SWS: 47% of Filipinos ‘competent’ with English language

MANILA – Almost half of Filipino adults nationwide are competent with the English language, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

The poll, conducted from March 26 to 29, 2023, showed that at least 47 percent of Filipinos have the ability to think in English.

The March survey also revealed that Filipino adults’ understanding of spoken and written English was at 80 percent.

In terms of their skills in writing or speaking English, SWS said 69 percent of Filipinos write the language, while 55 percent speak the language. Only around 9 percent do not apply any of these skills.

Meanwhile, the pollster said the usage of the English language has been at its highest since September 2000.

The survey showed that Filipinos who use English fully jumped from 5 percent in December 2016 to 9 percent in March 2023.

Those who fairly use the language also increased from 28 percent in 2016 to 35 percent in 2023, while those who use it partially only declined from 43 percent in 2016 to 41 percent in 2023.

Only 14 percent have no use of the language in 2023.

The same survey also revealed that at least three out of four adult Filipinos, or 75 percent, are competent with the Filipino language.

SWS said that in March 2023, 96 percent of Filipinos read Filipino, 93 percent understand spoken Filipino, 93 percent write Filipino, 87 percent speak Filipino, while only 1 percent do not apply any of these skills.

Filipinos’ usage of the Filipino language, according to SWS, is at its highest as well since September 2000.

The first quarter 2023 SWS survey showed that 53 percent fully use the Filipino language, 29 percent fairly use it, 15 percent partially use it, and 4 percent almost have no use of it.

This is an improvement from the 2016 level of 49 percent for full usage, 23 percent for fair usage, and 6 percent for almost no usage, while the partial usage for 2016 was slightly higher at 22 percent.

The First Quarter 2023 Social Weather Survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 and above nationwide. It had a sampling error margin of ± 2.8 percent. (PNA)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order 35, constituting the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD), will not only rehabilitate the Pasig River, but will also maximize its economic potentials, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said Tuesday.

“The issuance of Executive Order 35 is like hitting many birds with one stone. It will trigger huge positive impacts to several sectors like housing, transportation and even tourism,” Acuzar said in a statement.

He noted that while EO 35 primarily calls for a full rehabilitation of Pasig River waterways, its implementation will also secure the safety of thousands of informal settler families (ISFs) living along the riverbanks, and promote mixed-use development and tourism that will trigger economic opportunities.

“Malaking bagay po ang activation ng inter-agency council para mas mapapabilis ang ating galaw at maging synchronized ang lahat ng efforts ng mga concerned agencies para sa pagbangon muli ng (The activation of the inter-agency council will be a big factor in fast-tracking and synchronizing the actions and efforts of all concerned agencies for the revival of the) Pasig River,” he said.

Acuzar, chairperson of the IAC-PRUD, said the DHSUD has already laid out initial plans covering pilot areas along several portions of Pasig River in Manila, in coordination with some of the member agencies like Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

Under EO 35, the head of the MMDA will sit as vice chair of the IAC-PRUD.

Meanwhile, the secretaries of the Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Tourism (DOT), Transportation (DoTr), Finance (DOF), and Budget and Management (DBM); the chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority, commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, the general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority; and the chief executive officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) were named as council members. The National Housing Authority will serve as the secretariat.

The IAC-PRUD is primarily tasked to “facilitate and ensure the full rehabilitation of the banks along the Pasig River water system and nearby water systems in order to provide alternative transportation, propel economic opportunities, and boost tourism activities.”

The council is also directed to formulate a Pasig River Urban Development Plan which shall serve as the blueprint for the full rehabilitation of the river with the end view of realizing its full potential for mixed-use development, transportation, recreation, tourism and sustainable human settlement, taking into consideration its historic and cultural value.

It is also ordered to “study, prepare and implement a comprehensive shelter plan for massive relocation of ISFs and other unauthorized or unlawful occupants along the Pasig River banks, including identification of suitable relocation sites; strategies for economic and social integration for ISFs, and long-term solutions to address ongoing migration into the Pasig River banks.” (PNA)

MANILA – The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is on track to complete 19 more seaport projects by the end of 2023, in addition to 30 seaport projects that have so far been undertaken under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PPA said these infrastructure developments include 11 projects in Luzon, four in Visayas and four in Mindanao — ranging from construction and rehabilitation of back-up areas, breakwaters, roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ramps and reinforced concrete (RC) piers.

