On World Teachers’ Day, groups call for higher education budget
It is the Duterte administration's responsibility to provide these basic demands for enough learning modules per student, available gadgets and laptops for both student and teachers for online classes, adequate health measures are in place to ensure health safety for both teacher and student, and sufficient teaching expenses allowances for our teachers in this new normal for education." The post On World Teachers’ Day, groups call for higher education budget appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Ched-Davao: Quake drill not just ‘procedural activity’ but necessity
AN OFFICIAL from the Commission on Higher Education-Davao Region (Ched-Davao) said that there is a need to prepare students for disasters and other calamities......»»
Jaishankar calls on Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong, values his perspective on current state of world
Singapore, March 25 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar valued Lee Hsien Loong's perspectives on the current state of the world. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Honoured to call on Prime Minister @leehsienloongat The Istana. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. V.....»»
Jaishankar calls on Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong, values his perspective on current state of world
Singapore, March 25 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar valued Lee Hsien Loong's perspectives on the current state of the world. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Honoured to call on Prime Minister @leehsienloongat The Istana. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. V.....»»
‘DepEd acting on senior high school voucher discrepancies’
The Department of Education is acting on supposed discrepancies in the voucher program under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education......»»
Senators denounce China’s ‘abhorrent’ actions in WPS
Senators on Sunday condemned China for performing “dangerous blocking maneuvers” that resulted in a collision with the Unaiza May 2, an indigenous boat contracted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. In separate statements, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senators Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Tolentino expressed their anger over the collision that put the safety of the Filipino crew at risk. “I am one with peace-loving Filipinos in strongly condemning this latest abhorrent actions of the China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia that put in danger the lives of our brave countrymen who were on a routine resupply mission to our troops in Ayungin Shoal,” Zubiri said. “Let me salute our personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for displaying courage and restraint in continuing their resupply missions despite the hostile and treacherous acts of China Coast Guard and their maritime militia,” he added. Zubiri called on CCG to “respect human lives and abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other international laws governing safe maritime travel.” “Our freedom of navigation in our own exclusive economic zone within our own continental shelf should be recognized and upheld,” he stressed. The Senate chief also reiterated his support for his colleagues' efforts to beef up the PCG and AFP’s budget for the next fiscal year to “better capacitate them in safeguarding our exclusive economic zones from illegal foreign intrusions.” “As leader of the Senate, I will make sure that our troops will get sufficient funds under the 2024 national budget to bankroll the much-needed upgrade of their equipment,” he said. The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea accused the CCG of performing "dangerous blocking maneuvers" that resulted in a collision with the Unaiza May 2, an indigenous boat contracted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. The NTF-WPS condemned the “provocative, irresponsible, and illegal action” of the China Coast Guard ship which “imperiled the safety” of the Unaiza May 2 crew. In the same resupply mission, a Chinese Maritime Militia vessel “bumped” the Philippine Coast Guard BRP Cabra’s port side which was escorting the Philippine vessels while it was lying approximately 6.4 nautical miles northeast of Ayungin Shoal. The NTF-WPS said it “condemns in the strongest degree the latest dangerous, irresponsible, and illegal actions of the CCG and the Chinese maritime militia done this morning.” ‘Enough’ Hontiveros echoed Zubiri’s call on China to “stop” its activities in the West Philippine Sea which she said clearly violates international law. “This latest collision is squarely the China Coast Guard’s fault,” she said in a separate statement. “The 2016 Arbitral Award has resolutely invalidated China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, making this incident a clear violation of international law,” she added. Hontiveros said the PCG “has every right to be in the West Philippine Sea.” “China has no right to drive our forces into our own seas. Furthermore, they do not have the right to hurt and bump Philippine vessels that are only performing their jobs in our territories,” she stressed. “Chinese vessels have chased, blocked, and harassed our Philippine Coast Guard daily, 24/7 every single time we conduct our resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre,” she added. The opposition lawmaker also called on the international community to join the Philippines’ condemnation of China’s most recent violence against the Filipino people. “Our nations should not stop fighting for the rule of law. It is the only way to have a chance at true peace and stability across the region and the world,” she said. For his part, Tolentino said the recent confrontation between the Philippines and China clearly shows China’s continuous disregard for international law. He noted that the incident should be investigated by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the Code for Investigation ng Marine Casualties and Incidents of the International Maritime Organization. Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration – a landmark decision that China continues to reject. The post Senators denounce China’s ‘abhorrent’ actions in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go pushes for increased Cancer Fund
