Pagcor reaches out to Bicol communities hit by super typhoon “Rolly”
IMMEDIATE help reached thousands of residents in the Bicol region, who were hit by super typhoon Rolly after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) recently delivered relief essentials to the provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur. Majority of the typhoon victims who lost their homes to devastating winds and heavy rains received food and […].....»»
2,270 barangays in Bicol, declared as drug-cleared
Camp BGen Simeon A Ola, Legazpi— The commitment to make Bicol a drug-free region continues as the Police Regional Office 5, in collaboration with its partner agencies, strives to bridge the gap between drug-affected communities and those that are now declared drug-cleared. As of November 8, 2023, the region has 2,270 barangays declared as drug-free, […].....»»
A model urban community
As a young boy, I loved drawing a “roadmap” of livable communities where family and industry were central to this unadulterated fun design. I would put skyscrapers and blend these with old trees, brilliant lights, and flowers along walkways and entertainment centers. The distance between neighborhoods was enough to give space and privacy. In this universe, people of different economic classes are resilient to the challenges and complexities of modern living. I grew up in a small town with inadequate potable water and transportation. There was a thin line between regression and progression where one cannot differentiate silt from clay particles when wading through the flooded, muddy streets of Barangay Busugon in San Remigio municipality. Life then was simple but joyous because of my family and the neighborhood. This was my unsophisticated urban planning, where things that matter most to me can be found in one place. Although I did not become a city or urban planner, my interest in “designing” communities is as strong as my entrepreneurial consciousness. It has become an advocacy. Be that as it may, urban planning, a form of spatial planning, requires strategic innovations and thorough study to develop equitable habitats and sustainable human settlements and development. A strategic plan, or a development plan, considers population growth, zoning, geographic mapping, structural and people’s safety analysis, water supply, and essential social services. Urban planning, says the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or UN-HABITAT, should “improve policies, plans, and designs for more compact, socially inclusive, better integrated, and connected cities that foster sustainable urban development and are resilient to climate change at the city, regional, and national levels.” The world’s best-planned urban cities include Singapore City in Singapore, Brazilia in Brazil, Chandigarh in India, Seoul in South Korea, and Copenhagen in Denmark. In the Philippines, five regions that surpassed the national level of urbanization in 2020 are Calabarzon (70.5 percent), Davao (66.8 percent), Central Luzon (66.3 percent), and Soccsksargen (55.5 percent), according to the 2022 report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) based on the 2020 population census. The cities of Angeles in Pampanga and Mandaue in Cebu had the highest level of urbanization, with 100 percent each. Of the country’s 81 provinces, 11 provinces registered a level of urbanization higher than the national level in 2020. On a sad note, Eastern Visayas (14.7 percent), Cagayan Valley (19.5 percent), Bicol (23.8 percent), Ilocos (25.5 percent), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (27.6 percent) posted the lowest level of urbanization, the same PSA report showed. Overseas, towns and villages have adapted to technological innovations and big data for urban analytics. Urban planners now consider including countryside localities in developing sustainable and resilient communities despite needing more resources, strategies, and expertise. Many urban planners find harmony in geometry and numbers, taking a leaf from the ancient works of Greek architect and mathematician Hippodamus of Miletus, considered the father of urban planning. Today’s towns and cities incorporate functional innovations where everything gets “smart,” from people to intelligent traffic lighting and drones, better infrastructures, facilities, and communications systems, and a strategic blueprint for mitigating the impact of climate change and other environmental problems. With the booming population nationwide, it would be wise to create more growth areas outside the center of progress to improve service and operational efficiency. Local executives and councils must do much work to empower those who must catch up and provide leadership in a highly competitive environment. After all, greater economic inclusion should benefit people with low or no incomes and vulnerable sectors. The beauty of inclusive urban planning lies in ensuring that all can partake of its benefits. As Greek philosopher Socrates once said: “By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities.” Ultimately, any strategic urban design should not only be a mixture of arts and humanities, but also a fusion of science and numbers. (You may send comments and reactions to feedback032020@gmail.com or text 0931-1057135.) The post A model urban community appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl disaster preparedness gets P450-M assistance
The United States government is providing more than P450 million ($8 million) in additional funding to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in vulnerable communities in the Philippines. The new funding will primarily enhance typhoon preparedness and develop resilient livelihood strategies in the regions of Bicol, Caraga and Eastern Visayas. It will be facilitated through the US Agency for International Development, or USAID. Likewise, it will also fund partnerships with the private sector to help ensure the continuity of businesses and other critical services, such as energy and water, after disasters. The USAID assistance will also go to training personnel of the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other relevant government agencies in setting up post-disaster logistics, emergency shelters and emergency telecommunications. Additionally, USAID said it will also work with local government units in Eastern Samar and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to set up referral systems for children’s welfare and protection during disasters. “Strong typhoons came earlier than expected this year, and we’re reminded of how vulnerable many Philippine communities are to the impacts of natural disasters,” said USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn. “We are proud of our partnership with the Philippine government to help the Filipino people prepare for and respond to disasters,” he added. Since 2010, USAID has provided approximately P17 billion ($372 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines. The post Phl disaster preparedness gets P450-M assistance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US provides P450-M to boost disaster preparedness of vulnerable communities
The United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than P450 million ($8 million) in additional funding to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in vulnerable communities in the Philippines. The new funding will primarily enhance typhoon preparedness and develop resilient livelihood strategies in the regions of Bicol, CARAGA, and Eastern Visayas. It will also fund partnerships with the private sector to help ensure the continuity of businesses and other critical services, such as energy and water, after disasters. Additionally, USAID’s assistance will train personnel from the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other relevant government agencies in setting up post-disaster logistics, emergency shelters, and emergency telecommunications. USAID will also work with local government units in Eastern Samar and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to set up referral systems for children’s welfare and protection during disasters. “Strong typhoons came earlier than expected this year, and we’re reminded of how vulnerable many Philippine communities are to the impacts of natural disasters,” said USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn. “We are proud of our partnership with the Philippine government to help the Filipino people prepare for and respond to disasters,” The United States is a key partner of the Philippine government in preparing for and responding to disasters, as well as delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance. Since 2010, USAID has provided approximately P17 billion ($372 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines. The post US provides P450-M to boost disaster preparedness of vulnerable communities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thousands of rice farmers treated to PhilRice field day
