Philippine News

CEBU CITY -- A 21-year-old woman who allegedly works as a "mule" of some known drug personalities in Cebu was arrested in a buy-bust operation in a village here on Sunday, the local police reported.Maj. Dino Alaras, chief of the Guadalupe police station under the Cebu City Police Office, said his men, in coordination with the Special Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) and City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), arrested Julie Ann Villegas in a buy-bust operation at past 3 a.m. in Sitio Cahipa, Hipodromo village where she is reportedly staying.Alaras said in a radio report that Villegas was on the list of high-value targets and allegedly works as an associate of some drug personalities in this city.Although Villegas’ name appears in the police watch list, she was very hard to find as she hopped from one place to another, leaving police intelligence operatives tagging her in areas where she had drug trading operation.However, the operatives of Guadalupe police station were able to execut…

DAVAO CITY -- A gym instructor and his cohorts were arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation conducted in Digos by the city police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 11 (PDEA 11)-Davao del Sur, on Sunday morning.In a statement, the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11), identified the suspect as Elnor Magali, 27, a gym instructor and resident of Purok Islam, Lopez Jaena Ext., Barangay Zone 1, Digos City.Also arrested were Amerodin Imam, 25, a driver and resident of Purok Islam, Lopez Jaena Ext., Barangay Zone 1, Digos City; and Christian Roy Daug-daug, 18, and resident of Purok Gemelina, Barangay San Jose, Digos City.Joint elements of Digos police and PDEA-11 seized 0.04 grams of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia from the three suspects.“Illegal drugs seized from the suspects during the buy-bust operation had an estimated street value of PHP4,000,” Brig. Gen Marcelo Morales, director of PRO-11, said.According to him, the recovered pieces of evidence were brought to Davao Sur P…

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan -- Three alleged drug peddlers were killed while six others were arrested during intensified buy-bust operations conducted in this province on Saturday.Col. Chito Bersaluna, Bulacan police director, identified the neutralized suspects as Harold Sunpongco, a resident of M. Perez St., Barangay Poblacion, Norzagaray town; Alfie Garcia, of Barangay Caingin, San Rafael town; and Julius Ace Lavarro, of Sitio Gulod, Camalig, Meycauayan City.Bersaluna said based on the report, the three suspects were killed in separate operations after they engaged the police operatives in a firefight.Meanwhile, separate buy-bust operations conducted by operatives of Meycauyan and Bocaue police resulted in the arrest of six suspects identified as Aridel Del Rosario, Marvie Labong, Joan Ralo, Jennifer Francisco, Jack Contante, and Rafael Guerrero.A total of 18 plastic sachets of shabu, assorted drug paraphernalia, and buy-bust money were confiscated from the suspects during the operati…

MANILA -- Traffic in Metro Manila is already a "crisis situation", hence the need for drastic measures like "no garage, no car policy," a government official said Saturday."Traffic is caused by many factors like lack of infrastructure spending, we were left behind by other countries but the government right now under ‘Build, Build, Build’ is investing some PHP1.7 trillion for public infrastructure, and others. But I think the main cause of traffic is the volume of vehicles in Metro Manila”, Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in an interview at the Philippine News Agency's "Pros and Cons" program.Malaya added that the volume of vehicles includes public and private vehicles that are illegally parked on the streets."President (Rodrigo) Duterte called on the local government units, within 60 days, to remove road obstructions. During the meeting, the mayors asked if we're to clear roads of ille…

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan -- The first 16 new jeepneys under the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program will start plying the streets in this province on Monday.The first batch of the modernized jeepneys will be servicing the route from Sampol Market in the City of San Jose Del Monte to Santa Maria and Meycauayan City.Jesus Sison, head of enforcement of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), during the modern PUV caravan held at the SM City Marilao on Friday, said this is the first route in the province to undergo PUV modernization.Under the PUV modernization system laid down by the LTFRB, public utility vehicles older than 15 years will no longer be allowed to travel on the streets as public transport.The units must be replaced with brand new or new configurations based on the Philippine National Standard (PNS), such as the Euro 4 crude engine.LTFRB regional director Ahmed Cuizon explained that a particular route would need to be dev…