The upgrading of the general cargo berth at the Port of Sasa in Davao City with a budget of PHP902 million has largest budget among the 19 projects.

“The public can expect convenience and experience improved cargo handling with the upgrading of the general cargo berth,” the PPA said.

Another is the PHP693-million project at the Port of Catagbacan in Bohol which involves the construction of a wharf and port operational area with a continuous RoRo ramp.

“Also set to be completed is the construction of the country’s first dedicated cruise ship terminal at Jubang Port in Surigao del Norte amounting to PHP620 million,” it said.

Other seaport projects include the rehabilitation of Claveria Port, the construction of PPA-PCG K9 academy, the Puerto Galera port expansion project and the Balingoan port expansion project in Misamis Oriental, among others.

In addition, PPA is also set to award and begin 47 new port infrastructure projects within the year.

PPA General Manager Jay Santiago emphasized PPA’s goal of improving the country’s economy by advancing infrastructure development — specifically through building “high-quality ports.”

“We remain optimistic that we are continuously evolving to be at par with countries observing the highest level of port standards around the world, we already made it as one of the strongest ports in Southeast Asia as of 2023,” he said.

He also cited PPA’s record 23.18-percent increase in net income for the first half of 2023, totaling to PHP6.9 billion — compared to PHP5 billion for the same period in 2022.

“Good governance, transparency, and hard work are among the biggest contributing factors for completing almost 50 infrastructure projects at the end of 2023. This is another milestone for us and a testament that Philippine ports are ready to cater to local and global demands,” he said.

On the other hand, the PPA also reported a 3.23 percent decrease, or PHP142.53 million, in total expenditures compared to the same period last year. (PNA)

Infographic courtesy of Tech Wire Asia

MANILA – The Philippine Transportation and Communications (PhilTraComm) group, a non-governmental advocacy organization dedicated to combating fake news and fraudulent activities, has echoed the apprehensions of a government official who fell prey to a fabricated social media account featuring his unauthorized photograph.

“This incident serves as a glaring example of identity theft, wherein an individual’s photo is exploited to fabricate an official government social media account, which cyber scammers can manipulate for their malicious agendas,” Aio Bautista, the lead convenor of PhilTraComm, said.

“However, this occurrence is merely the tip of the iceberg. Numerous cases exist where individuals’ identities are compromised, and their social media accounts are abused by online hackers for illicit purposes. It’s encouraging to witness a growing resistance against such activities.”

The PhilTraComm spokesperson further emphasized that this incident should serve as a cautionary tale for all government officials, emphasizing the need for increased vigilance in the digital landscape.

This is especially crucial due to cybercriminals exploiting social media as an extended platform for their deceitful operations, following the successful enforcement of RA 11934, which mandates the registration of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

Just recently, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) issued a public alert concerning a fraudulent social media account misappropriating the name and image of its Acting General Manager, lawyer Glen Pangapalan.

The alert was disseminated through the agency’s official Facebook page, addressing reports about a Facebook Page named “GM Glen,” which illicitly used Pangapalan’s identity and photo.

“While the motives behind this impersonation remain uncertain, PFDA unequivocally condemns any attempt to misrepresent the agency’s name and the identities of its officials,” declared PFDA in their initial post on August 10.

“As a response, the agency has communicated with all regional units and the public at large, cautioning them about the potential fraudulent and malicious activities associated with these unauthorized impersonators.”

The agency urges individuals to promptly report any encounters with suspicious activities linked to the deceptive account to the PFDA Public Information Division through the telephone number (02) 8925-6139 or the email address pid@pfda.gov.ph.

“Let’s maintain vigilance and exercise caution to cultivate a safer and more secure work environment,” the statement concluded.

Initially established as a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of Agriculture, PFDA was established with the mission of advancing the fishing industry. (ai/mnm)

Sen. Chiz Escudero on Wednesday (Aug 16) expressed his willingness to help the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) augment its intelligence fund allocation in the 2024 national budget to make it more effective in the performance of its duties in protecting and defending the country’s territorial waters.