Thousands of farmers across the country had been feted in the traditional Lakbay Palay field festival, where all eight stations of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) opened their doors for farmers to personally view the progress and benefits of the latest palay seeds technologies done in the premier rice research institute of the country. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Leocadio Sebastian said the dry season Lakbay Palay is held every March or April and the wet season every September or October. Sebastian said the participants toured the 140 hectares of PhilRice field in Science City, Nueva Ecija. The farmers also had the chance to look into the available seeds and soil nutrients of the private sector exhibitors during the two-day festival from 27 to 28 September. Farmers learn PhilRice-developed technologies which include Palayamanan system, a rice-based farming system they can adopt to lessen the economic effects of El Nino, high yielding varieties and farm machinery, according to DA official. He added that about 10 public and private agencies and cooperatives also pledged their support to the “BIDA RiceBIS, Be the rice’s best” movement, which aims to increase farmers’ market opportunities. The regular Lakbay Palay, which started in 1992 as Farmers’ Field Day, was changed into Lakbay Palay in 2012 under the administration of PhilRice Executive Director Eufemio T. Rasco Jr. It held before October each year or the start of the planting season for the dry season crop. The 2023 Lakbay Palay wet season festival was simultaneously held in all eight stations of PhilRice with the biggest festival held at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Munoz, Nueva Ecija. The other stations that held simultaneous Lakbay Palay were Batac, Isabela, Los Banos, Bicol, Negros, Agusan and Midsayap. The farmers that attended on both days of the Lakbay Palay in Nueva Ecija were from Zambales, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac and Aurora provinces. The farmers were divided into 500 persons a day but the number was exceeded on the second day as many walk-ins showed up. PhilRice Executive Director Dr. John de Leon said farmers are welcome to visit the 140-hectare research and development farm and the new Crop Protection Division for any of their inquiries and concerns. PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for Development Dr. Karen Barroga urged the farmers to work in clusters so they could meet the required rice volumes of potential private sector partners for their produce. She cited the case of Negros Occidental farmer-cooperative who is now selling 500 bags a week to Merzci, a famous palalubong and fastfood chain in the region for its business and corporate social responsibility activities. This was made possible through the Rice BIS (Business Innovation System) of PhilRice, which links farmers to private sector buyers so they can enjoy better market prices for their produce. Another partnership was forged by PhilRice between the farmers of Zambales and Bicol who are now supplying the Kiwanis International for their feeding programs for poor communities, she said. Dr. Val Perdido, who represented Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian for Rice Industry Development, exhorted the farmers to improve their yields using both new technologies and better farming practices so the country can meet its food sufficiency and nutritional goals and improve the farmers’ incomes. He said Nueva Ecija farmers have proven yields of six tons a hectare but most other areas produce four tons or less. He mentioned that the Department of Agriculture is giving production assistance to farmers (in fertilizers and biofertilizers) in addition to the certified seeds, training and machineries provided under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program. A farmer cooperative officer, Vincent Gonzales of St. Vincent Parish Multupurpose Cooperative in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya narrated to the participants that their coop was founded in 1979 by a Belgian priest to help farmers– who borrow from loan sharks for their daily subsistence with a capital from 400 members of P4,000 has now grown to 5,600 members with a total material asset of P424 million. The coop is now able to support members through loans and social development activity, scholarship grants, medical assistance and food packs (for the disabled and the aged). It had received numerous awards including the Most Outstanding SIPAG award in 2022 from Senator Cynthia Villar. The post Thousands of rice farmers treated to PhilRice field day appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NPA rebels better off joining military reserve force—Zubiri
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday raised a suggestion that members of the New People Army’s are better off joining military reserve forces to support their pro-people advocacies. “My appeal to the left, to the opponents of the government from the left. We are all Filipinos here. Isa lang namana ng hanay natin. We all wanted ang mabuhay ng mapayapa at mabigyan ng pagkakatapon ang ating mga kababayan na mabuhay ng disente through education through livelihood we are all in the same end games,” Zubiri said during the deliberation of the Senate Committee on Finance on the 2024 proposed P229.9-billion budget of the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies, . Zubiri lamented that overthrowing the government through political ideologies has been long gone. “Yung mga nagnanais na masira ang ating bansa through political means through ideological means—wala na yan sa ibang parte ng mundo wala na yan (Those who want to destroy our country through political means through ideological means—it does not exist anymore in other parts of the world),” he said. Zubiri said, “These rebellions have already failed and they decided to come together and move forward with the political solution.” “Mas maganda na sumama na lang sila sa atin para mawala yung korapsyon para mawala yung kagutuman at kahirapan (It’s better that they join us to eliminate corruption to get rid of the hunger and poverty) he added. Zubiri urged NPA members to become military reserve forces. “Imbes na mamaril pa ng kapwa Pilipino, mas maganda mag volunteer na lang sila sumama na lang sila sa reserve force, doon sila ideploy sa Pag-asa Island. Samahan nila ang mga mangingisda natin doon. Mas maganda po ‘yun (Instead of shooting your fellow Filipinos, its better that they would volunteer to join us and become part of our reserve force. They can be deployed in Pag-asa Island. They should accompany our fishermen there. It will be better),” he said. Pag-asa Island, also known as Thitu Island, is 37.2 hectares of rock located in the Spratly Islands and is the largest of the Philippine-administered islands. It lies about 500 kilometers west of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Amid the ongoing tensions in the Philippine territorial waters, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said NPA members should instead join the Reserve Officers' Training Corps to help defend the country against external threats. “Sana mag-ROTC na lang sila para makatulong (Hopefully, they will join ROTC so they can help),” said Dela Rosa. On the other hand, Zubiri urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take note of the consequences of insurgency-free declaration in various NPA-infiltrated areas. “May mga recidivist pa rin. Yung mga diehard, hindi mawawala iyon. Kaya minsan, hindi maganda na ina-announce niyo na NPA-free yung probinsya kasi pag ina-announce niyo gumagawa sila ng hakbang, maski nagaling sa labas papasok dooon nanggugulo para lang ipakita na mali ang mga annoucements so we have to be careful (There are still recidivists. Those diehards won't go away. So sometimes, it's not good that you announce that the province is NPA-free because when you announce it, they take steps—even though people from the outside come in there causing trouble just to show that you announcements are wrong, so we have to be careful.),” Zubiri said. Brawner explained that the declaration of insurgency-free is intended to help the previously NPA-infiltrated areas to attract investment opportunities “after being deprived for long decades due to the security threats posed by rebels.” “We need to declare first the area insurgency-free so that the investors will also come in. They’ll feel secure coming into that provinces or regions,” he said. Brawner confirmed Zubiri’s remarks that leftists are messing up with the declaration of insurgency-free areas. “Nangyayari po iyon. Totoo po iyon Mr. Senate President na once we declared an area insurgency-free, ang ginagawa ng makakaliwa is that from the outside nag-iinfiltrate sila (That happens. That's true Mr. Senate President that once we declared an area insurgency-free, what the leftists are doing is that from the outside they are infiltrating in that area),” he said, citing one recent incident in Bicol region where a group of NPA rebels attacked a military detachment to sow fear in the communities. The success of the Barangay Development Program within identified conflict-affected areas and geographically- isolated and disadvantaged areas, resulted in the "demolition" of rebels is one of the military's parameters in the declaration of insurgency-free. Brawner noted the huge contributions of the BDP in addressing the root causes of insurgency. He said the government’s BDP allows basic services more accessible to the communities previously infiltrated by the NPA rebels, including farm-to-market roads, and education facilities, among others. The post NPA rebels better off joining military reserve force—Zubiri appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ode to creativity