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go emphasized the importance of allocating sufficient funds for specific healthcare programs, such as those addressing cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders, during the Committee on Finance hearing for the Department of Health’s budget on Thursday, 28 September. “We must also give enough focus and ensure funding for our programs to address other diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders,” Go said. He pointed out that the Cancer Assistance Fund for this year was set at P500 million through the collective efforts of lawmakers last year. Go proposed for this to be doubled to P1 billion for the next year. However, he expressed concern over the current reported underutilization of the fund. Drawing from his previous advocacy, Go has been a consistent voice for increased funding for the CAF. “Dapat patuloy na pataasin ang budget para sa cancer assistance fund,” he said in an earlier interview. The senator’s call for increased funding aligns with the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, under Republic Act 11215, signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019. Within NICCA, CAF plays a pivotal role in offering financial support to cancer patients across the nation. He also emphasized the need to bridge the gap between the high cost of cancer treatment and the financial means of those who need it most. “It is for this reason that we continus to advocate for a larger allocation for the CAF and recognizes that every peso invested in cancer assistance is an investment in the health and well-being of countless individuals and their families,” he said. Furthermore, Go expressed his support for a proposed cancer fund intended to aid Overseas Filipino Workers, a project championed by the late Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople of the Department of Migrant Workers. “This initiative highlights the urgent requirement to offer aid and compassion to the modern-day heroes who are confronting cancer while working far away from their homes,” he concluded. The post Go pushes for increased Cancer Fund appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro
Davao City’s confidential expenses that ballooned to P2.697 billion during Vice President Sara Duterte’s stint as mayor should be probed by the Commission on Audit, a lawmaker said Monday. The call for investigation was prompted by the 2022 report of the CoA, which found that Davao City spent P2.697 billion on confidential expenses between 2016 to 2022, or an average of PP385.3 million per year over the preceding six years. Duterte served as the Davao City mayor from 2016 to 2022 before she assumed the VP post in July of last year. Based on CoA findings, Davao City incurred P144 million of confidential expenses in 2016, which was more than doubled to P293 million in 2017 and further climbed to P420 million in 2018. The city’s confidential fund expenses further grew to P460 million in 2019 and were maintained consistently for the subsequent years of 2020, 2021, and 2022. In an interview on Monday, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, who sought the CoA probe, stressed that the P2.697 billion totality of confidential expenses of Davao City in the previous six years “could have been utilized more effectively to benefit the education sector, specifically by providing much-needed support to teachers.” “We were shocked also [by] the report of the CoA. With this controversy of confidential funds, we are thinking of asking the CoA to investigate,” she said. “The CoA should file an audit observation memo and then ask them to explain maybe the misuse of funds and then file necessary legal action.” She added, “Imagine more than a million a day spent for the confidential funds in a city. I just wonder how it was spent and where it was spent. So, we want the CoA to review if the city government of Davao City led by Vice President Sara Duterte by then really followed the guidelines or the joint circular 2015-01.” The said joint circular outlined by CoA with the Departments of Budget and Management, National Defense, and of the Interior and Local Government, and Governance Commission for GOCCs, contains guidelines on the entitlement, release, use, reporting, and audit of confidential and intelligence funds that are in the General Appropriations Act. Daily Tribune has been asking for Duterte’s comment, but she remained mum on the issue. While Castro admitted that the local government units are entitled to confidential funds for peace and order maintenance, it was “ironic” that Duterte sought allocation of such funds given that she claimed Davao City was “very peaceful, disciplined, and well” during her tenure. "So why is it necessary to have an increasingly confidential fund?" the lawmaker stressed, noting such a fund should be used for other fruitful endeavors. "I remember the time the teachers of Davao City were asking for city allowance, but she did not grant it. Instead, she refused and even got mad with ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers) during that time," Castro pointed out. While none in the law limits the amount of confidential funds, the militant lawmaker pointed out that it should be rationalized. A proposed law aimed at imposing a cap and limit on confidential funds, streamlining the allocation of such that would promote transparency and accountability, is currently being crafted, according to Castro. It will be filed in Congress when the session resumes in November. The post Sara Duterte’s P2.7B confidential expenses as Davao mayor should be probed—Castro appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go pushes for increased Cancer Assistance Fund