Guesting on ANC’s “Headstart” this morning, Escudero said he will support the Coast Guard during budget deliberations in the Senate, noting that the agency’s P10-million intelligence fund has not been increased since 2009.

“I will look into the fact if we can augment–not from the Capital Outlays, Personnel Services or from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses–but from the intelligence and confidential budget already proposed by the DBM (Department of Budget and Management),” he pointed out.

It’s a matter of carving out from the current budget proposal, Escudero said, so as not to affect the other items, especially the appropriations meant to improve the delivery of basic social services to the Filipino people.

“Para within the same amount na lang ang pag-uusapan natin. Huwag tayo magbawas ng tulay at mga school buildings. Huwag magbawas ng hospital o magbawas ng social services para dagdagan ang intelligence fund ng Coast Guard. Dapat manggaling din ‘yan sa intelligence and confidential funds na prino-propose ng Executive Branch,” he said.

The veteran legislator, however, said that even if Congress fails to appropriate additional intelligence fund, “the President can actually augment it after the budget is passed.”

According to Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the PCG on the West Philippine Sea, the Coast Guard’s intelligence fund has remained unchanged at P10 million since 2009.

“With what is happening right now in the West Philippine Sea, with the magnitude of the function of the Coast Guard, not to mention maritime safety and maritime environmental protection, it is important for the Philippine Coast Guard to receive a larger intelligence fund to support our operations,” Tarriela said.

In the same television program, the Bicolano senator also clarified that his proposal to allocate at least P100 million to fund the construction of permanent structures in Ayungin Shoal in the WPS, will not be on top of the P5.76-trillion proposed national budget for the next fiscal year.

“The Senate President expressed support yesterday (Aug. 14) that he will help in carving out the budget. This is not on top of the budget; we will just carve out from the existing proposed budget an amount to do this,” Escudero stressed.

He also thanked his colleagues who welcomed his proposal and expressed to support it in the budget deliberation.

“I will put it in the budget as a cover. Sen Jinggoy (Estrada) said it might not be enough and I said ‘I would have been happy with the P100 million but if you want to increase it, you have my blessing,'” Escudero said. (ai/mnm)

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has been appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as a Special Envoy to China, according to an announcement from Malacañang on Wednesday.

In September of the previous year, the President had designated Locsin as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

However, it was not clarified by the Palace whether Locsin will continue to serve as the country’s envoy to the UK or if a replacement will be named by Marcos.

During the Duterte administration, Locsin initially held the position of the Philippines’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations before assuming the role of Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). (ai/mnm)

In response to the reported increase in rice prices before the harvest season, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued directives to the Departments of Agriculture (DA) and Trade and Industry (DTI) to implement stringent monitoring measures.

These measures are aimed at curbing hoarding and price manipulation by individuals taking advantage of the lean months preceding the harvest season.

While the country’s rice supply remains sufficient, there has been considerable fluctuation in prices.

The government is collaborating with the private sector to stabilize prices and ensure the availability of affordable rice both in the general market and through the Kadiwa program.

The President is determined to take decisive action against hoarders and price manipulators who exploit the vulnerable period before the harvest season, as affirmed by a statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) quoting the Chief Executive.

The Department of Agriculture has observed that rice retailers are offering different price ranges, with some selling the essential staple at prices as low as P38-P40 per kilo, while others are pricing their cheapest variety at P50 per kilo.

In light of this situation, Marcos has entrusted the DA and DTI with the responsibility of closely monitoring rice prices across various markets throughout the country, as highlighted by the PCO. (AI/MNM)

No signs of a storm are anticipated until the upcoming weekend, as noted by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). Barring isolated instances of rain showers and evening thunderstorms, the nation should experience generally clear conditions.

The prevailing influence is the southwest monsoon, known as ‘habagat’, which continues to impact various regions, particularly Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

According to weather specialist Obet Badrina, Pagasa’s observations reveal some cloud formations; nevertheless, fair weather is expected across the entire country in the next 24 hours.

Furthermore, Pagasa’s forecaster added that no tropical cyclones have been detected either entering the country or lingering outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, at least until the weekend arrives.

Specifically, areas such as Visayas, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) will encounter overcast skies accompanied by sporadic rain showers and thunderstorms caused by the southwest monsoon.