Set to be the most monumental iteration yet, the 6th Albay Multimedia Arts Convention this year will be held on 2 and 3 September at Ayala Malls Legazpi, a venue celebrated for its unwavering support of the creative community. What began as a modest gathering with a few dozen attendees in 2016 has seen exponential growth year after year. From hundreds to thousands and now tens of thousands of attendees, the Albay Multimedia Arts Convention has established itself as the largest event celebrating creativity in South Luzon. This year’s theme, “Palette of Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity in the Creative Industry”, not only underscores the rich tapestry of artistic talent within the region but also emphasizes the integral role that diversity plays in the broader creative landscape. As the convention continues to grow, so does its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for all artists and creators. One of the convention’s primary missions is the continuous organization of community events aimed at honing the skills of aspiring artists. These events serve as a foundation, ensuring that emerging talent is well-equipped to be competitive in the ever-evolving creative industry, whether their passion lies in art, design, or any other creative discipline. The significant contributions of the Bicol Region’s creative community, particularly through events like the Albay Multimedia Arts Convention, have been pivotal in the recent adoption of the Philippine Creative Industry Development Act. This newly enacted law recognizes and promotes the immense potential of the creative sector within the Philippines, with the Bicol Region standing as a testament to the nation’s artistic prowess. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the event’s sponsors and partner communities, all of whom have played an instrumental role in the convention’s growth and success over the years. The post Ode to creativity appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bicolanos get Mayon-related assistance
The Department of Social Welfare and Development field office in the Bicol Region has released the fifth wave of food packs to the local government units in aid of those affected by the recent activities of Mayon Volcano. A total of 33,000 family food packs have been distributed to the different LGUs in the region. Each box of FFP consisted of six kilograms of rice, four cans of tuna, four tins of corned beef, two canned sardines, five sachets of coffee, and another five sachets of cereal drink. The DSWD office also facilitated the distribution of the 300 metric tons of rice — equivalent to 10,000 sacks of milled rice — donated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan. The donated rice has already been allocated to the respective evacuation centers of the affected LGUs as an augmentation to the food supply for the families and communities affected by the continuous volcanic activities. More than P212.3 million worth of relief items, including financial aid through the Emergency Cash Transfer and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation programs have been provided to the affected families and individuals. The DSWD assured the Bicolanos that it will continue to closely coordinate with the different LGUs so that it can provide needed relief assistance. The post Bicolanos get Mayon-related assistance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway
When Here Lies Love, the hit musical about former First Lady Imelda Marcos, made history by debuting on Broadway debut with an all-Filipino last July, one of its co-producers, Don Michael H. Mendoza, also reached a career milestone. His goal of putting his name on a Broadway show before turning 40 came true now that he’s 34. [caption id="attachment_172743" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Don Michael Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s (from left) Dinah Ventura, Jojo G. Silvestre, Gigie Arcilla, Vangie Reyes, Marc Reyes, Raffy Ayeng, Gibbs Cadiz and Nick Giongco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172742" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.’ | Photographs Courtesy of Daily Tribune.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172741" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DON Mike Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s Jojo G. Silvestre and Dinah Ventura.[/caption] It happened, and it’s not just any show. It’s the first Filipino musical on Broadway,” he tells Daily Tribune’s Dinah Ventura and Jojo Silvestre in an interview on their online show Pairfect. “It’s very important to me because a lot of my career is based on the idea of D,E & I — diversity, equity and inclusion — especially in a country like America that’s a melting pot. “It’s very important to make sure that unrepresented voices and communities are brought to the front. To be part of that, for me personally, is an incredible honor because it’s exactly aligned with how I live my professional life every day, every year.” “For the Fil-Am community,” he adds, “I think it’s important for people to see themselves in that arena, whether be as a producer, an actor, or a stagehand, or on the creative team as an assistant director. You know, it says a lot when someone tries to reach that can see themselves in a role that they want to achieve. “Because for a long time, my role models were very few. They’re mostly Americans, they’re white people. And I wanted to be an actor and my only acting influences in the media was Paolo Montalban. He was in Cinderella, American Adobo… He’s now a friend — which is amazing! But I didn’t really have many role models. So, to our community, both Filipino and Fil-Am, they can now look at this production and say, whatever they feel is their career path, ‘I can do it, too.’ So, it’s very powerful.” Beginnings Don Michael Hodreal Mendoza, nicknamed Don Mike, was born in Washington D.C., the capital city of the United States, to immigrant parents. His father Donald Mendoza’s family hails from Cavite and is involved in local politics. His mother Maria Leonila Hodreal has families in Marinduque (maternal side) and Bicol (paternal side). His grandfather Querubin Hodreal created what is now known as the Easy Rock Manila radio station. “My mom, who’s part of that legacy, says even though we’re in the States I somehow ended up doing what our family does, in entertainment and media,” he says, beaming. From Washington D.C., Mendoza’s nuclear family moved to the city of Pittsburgh in the Pennsylvania state, where he grew up. “But I was also raised here in Manila, in Ayala Alabang, for a couple of years,” he points out. He was then between the ages of six and eight, also starting his education at Montessori Manila in BF Homes. “We’re lucky we’re able to come home a lot, so even though I grew up on majority in America, we’d come home every other year.” That explains why he also has exposure and gets inspiration from Filipino movies and entertainment. Mendoza started performing in school plays and high school musicals “for fun.” For college, though, he “needed to study that wasn’t the arts because immigrant families want you to do something that makes money in their eyes.” So he took up broadcast journalism and political science at the American University in D.C. But he didn’t like political science, so he dropped it and added musical theater to his studies without telling his parents until he got into the program. After graduation, he was torn between two goals: becoming a Broadway actor like Jose Llana, who currently plays the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies Love, and becoming the “Filipino Anderson Cooper.” He ended up staying in D.C with a job in marketing, which eventually became his master’s degree. Mendoza started auditioning and trying to get into shows. “But I wasn’t getting cast the way I wanted to,” he recalls, “because it’s very hard for a Filipino, an Asian male actor to get parts, unless you decided to be in Miss Saigon, which was one of the only very few shows that hire Asian people. So, I kinda fell into producing.” That was when he met a fellow Fil-Am, Regie Cabico, who’s 20 years older than him and became his mentor. He remembers Cabico telling him, “The way to be successful for someone like us in the arts is to start your own opportunities.” Thus, the birth, in 2012, of their company, La Ti Do, which is into production of cabarets and concerts. “I met so many people and worked with so many actors and performers without knowing it’s producing,” he says, smiling at the memory. “I just realized producing means organizing. It means you’re in charge, you’re putting things together and hire people. In those 10 years, I was able to produce small musicals and concerts and special events.” He then put up his own DMH Mendoza Productions, which has La Ti Do as its cabaret-concert arm, to allow him to “produce bigger and more incredible things.” For starters, he produced the off-Broadway play Hazing U that tackles violence in fraternities. Around that time, February 2023, he heard about Here Lies Love being restaged, this time on Broadway. The musical created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim originally premiered off-Broadway in 2013 at The Public Theater in New York City. A year later, it moved to the Royal National Theater in London, England, and then was restaged at Seattle Repertory Theater in the US in 2017. Mendoza admits with regret that he missed seeing Here Lies Love’s off-Broadway premiere and thought he’d never see it ever again “just because Filipino things don’t usually last very long in America.” So when he heard it was coming to Broadway, he basically called everybody he knew who’s involved in the production to ask how he could help. “I wasn’t really looking for a producer stature,” he says. “I said to many people I’m willing to sell t-shirts in the lobby just to support this show.” It turned out his good friend Lora Nicolas Olaes, who he stayed with in New York, was in the first workshop of the show in 2011, and she personally knows one of the lead producers, Clint Ramos. Olaes then connected Mendoza and Ramos via email, which led to Mendoza joining the Here Lies Love production team. “I’m still having trouble today saying I’m a co-producer. I’m so used to just doing rather than labeling,” he says. “It’s been a wild ride from then till now. I don’t regret any of it. It’s been the best experience so