Senator Christopher "Bong Go" emphasized the importance of allocating sufficient funds for specific healthcare programs, such as those addressing cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders, during the Committee on Finance hearing for the Department of Health's (DOH) budget on Thursday, 28 September. "We must also give enough focus and ensure funding for our programs to address other diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders," Go said. He pointed out that the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) for this year was set at P500 million through the collective efforts of lawmakers last year. Go proposed for this to be doubled to P1 billion for the next year. However, he expressed concern over the current reported underutilization of the fund. "Pakisilip po ninyo ito. Sa dami ng cancer patients na nangangailangan ng tulong, sigurado naman pong mauubos yan at hindi katanggap-tanggap na hindi ninyo magastos ang pondo sa pagtulong sa kanila," he added. Drawing from his previous advocacy, Go has been a consistent voice for increased funding for the CAF. "Dapat patuloy na pataasin ang budget para sa cancer assistance fund," he said in an earlier interview. He also stressed the financial burden that cancer places on families, stating, "Talagang pipilayan ang pamilya tuwing nagkakanser ka, pilay na po ang inyong pamilya, halos hindi na po nakakatrabaho 'yan, nakafocus na po sa pagpapagamot." The senator's call for increased funding aligns with the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), under Republic Act No. 11215, signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019. Within NICCA, CAF plays a pivotal role in offering financial support to cancer patients across the nation. "The more na dapat po ay dagdagan natin ang pondo para sa cancer assistance fund, the more we should invest sa ating healthcare system," Go urged. He also emphasized the need to bridge the gap between the high cost of cancer treatment and the financial means of those who need it most. "It is for this reason that he continues to advocate for a larger allocation for the CAF and recognizes that every peso invested in cancer assistance is an investment in the health and well-being of countless individuals and their families," he said. Furthermore, Go expressed his support for a proposed cancer fund intended to aid Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), a project championed by the late Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). "This initiative highlights the urgent requirement to offer aid and compassion to the modern-day heroes who are confronting cancer while working far away from their homes," he concluded. The post Bong Go pushes for increased Cancer Assistance Fund appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators call for increase to ‘insufficient’ 2024 DoE budget
The Senate Committee on Finance on Friday tackled the proposed national budget of the Department of Energy and its attached agencies for the year 2024 as presented by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla. The DoE, Energy Regulatory Commission and National Electrification Administration are seeking to acquire funding amounting to P2.59 billion, P664 million and P2.29 billion, respectively, to be utilized next year. Senator Win Gatchalian, who presided over the panel’s Subcommittee E hearing, sees the combined budget allocation of DoE and ERC totaling P3.1 billion “insufficient” as the agencies are in charge of making sure that the country gets adequate electricity and oil supplies. “Just imagine, P3.1 billion? But in their hands lies the future of our energy sector as well as the regulation of our energy sector. That is why we want to hear if you have any desire to improve some components of your budget,” he said. During the budget deliberation, Senator Raffy Tulfo and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda manifested their support for increasing the energy sector’s budget for next year. “In the 2024 NEP, it is very obvious how little [is] the proposed budget of the Department of Energy and its attached agencies and corporations. The proposed budget of DOE is only 2.59 billion pesos,” Tulfo said. “While that is already P370 million more than the 2023 budget, it is still a mere 0.04 percent of the total of the proposed expenditure program of the national government. Parang napakaliit naman yata nito kumpara sa halaga ng kuryente sa araw-araw nating buhay (It seems its meager compared to the energy costs in our daily lives),” he added. Tulfo likewise called for an energy emergency fund, noting that the energy sector “serves a pivotal role in the nation’s development.” “These agencies should be given ample resources to help manage an imminent energy crisis. An emergency fund is needed because we have seen how this has caused irreversible problems when the energy occurred in Mindoro and Samal recently,” he said. “As Chairman of the Committee on Energy, I strive to work in increasing funding for these agencies with the high expectation that they will work more effectively and efficiently,” Tulfo added. The post Senators call for increase to ‘insufficient’ 2024 DoE budget appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go reiterates call for increased health fund