This weather system, combined with localized thunderstorms, will lead to partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with occasional brief heavy rain or thunderstorms in Metro Manila and other regions across the country, as indicated by the national meteorological agency. (ai/mnm)

Positively Filipino image courtesy

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

IT’S A GOOD THING that on Monday, August 14, Monday, Australia sent its largest warship — HMAS Canberra — to the Philippines to take part in joint exercises with U.S. and Filipino forces.

“The South China Sea has been an area of tension now for many, many years. We have continued to conduct our operations and activities and exercises with allies and partners safely and securely despite those tensions. So, I’m not particularly concerned about this deployment any more so than any of the other deployments that we do,” Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Australia’s Chief of Navy, said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Meanwhile, a joint maritime patrol agreement between the Philippines and the United States is expected to be launched before the year 2023 ends.

For me, it’s really very important that all democratic nations on this planet must unite and fight for peace.

It’s also a race against time to repair and reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal which has been the symbol of our sovereignty and defiance to superbully China.

To recall, the Philippine Navy intentionally grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in 1999 during the time of former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty claim in the Spratly Islands. Ayungin Shoal is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

But Beijing insists that the majority of the South China Sea, including parts that Manila calls the West Philippine Sea, as its own, using a “nine-dash line” on maps that an international arbitration ruling in 2016 declared has no legal basis.

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio recently revealed that under China’s new coast guard law, Chinese Coast Guard vessels are authorized to fire their weapons on foreign vessels and to forcibly dismantle structures, that encroach on China’s nine-dash line claim.

He explained that this means that structures erected by other states on islands claimed by China, like those in the Spratlys, such as the beached BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, can be demolished by Chinese coast guard vessels under this new coast guard law.

This is indeed worrisome considering the possibility that Ayungin Shoal could serve as a flashpoint of a war that we always dread happening.

That’s why the urgent need to fortify the BRP Sierra Madre.

“It’s vulnerable not just because of how few people are there and their inability to defend themselves but the fact that their outpost is deteriorating and will ultimately succumb to time and the weather and the elements,” thus rightly observed Security expert and former United States Air Force official Col. Raymond Powell.

He further explained: “That will happen unless the Philippines and its US allies are able to come up with some other solution to repairing or replacing, somehow lifting, circumventing, and defeating the ongoing Chinese blockade.”

I agree with Powell that one of the leverages the Philippines could use against China’s social-imperialism that its former paramount leader Deng Xiaoping once predicted would be our country’s partnership with like-minded allies.

Indeed, in these proverbial times that try men’s souls, we need our democratic allies like the United States, Australia, Japan, and many others to help the Philippines fortify the BRP Sierra Madre and, at the same time, acquire more arms and equipment to deter China from eventually occupying the Ayungin Shoal. (ai/mnm)

MANILA – Kai Sotto has been cleared to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio announced on Tuesday that the seven-foot-three beanpole would play for Gilas after Sotto’s camp and the federation’s medical team reached an agreement.

“The doctors of Kai and the SBP doctor, Dr. Randy Molo, spoke yesterday, and he’s been cleared to play. That’s good news,” Panlilio said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Meralco Gym in Pasig.

He then said the doctors decided to meet instead of asking for a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of Sotto’s back injury, which he suffered during the NBA Summer League for the Orlando Magic.

The MRI result was reportedly a prerequisite for the SBP for Sotto to play.

“We didn’t see any MRI results. What we wanted to do to put closure, really move forward, and just focus on the games, is really our doctors met,” Panlilio added

The next step now, he said, is to make Sotto available for Gilas’ upcoming tune-up games against Ivory Coast, Montenegro and Mexico.

Gilas will play Ivory Coast on Friday, Montenegro on Sunday, and Mexico on Monday.

All games will be held behind closed doors at the nearby PhilSports Arena.

Sotto is expected to add ceiling to Gilas ahead of their FIBA World Cup opener against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue on Aug. 25.

According to FIBA World Cup local organizing committee officer Erika Dy, about 28,000 tickets have already been sold for the game.

She also said they are on track to eclipsing the single-game record for a FIBA World Cup gate attendance of 32,616 set in the 1994 FIBA World Cup final in Toronto. (PNA)

MANILA – Local shares slightly increased in trading session Tuesday but still failed to return to the 6,400-mark, while the peso closed sideways.

Benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 6.72 points to 6,335.91, with all shares up by 2.98 points to 3,400.87.

“The market was marginally higher amidst cautious bargain hunting after China announced a surprise cut to a key policy rate in an attempt to boost its flagging economy,” China Bank Capital Corp. managing director Juan Paolo Colet said.

Four out of six sectors recorded gains, including Property, 15.65 points; Services, 15.40 points; Financials, 4.77 points; and Holding Firms, 0.41 points.

The day’s losers include Mining and Oil as well as Industrial, with shares plummeting by 122.89 and 110.49 points, respectively.

“The index remains on shaky ground as many investors are worried about disappointing macroeconomic data from China and rising US yields. Immediate support is seen at 6,300 and resistance in the 6,400 area,” Colet added.

Meanwhile, the peso finished sideways at 56.84 to a US dollar.

It shed by 0.06 from last day’s closing of 56.78 to the greenback.

The local currency opened weak at 56.65 from previous day’s start of 56.45.

The currency pair traded between 56.60 and 56.87.

Volume of trade reached USD1.09 billion, lower than Monday’s volume of USD1.41 billion. (PNA)

CEBU CITY – The top Army official in the Visayas reminded voters not to support candidates affiliated with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command (Viscom) chief, said in a statement Tuesday that they need all the help they could get in preventing the CPP-NPA from regaining their foothold in the region.

“As the Barangay and SK elections are fast approaching, we encourage our people to cast their vote wisely by not supporting individuals who are affiliated with the terrorist group,” Arevalo said.

Arevalo cited the vibrant partnership of the military in the region with the local government units and private stakeholders in drumming up dialogues through localized peace engagements that led to the piling of losses in the communist side.

“Our focused military operations coupled with our localized peace engagement have been proven effective in pushing the terrorist group to the brink of irreversible downfall,” he said.

He said the latest stinging blow against the CPP-NPA came after its high official surrendered while the other was killed over the weekend.

Lt. Col. Israel Galorio, Viscom spokesperson, told the Philippine News Agency that a finance officer of the NPA’s sub-regional guerilla unit under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee has surrendered.

The finance officer revealed to the troops the location of an arms cache in Barangay Happy Valley, San Isidro, Northern Samar on Saturday, leading to the seizure of an M16 rifle, a cal. .22 rifle, an upper receiver of an M16 rifle, an anti-personnel mine, and other war materiel.

Galorio said the troops also recovered another anti-personnel mine in the vicinity of Barangay Buenavista, Victoria town.

Galorio said soldiers from the 61st Infantry Battalion likewise encountered remnants of the weakened Southern Front under Komiteng Rehiyon Panay at the boundary of Barangay Ayobo and Barangay Cananaman, both in Leon, Iloilo.

One NPA rebel was killed while war materiel, a cal .45 pistol, two backpacks, and a hand grenade were recovered. (PNA)

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has monitored 27 “areas of grave concern” for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

These areas would be classified under the red category of the election hotspot list, PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Michael John Dubria said during the joint press conference with the military and the Commission on Elections on Tuesday.

The areas are under the election hotspot list which has four categories — green, yellow, orange and red.

“We have some figures here but this is still to be submitted to the Comelec en banc for approval but for a bird’s eye view of our election areas of concern, we have four categories. We have category green has 37,683, which is election with no area of concern. For yellow we have 4,085, for orange we have 232 and for red we have 27 but these figures were based on past elections. So this is just a ballpark figure that is supposed to validate some more together, we have to get the approval of the Comelec en banc. So as of the moment that is the information that we can provide,” Dubria told reporters.

Green refers to areas that do not have security concerns and are generally peaceful and orderly, while yellow are areas of concern, which means that these have a history of election-related incidents in the last elections, possible employment of partisan armed groups, the occurrence of politically motivated election-related incidents and had been previously declared under Comelec control.

Orange, meanwhile, means areas of immediate concern where there is a serious armed threat; while red means areas of grave concern, which exhibit combined factors under the yellow category with serious armed threats that may warrant the motu proprio (on its own) declaration of Comelec control.