far.” He then shares that having an all-Filipino cast and a predominantly Filipino production team is very important for the lead producers. Two of the five are Filipino: Clint Ramos, a Tony award-winning costume designer, and Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist. This extends to other producers, such as Hal Luftig, Diana DiMenna and Patrick Catullo, as well as to musical writers David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. “They wanted to reach beyond the cast and make sure that the show is escorted into Broadway by Filipinos because it’s a Filipino story,” Mendoza points out. Aside from Llana, the main cast is made up of Arielle Jacobs (as Imelda) and Conrad Ricamora as (Ninoy Aquino), with Lea Salonga (as Ninoy’s mother Aurora) in a limited run until 19 August. “It’s beyond the cast. So our creative team, our production team, our stagehands, everybody. Even our house staff, some of them are Filipinos. We really wanted to make a mark on Broadway. That’s how it came about. So that was an early decision. Because the off-Broadway production was mixed. It was not all-Filipino. It had Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda. She’s not Filipino. It was hard to move from her and bring in Arielle Jacobs, who is just as amazing, but, you know, it was very important for the team to be culturally accurate. Because it’s our story.” “It’s our show,” he reiterates. “Let’s bring it to the world. Our people are playing themselves. I’ve said this in an interview: The general public is trained to love Filipino as other ethnicities. This is the first time we’re training them to love us, Filipinos, as ourselves.” Musical textbook Mendoza’s fellow co-producers include Salonga and Fil-Am celebrities like comedian Jo Koy, musical artist H.E.R. and rapper Apl.de.ap. “Our show is a musical textbook,” he explains. “It’s a musical built around facts, what happened historically during her lifetime. Our whole goal for the show is to present to you what happened with, of course, entertainment attached to it. There’s a misconception that it’s a documentary. It is not. It’s musical theater. It’s supposed to be fun. You see what happened. “We empower our audience to make their own decision. We don’t tell them, ‘This was a bad person. This was a good person.’ Here’s what this person did in their life and how she was affected by her surroundings, and go home and do the research. You figure it out. We liken it to giving someone a Zip file of Philippine history in the 21th century and you go home and unzip the Zip file to get into the details. “But we give you an overview. It’s really up to the audience when they leave the show. I know it’s the goal of our writers and directors to not impose an opinion. We’re just here to entertain and make you learn. When you leave, it’s up to you.” Mendoza happily reports that Here Lies Love is being received “very well.” He adds, “The critics have come and said really wonderful about the show, especially the ones we’re nervous about, like the New York Times, or The Washington Post, or the Wall Street Journal. It trickles down to everyone who’s seen the show. I think we’re so proud and excited that it’s well-received. Audience members love it, they keep coming back.” He also notes that audiences are “pretty diverse. You see Filipinos, you see Americans, you see visitors. It’s really a big hodge-podge of different people. We’re happy about that, too. It’s not biased to just one community.” Indeed, Mendoza is living his dream and he has this piece of audience for the younger generation who also hopes to break into theater or arts in general: “Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.” He then shares what she’s picked up from Kris Jenner: “If somebody says no to you, you’re asking the wrong person. Keeping asking for what you want. Not just manifesting, but really it’s just speaking up. Nobody can read your mind. Nobody can see what’s happening in your mind and in your heart. So if you express it, you ask and you’ll get there. It may not happen in the timing that you want, but it will happen if you keep pushing.” The post How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Managers: Phl remains on track
Despite the lackluster 4.3 percent in the second quarter, growth this year is expected to reach the target range of 6 percent to 7 percent gross domestic product expansion, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. “To do this, we will expedite the implementation of government programs and projects, to provide fiscal stimulus to increase the productive capacity of the public and private sectors and address the adverse recent impacts of typhoons.” Diokno added. Economic managers gathered in Fort Ilocandia in Laoag City to hold the Post-State of the Nation Economic Briefing that discussed the country’s economic situation and plans on 14 August. Diokno said in 2022, GDP increased 7.6 percent from 5.7 a year ago and a 9.5 percent contraction in 2020. Diokno said the economic team is determined to pick up government expenditure in the third and fourth quarters. Revenue collections remain robust from January to June as these totaled P1.9 trillion up 7.7 percent or P132.6 billion year-on-year which is also higher than the mid-year program by 2.7 percent. Hence, Diokno said they have already pipelined 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth P8.3 trillion of which 132 are located in Luzon that will address irrigation, water supply, flood management, agriculture, digital connectivity, physical connectivity, health, and power and energy. Diokno also highlighted some of the projects like the Laoag International Airport Development Project, the EDSA Greenways, the TPLEX Expressway Expansion Project, the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, the Ilocos Norte-Sur-Abra Irrigation Project, and the Naga Airport Development Project. “The Philippines is determined to be a world leader in the race to net zero and the Ilocos Region will be a strategic partner in this mission. Dubbed to be the renewable energy capital of South East Asia, Ilocos Norte is emerging to be a promising player in the clean energy arena. Being home to the first and largest wind farms in the country,” Diokno stressed. In his address, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., said from a peak of 8.7 percent in January, headline inflation slowed to 4.7 percent in July due to improving domestic food supply conditions and lower global oil prices. However, he also admitted that core inflation remains high at 6.7 percent although it has already started to decline due to the monetary tightening. The BSP has responded to inflation by aggressively raising its policy rate, as of today, the BSP has raised policy rates by 425 basis points. Prices reined in “The good news is that inflation expectations are still well anchored. The markets continue to believe that we will hit our target range by 2024 and stay there in 2025,” Remolona said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also gave an update on the use pf the budget for 2023. Pangandaman said at the end of July, the total amount of the national budget that has been released already is around 93 percent. “And we expect all our government agencies including all the cabinet members present here, to spend your budget so we can help grow the economy,” Pangandaman said. While for next year, the government budget will amount to 5.768 trillion and it is 21.7 percent of the GDP it has already been submitted to Congress last August 2 and the budget is expected to be passed earlier than expected. The National Economic Development Authority said it wanted to lower the poverty level to single digit. For Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, the government has effective regional development plans. In the Ilocos Regional Development Plan from 2023-2028, the NEDA expects the Ilocos region to have a 7 percent to 7.5 percent growth while lowering the poverty incidence by 7.3 percent. ‘Build, Better, More’ under BBM;s watch Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the “Build, Better, More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is very much aligned with the medium-term development plan for 2023 to 2028 and is consistent with the 8-point economic agenda of the president. Bonoan said that from July 2022 to May 2023, the DPWH has built, maintained, rehabilitated, widened, and upgraded 4,082 kilometer of roads, 497 bridges, built 2,103 flood control projects, 55 evacuation centers, 216 kms farm to market roads, 8 kilometers of farm to mill roads, 138 kilometers tourism roads, 18 kilometers of roads to seaports, railway stations, and airports, 4,038 classrooms, and 6,002 rainwater collector system. “Because of climate change, we have to address and be building and developing resilient and sustainable communities in the 18 major river basins in the country,” Bonoan said. Some of the major projects that the department would like to continue are converting the Daang Maharlika which is actually now Asian Highway 26 which starts in Laoag City and will go around Cagayan Valley and has extended all the way to Zamboanga City. Bonoan says that they want to convert this backbone of the national highway into seamless travel. “In other words, there should be no major stops along the way, along this Maharlika highway,” Bonoan said. Bonoan said they’re going to build 12 major bridges, and the first bridge is the Cavite-Bataan Interlink bridge with a span of more than 32 km. Should it be completed, this will be the second-longest bay bridge in the world. The department also plans to start the Luzon Spine Expressway which will run from Laoag City to Bicol, Bonoan says that this will be 1,073 kms more. As for Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, major Department of Transportation projects like the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, Metro Manila Subway, EDSA Greenway Projects, EDSA Busway, MRT-3 Rehabilitation, LRT-1 Cavite, LRT-2 West Extension, MRT-7, and the modernization and capacity expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are proceeding. For the Department of Information and Communications Technology Ivan John Uy, there is already a cybersecurity plan for 2023 to 2028 which is a consolidated output of all the stakeholders in designing which includes the best practices all over the world. “We’ve ramped up in our cybercrime detection, we are busting cybercrime syndicates all over the country especially those that are dealing with scammers,” Uy said. Uy said agency is also enhancing cybersecurity status by designing courses to upgrade cybersecurity professionals. He admits that worldwide, there is a 3 million job vacancies on cyber security. DICT said by the end of the year, the department will have Two Terabits of capacity from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan all the way to Manila and we should expect very good Internet connectivity by the start of next year especially on the Luzon area. These structures also open opportunities to data centers and BPOs along the places mentioned which produces employment. DICT expects that foreign investment opportunities and interest in those areas will boom. The post Managers: Phl remains on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Legarda bats geo indications promotion
Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda recently expressed her full support to promote geographical indications in the Philippines to safeguard intellectual property mechanisms. This, as the lady senator co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill 2387, or the Protected Geographical Indications Act, which aims to give legislative fiat to GIs and promote the recognition and protection of the country’s valuable geographical indications. The measure is also anchored on the rules and regulations operationalized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. Legarda explained that GIs pertain to any indication that identifies a good as originating in a territory, region, or locality, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristics of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and/or human factors, as defined by the Intellectual Property Code of 1997. Previously, the lady senator stressed the need to pay attention to developing GIs and underscored the importance of ensuring the integration of efforts of the government and communities that will uphold the nation’s indigenous and traditional products. “Timely as this discussion may seem to be, I must assert that our extensions come a tad late. We have known and loved these products for decades, yet we did too little for too long,” Legarda said. She added that several controversies troubled various indigenous communities, resulting in the term “cultural appropriation” which include the indigenous weaves of the Cordillera people and the traditional tattoo art of the Kalinga. Legarda said that continuously honoring the country’s culture and arts is a moral imperative and should be given legal intellectual protections and remedies. “These new regulations issued by the IPOPHL are, therefore, a welcome development. While it cannot be expected to resolve past controversies or halt attempts at cultural appropriation, it is a very good step toward this end. And giving it further legislative backbone is highly warranted,” Legarda said. To recall, the lady senator reported the recent inclusion of Guimaras mangoes as the first registered GI in the Philippines, where she also stated that more localities are putting their best foot forward, including Lake Sebu T’nalak, Batangas barako, Lake Taal tawilis, Bicol pili and Davao pomelo. The post Legarda bats geo indications promotion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
27 deaths logged after combined Egay, habagat onslaught
The number of deaths due to the combined effects of Typhoon Egay and the southwest monsoon or habagat has reached 27, affecting 765,024 families or 2,856,962 persons nationwide. The latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as of Wednesday showed that 52 were reported injured amid the inclement weather while 13 are still missing after the typhoon’s wrath. Some 15,604 families and 57,740 persons are still staying in 677 activated evacuation centers across the country while 57,609 families or 231,973 individuals are being aided outside the temporary shelters. Egay left the country with 68 roads and 4 bridges that remain not passable to motorists, while one town in the Ilocos region still has no water supply. About 52 communities in the Ilocos region and 2 in Cagayan Valley suffer from loss of communication. Some 102 areas in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Cordillera Administrative Region have no power supply up to this press time. The weather disturbance brought 1,876 houses totally destroyed with 48,495 partially damaged nationwide, with an estimated cost of P344,000. The cost of damage to infrastructure was amounting to an estimated P 3,529,972,255.78 and P50,201,787.23 loss to agriculture with P9,977,216.22 worth of damaged assets. The government has already provided at least P187.4 million worth of assistance to the affected regions, according to the NDRRMC. The post 27 deaths logged after combined Egay, habagat onslaught appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Exemplar firm delivering critical energy
Because the Philippines needs more energy resources, the country is almost dependent on imports of coal and fossil fuels to feed its energy requirement. Since 2021, petroleum prices have significantly increased because of the post-pandemic recovery and ongoing geo-politics tension in Europe with the war in Ukraine. The scenario exposes power consumers to corporate greed, with the energy market dominated by big players with eyes fixed on maximizing profits from their investments. Sounds fair. The same is particularly true in rural communities where Power is served by the more than 100 electric cooperatives nationwide, with higher power rates in Metro Manila. As a result, Congress did not renew the franchise of Panay Electric Company when it expired on 18 January 2019, paving the way for the Enrique Razon-owned MORE Electric and Power Corporation or MORE Power, which was granted a 25-year contract to serve and operate Iloilo city’s electricity distribution system. The decision brought relief to Iloilo consumers, with Sen. Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, boasting of the benefits experienced by consumers in Iloilo enjoying lower power rates. MORE Power invested P1.5 Billion to replace the ‘aging, obsolete and dilapidated’ power distribution facilities in Iloilo City. Hence, in its first year of operation, MORE Power managed to address the frequent brownout, high electricity bills, significant system losses, and other power-related problems in the city. Residents in Iloilo City experienced a dramatic reduction in their electricity bills. From the previous P13 per kilowatt hour, the power rate significantly dropped to P6.40 kwh, and this is one of the lowest electricity rates in the entire country. MORE Power’s effort in rehabilitating the power facilities had brought remarkable progress as they addressed the systems loss factor, illegal connection, power interruptions, and overloading. MORE Power is living proof that modernization funds will provide accurate and efficient solutions to the problems in the power sector. This glaring reality haunts the 121 electric cooperatives in the country, which practically have no funds for modernization. Their facilities must keep up with the current demand resulting in better service. The power supply crisis is serious and widespread in the country. The Senate Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Energy are conducting a joint investigation into the rotational brownouts experienced in Panay, Negros, Nueva Ecija, Northern Samar, Pampanga, San Isidro, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija, Calaca in Batangas, Quezon province, Tabuk City in Kalinga, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Ozamiz, Lumban in Laguna, Zamboanga City, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Echague in Isabela, Zamboanga Sibugay, Masbate, Davao Oriental, Southern Leyte, Casiguran in Aurora and Bicol. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. During the Senate inquiry, Sen Poe pointed out that the electric cooperatives were being loaned with government funds. They were also given incentives to improve the service in rural communities. However, cooperatives still need to catch up with the demand. And this is unacceptable, for I could not fathom and comprehend why local government units still gave those electric cooperatives subsidies worth millions to operate. In the investigation, one essential thing has prevailed — modernization is necessary to address the decades-long power supply problem. Electric Cooperatives or ECs, are managed by the National Electrification Administration. Based on their website, as of June, NEA had extended P560.66 million in loan assistance to 18 Electric Cooperatives. But despite the large number of loans extended to the cooperatives every year to strengthen the technical, managerial capability, and financial viability of the ECs, the fact remains that their resources for infrastructure development still need to be increased and expanded. And because of limited resources, it is difficult for ECs to implement new technologies and innovations compared to significant private sector utilities with considerable financial resources. Hence, it is no surprise that the private sector has more capacity to implement immediate infrastructure upgrades, technological advancements, and operational efficiencies with reliable results and quality service. So one of the solutions that Sen. Poe sees is the entry of private players like MORE Power — for her, this is the key to improving the power service because of their large capitalization. The energy crisis is a complex and broad issue. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. The energy crisis is ongoing and will worsen, despite all stakeholders’ concerted efforts. We must welcome all initiatives to manage the situation’s impact, including the privatization of electric cooperatives, because the Energy Regulatory Commission has regulatory oversight power to ensure quality standards and fair pricing and that monopolistic practices are avoided. The post Exemplar firm delivering critical energy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go’s office assists conflict-affected residents in Libmanan, Camarines Sur
