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PSA assures security of PhilSys, Civil Registration System
The PSA made the statement on Wednesday in light of a data breach on October 7, reportedly involving a P42 billion data leak, which is said to be larger than a recent breach at Philippine Health Insurance Corp......»»
Senate assures higher DND budget
The Senate on Wednesday assured the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines that it will push for the allocation of more funds for next year to further strengthen the country’s defense operations. After extensive deliberation, the Senate Committee on Finance has approved the 2024 proposed budget of the DND and its attached, including the revised AFP Modernization Program, “subject to possible budgetary adjustments.” The DND’s proposed budget will then be again submitted to the Senate plenary for deliberation and approval. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed full support for the defense sector’s efforts to defend the country amid the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea. With this, Zubiri committed to increasing the DND and AFP’s budget for next year for more heightened defense initiatives. “But you know my dear friends, courage can only take us so far. And that is why, if we really want to truly defend our country and our seas, we must support their budget. Not only the budget that they have now… We’re going to support, through the efforts of the Senate, an increase in their budget, especially in the defense spending,” he said. In his presentation, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the DND is seeking a total of P229.9 billion in funding under the 2024 National Expenditure Program. Teodoro presented a 12 percent increase compared to the P204.5-billion DND budget allocated under its 2023 General Appropriation Act. Major service units Of the budget, the AFP will get P221.6 billion, which will be divided among its major service units including the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Navy, as well as the general AFP headquarters and AFP-wide service support units. The DND will get P1.2 billion while the remaining P7 billion will go to civilian bureaus, like the Government Arsenal, Office of Civil Defense, National Defense College of the Philippines, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and Veterans Memorial Medical Center. The post Senate assures higher DND budget 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......»»
DBM, DepEd respect Ombudsman’s suspension order
The Department of Budget and Management on Saturday said it will adhere to the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against officials involved in the purchase of alleged overpriced laptops for public school teachers in 2021. “The Department of Budget and Management, under the leadership of Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, assures the public of its utmost compliance with the decision set by the Office of the Ombudsman against former Procurement Service and DBM officials due to their alleged involvement in the purchase of reportedly overpriced laptops for the Department of Education,” it said in a statement. It added that Pangandaman has already directed concerned officials to implement the suspension order against former and present PS-DBM officials and employees involved in the controversial procurement deal of DepEd laptops. In a resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a six-month preventive suspension without pay against education and budget officials, pending the investigation into the P2.4-billion laptop procurement for the DepEd Computerization Program. Citing reports from the Commission on Audit, the Ombudsman found sufficient grounds to preventively suspend the officials for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and gross neglect of duty. The DBM has already requested an independent investigation from the National Bureau of Investigation in August 2022. The DepEd also assured that the suspension of its officials won’t affect the education services of the department, especially the preparations for the opening of School Year 2023-2024. “DepEd adheres to due process and shall abide by the said Order. Meanwhile, the Department reassures the public of its unhampered services as we prepare for a safe and orderly opening of School Year 2023-2024,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said. Among the education officials ordered to be placed under six-month suspensions are former PS-DBM officers-in-charge Lloyd Christopher Lao and Jasonmer Uayan; and procurement management officers Ulysses Mora, Marwin Amil, and Paul Armand Estrada as well as Alec Ladanga, former Executive Assistant IV of the Office of Usec. Sevilla; Marcelo Bragado, Director IV of DepEd’s Procurement Management Service; and Selwyn Briones, DepEd’s Supervising Administrative Officer. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Saturday urged the Ombudsman to go after the contractors involved in the alleged overpriced laptop procurement deals. Pimentel said the anti-corruption body should undertake “vigorous efforts” in reclaiming public funds used in the anomalous purchasing deals. “The Ombudsman’s decision to impose preventive suspension sends a strong signal that any alleged wrongdoing will be treated seriously. It is equally vital to thoroughly examine the role of the contractor in this anomalous transaction, from its background to how it secured the contract,” he said. It is imperative for the Ombudsman “to regain taxpayers’ money, expended on items that did not align with the government’s actual needs.” The PS-DBM awarded the contract to Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc. Pimentel earlier authored the Senate Resolution 120, which called for a comprehensive investigation into the laptop procurement carried out by DepEd through PS-DBM. In previous hearings, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee found out that the joint-venture companies failed to meet the technical specifications required for the laptops, rendering them unsuitable for the teachers’ needs. The companies were also unable to complete the delivery within the agreed target dates outlined in the procurement contract. “Our citizens deserve to know the exact circumstances that led to the selection of the joint venture comprising Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc. for this significant procurement,” Pimentel said. He criticized the PS-DBM over its failure to promptly blacklist the suppliers involved in the anomalous laptop deals by the recommendation of the Commission on Audit. The Blue Ribbon Committee, he said, will continue to perform its duty and help in seeking out the truth behind the alleged overpriced laptop deal. The post DBM, DepEd respect Ombudsman’s suspension order appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DPWH assures: Flood control projects on track