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, emphasized in an interview on Tuesday, 26 September, the urgent need to bolster the Department of Health’s budget as the country movestowards pandemic recovery even amid several existing and emerging public health concerns. He recalled the budget deliberations in December 2019 when there were attempts to cut the budget of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for year 2020. “In the 2019 budget deliberations, I defended the RITM budget which was on the brink of being slashed. We even added more funds,” he narrated. This decision turned out to be crucial then, as RITM later played a vital role in Covid-19 testing when the pandemic started in 2020. Go noted that the restoration of RITM’s budget underscored the importance of adequately funding healthcare institutions, especially in unpredictable times. Go’s recollection came at a critical time when DoH is facing a P10-billion budget cut for 2024. The proposed budget cut would bring DoH’s overall budget down to P199.45 billion from P209.62 billion under the General Appropriations Act of 2023. With this, Go argued that the healthcare system needs more, not less, financial support. He then underscored the urgency for increased investment in the public healthcare system. Meanwhile, Go continued to push for the Department of Disaster Resilience and Mandatory Evacuation Center bills. Go’s office, in coordination with Mayor Clark Ngaya, distributed grocery packs to 500 typhoon “Egay” victims at the municipal hall in Barlig, Mountain Province last Monday, 25 September. The post Go reiterates call for increased health fund appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go renews call for increased health budget
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, emphasized in an interview on Tuesday, 26 September, the urgent need to bolster the Department of Health's budget as the country navigates toward pandemic recovery even amid several existing and emerging public health concerns. "Gaya ng sinabi ko noon, full support ako sa DOH kung ano ang makakatulong sa ating healthcare system," said Go. He recalled the budget deliberations in December 2019 when there were attempts to cut the budget of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for the year 2020. "Nag-budget hearing noong December 2019, tinapyasan ang proposed budget sa RITM at DOH, di po ako pumayag noon. Dinagdagan pa natin at ibinalik natin ang pondo," he narrated. This decision turned out to be crucial then, as RITM later played a vital role in COVID-19 testing when the pandemic started in 2020. Go noted that the restoration of RITM's budget underscored the importance of adequately funding healthcare institutions, especially in unpredictable times. Go's recollection came at a critical time when the DOH was facing a P10-billion budget cut for 2024. The proposed budget cut would bring DOH's overall budget down to P199.45 billion from P209.62 billion under the General Appropriations Act of 2023. With this, Go argued that the healthcare system needs more, not less, financial support. He then underscored the urgency for increased investment in the public healthcare system. "The more we should invest sa ating healthcare system, dagdagan ang pondo," Go reiterated. "Para sa akin po, dapat suportahan natin na dagdagan ang pondo ng DOH. 'Wag pong bawasan, dagdagan pa po," he stated further. He emphasized that the funds should be used wisely to benefit patients particularly the less fortunate. "Makinabang dapat ang mga pasyente, makinabang po ang mahihirap nating kababayan na walang ibang matakbuhan kundi tayo pong nasa gobyerno," he said. Go said that those who are wealthy have the option to seek medical care in private hospitals, while the less fortunate are left with no other choice but to rely on public healthcare facilities that rely on government funding. "Ito pong mga helpless, mga hopeless nating kababayan, sila ang unahin natin. 'Yung mayayaman naman po, di pupunta sa public hospitals 'yan," he said. During the Commission on Appointments hearing on the ad interim appointment of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa which Go presided on early that day, the senator also appealed to DOH to ensure that poor and indigent patients are given utmost attention in public hospitals. Go cited a recent department memorandum signed by Herbosa instructing medical center chiefs to ensure that all patients must be accorded with the available services in Malasakit Centers. The Malasakit Center serves as a one-stop shop aimed at helping particularly poor and indigent patients minimize their medical expenses to the lowest amount possible by collaborating with various agencies offering medical assistance programs. This initiative was institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11463, a law principally authored and sponsored by Go in the Senate. Presently, there are 159 Malasakit Centers spread across the country, and they have collectively provided support to more than seven million Filipinos, as reported by DOH. Moreover, echoing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s priority of bringing specialized medical services closer to other parts of the country, Go highlighted that he has principally sponsored and is one of the authors of the Regional Specialty Centers Act which was recently enacted into law. The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. Given this, Go reminded the DOH that sufficient funding must be allocated in the coming years for the proper implementation of the law. Moreover, Go also emphasized the need to continue bringing basic health services closer to the grassroots through the establishment of more Super Health Centers nationwide which he had advocated for since the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte. “Ipagpatuloy natin na ilapit ang serbisyong medikal mula gobyerno sa ating mga kababayang mahihirap na walang ibang matakbuhan. The more we should support their health needs, the more na mag-invest po tayo sa ating healthcare system,” Go said. “Huwag po natin silang pahirapan. Marami po sa mga kababayan natin sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas na wala silang sariling health facility. Kaya importante na mailapit natin ang serbisyong medikal mula gobyerno sa mga taong nangangailangan nito,” he stressed. The post Bong Go renews call for increased health budget appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP pressed to give up CIF