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go’s office extended assistance to conflict-affected and Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas in Libmanan, Camarines Sur on Friday, 14 July. The initiative reflects Go’s continuing commitment to assist the most vulnerable communities in the country, particularly barangays where the distribution of government assistance is hampered due to their geographical locations and the existence of local conflicts. “Our goal is not just to address immediate needs, but also to create long-lasting impacts. We are extending our hand to the communities often neglected and forgotten due to their geographical location or internal conflicts. Everyone deserves equal access to government aid and support, regardless of where they live,” said Go. Go also reminded the residents about the importance of unity and cooperation in overcoming challenges. “In these times of crisis, it is paramount that we come together as one nation. Our strength lies in our unity and collective action,” he stated. During the activity held at Brgy. Villasocorro covered court, Go’s team distributed masks, vitamins, snacks and shirts to 108 beneficiaries. The team also provided several individuals with balls for basketball and volleyball. The Department of Social Welfare and Development also extended financial assistance to the beneficiaries in coordination with the 81st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Go reached out to individuals with medical issues. Through a video message, he urged them to visit the Malasakit Centers located at the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City and the Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Cabusao. The Malasakit Centers program was initiated by Go in 2018 and was later institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which he principally authored and sponsored. The program aims to facilitate easy access to various medical assistance programs provided by DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. There are currently 158 Malasakit Centers operating nationwide, successfully aiding over seven million Filipinos, according to the DOH. Go also stressed the significance of the Super Health Centers, which he initiated, in bridging the healthcare gap especially in communities. Through the concerted efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funding has been allocated for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and additional 322 centers in 2023. The DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies strategic areas where these centers will be built. In Camarines Sur alone, 18 Super Health Centers have been funded for construction in 2022 and 2023. Super Health Centers are designed to provide basic health services, including database management, outpatient care, birthing facilities, isolation units, diagnostic services (such as laboratory tests, X-rays, and ultrasounds), pharmacies, and ambulatory surgical units. In addition, specialized services like eye, ear, nose, and throat care, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine capabilities for remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will also be available. Go, in his capacity as vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, supported a range of projects aimed at improving infrastructure in the province, including the construction of the Mabolo-Almeda Bypass Road in Naga City. Go was also instrumental in the enhancement of the San Fernando Sports Complex in San Fernando town, improvement of the Bula and Nabua Section channel, and construction of the Lalud-Garchitorena Road, among others. On July 13, Go also provided assistance to poor transport sector workers in the town of Calabanga in the province. His office also provided assistance to poor families in Ragay and Libmanan, on 4 and 5 July, respectively. ### The post Bong Go’s office assists conflict-affected residents in Libmanan, Camarines Sur appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mayon’s lava front collapses
The ongoing restiveness of Mayon Volcano has led to another collapse of its lava front and longer pyroclastic density current flows that produced a “light brown” plume on Monday. In its latest bulletin in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it had monitored two pyroclastic density currents or PDC that lasted two minutes. The two lava front collapses resulted in the formation of a 200-meter-high light brown plume. Mayon also exhibited 295 rockfall events and three volcanic earthquakes while it continued moderate degassing from the summit crater producing steam-laden plumes at 500 meters tall before drifting to the west and west-northwest direction. The volcano has emitted sulfur dioxide at an average of 962 tons daily since 2 July. Phivolcs said Alert Level 3 is maintained at Mayon due to the presence of magma in the crater with the possibility of a “hazardous eruption within weeks or even days.” The six-kilometer permanent danger zone remained off-limits to the public due to the risk of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards. Phivolcs also advised communities to exercise increased vigilance against PDCs, lahar, and sediment-laden stream flows along channels draining the volcano edifice, as heavy rainfall could cause channel-confined lahar and sediment-laden stream flows. Flying close to the volcano is not allowed as ash from a sudden eruption may pose a hazard to aircraft. Phivolcs warned that communities on the southern side of the volcano may most likely experience ash fall events based on the current wind pattern. Continuing gov’t assistance Moreover, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Monday said it has provided around P131.2 million worth of government assistance to residents in the Bicol region affected by the continued restiveness of Mayon. The number of families affected was placed at 11,045 or equivalent to 42,815 persons residing in 26 barangays. Of the number, 5,775 families or 20,134 individuals are currently staying in 28 activated evacuation centers across Albay, while 408 families or 1,427 persons are being aided by either their relatives or friends. Mandatory evac center Amid the ongoing Mayon unrest, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go renewed his call for the establishment of mandatory evacuation centers nationwide so that people would be better served during disasters and emergencies. Go lamented the lack of adequate facilities during times of crisis, including typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and fires. The post Mayon’s lava front collapses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bright future for PEZA and ecozone industry
I never dreamed of being at the forefront of an agency that contributed much to nation-building and has had a huge impact on the lives of many Filipinos, simply because job opportunities were created for them and their families. A probinsyano and son of a public servant, I grew up in the Bicol Region, in the capital town of Pili in Camarines Sur. My Father was a judge, hence a disciplinarian. My siblings and I were raised in an atmosphere of seeking excellence for that was what he demanded. It was my mother, a public school teacher, who tempered the strictness with love, understanding, and compassion – traits that I inherited and honed the person that I am today. Having been educated in Catholic schools in Naga City for elementary and high school, and at the premiere state university for college and graduate studies, had likewise molded my character into being a man for others and striving for integrity and excellence as core values. Coming from a family of public servants strengthened my resolve as well to pursue a career in government service. One day in January 1998, as I was walking along Roxas Boulevard after coming from a meeting, my curiosity was piqued by a government office that had a “For Hire” sign. I walked in, applied, and was admitted by the same agency in February 1998. This is how my journey in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or PEZA began. Since my first day in office, I knew that the PEZA was the ideal agency for me given its exemplary performance as a government-owned and controlled corporation attached to the Department of Trade and Industry. Rising through the ranks and having been immersed in various facets of the agency’s operations had encouraged me to excel in my work and aspire for Career Executive Service Officer eligibility and various foreign training for my career advancement. Beyond these personal gains, the long