The Department of Public Works and Highways on Tuesday assured the public that its anti-flood control projects are still on track despite delays reported in some “small” projects. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan admitted that there were some projects that were delayed following the lawmakers’ complaints regarding the unresolved problem of flooding in the country. “I can admit that there are some projects that have been delayed; these are just the minor ones, but most of them are ongoing right now,” Bonoan said when asked about the status of the projects. He attributed the delay to the weather, the right of way, and the locations of the projects but stressed that the projects worth P180 billion is ongoing. “The projects that we’re implementing for flood control under the 2023 budget is ongoing and that the projects that we’re implementing are still ongoing,” Bonoan said. “I believe they have quoted the total amount of around P180 billion, but that amount is distributed all throughout the country. They are ongoing and they are on track actually. We have two years to implement all these projects in our budget,” he added. Meantime, Bonoan disclosed that the agency is still looking for funds for the North Luzon Expressway-San Simon segment to help reduce flooding in the area. “That’s not a very heavy project because it’s an existing bridge, we’ll just have to jack it up, raise it by about 0.7 meters I think... and consequently, once we’ve raised it, the people at NLEX will also elevate their pavement,” Bonoan said. “Perhaps if we have funding right away, we can finish that in about a month’s time because it’s not going to be a technical thing. What we’re going to do is just a matter of jacking it up,” he added. To recall, typhoon “Egay,” Severe tropical storm “Falcon,” and the Southwest Monsoon caused floods on the NLEX past the Viaduct in Pampanga. The post DPWH assures: Flood control projects on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM assures public enough rice supply
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public over the weekend that the country had enough rice supply and that the government was closely monitoring the National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock ahead of El Niño and other expected calamities. In his latest vlog, the Chief Executive underscored that the country's rice supply is still enough after typhoons "Egay" and "Falcon", including the Southwest Monsoon (habagat) ravaged several parts of the country and damaged the agriculture sector. For context, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday that the agriculture sector damage and losses due to inclement weather reached an estimated P2.9 billion. The latest situational data from the NDRRMC showed that the Department of Agriculture recorded billions worth of damages in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Bangsamoro Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). "We have an ample supply of rice, and there is nothing to worry about," Marcos said. "Our farmers should expect that we won't be importing if the supply here in the Philippines is sufficient. Hopefully, you won't be worried. We have rice," he added. Marcos, who also heads the Department of Agriculture (DA), said the government is ensuring that the NFA increases its buffer stock for several reasons. The Chief Executive pointed out the increasing number of disasters in the Philippines and that other Southeast Asian countries needed to increase their rice supplies ahead of El Niño, expected to occur either late this year or early 2024. He added that other countries that export rice, such as India, have begun to restrict or halt their rice exports. "All of us are preparing for the El Niño. That's why the challenge is that everyone buys things all at once," Marcos said. "We are looking for our friends. Fortunately, I have met many of them during my travels, and we are now in communication. Perhaps, we might be allowed to import from them. However, we will only do so if the supply is not sufficient," he added. The post PBBM assures public enough rice supply appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
General Trias prepares for landmark condo project
Despite its proximity to the populous metropolis, General Trias City in Cavite, one of the country’s more progressive provinces, has remarkably retained its halcyon character. For one, it has preserved its Spanish-era churches and, to this day, a reverence for its many-storied past. Gentri, as it is sometimes called, is, in fact, just a stone’s throw away from landmarks such as the site of the Tejeros Convention — the first election in Philippine history. In December 2015, however, General Trias had sufficiently adapted to urbanization to merit conversion into a first-class component city of Cavite. Today, Gentri boasts such modern spoils as hotels, a championship golf course and fine residential enclaves — products of a burgeoning economy that turned in a revenue of over P2 billion in 2022, according to the Department of Trade and Industry. Indeed, Gentri has become increasingly more appealing to a growing market of longtime city dwellers looking to relocate to more tranquil places south of the metro. Quick to rise to the challenge, affordable condo developer Asterra has expanded into General Trias, intent on building homes that hardworking Filipinos can afford. [caption id="attachment_163851" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Asterra General Trias assures that unit sizes and configurations will suit its prospective residents’ lifestyles.[/caption] Strategically situated in the heart of the vibrant city, Asterra General Trias is a prime location from which essential amenities and the comforts of everyday living are just a short drive or commute away. Its future residents will be able to stay close to nature while having access to commercial centers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and major transport networks. Asterra’s intent to create exceptional living spaces is reflected in the thought and care put into the condominium units’ design, interior layouts and recreational facilities. Asterra General Trias assures that unit sizes and configurations will suit its prospective residents’ lifestyles, whether young professionals, growing families, retirees or returning overseas workers. Potential buyers are also in for a treat as Asterra General Trias provides both affordability and uncompromising quality. The latter is evident in every development aspect — from premium materials to meticulous attention to detail. Future homeowners can likewise expect a secure and well-maintained environment that goes with the family-centric community. As for affordability, Asterra General Trias is set to roll out its flexible payment options and unit pricing within the year. Homegrown Caviteños and those seeking the peace of the countryside can rest assured that the Asterra condo lifestyle will soon be within their reach. The post General Trias prepares for landmark condo project appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PhilHealth assures Red Cross of payment
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has assured the Philippine Red Cross of payment for its debt, which ballooned to P1.014 billion as of yesterday......»»