The Office of the President is studying a proposal to realign for education, health, housing and social services the multi-billion-peso confidential and intelligence funds, or CIF, in the P5.768-trillion proposed 2024 national budget. This was revealed by ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who stood as the sponsor of the OP budget during the debate in the House of Representatives on the P10.7-billion proposed budget for the Office of the President for next year. “This is being studied, Mr. Speaker, by the government,” Tulfo said in response to ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro’s statement that “it is high time to remove this CIF.” “Don’t give it to the civilian agency that has nothing to do with what we call confidential expenses, surveillance, and other things about intelligence,” Castro said. Tulfo, however, expressed reservations about totally removing the CIF from the budget as “it is used to gather information on national security and the internal and external threats to the country.” He said the Office of the President has allocated CIFs to seven agencies, amounting to P4.56 billion. The seven agencies are the Presidential Situation Room, National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Coordinating Committee, National Cybersecurity Inter-Agency Committee, Presidential Anti–Organized Crime Commission, Philippine Center on Transnational Crimes, Anti-Terrorism Council Project Management Council, and National Coast Watch System, all created under various executive orders of previous administrations. Castro said the CIF has been prone to abuse. In the proposed P5.768-trillion national budget, P9.2 billion will go to CIFs across all agencies — P4.3 billion in confidential funds and P4.9 billion in intelligence funds. The OP stands to receive P4.5 billion in confidential funds. In contrast, the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, both under Vice President Sara Duterte, will receive P500 million and P150 million, respectively, or a total of P650 million. The post OP pressed to give up CIF appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Quimbo: OVP’s P125-M confidential funds spent in 11 days, not 19
Vice President Sara Duterte's office spent P125 million in confidential funds in 2022 in merely 11 days— not 19 days--- as initially claimed by some opposition lawmakers. The revelation came during the sponsorship debate of CoA's P13.36 billion budget for 2024, during which Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, the agency's budget sponsor, told lawmakers that the multimillion-peso CF granted to the OVP by the Office of the President had been spent in just 11 days. The P125 million CF was part of the P221.42 million contingent fund of the OP transferred to the OVP in 2022. "Madam Speaker, the truth is that I was also surprised when I read the news that it was spent within 19 days and I asked about the CoA and I looked at the various reports, but it was not spent within 19 days but 11 days, Madam Speaker," Quimbo said. Confidential funds are used for discreet costs associated with surveillance operations carried out by civilian government agencies in support of their mandate or operations. The OVP submitted its liquidation report in January 2023 and was issued an audit observation memorandum or AOM on 18 September 2023 by state auditors, said Quimbo, citing the CoA. Government agencies have only 15 days to respond to an AOM. The CoA, meanwhile, pledged that Congress will be furnished a copy of the full report on 15 November 2023 as the audit is still ongoing. OVP spokesperson Reynold Munsayac, however, brushed off the claim and told reporters that the agency has yet to receive the AOM from COA. Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, who has been an opponent and critic of the CF, appeared surprised by Quimbo's revelation, questioning how the OVP managed to spend that massive fund in less than two weeks. "It's hard to imagine spending that in 11 days because if it's for surveillance, how many reward payments will reach P11 million per day?" Brosas stressed. Quimbo, meanwhile, responded, "I hope you will support me in my call for this creation of a special oversight committee," that she said will look into how CIFs are used properly and judiciously. Under the current system, only the President, the Senate President and the House Speaker have access to information pertaining to CIFs. The multi-million fund shift of OP to OVP has sparked intense debate in Congress, with opposition claiming it was unconstitutional since there was no line item in the OVP's 2022 budget on confidential funds in the 2022 General Appropriations Act. Then Vice President Leni Robredo, who prepared the 2022 budget of the OVP, said there was no line item for confidential funds in the budget they crafted. The Department of Budget and Management defended the legality of such transfer in a letter sent to Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, chair of the House committee on appropriations, last week. Co has yet to provide a copy of the letter to House reporters. The post Quimbo: OVP’s P125-M confidential funds spent in 11 days, not 19 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
State colleges, universities call for restoration of budget
Presidents of SUCs said that the majority of the P6-billion reduction in their budget will impact capital outlay, which includes facilities, equipment and other investments “that will serve these institutions for periods longer than the next fiscal year.” .....»»