years of training and working with PEZA provided me the unique opportunity to contribute to propelling the nation’s growth by helping our agency achieve its mandate of attracting investments in the ecozones to be able to generate jobs, exports, and other economic opportunities for the country. As I am now at the helm of PEZA after having been appointed as its Director General by the President last 23 March, I realized that my real calling as a public servant is to continue embracing transformational leadership as I motivate and inspire my fellow PEZAns to give their best for PEZA and the country. In the short period when I assumed office, we have accomplished so much already as I employed a high-involvement and teamwork approach in mobilizing the support of the management and employees, valued ecozone investors, and industry partners as we collectively promote and facilitate investments through the ecozone program. We have doubled our investments in 2002 vs. 2021, where much of the investment pledges came in when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assumed office. We have sustained the growth momentum for the first five months of 2023, with PEZA’s approved investments reaching P48.03 billion which is 2.5 times higher compared to the same period last year. Ecozone manufactured goods/commodities and IT services account for 53% share of the total country’s annual exports. With 20 new ecozones awaiting Presidential Proclamation, PEZA can help accelerate countryside development to increase further the current 422 operating ecozones hosting 4,372 locator companies and providing 1.8 million direct jobs for our “kababayans.” We laid down some key policy reforms and other initiatives to further ease doing business and enhance our competitiveness as an investment destination. PEZA is among the first few agencies in government that have rolled out a cashless and paperless system for facilitating locators’ permits and other transactions. Moreover, we will automate this year our visa, building permit, letter of authority, financial management, and EPAMs, and launch our digital marketplace for the integration of local producers and suppliers into the ecozone value chain. Together with the DTI, Board of Investments, and Fiscal Incentives Review Board, we have restored the fiscal incentives of our RBEs under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Law. We have partnered initially with the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Information and Communications Technology in promoting new frontiers in ecozone development and got the Commission on Elections to exempt the locators from the long-standing clearance requirement for the movement of regulated commodities during an election period. We have also been actively involved in investment missions abroad and where we have been reaping the benefits from realized new investment sources and a mix of product sectors, with no less than the President taking the lead in promoting the Philippines as the smart destination in the region. We commit to advancing industry development as we pursue the creation of industry excellence centers for enhanced local value and global value chains and engage with higher educational and vocational and technical training institutions to prepare the Filipino workforce for advanced manufacturing and frontier technologies. We will work on the amendment of the PEZA law to make our agency more responsive and agile to keep up with the demands of our valued ecozone investors. These proactive measures we will undertake, including the improvement of our public ecozones to be more resilient and smarter, while maintaining our agency’s minimum of one billion pesos in annual tax payments and dividends to the national coffers. In forging a promising future for PEZA and the ecozone industry, we will continue to be agents of change and push for continual improvement with our delivery of services and the creation of ecozones in rural and new growth areas. Foremost in our strategic plan is to anchor the ecozone program on inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainability. We will strengthen our strategic alliances with public and private sectors to amplify ease of doing business and adherence to sustainable development goals across all ecozones nationwide and their linkages with the host LGUs and communities. Having spent 25 years in PEZA, I can only thank my fellow PEZAns first for being steadfast in performing their duties. Second, much credit should go to the Industry Leaders who have always been committed to the success of PEZA. My appointment into Office is a testament to the excellence that the civil service and its members uphold as stalwarts and front liners in achieving national progress for our Nation. In all these, I owe PEZA my career advancement and to the ecozone industry for our huge contributions to the country’s local and national development all these years. As we look to the future, we envision PEZA to be the nation’s primary catalyst for sound and balanced development by promoting viable and sustainable economic zones and by bringing in targeted investments to generate jobs, exports, and economic opportunities, especially in the countryside. The post Bright future for PEZA and ecozone industry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rockfall events continue
The Mayon Volcano in Albay province continues its seismic activities with a total of 372 rockfall events and seven 3-minute dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents recorded in the past 24 hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Wednesday. In its volcanic bulletin, Phivolcs said the volcano maintained its very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater logging collapse debris on the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (southeastern) gullies. The lava flows expanded to approximate lengths of 1,600) meters and 1,200 meters along Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, respectively. While the collapse debris has deposited to 3,300 meters from the crater. Mayon also continues a moderate degassing from the summit crater producing 800 meters of steam-laden plumes drifting in a west-northwest direction. The sulfur dioxide emission logged an average of 964 tons per day with only one volcanic earthquake occurring as of 27 June. Phivolcs warned that heavy rainfall could generate channel-confined lahars and sediment-laden streamflows in channels where PDC deposits were emplaced. Entering the 6-km radius Permanent Danger Zone and flying near the volcano summit is strictly prohibited. Mayon is maintained at Alert Level 3 category which means it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is seen at the crater. Hence, hazardous or major eruption within weeks or even days remains possible. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the government has so far provided P105,337,234 worth of assistance to communities affected by the continuing Mayon unrest. The NDRRMC said some 144 land and air logistics assets were deployed to transport “humanitarian cargoes” in Albay province, provided by the Office of Civil Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines World Food Programme, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Some 10,642 families equivalent to 41,483 persons residing in 26 barangays in the Bicol region are still dwelling with the impact of Mayon’s restiveness. Some 5,354 families or 18,706 individuals are currently sheltered in 28 activated evacuation centers while some 408 families or 1,428 persons are being aided out of the evacuation centers. The post Rockfall events continue appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NDRRMC: Restive Mayon displaces 10K families
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Friday reported that some 9,947 families or 38,391 individuals residing in 26 villages in Bicol Region have been affected by the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano in Albay province. In its latest situational report, NDRRMC said 5,125 families or 18,584 individuals are currently occupying 27 evacuation centers, while the rest are being sheltered by relatives or friends. The NDRRMC stressed these numbers are still subject to change as validations are ongoing. The Office of Civil Defense said it has extended additional assistance to the provincial government of Albay, providing 3,200 sacks of rice and other relief items for the communities affected by the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano. Also distributed were tarpaulin rolls, N-95 face masks, family food packs, hygiene kits, pelican cases, a portable water filtration unit and a water filtration truck to Albay to assist residents in the affected areas. Albay Governor Edcel Lagman earlier received the supplies from Defense Secretary and NDRRMC Chairperson Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and OCD administrator and NDRRMC executive director Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno. In a television interview on Friday, NDRRMC spokesperson Raffy Alejandro said there are no reported injuries or casualties yet amid Mayon's unrest. "As long as nobody is inside the permanent danger zone, we don't expect any casualty… But the challenge really is how to maintain or manage the evacuation centers because this is where we might have problems,” he said. Alejandro said they are closely monitoring the situation of evacuees as the NDRRMC initially received reports of diarrhea cases from occupants of evacuation centers. The Department of Health has likewise recorded cases of respiratory problems among evacuees. “We have to prevent outbreaks of diseases, problems in terms of health and sanitation," Alejandro stressed. The post NDRRMC: Restive Mayon displaces 10K families appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Preparedness is key