In the same briefing, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said they are also keeping a close watch on the province of Negros Oriental and areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), noting that security adjustments would be made in these areas as the need arises.

Acorda also said the PNP started identifying policemen whose family members and other relatives are planning to run for the BSKE elections in October this year.

Acorda said the identification of the policemen will serve as a major factor in the adjustment of assignments on the days leading to the elections.

“We identified these police officers to really make sure that they will not become partisan in this forthcoming election,” said Acorda during a joint press conference.

The intention, according to Acorda, is to isolate all PNP from partisan politics amid past experiences wherein the barangay elections are considered the most challenging in terms of security and peace and order.

The filing of certificates of candidacy for the BSKE will start on Aug. 28 until Sept. 2 and by that time, the PNP hopes to come up with a list of all their personnel whose relatives are running for the local posts.

“We will make some adjustments before the election ban comes,” said Acorda.

Acorda also assured that the police force is ready to secure the barangay elections, adding that security measures are now being conducted for their goal of zero violence.

Among them are the aggressive campaign against private armed groups and the campaign against loose firearms.

The election period for the Oct. 30 village and youth polls will run until Nov. 29 while the campaign period is set from Oct. 19 to 28. (PNA)

MANILA – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) supported President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to suspend various reclamation projects in the country.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of CBCP’s social arm Caritas Philippines, said Tuesday the suspension of 22 reclamation projects in the country is a “welcome development.”

“Reclamation is not the solution to the problems of Metro Manila. We need to invest in sustainable development that will benefit all Filipinos, not just a few wealthy individuals,” he said in a statement.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is currently conducting an assessment of the reclamation projects.

At the same time, the Catholic prelate urged Marcos to issue an executive order banning all reclamation projects, not only in Manila Bay but across the country.

The Catholic prelate added that they support the anti-reclamation efforts of civil society organizations and people’s organizations.

“We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts of reclamation projects on the environment, the economy, and the people,” he said.

“Reclamation projects displace fisherfolks and coastal urban communities, destroy coastal ecosystems, and contribute to food insecurity,” Bagaforo added. (PNA)

MANILA – Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) official Angelina Bautista has resigned but the investigation continues on her alleged involvement in anomalous deals.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. on Tuesday said his office has accepted Bautista’s resignation, subject to the surrender of all government properties issued to her under memorandum receipts before she is issued a clearance.

Bautista’s resignation as Executive Assistant IV at the Office of the Director General takes effect Aug. 11.

“My resignation does not mean that I am admitting the malicious and unfounded issues incriminating my untainted years of public service. I wanted peace, not only for my family but for the entire Bureau of Corrections. I wanted to leave proud, untainted and uncorrupted, regardless of how people might perceive it,” read Bautista’s letter of resignation.

She also thanked Catapang for the opportunity to be of service to him, persons deprived of liberty and the BuCor.

Last week, Catapang announced the appointment of Gil Tisado Torralba as Deputy Director General for Operations, taking over Bautista’s post.

Bautista was relieved from her post on Aug. 5 to give her an opportunity to clear her name in line with the Senate investigation on her alleged involvement in prison anomalies.

She reportedly owns a catering company and supplies meals to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City. She is also among those being investigated regarding an alleged mass grave and missing inmate at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. (PNA)

MANILA – The Philippines continues to strengthen its ties with international partners to further develop its agricultural sector by engaging in various projects.

This came as officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) led by Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban met with their counterparts from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) headed by Agricultural Counselor Michael Ward and Agricultural Attaché Mark Hanzel on Monday, the DA said in a news release on Tuesday.

During the courtesy visit by USDA representatives, Panganiban shared the department’s priority programs under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The programs, he said, are focused on improving the production of rice, corn, high value crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries, and developing high-quality products for export.

Panganiban also conveyed the country’s interest to increase the value of agricultural exports to the United States.

He said the country is looking to expand the volume of those that already have market access such as fresh pineapple, young coconut, durian and mangosteen.

On the other hand, Ward is hoping that the DA and USDA can deepen their partnership and find ways to collaborate in the areas of agricultural biotechnology, statistics, food safety, regulatory development and trade.

The US is the Philippines’ top trading partner for agriculture, fisheries and food products with total trade amounting to USD5.22 billion in 2022.

