business at home. Gareth McGeown, CCBPI President and CEO. “Coca-Cola’s commitment to Filipinos has only grown stronger, in weathering this crisis together,” said Gareth McGeown, CCBPI President and CEO. “We will help and support where we can. Through Balik Pinas, our goal is to help repatriated OFWs who have lost their livelihood abroad to start anew, via owning and operating their own business and be successful here, at home, with their families.” With the help of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), CCBPI aims to reach more OFWs who are interested to start their own business through Balik Pinas. Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs show that as of September 2020, over 190,000 overseas Filipino workers have been repatriated. Balik Pinas gives opportunities to OFWs to be part of the Coca-Cola family as a distributor, wholesaler, or a community reseller. Balik Pinas is a journey that the company and new entrepreneurs take together at every step—from setting up the business, to sustaining it, to ensuring growth. Coca-Cola assists former OFWs in choosing a suitable business model for their area, helps in managing their cash flow and inventory, and sees to it that they are given proper guidance and training until they are fully ready and equipped to operate on their own—all in all, a sustainable and profitable business founded on practical support from a global beverage brand. According to Carlos Rivera, CCBPI Territory Sales Team in Naga City, the Balik Pinas Program started as a small-scale initiative in Naga City to help former OFWs. Just a couple of months after returning home, Carlos Manzano and his family was able to set up their business as Coca-Cola distributor through the Balik Pinas Program, which Carlos said has reshaped his life and outlook forever. IN PHOTO: Carlos and their family’s multi-cab routing unit with the Coca-Cola Naga Sales team. When the program’s pilot rollout started, the Manzanos—brothers Carlos and Jazz, and their father Lito—were among the pioneer members. Carlos and Jazz had both been working for several years in Qatar until the COVID-19 pandemic shook the trajectory of their career and, consequently, the well-being of their families. Together with their father, Lito, who also used to be an overseas worker, they set up a beverage distribution business in their hometown Naga City. Their optimism, as with any new business venture, was tempered with anxiety over how it would all turn out—especially with the considerable challenge of launching during such tenuous times until Rivera offered them membership to the Balik Pinas Program of Coca-Cola. Now, the Manzanos are running a profitable business as Coca-Cola distributors. “Even when I had to leave Qatar suddenly because of the lay-offs, I always envisioned that I would head back to work there when things settle. But with Coca-Cola’s Balik Pinas, I have a livelihood that doesn’t take me away from my family as being an OFW had,” said Carlos. Lito can still remember his first order of 60 cases of Coke products. Now, the Manzano family business has grown to an average of 4,000 cases a month, just five months after they started—a feat magnified for it being in the middle of a pandemic and strict quarantine measures. The Manzanos have also since invested in routing units to augment their business’s capabilities—a multicab and a tricycle. Since starting his business in 2019, Billy Belleza (left), is now one of the prominent Coca-Cola distributors in his area and has added another mini truck to serve more routes and deliveries. Billy is one of the pioneers of Coca-Cola’s Balik Pinas program. Another Balik Pinas program pioneer member is Billy Belleza who decided to return to the country after working for 20 years in Brunei. “I am really thankful that Coca-Cola reached out to me to be a part of this. They have never failed to present opportunities for me and my business to grow since I decided to take part in the Balik Pinas Program. My sales actually soared this year,” said Belleza, who is also based in Naga City. According to Rivera, Balik Pinas Program was really designed for returning OFWs like Billy, Carlos, and Jazz and their families to set up and run a viable business at home. “With their success and in light of current events, this program was expanded to operate on a national scale, so the company can lend assistance to repatriated OFWs and their families as they weather through new challenges brought on by the pandemic,” Rivera said. Coca-Cola has consistently sought to create programs to support MSMEs, more so now with the COVID-19 pandemic having disrupted countless lives and livelihoods. With programs like Balik Pinas, Coca-Cola remains firm in their commitment to help local communities, contributing to the restart of the national economy—by way of reaching out to Filipinos. To know more about the program, you may reach Coca-Cola’s contact center at (02)-8813-COKE (2653). For SMART/PLDT users: toll-free number: 1800-1888-COKE (2653); and for GLOBE users: toll-free number: 1800-8888-COKE (2653). You may also contact 0919-160-COKE (2653) via SMS......»»
44 out of 80 Cebu City barangays have zero active cases
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The deputy chief implementor for Cebu City’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) welcomed Mayor Edgardo Labella’s move to provide cash incentives for barangays that could achieve zero active cases of the coronavirus. Councilor Joel Garganera, who also heads the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said […] The post 44 out of 80 Cebu City barangays have zero active cases appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
16 Consolacion brgys now COVID-free
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Only five of the 21 barangays in Consolacion town continue to have cases of the coronavirus disease as of Sunday, October 11. The rest of the 16 barangays are now free of the infection, the municipal government announced. Barangays Jugan and Nangka continue to have three cases each while Lamac, Poblacion […] The post 16 Consolacion brgys now COVID-free appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
QC’s CASH INCENTIVES FOR VILLAGES
QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte was offering cash incentives for 142 villages that can provide highest number of identified probable and suspect cases and lowest number of confirmed cases. With the data collection that started in Sept. 7 until Sept. 14 and the awarding would be held on Sept. 21 in time for the Barangay […] The post QC’s CASH INCENTIVES FOR VILLAGES appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»