Mabinay LGU rallies support of villagers affected by recent clash
NEGROS ORIENTAL, June 30 (PIA) -- The Philippine Army's 11th Infantry (Lapu-Lapu) Battalion has partnered with other government agencies for a joint outreach program dubbed as "Pakig-Tambayayong sa.....»»
Go extends aid to Muntinlupa fire victims
In observance of Fire Prevention Month, Sen. Bong Go and his Malasakit Team distributed aid on March 21 to almost 1,000 families in Alabang, Muntinlupa who were affected by a recent fire......»»
DAR proves unending government support to farmers
DAR Eastern Samar Provincial Office proved once again that delivery of government assistance is unending with the recent turnover of farm machineries and inputs to an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO) in Hernani, Eastern Samar......»»
Australia, Britain Criticize China for Actions in Hong Kong
SYDNEY - Australia and Britain on Friday criticized China for its actions in Hong Kong and the South China Sea and its support of Russia, after a meeting in which London and Canberra deepened their security ties.The two countries called out 'recent unsafe and destabilizing behavior by China's vessels against Philippine vessels and crew near Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea,' in a statement that contain.....»»
Oil tax freeze clash looms
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III yesterday supported — while Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno strongly opposed — a proposal to suspend the excise tax on imported oil products amid the skyrocketing fuel prices at the pump. “Every week, our fellow Filipinos face the challenge of ever-increasing fuel prices. They need a lifeline now. I hope the government understands the gravity of the situation and the urgency of intervention to alleviate their hardship,” Pimentel said. “The suspension of the excise tax would offer a temporary respite and serve as an effective lifeboat for Filipinos struggling to cope with the sky-high fuel prices,” he stressed. House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Partylist Representative Erwin Tulfo on Monday proposed a three-month suspension of the excise tax on imported oil and bio-ethanol to address the continuing surge in oil prices. Tulfo’s proposal to temporarily suspend the excise tax until December came after Speaker Martin Romualdez held a meeting with representatives of the oil industry players on the same day. In a media briefing, Tulfo gave the impression that the House leadership would be inclined to recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the suspension of the fuel excise tax. For Pimentel, suspending the excise tax would “unburden” many Filipinos from the expected increase in the prices of basic commodities. “The rising cost of crude oil will ultimately be borne by every Filipino because it leads to increased prices of goods, electricity, and more,” he said. Earlier, oil companies raised gasoline and kerosene prices by P2 per liter, with a more significant increase of P2.50 per liter for diesel. Diesel and kerosene prices in the last 11 consecutive weeks rose by a cumulative P17.30 and P15.95 per liter, respectively, while gasoline prices in the last 10 weeks climbed by P11.85 per liter. The global price of crude oil from the United States has risen to $92 per barrel, while European crude has increased to $95 per barrel since November last year. ‘Only rich will benefit’ But Diokno quickly put a damper on Tulfo’s proposal, saying that suspending the excise tax on petroleum products would benefit only the rich and severely damage the economy. “We recognize the public sentiment to address the elevated fuel prices. However, as the government, it is our responsibility to be cautious in implementing policies that could negatively impact the macro-fiscal stability and sustainability of the country,” he told reporters. Suspending the excise tax would be “regressive,” Diokno said, as it would delay infrastructure and social development projects for long-term economic growth under the Marcos administration, which aims to make the country a predominantly upper middle-income society by 2025. He pointed out that only the top 10 percent of households with the highest incomes would benefit from a suspension as they consume nearly 50 percent of all fuels. He noted that the lower half of households use up only 10 percent of all oil-based fuels. “When you formulate policy, you always think of what’s the greatest good for the greatest number,” Diokno said. Likewise, suspending the excise tax on fuel would not help stave off inflation in the long run, he added. “Any of the proposals will adversely affect our economic and fiscal recovery, our international credit rating, and our overall debt management strategy,” he said. He explained that the government would lose billions in revenue if it suspended the excise tax on fuel and its associated value-added tax. For the fourth quarter of 2023 alone, Diokno said, the losses in government revenue from foregone VAT and fuel excise taxes would reach P31.2 billion and P72.6 billion, respectively. Doom and gloom “In total, for the whole year of 2024, the government will lose P280.5 billion,” he said. Diokno averred that the lost revenue would lead to a higher budget deficit — from 5.1 percent to 6.2 percent of gross domestic product — and a higher debt-to-GDP ratio in 2024 of 60.2 percent to 61.3 percent. With a restricted revenue collection, Diokno added, the government will be forced to borrow more to support its projects and to repurpose some of its future revenues to debt payments. “Higher borrowings will further increase our interest payments and budget deficit in the future,” he said. The solution, Diokno said, is to give targeted subsidies to those who will be most negatively affected by the higher fuel prices, such as jeepney drivers, farmers and fishermen. He also said that eliminating the fuel tax would require time-consuming legislative action. “Once the elevated oil prices subside, it may not be easy to restore the taxes on oil products. It is politically unpopular. That’s the political economy of tax legislation. This has serious implications for fiscal sustainability,” he warned. The post Oil tax freeze clash looms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sara visits Masbate clash site