The US has also been a significant source of investments, technology and technical assistance that help advance the productivity and sustainability of the local agriculture sector. (PNA)

MANILA – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte expressed on Tuesday her appreciation for social workers for their “essential roles” during the 26th National Convention and General Assembly of Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines (ALSWDOPI) at SMX Convention Center in Davao City.

In her keynote speech, Duterte emphasized the essential role of social workers in attending to the community during calamities, providing assistance during search and rescue operations, and trauma healing for victims of battering and physical and sexual abuses.

“Social workers, the foot soldiers for social change. How you surrendered your lives to that special calling to serve other people, to help communities without any conditions is truly inspiring,” Duterte told around 2,000 social welfare officers from across the country.

“Sumasaludo po ako sa inyo kagaya ng pagsaludo ko sa iba pang mga sektor na nagsasakripisyo at nagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay para mapagsilbihan ang kapwa Pilipino at matulungan ang mga komunidad na malampasan ang ano mang krisis (I salute you like how I salute other sectors who sacrifice their lives to serve fellow Filipinos and help communities to overcome any crisis),” she added.

Citing her experience as mayor of Davao City, Duterte shared the Kean Gabriel Hotline where community members can anonymously report incidents of child abuse.

“The Kean Gabriel Hotline receives calls and messages 24/7. And behind the hotline are social workers. They receive and process information about possible child abuse and, together with the child protection officers of the police, conduct rescue operations,” Duterte said.

Kean Gabriel was a child who died because of abuse.

Since the creation of the hotline (0908-8184444) in 2016, the city has no recorded child death due to abuse.

Records from the local government showed the City Social Welfare and Development Office, through the hotline, rescued 31 abused children from January to March this year — 19 were cases of physical abuse while 12 were sexual abuse.

In 2022, the hotline helped rescue 131 children, 72 of them physically abused.

Duterte also highlighted the crucial roles social workers play in implementing all social services projects of the Office of the Vice President. such as the Medical and Burial Assistance Program, Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day and the PagbaBAGo: A Million Learners and Trees Campaign.

ALSWDOPI is a professional organization of social welfare and development workers that envisions a strong, viable and proactive association with functional provincial, municipal and city chapters and members and with the active partnership of agencies, professional groups and non-government organizations. (PNA) 

MANILA – Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan on Tuesday assured senators that the Marcos administration’s assumptions of a 6 to 7 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate for the rest of 2023 and a 6.5 to 8 percent economic growth from 2024 until 2028 are “achievable.”

During the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) briefing with the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed PHP5.768 trillion national budget for 2024, Balisacan explained that the economy needs to grow by 6.6 percent in the second half to achieve the lower projection target growth which is 6 percent for the entire year.

“We believe that’s very achievable. We haven’t lost the value of the underspending in the first semester that we can deploy in the second semester. That will actually add to the assumed growth of 6.2 percent for the second semester. So, you will have all these underspent resources put into the second semester,” Balisacan said.

“Inflation is also expected to further decelerate. That would buoy consumer demand, investment, and the rest of the economy. So, the 6.6 (percent) is very much achievable assuming that there’s other risks that I’ve mentioned earlier, you don’t have another major typhoons that can damage a big part of our economy,” he added.

Balisacan was answering the question of Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda on whether the economic team is still confident that the projection for 2023 can still be achieved given the average GDP growth rate of 5.3 percent during the first six months of 2023.

In the first half of 2023, the government came up short on its spending program by 6.6 percent with actual expenditures only amounting to PHP2.411 trillion.

As of the end of July 2023, the Department of Budget and Management had already released PHP4.89 trillion or 93 percent of the 2023 national budget.

When asked again by Legarda about the plans of the national government on how to peg inflation at 3 percent considering that more strong typhoons are expected to enter the country by the second half of the year.

The projection for the entire year of 6 to 7 percent, Balisacan explained, already took into account the inflation that was happening at the end of 2022 which was already very high.

“And so the deceleration of inflation from that point to that second semester is going to be a plus factor. I think the big part now of the current inflation is domestic and that’s how we are managing our food supply, our non-food items like electricity and it does appear that the food inflation is decelerating,” he said.