Suspending excise tax on petroleum only benefits the rich — Diokno
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that the proposals on suspending the collection of excise taxes on petroleum products would only benefit the rich and would cause "huge damage" to the economy. Diokno warned against the politicians' call to oil firms to lower oil prices amid skyrocketing fuel cost, where House Speaker Martin Romualdez asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the collecting of the fuel excise tax. The House of Representatives met with oil industry players to discuss the country's energy crisis and look into possible remedies, such as suspending excise taxes for three months. In a Viber message to reporters, Diokno said that the 10 percent of households with the highest incomes, who consume close to 50 percent of all fuel, are the primary beneficiaries of the suspension of fuel taxes. On the other hand, he said the lower half of homes only use approximately 10 percent of the gasoline. Diokno added that suspending the excise tax will not help combat inflation in the long run. "Any of the proposals will adversely affect our economic and fiscal recovery, our international credit ratings, and our overall debt management strategy," Diokno said. In a separate television interview, Diokno said the government would lose billions in revenue if the government suspended the VAT and excise tax on fuel. "First of all, when you continue with that, what will be lost in the government is P72.6 billion for the fourth quarter only. That's the last quarter of 2023," Diokno said. "In total, for the whole year of 2024, it will reach P280.5 billion that will be lost from the government," he added. Diokno said the foregone revenues will lead to a higher budget deficit – from 5.1 percent to 6.2 percent of GDP, and higher debt-to-GDP ratio in 2024 from a projected 60.2 percent to 61.3 percent. The solution, Diokno said, is to give targeted subsidies to those who will be most negatively affected by increased fuel prices, such as jeepney drivers, farmers, and fishermen. Additionally, Diokno said that eliminating fuel taxes requires time-consuming legislative action. “Once the elevated oil prices subside, it may not be easy to restore taxes on oil product. It is politically unpopular. That’s the political economy of tax legislation,” Diokno said. “This has serious implications on fiscal sustainability,” he added. The post Suspending excise tax on petroleum only benefits the rich — Diokno appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
House panel mulls Ombudsman proposal on CoA reports
The House Committee on Appropriations, whose primary jurisdiction includes appropriating expenditure for the national government and its agencies, is open to keeping findings of the Commission on Audit off the record in view of Ombudsman Samuel Martires’ proposal to call a halt to the publication of Annual Audit Report or AAR. Contrary to the senior vice chair, Marikina Rep. Stella Qumbo’s earlier pronouncement that the panel will retain the CoA’s regular publication of initial audit observation memorandum or AOM, Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, the committee chairperson, said Saturday he is open consider Martires's suggestion of removing the publication of AAR from the general provision of the General Appropriations Act or annual budget, which the ombudsman deemed “causes confusion” to the public. According to Co, his panel “will carefully evaluate the impact and implications” of the disposal of the AAR. “I understand the concern about preventing premature judgments and confusion among the public when reading audit reports. The impact of such publications on government officials' reputations is an important consideration,” Co said. In the deliberation of the Ombudsman’s P4.98-billion proposed budget for 2024 last week, Martires called to remove the publication requirement of the CoA’s initial AOM for each government agency to stave off premature corruption judgment against government officials. “When a case is filed and the case is dismissed, the problem is it creates an innuendo that the ombudsman earned,” Martires said. “I appeal to Congress to take a second look at this.” While Co’s commitment came late, still, he still vowed that Martires’ proposal would be “discussed thoroughly, and we will engage in a comprehensive review to determine the best course of action in line with our commitment to transparency and accountability in government.” Martires’ proposal drew backlash from the public and lawmakers, including ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, who strongly opposed the granting of confidential funds to various government agencies. Martires made headlines right after his pronouncement. Days after, he, however, assured the public that the Ombudsman “is not protecting erring and corrupt government officials and employees with its firm belief that only the Final Audit Report ought to be published and shared with the public since the Annual Audit Report could still be taken up on appeal before the COA en banc and the Court.” Quimbo had previously disclosed that the panel will proceed with the CoA reports publication, and that the 2024 proposed P5.7 trillion national budget has only undergone two adjustments, including eliminating the necessity that Congress submit reports to the executive department. The post House panel mulls Ombudsman proposal on CoA reports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOTr told to prioritize expansion, rehab of Phl airports