PSC vows full support to Team PHI all the way to Tokyo Olympics
Aspiring and Olympic-bound athletes will continue to receive support from the Philippine Sports Commission despite the agency’s belt-tightening measures brought about by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Philippines already has four qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which has been pushed back to next year, in pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, male artistic gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo, national boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno before the lockdown. The PSC board has assured that the agency will support them for as long as they can, explaining that the investment of both the government and the athletes into their Olympic dream cannot be set aside just that easily. This the PSC assures the athletes despite around P1.3 billion of its funds redirected back to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to fund the country’s COVID-19 fight. By virtue of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, P596 million, and P773 million were realigned by the DBM from the sports agency’s National Sports Development Fund and the fund from the General Appropriations Act (GAA), respectively. Even with this unexpected development, the PSC will keep true to its promise to support the Filipino athletes Olympic bid. In fact, PSC Chairman William Ramirez is hoping to send more athletes to represent the country in the prestigious multi-sport event. “We will not waiver in our quest to fulfill the country’s Olympic dream and we are very hopeful that more athletes will be able to qualify once the situation gets better,” shared Ramirez. The sports agency is banking its hopes on 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, four-time SEA Games champion Kiyomi Watanabe of judo, 2019 SEAG double-gold medal winner Margielyn Didal of skateboarding, multi-titled jin Pauline Lopez of taekwondo, and Junna Tsukii of karatedo among others. The budget cut has forced the sports agency to take belt-tightening measures in recent weeks, to be able to cover all commitments. “It’s a tough situation but we understand the priorities of the national government. We will do what we can to continue the support we give to our athletes especially those vying for an Olympic slot,” added Ramirez. Aside from financial support, the PSC also continues to provide online sports psychology consultations, virtual training sessions, nutrition, physiology, and conditioning webinars to athletes and coaches through PSC’s Medical Scientific Athletic Services (MSAS) and the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI)......»»
Cebu governor says no projects will be sacrificed for COVID-19 response
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Despite unplanned expenses for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia assures the public that the Capitol has enough funds to pursue its planned projects for 2020. Garcia assured that none of the programs, particularly the infrastructure projects, that were allocated for in the province’s P12 billion budget for […] The post Cebu governor says no projects will be sacrificed for COVID-19 response appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cusi assures Malampaya& rsquo;s continued operation despite Galoc& rsquo;s shutdown
The Energy Department said Tuesday the $4.5-billion Malampaya natural gas project in northwest Palawan will continue to operate despite the low oil price regime that forced the Galoc oil field to announce the suspension of operation......»»
China urges ROK to stay prudent on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM
BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- China urges the Republic of Korea (ROK) to stay prudent when it comes to the South China Sea issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday. Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when responding to a media query about ROK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's biased and unfactual comments on the South China Sea issue over the past few days. "China.....»»
CCLEX safety enhancements pushed after US bridge tragedy
Cebu City, Philippines — In light of recent events, a call for increased CCLEX safety measures has been made to the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) by a Cebu City legislator. Councilor Rey Gealon penned a resolution urging CCLEC to implement precautionary measures at the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway to prevent disasters, considering the high.....»»
Milk tariff collections rise by 31% to P2.4 billion
Revenues raised by the government from various imported milk products jumped by 31 percent to P2.36 billion in 2023, the highest in at least eight years, from P1.8 billion in 2022......»»
Sy family invests P5 billion in Megawide affiliate
The Sy family is once again playing a big brother role to a company led by businessman Edgar Saavedra, this time investing in Megawide’s affiliate renewable energy real estate investment trust......»»
Cebu Pacific books P8 billion profit in 2023
Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific found itself landing on solid ground in 2023, as it booked a profit of nearly P8 billion on the back of a resurgent demand for air travel......»»
Mega Millions Jackpot Winner of $1.13 Billio
A lucky individual in Monmouth County, New Jersey struck gold this week by winning the $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot. The winning ticket was sold.....»»
Victims of Baltimore bridge collapse include those from Mexico, Guatemala
Maryland [US], March 27 (ANI): Among those reported missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the US are Mexican nationals, CNN reported, citing Rafael Laveaga, Chief of the Consular Section of Mexico's Embassy in Washington. Laveaga refrained from specifying the exact number of missing Mexican nationals when he addressed reporters near the scene on Tuesday. A reporter asked Laveaga: ".....»»
JG Summit FY23 profit: P19.6-B (up 216%)
JG Summit, the Gokongwei Family’s diversified conglomerate, teased its FY23 financial results headlined by a 216% increase in the company’s net income to P19.6 billion......»»
Globe closed on an additional P1.16-B in tower sales
Globe Telecom, the Zobel Family’s telecommunications company, disclosed that it closed on the sale of another 91 cell towers to Frontier Towers to raise approximately P1.16 billion in cash......»»