It happens year in and year out every time disaster strikes. Whether it be typhoons, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions, we see the same scene all over again — residents, apprehension written all over their faces, and overcrowding evacuation centers. In the case of the impending eruption of Mayon Volcano in Bicol, it is bad enough that they have to contend with the force of nature, but worse, they have to deal with the inadequacies of living in temporary shelters, most likely elementary schools, ill-equipped with the proper provisions. They have to make do with makeshift beds and blankets, even as a majority of families, children, and the elderly lie on the floor, their faces reflecting exhaustion and anxiety. The air is thick with a mix of sweat and uncertainty. People are trying to find a comfortable spot amidst the overcrowded conditions, but space is limited, and tensions more often than not are rising. Television footage has detailed the agony of staying there. There was this mother cradling her crying infant, trying to soothe the baby amid the chaos. She looks around, searching for a quiet corner or a clean space to nurse her child, but every nook and cranny is occupied. Frustration fills her eyes as she realizes there is no privacy or comfort for her and her baby in the crowded environment. A group of volunteers, wearing brightly colored vests, move through the crowded evacuation center, offering water, food, and blankets to those in need. However, they struggle to reach everyone due to the sheer number of people seeking assistance. The sound of coughing and sneezing fills the air as a young boy, visibly unwell, sits with his family. They are surrounded by other families nearby, making it easy for illnesses to spread. A sense of frustration and desperation pervades the atmosphere as tempers flare among tired and stressed evacuees. Arguments break out over limited resources, personal space, and the lack of information about when they can return home. Such is the distressing situation of residents in evacuation centers that others opt to defy logic and the authorities and prefer to remain on their properties inside the danger zones for fear of their carabaos being stolen or their houses ransacked by those who would take advantage. These scenes depict the challenging realities of overcrowded evacuation centers in the Philippines, highlighting the lack of space, privacy, and basic amenities, and the strain it places on evacuees and relief efforts. They serve as a reminder of the urgent need for effective solutions to address this perennial problem and provide safer and more dignified conditions for those seeking shelter during times of crisis. As a country highly vulnerable to natural disasters, it would be worthwhile for the government to explore potential solutions and find a sustainable approach that can help address this recurring issue effectively. One key element in addressing overcrowded evacuation centers, according to experts, is improving early warning systems. By investing in modern technology and infrastructure, such as weather monitoring systems, early warning sirens, and effective communication networks, the government can provide timely and accurate information to vulnerable communities. This would enable residents to prepare and evacuate in a more organized manner, reducing the strain on evacuation centers. Addressing the problem of overcrowded evacuation centers requires collaboration among various stakeholders. The government, civil society organizations, the private sector, and international partners should work together to coordinate efforts, share resources, and pool expertise. Establishing clear protocols and mechanisms for resource mobilization and coordination can enhance the efficiency of response and ensure a more equitable distribution of support. The issue of overcrowded evacuation centers in the Philippines during times of natural disasters is a complex challenge that demands a multi-faceted and sustainable approach. It would do well for government to rethink its disaster response mechanisms knowing that the next tragedy can occur in the blink of an eye. e-mail: mannyangeles27@gmail.com The post Preparedness is key appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go returns to Bicol to help various sectoral groups in Camarines Sur
Showing his commitment to bring public service closer to Bicolanos in need, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go returns to Bicol region to personally lead a relief distribution for indigents from various sectors in Camarines Sur on Saturday, June 10. Last June 3, Go visited the Malasakit Center at the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City where he checked on its operations and provided assistance to both patients and frontliners. Additionally, he participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Super Health Center in the same city and attended the Bicol Social Media Summit. He also inspected the by-pass road which was initiated during the Duterte administration through his support. This time, Go went back to Camarines Sur to help thousands of indigents in the province. Held at the Fuerte Sports Complex in Pili, Go and his team distributed food packs, masks, vitamins, snacks and shirts to 2,699 residents, composed of 1,247 fisherfolks and 1,452 students. They also provided select individuals with shoes, shirts, watch, bicycles, cellular phones, and balls for basketball and volleyball. Meanwhile, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development extended financial assistance to the beneficiaries. Go was joined by fellow Senator Robinhood Padilla, Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte, 5th District Representative Miguel Villafuerte, Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Brian Yamsuan, Governor Luigi Villafuerte, Vice Governor Sal Fortuno, Jr., Libmanan Mayor Jes Camara, Calabanga Mayor Eugene Severo, Baao Mayor Jeff Besinio, Canaman Mayor Nelson Legaspi, and Gainza Mayor Leonardo Agor, among others. During the activity, local leaders and beneficiaries took a moment to express their gratitude to Go by singing him a birthday song to mark his upcoming birthday on June 14. Appreciative of their gesture, Go conveyed his thanks and proceeded to emphasize the importance of addressing their immediate needs, particularly the provision of nourishment to those in dire situations. "Mayroon rin po kaming dalang grocery packs para sa inyong lahat ngayong araw na ito. Madadala n'yo po pag-uwi ang grocery packs... May dala rin po kaming vitamins, pampalakas ng inyong resistensya. Kapag malakas ang inyong resistensya, mas lalaban po ang inyong katawan kontra sakit," urged Go. As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go also reached out to individuals with medical issues, urging them to visit the Malasakit Centers located at the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City and the Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Cabusao. The Malasakit Centers program, which was initiated by Go in 2018, was later institutionalized through the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 that he principally authored and sponsored. The program aims to facilitate easy access to various medical assistance programs provided by the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. There are currently 158 Malasakit Centers operating nationwide, successfully aiding over seven million Filipinos, according to the DOH. Continuing his message, Go also emphasized the significance of Super Health Centers which he initiated and continues to champion to bridge the healthcare gap especially in grassroots communities. Through the concerted efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funding has been allocated for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and additional 322 centers in 2023. The DOH, as the lead implementing agency, identifies strategic areas where these centers will be built. In Camarines Sur alone, 18 Super Health Centers have been funded for construction in 2022 and 2023. Super Health Centers are designed to provide basic health services, including database management, outpatient care, birthing facilities, isolation units, diagnostic services (such as laboratory tests, X-rays, and ultrasounds), pharmacies, and ambulatory surgical units. In addition, specialized services like eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) care, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, and telemedicine capabilities for remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will also be available. Go, in his capacity as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, also supported a range of projects aimed at improving the province's infrastructure. These included the construction of the Mabolo - Almeda Bypass Road in Naga City. Additionally, Go was instrumental in enhancing the San Fernando Sports Complex in San Fernando, Camarines Sur, improving the Bula and Nabua Section channel, and construction of the Lalud - Garchitorena Road, among others. After his visit to Camarines Sur, Go immediately proceeded to Camarines Norte for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Super Health Center in Talisay town where he also aided struggling residents. The senator also paid a visit to the Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital in Daet to check on the operations of the Malasakit Center there and aid patients and frontliners in the hospital. The post Bong Go returns to Bicol to help various sectoral groups in Camarines Sur appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»