Gatchalian to DOTr: Prioritize expansion, rehab of existing Phl airports The Department of Transportation should prioritize the expansion and rehabilitation of existing airports in the country “to enhance air travel and support the tourism industry,” said Senator Win Gatchalian. Among the airports that should be expanded are those located in Camarines Norte, Southern Leyte, and North Cotabato provinces, he said. “We need to expand our existing airports, build new terminals, and fly tourists straight to their destinations," Gatchalian said noting that the rehabilitation efforts would enhance tourism activities in these provinces, create more jobs, and underpin the local economy. "This is a very good phenomenon because it decongested Manila and tourists were able to fly straight to their destination," he added. Gatchalian said the DOTr could carve out a portion of the 2024 budget for right-of-ways under the National Expenditure Program for the expansion of airports, “since the disbursement of the budget for the acquisition of right-of-ways is usually underutilized.” He explained that under the 2022 General Appropriations Act, for instance, utilization of the P1.65 billion budget for right-of-ways is at a very low level. Likewise, a budget of P12.4 billion under the 2023 GAA appropriated for right-of-ways has a very low disbursement rate to date. In a recent budget hearing, Gatchalian noted that the DOTr's budget for the rail sector has increased substantially to P163 billion, despite the perennial problem of underutilization. "Napakalaki ng increase ng rail sector in the budget of DOTr and I support the call to expand the rail sector to different parts of the country including Mindanao. However, the rail sector is perennially underutilized in terms of disbursement," he said. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the DOTr is already coordinating with its contractors to hasten the disbursement of payments. "It's important to emphasize that we need to improve the absorptive capacity of the department and we are happy to hear that you are working closely with your contractors," Gatchalian told DOTr officials. The post DOTr told to prioritize expansion, rehab of Phl airports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOJ to comply with Ombudsman rule on audit reports
The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday said they will comply with the rules of the Office of the Ombudsman with regard to the publication of the annual audit report being published by the Commission on Audit (COA). This was the response of DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesman Atty. Mico Clavano when asked for comment on the proposal of the Ombudsman to restrict the publication of annual audit reports of government agencies. “We will comply with the rules whichever way it is crafted. It is for the proper appropriate authorities to decide. We will simply follow,” said Clavano. Earlier, Ombudsman Samuel Martires defended his call to lawmakers to delete a provision in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) requiring the publication of the COA’s Annual Audit Reports or AARs of government agencies. In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman pointed out that AARs are not yet final as these can still be appealed before the COA all the way to court. “The Ombudsman assures that it is not protecting erring and corrupt government officials and employees with its firm belief that only the final audit report ought to be published and shared with the public since the Annual Audit Report could still be taken up on appeal before the Commission on Audit en banc and the court,” the statement read. Martires explained that he just does not want government officials to be subjected to “trial by publicity” with the release of the AARs. “Once we release our decision, which the media usually publishes, that’s it. You would no longer hear anything from us because I don’t want to resort to prosecution by publicity,” said Martires. During the hearing of the Ombudsman’s P5-billion proposed budget for 2024 before the House of Representatives appropriations committee last Monday, Martires made an unsolicited suggestion to lawmakers to remove a provision in the GAA requiring the publication of the COA’s audit observation memorandum (AOM). Martires clarified that what he meant during the budget hearing was the publication of AARs. The post DOJ to comply with Ombudsman rule on audit reports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Transport group appeals subsidy
A transport group on Sunday appealed to the national government that all transport workers will receive the fuel subsidies announced by the government amid the consecutive oil price hikes. Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines president Boy Vargas said that in the past, many drivers and operators were not able to receive fuel subsidies. “We hope that this time, everyone will be able to receive the fuel subsidy. We don’t want anyone to be left behind,” he said in a radio interview. To recall, the Department of Budget and Management on Friday approved the release of P3 billion for the Fuel Subsidy Program that would support approximately 1.36 million public utility vehicle drivers and operators. The subsidy will be given in the form of call cards that could be used in select gasoline stations in exchange for fuel. Vargas also called on the operators to give the PUV drivers the fuel subsidy. “We hope that the operators will be able to give the fuel subsidy to their drivers. This will help them a lot, especially with the rising oil prices,” he said. The post Transport group appeals subsidy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
On right track
"Culture and the arts reflect our identity as Filipinos, as people. We must have a strong patriotism to embrace our culture and identity fully.” It may be a long and arduous road toward a free and genuine Filipino culture, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Executive Director Oscar G. Casaysay says, “In taking a whole of government approach, we are on the right track in attaining Philippine Development Goals.” Casaysay, who managed the community relations and major festivals and celebrations of the country’s largest city for nine years (from 2004 to 2013), now leads NCCA in preserving, developing, and promoting the Philippine arts and culture. Founded in 1987, NCCA “promotes unity among individuals involved in the conservation of cultural properties, such as artworks, ethnographic collections, archaeological artifacts, and other materials of historical significance.” He admitted that before joining the agency, he only read the works of national artists like Bienvenido Lumbera, Nick Joaquin, and Ricky Lee. He watched the films of