MANILA – The government is set to investigate donations made by Chinese nationals recently arrested for alleged espionage, following reports that they provided cash and vehicles to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and various local government units (LGUs).

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro assured the public on Monday that authorities will thoroughly examine the matter.

“As of now, we are studying this. If these donations were given in good faith, we need to determine that because receiving donations is not necessarily wrong,” Castro said during a Malacañang press briefing.

She noted that during the pandemic, several localities, including Davao City, received various donations from China, such as ambulances and vehicles. While accepting donations is generally acceptable, Castro emphasized the need to scrutinize whether they were made with ulterior motives.

Four of the five arrested Chinese nationals—Wang Yongyi, Wu Junren, Cai Shaohuang, and Chen Haitao—allegedly have ties to Chinese Communist Party-affiliated groups that facilitated the donations. They were apprehended in late January for reportedly gathering images and maps of Philippine naval forces near the West Philippine Sea.

Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will not ignore the issue, stressing that it must be investigated to ensure that no public officials were unknowingly manipulated.

“The President will not let this pass. If such reports reach us, they must be investigated,” she added.

Key Points:

Authorities will probe whether donations were made in good faith or with hidden intentions.

Four arrested Chinese nationals are linked to donations to PNP and LGUs.

The President has vowed a thorough investigation to prevent potential security threats.

ia/mnm

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Monday that it is providing assistance to nine local government units (LGUs) across Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and the National Capital Region (NCR), where dengue cases have sharply increased.

In a radio interview, DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo revealed that Quezon City is one of the Metro Manila LGUs experiencing a surge in dengue cases.

On Saturday, the Quezon City government declared a dengue outbreak after reporting 1,769 cases from January 1 to February 14, nearly 200 percent higher than the same period in 2024.

The outbreak has led to at least 10 deaths, eight of whom were minors.

Nationwide, the DOH reported 28,234 dengue cases from January 1 to February 1, marking a 40-percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

“What’s different this time is the early onset of rains. This is not the usual rainy season; it’s the shear line, the ITCZ [intertropical convergence zone], and easterlies causing more rainfall, leading to stagnant water where mosquitoes breed,” Domingo explained.

He noted that climate change has altered the behavior of mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus.

To prevent further spread, Domingo urged the public to wear protective clothing, use mosquito repellent, and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

One of the primary symptoms of dengue is a high-grade fever, ranging from 39 to 40°C, which appears 4 to 10 days after a mosquito bite.

Domingo advised, “Sometimes, we need to be extra cautious when the fever subsides after four or five days. The pattern of dengue fever involves a spike in temperature, followed by a sharp drop.”

He also emphasized the importance of recognizing advanced symptoms after the fever has passed, such as gum bleeding, rashes, and changes in stool color, which indicate internal bleeding.

The DOH Centers for Health Development, through their respective Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (RESU), continue to provide guidance to LGUs regarding dengue control measures.

The DOH clarified that the declaration of a local dengue outbreak is an action taken by LGU officials in accordance with legal requirements.

“The declaration of an outbreak does not mean a disaster. It simply indicates that the number of cases has exceeded what is typically expected for that period of the year,” Domingo said.

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SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang, Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Guico III, Pangasinan Vice Governor Mark Ronald D.G Lambino, and Congressman Ramon N. Guico, Jr. lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pangasinan Link Expressway (P-LEX). This 76.80-km project, fully funded by SMC, will connect the eastern and western sides of the province, making transportation more efficient and boosting economic activity. The P-LEX will also connect to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), providing a seamless link to the future New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.

MANILA — San Miguel Corporation (SMC), in partnership with the Pangasinan Provincial Government, has initiated the groundbreaking ceremony for the much-anticipated Pangasinan Link Expressway (P-LEX) at a site spanning Binalonan and Laoac towns.

The project is seen to further unlock the province’s economic potential through improved accessibility and mobility.

SMC President and CEO, Ramon S. Ang, described the 76.80-km expressway project as a game-changer for Pangasinan that is seen to boost local industries, agriculture, and tourism by linking the province’s eastern and western corridors.