CEBU CITY -- The Bureau of Customs–Port of Cebu celebrated its 133rd founding anniversary with an ambition to acquire a building of its own as a step towards obtaining an ISO certification of its management systems and procedures in the delivery of services to stakeholders.“This year’s theme, we take on PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Duterte) directives, professionalism, reforms, revenues, and diligence,” lawyer Charlito Mendoza, district collector of BOC-Cebu, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview on Friday.The celebration started with a Holy Mass and followed by a thanksgiving fellowship to recognize customs workers and retirees’ long years of service, as well as top importers who have contributed to the port’s revenue efforts, he said.Mendoza said Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero sent a team of auditors here to conduct audit in all offices of the port with the aim of improving the delivery of services to customs stakeholders.The team of 20 auditors from the Internal …

MANILA -- Claims that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in China are conducting spying operations against their host country is "preposterous", Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Sunday.This in response to Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua's statement that Filipinos working in China could also be accused of spying in wake of the DND chief's concerns over the operation of Chinese Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) centers near military camps and facilities, adding that its employees could easily shift to spying."That’s the most preposterous statement I heard in a long while. POGO workers here are not comparable to OFWs in China. POGO workers came over for a different purpose, e.g., likely just tourism, but eventually got visas to work in an activity at the POGO centers operating gambling operations which is prohibited in China," Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.Also, he pointed out that Chinese companies ar…

MANILA -- The government sees a positive reinforcing role for neophyte local chief executives in the national government's efforts to wipe out local communist armed conflict.Speaking during the Usapang Pangkapayapaan, Usapang Pangkaunlaran Pilipinas Program of the Philippine Air Force, Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. said newly-elected Local Government Unit (LGU) officials extended very robust cooperation to the national government's whole-of-nation approach to eliminate local communist threats."Very positive dun sa mga newly voted (officials),bata pa sila, walang takot na nagsasalita at nakikita na very positive yung signs (The support from newly-voted officials is very positive. They are young and fearless in speaking their mind and see the positive signs about government's efforts) and very enthusiastic about Executive Order 70," Florece said.EO 70 institutionalized the whole-of-nation approach in attaining i…

MANILA -- For four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Josie Gabuco, the best is yet to come.Winning another SEAG gold -- her fifth in as many appearances in the biennial event -- and a crack at the Tokyo Olympics are foremost on her mind.Despite a recent hand injury, Gabuco believes she still has what it takes to reach her dreams.“Kaya ko pa po naman. May ibubuga pa (I can still fight),” said Gabuco in a talk with sportswriters during the 35th “Usapang Sports” by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) at the National Press Club in Intramuros last Thursday (August 15).The 32-year-old pride of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan said the continued trust and confidence of the Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines (ABAP) and her coaching staff serve as her inspiration to work harder.“Kung sila nga naniniwala sa aking kakayahan, bakit ako hindi. Gagawin ko lang ang part ko, ginagawa nila part nila. Pag-akyat sa ring, akin na yun (If they trust my abilities, why …

BACOLOD CITY -- Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental said she is adopting the “whole-of-nation” approach advocated by President Rodrigo Duterte to achieve peace and development in her municipality.“Sa tanan nga pumuluyo sang Moises Padilla, ari diri subong ang aton nga gobyerno kag kanami, katahum sang whole-of-nation approach ni Presidente Duterte (To the people of Moises Padilla, our government is here now, and President Duterte’s whole-of-nation approach is nice, good),” the mayor announced in an interview with visiting reporters on Friday.On that day, for the first time since she assumed the mayoral post on July 1, Yulo visited the remote Barangay Quintin Remo, some 11 kilometers from the town proper, which is considered as a New People’s Army (NPA)-influenced area.During her visit, she distributed some 150 certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries of the Sitio Santos-Santos Farmers Association led by Magdalena D…

LEGAZPI CITY -- City Mayor Noel Rosal is inviting the public to come here and experience more of Ibalong Festival which opened last Friday (August 16).

He said more activities will be held for visitors and locals to witness and participate in until August 25.

Slated in the coming days are different sporting events that include the Mayon Triathlon as well as the national women’s beach volleyball and national fishing tournament.

Also, there will be a photography competition, Mutya ng Ibalong beauty pageant, Street Dance competition and other major events.

Rosal also thanked the estimated 20,000 people who joined Friday's six-kilometer float parade that started in Saint Vincent Village and passed through the main thoroughfare of Rizal Street, going to this city’s central business district and Embarcadero de Legazpi. It ended in Barangay Dapdap, where the formal opening program for the 28th Ibalong Festival was held.