esteemed Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Marilou Abaya. “I only heard and read about the productions of the Cultural Center of the Philippines featuring the Ballet Philippines and the Philippine Harmonic Orchestra,” he said. “It was only when I became the executive director that I was able to watch those productions inside the CCP in the front row and even stand on stage giving out messages.” “I now meet our national artists up close and personal. I have the luxury of being introduced to many theater greats in the Philippine Education Theater Association and other theater productions,” he added. He went on to say that he also had the pleasure of meeting Alice Reyes (whom he described as “graceful and very down to earth”), Ryan Cayabyab (“cool and very accommodating”), Virgilio Almario (“so dignified”), Ramon Santos (“unassuming”), Ricky Lee (“down to earth and very accommodating”), Nora Aunor (“warm and humble”) and Agnes Locsin (“friendly and very warm”). In the absence of regional offices to connect with local artists and cultural workers, he said NCCA works with sub-commissions whose members are elected from among the private sector members from different communities. “Ours is a complex network that we have to deal with,” Casaysay said. “A lot of challenges each day. The most difficult part is we don’t have a huge budget, although the grants we give out come from the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts.” These grants, he said, are derived from the proposals coming from civil society organizations, individual artists and cultural workers, other national government agencies, schools, colleges, universities, and local government units for their culture and arts programs and projects. Through the Sentro Rizal Office, the NCCA also engages in international initiatives. Every day has a lot of challenges and struggles to confront and hurdle, but still, with the most gracious style, he jested. The NCCA oversees the entire recognition process, from the call for submissions and selection to the presentation of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, the Order of National Artists and the National Heritage Awards. Culture is a nation’s soul “Culture is the soul of the nation. Without culture, a nation doesn’t have an identity. Culture refers to the way of life of a nation. Thus, everything that we do as a people becomes our culture,” he said. “Culture is best manifested through the arts that are said to be the best expressions of culture.” “All seven types of arts contribute to the overall growth and advancement not just of a person but of the community and the nation as well,” he said, referring to architecture and allied arts, cinema or film, dance, drama or theater, literary arts, music and visual arts. Throughout the pandemic, he felt disheartened by the perception of the arts sector as being “non-essential.” “We cannot imagine the online platform without some of the best online programs communicated through the arts — films, dances, poetry, music, or even Netflix,” he said. Citing the NCCA’s role in supporting and promoting the interests of indigenous people groups, Casaysay said valuing and preserving the cultural heritage of IPs contributes to the diversity and richness of Philippine culture. Through its programs, projects, and collaborations, the NCCA empowers IPs to protect, revitalize, and celebrate their unique cultural traditions, languages, and arts, ensuring their continued existence and appreciation for future generations. “Other aspects, such as indigenous cultures and cultural heritage, also contribute to a nation’s progress and development,” he said. Indigenous cultures, he said, refer to the knowledge, skills, and practices of our culture bearers that are preserved and handed down from one generation to another. “Cultural heritage may be tangible or intangible and is considered the wealth of a nation in terms of its glorious past. All these facets of culture are important in the life of a nation and are essential towards the holistic advancement of a country,” he said. Opportunities The lack of widespread discussion and engagement among Filipinos regarding culture is a primary concern Casaysay and many others share. “There are many challenges faced by the NCCA in this aspect. To enumerate a few — due to the lack of interest generally by Filipinos in arts and culture. For many, culture and the arts are seen as not essential; for many, it is only for the elite,” he said. He lamented the current trend wherein the younger generation shows greater appreciation for foreign cultures, such as those from Korea or the United States, rather than their own. Instead of viewing these as obstacles, he said the NCCA sees them as opportunities for growth and enhancement. Expressing confidence in the significant achievements of the NCCA in fostering greater appreciation, understanding, respect, and love for arts and culture among Filipinos, he said these encompass various aspects, including policy formulation, programming and promotions. Several laws have been enacted to safeguard the country’s cultural heritage, such as the Republic Act 10066 of 2009, commonly known as the National Heritage Law. Moreover, the NCCA organizes institutional programs throughout the year to celebrate and promote different facets of Filipino culture. Notable examples include National Arts Month held every February, Food Month and Literature Month in April; Heritage Month in May, Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (OPM Week) in the last week of July, and IP Month in October, among others. “The NCCA is also in charge of the cultural mapping and monitoring of the local culture and arts councils in the local government units,” he said, adding that it needs to intensify its efforts to be able to reach the grassroots levels. Since dreams don’t become reality through magic but by sweat, determination, and hard work, Casaysay said the NCCA will harness and maximize more platforms to reach a larger market, especially the younger generation. The dream of having a Department of Culture is neither a mountain high enough. The post On right track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»