Learning from the lessons in managing food supplies and with the logistics improving, Balisacan said the country could further decelerate inflation. (PNA) 

MANILA – House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin T. Tulfo on Tuesday led three other lawmakers in filing a bill seeking to repeal Republic Act 8479, or better known as the Oil Deregulation Law, to address the continuous increase in fuel prices.

House Bill No. 8898, signed by Tulfo and his colleagues from the ACT-CIS partylist Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, introduces an “Act Establishing the Budget ng Bayan Para sa Murang Petrolyo” (BBMP), which is patterned from the Oil Price Stabilization fund during the 70s.

In the explanatory note of the proposed measure, the lawmakers said, the existing Oil Deregulation Law was designed to promote competition, transparency, and affordability within the local oil market.

“However, the complexity of global oil dynamics, the vulnerability of consumers to price fluctuations, and the necessity of ensuring energy security warrant a critical review of the current regulatory framework,” the bill stated.

Tulfo said that in repealing the Oil Deregulation Law, the measure reestablishes government price control of fuel pump prices and address the negative impact of frequent and abrupt fuel price changes on consumers.

In addition, the proposed measure also aims to establish the BBMP, to be administered by the Office of the President, in order to help maintain and stabilize oil prices whenever feasible, at prevailing reasonable retail or pump price level.

“By restoring government oversight, the bill seeks to protect ordinary Filipinos’ interests through addressing concerns on transparency and anti-competitiveness practices by fostering a fair market environment through government control,” HB 8898 said.

“The proposed repeal emphasizes robust consumer protection measures and regulatory oversight to intervene in case of unjustified price hikes,” it added.

Prior to filing HB 8898, Tulfo has earlier assailed the existing Oil Deregulation Law as useless.

“Nalinlang po ang taumbayan o naonse sa pagpasa ng batas na ito dahil paniwala tayo noon na magpapababaan ng presyo ang mga kumpanya ng langis kapag hindi na raw hawak o kontrolado ng gobyerno ang pagpapresyo sa produkto ng petrolyo (The people were hoodwinked in passing this law [RA 8479] because we were led to believe then that oil companies will lower their prices once government control over fuel pricing is removed),” Tulfo said in a privilege speech on Monday.

“Isa po itong kahibangan dahil sa halip na magpababaan ng presyo ngayon, naguusap-usap po ang malalaking kumpanya ng langis kung gaano kalaki at magkano ang itataas nila linggo-linggo (This is a delusion because instead of competing with each other now, the big oil companies talk with each other how much to increase their fuel prices weekly),” he alleged, noting the uniform hike in prices that oil companies impose.

He urged his fellow lawmakers for the immediate passage of the proposed measure for the sake of the people who carry the brunt of the ripple effect of the continuous rise in oil prices. (PNA) 

MANILA – The weather bureau is expecting danger level heat index (the temperature that a person feels) to continue in some areas in Luzon.

“Our analysis shows that most areas in Metro Manila, Northern and Central Luzon will still experience danger level heat index,” said Marcelino Villafuerte II, chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) Climate Impact Assessment and Application Climatology, in a public briefing Tuesday.

PAGASA logged a 60°C heat index in Casiguran, Aurora on Monday. The bureau estimates the heat index based on the combined effects of the temperature and air humidity.

The heat index in Casiguran fell under the extreme danger level, wherein heat stroke is imminent.

“We hope that the 60°C (heat index) will not be interpreted based on its magnitude but rather on its possible impact on health. The public should take precautions because when (the heat index) goes beyond 52°C, it means this is an extreme danger level and heat stroke is imminent,” Villafuerte said.

He said the high heat index reaching danger level started in some areas in Luzon last week. High temperature was also recorded in Metro Manila despite some rains.

PAGASA recorded a 40°C heat index (extreme caution level) at the Science Garden in Quezon City, and 43°C (danger level) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday.

The 43°C heat index may result in heat cramps and heat exhaustion, as well as heat stroke.

“The public should take precautions against adverse effects of high heat index,” Villafuerte emphasized.

He advised the public to lessen the risks by drinking water regularly, and minimizing time outdoors. It is better to do outdoor activities late in the afternoon or early morning, he added.

Villafuerte said one may suffer from heat stroke if he or she will continue intense activities while the heat index is high. (PNA)