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Monday distributed school supplies to Masbate students affected by clashes between communist rebels and security forces. Duterte said a total of 1,513 students from different schools in the province received the PagbaBAGo kits. The PagbaBAGo campaign is a program that aims to instill the importance of basic education and nurture the right attitude among young Filipinos to succeed in life. It was the same program Duterte implemented when she was still mayor of Davao City. It is now part of the Vice President’s activities during her visits to cities and towns across the country. Aside from distributing the bags, Duterte also talked to the children’s parents, convincing them to practice responsible parenthood and family planning. The Vice President visited seven different public schools in this province weeks after classes were disrupted by armed clashes following the reported presence of the New People’s Army in communities near a school. Duterte visited Palani Integrated School in Balud, Guindawahan Elementary School in Pio Corpuz, Locso-an Elementary School and Arriesgado Sevilleno High School in Placer, Villa Hermosa Elementary School and Villa Hermosa National High School in Cawayan, and Masbate National Comprehensive High School in Masbate City. Face-to-face classes were suspended for a week in six Masbate towns following the clashes — affecting over 55,000 learners and 2,815 school personnel. Duterte earlier condemned the NPA for causing learning disruption in Masbate. During the school visits, Duterte stressed to the learners the significance of education in ending the cycle of poverty. At the Locso-on Elementary School in Placer town, she reminded students to duck and seek cover when they hear gunfire. A day after the 22 March clash in Placer town, a video of Locso-on school children who were panicking and crying in fear while gunshots were being heard went viral online. The Vice President also held dialogues with school heads and teachers, listening to their concerns about the education sector, such as providing school buildings, lessening the paper works of teachers, and providing stress debriefing following the clashes. The post Sara visits Masbate clash site appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mabinay LGU rallies support of villagers affected by recent clash
NEGROS ORIENTAL, June 30 (PIA) -- The Philippine Army's 11th Infantry (Lapu-Lapu) Battalion has partnered with other government agencies for a joint outreach program dubbed as "Pakig-Tambayayong sa.....»»
Kathryn Bernardo describes 28th birthday as most memorable yet
Kapamilya star Kathryn Bernardo shared some highlights from her recent yacht birthday bash......»»
Russia blocks renewal of UN panel monitoring North Korea sanction compliance
At the United Nations, a recent vote on renewing a panel of experts monitoring North Korea’s compliance with international sanctions has caused tension among member.....»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»
Philippines’s Marcos pledges action in response to China’s ‘dangerous attacks’
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines has issued a strong statement in response to recent confrontations in the South China Sea, stating that the country.....»»
PH media slam Chinese foreign ministry’s claims of manipulating WPS reports
Philippine media groups criticized the Chinese foreign ministry for suggesting that recent reports on Chinese harassment of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea involved video manipulation and sensationalism to portray the Philippines as a victim. The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) expressed offense.....»»
Cebu City declares state of calamity in 28 mountain barangays due to el Niño
CEBU CITY, Philippines – In response to the escalating effects of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, Cebu City has declared a “state of calamity” in 28 mountain barangays. This decision comes after a resolution was passed with reports of dwindling water sources and agricultural distress, prompting urgent measures to assist affected communities in the city. .....»»
CCLEX safety enhancements pushed after US bridge tragedy
Cebu City, Philippines — In light of recent events, a call for increased CCLEX safety measures has been made to the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) by a Cebu City legislator. Councilor Rey Gealon penned a resolution urging CCLEC to implement precautionary measures at the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway to prevent disasters, considering the high.....»»
Saso, Pagdanganan seek redemption at Ford Championship
Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan are determined to bounce back from their recent LPGA Tour performances as they mix it up with the world’s best in the Ford Championship......»»
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. .....»»
Pentagon chief reaffirms support after latest China aggression in WPS
Austin emphasized US support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in a phone call with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Wednesday. .....»»
7 nanlaban drug suspects dead after Baste Duterte declares drug war
Less than a week after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared a "war on drugs" in the city, at least seven drug suspects were killed during a buy-bust operation in the city — violence that highlights the seriousness of the mayor's recent threat of outright killing persons caught using illegal drugs......»»
All Hail the Camera King! HONOR Magic6 Pro Ranks Number 1 in Camera Global Rankings
The leading global provider of smart devices, HONOR, claimed the top spot as the best camera smartphone in the recent DxOMark ranking test, dethroning its competitors with a high-ranking score of 158. DxOMark, an independent camera testing organization that provides comprehensive evaluations of camera performances, has awarded HONOR Magic6 Pro as the top contender in […].....»»
Jollibee invests $28 million in beverage tech firm
Filipino-owned Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Foods Corp. is investing $28 million for a 10 percent stake in beverage technology company Botrista Inc. to support the growth of its coffee and tea business......»»
Cebu topnotcher shares secret to success: Strong support system of family, friends
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A good support system of family and friends is Elijah Cabase’s secret to his placing 5th in the March 2024 Medical Technologists Licensure Examinations (MTLE). This 23-year-old University of Cebu-Banilad alumnus said that he was not even expecting to pass because he described himself as a confessed procrastinator — or one.....»»