“The P-LEX project affirms SMC’s affinity with and deep commitment to Pangasinan. We believe in the bigger potential of the province and its people, and that is why we continue to invest here. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership, and with the help and support of the provincial government, creating more jobs, livelihood, and business opportunities in the province,” he added.

The project is structured in two phases, with the first phase linking Binalonan to Lingayen, the provincial capital. This phase is subdivided into three segments — a 6.90-km section from Binalonan to Manaoag, an 11.30-km stretch from Manaoag to Calasiao, and a 22.17-km passage from Calasiao to Lingayen, along with a 2.39-km spur road in Calasiao. Phase 2 of the project will be a demand-driven expansion to Alaminos, Pangasinan.

P-LEX will connect to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) at the Binalonan exit, providing direct access to the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.

Ang reassured that the construction of P-LEX would incur no costs for the provincial government, committing to timely completion pending the acquisition of the necessary right of way.

“The Provincial Government will also receive a substantial share of the project’s earnings, which it can use to provide more social services to our kababayans,” Ang said.

He thanked the Pangasinan provincial government led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III and Vice Governor Mark Ronald D.G. Lambino, for the opportunity to work together on the P-LEX project.

“This collaboration between the Provincial Government of Pangasinan and the private sector is proof that when people work together toward a common goal, anything is possible,” Ang said.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

CONCERNED THAT ONE OF EVERY THREE FILIPINO children are undernourished, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has urged local government units (LGUs) to focus on the health and nutrition of children.

Abalos on Sunday made the call as he noted that November marks the 31st National Children’s Month (NCM).

“Dapat nating tutukan ang nutrisyon. Isa sa bawat tatlong Pilipinong bata ay undernourished, apektado ang kanilang brain development. Once na apektado ang utak ng bata sa first 1,000 days, mahihirapan na silang makabawi, apektado ang pag-aaral ng bata. Kaya ito ay pagtulungan natin,” Abalos said in a statement.

Abalos in his DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2023-152, directed the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay LGUs to spearhead and support various activities aligned with the month-long NCM celebration with the theme “Healthy, Nourished, Sheltered: Ensuring the Right to Life for All.”

Abalos said the recommended weekly activities shall be anchored on survival rights for the first week, developmental rights for the second week, participation rights and National Play Advocacy Week in the third week, and protection rights week or juvenile justice and welfare consciousness week in the fourth week.

On the issue of “bloodless anti-drug war” and recognizing the pivotal role of children and youth in the government’s priority campaign against illegal drugs, Abalos also encouraged the youth to be active partners for the Buhay Ingatan, Droga Ayawan (BIDA) holistic advocacy campaign.

Meanwhile, during the “DILG sa DZRH” radio TV program, Abalos asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary and Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Executive Director Angelo M. Tapales to work with the DILG in addressing the perennial problem of child beggars on the city streets, especially with the upcoming Christmas season.

(ai/mnm)

NINETEEN days of volleyball action gets center stage in November with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s (PNVF) Challenge Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Nine men’s teams and six women’s squads—all local government unit (LGU)-based- have so far confirmed their participation in the PNVF’s penultimate tournament for the 2023 calendar.

“The Challenge Cup gives LGUs the opportunity to have their own volleyball programs and we’re looking forward to discover unpolished talents through this tournament,” PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said.

The target is 16 teams for each gender with a total of 64 matches set to be played from November 6 to 9 and 13 to 23.

The first eight days of competition are the elimination round among the teams divided in four pools.

Already confirmed for the men’s tournament are Plaridel (Quezon), Davao City, Orion and Dinalupihan (Bataan), University of Batangas, VNS, Arellano University and Alpha Omega Elite.

In the women’s side, they are Davao City, Parañaque City, De La Salle University- Dasmariñas, University of Batangas, Arellano University and San Pedro City, Laguna.

The Challenge Cup precedes the culminating Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge which features the world’s top beach volleyball teams set later in November in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The PNVF then kicks off its 2024 calendar with the Champions League in February.

(AI/MNM)