"We are using Ibalong Festival as an instrument in promoting sp…

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- A Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) official has asked the fire victims in Barangay Puntod, this city, on Saturday (Aug. 17) not to take legal action against the elderly couple who were tagged as responsible for the blaze.Senior Fire Officer 3 Samson Velarde said the fire originated at the kitchen of Apolinario Diaz, 74, and his wife Leoncia, 68, at about 8:50 a.m. “Fire out” was declared at 11:14 a.m.He said Leoncia left the rice she was cooking to attend to another chore, resulting in the fire that quickly spread in their makeshift house and neighboring residences.“Leoncia called her husband and tried to put out the fire but they could no longer extinguish it. They ran away as their whole house was eaten up by the flame,” Velarde said.Among those injured in the incident were the Diaz couple, Sherwin Tahuyan, 39, and Richard Capahigal, 26.“All those injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. They sustained minor burns,” Velarde said.Most of the houses in the area …

MANILA -- A new public market zone that will be opened this year will keep the roads of Marikina City free from obstruction, according to Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro.Teodoro said the PHP11-million Marikina City Bagong Sibol Market, located in Barangay Nangka of the city’s District 1, has the size of a basketball court and can house around 100 vendors with minimal rental fee.“We develop places like this so that vendors can have a decent place where they can sell their products. We help them, at the same time, they help our local economy,” Teodoro said in a recent media interview.“Ang sidewalk vendors ay problemang ekonomiya kaya dapat economic din ang solusyon. Ito ay ang bigyan sila ng micro-financing (Sidewalk vendors are problem of economy, so we also need economic solution. It is to give them micro-financing (program),” he added.He said a three-strike policy has been helping Marikina City in maintaining its tag as one of the cleanest cities in Metro Manila with pe…

DAVAO CITY -- Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has challenged the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to regain the trust of the people after being embroiled in corruption issues.“I challenge the new management of PhilHealth to check on these anomalies and irregularities,” he said in an interview here on Saturday night regarding the alleged fraudulent claims, ghost payments and upcasing or misdeclaration of clinical diagnosis in the agency.Issues of corruption and the reported existence of a “mafia” within the government-controlled corporation surfaced at a joint inquiry of the blue ribbon and health committees in the Senate last week.Go, chair of the Senate Health Committee, wanted to get answers from the previous management of PhilHealth about its alleged failure to settle its financial obligations to private hospitals.“Merong sabwatan yan (There is connivance) between the officials and the hospitals,” the neophyte senator added. He confirmed that they will co…

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Police apprehended a 66-year-old Korean-American national for alleged possession of illegal substance inside a hotel room in Barangay Lumbia, this city, on August 16.The police identified the suspect as Dong Young Kim, divorced, and staying at the Koresco Hotel in uptown Cagayan de Oro.According to Capt. Tessie Lleva, head of the Cogon police station, Dong is a retired United States Army serviceman and has been using his monthly pension for his daily needs here.Although he was born in South Korea, Dong is an American citizen, based on his passport.Lleva said Dong has been known to sell shabu to his compatriots living in the city.The suspect was divorced in his home country, but he reportedly kept a handful of Filipino girlfriends here.“His clients are fellow Koreans who, aside from using illegal drugs, are also avid e-bingo players,” she said.Dong, she said, was considered by the Cogon police as a high-value target.In fact, she added, the foreigner was arrested …

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Around 100 families were rendered homeless on Saturday after a huge fire hit a big community here. Damage was estimated at PHP500,000. Most of the houses were made of light materials located at the boundaries of Puntod and Lapasan villages near the city's port area, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 10 reported.

According to their report, the fire started at the house of couple Apolinario and Leoncia Diaz.

Senior Fire Officer 3 Samson Velarde said the fire started around 8 a.m. Saturday and it took the fire fighters around two hours to put out the blaze.

Velarde said Leoncia, 68, was cooking their food for breakfast while she was also doing other chores in the house and was surprised when she saw her kitchen engulfed in flames.

Leoncia and her husband sustained minor injuries in their quest to put off the fire but their efforts proved futile as the blaze easily gutted down neighboring houses.

Other residents who also suffered fourth degree burns were …

MANILA -- Two lady cops were lauded by the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro for winning taekwondo gold medals in an international competition in China.Cpl. Katleen Joy A. Dilay and Pat. Zayra Q. Acosta from Mindoro captured golds in the women’s team poomsae event of the 18th World Police and Fire Games held at the Century City International Exhibition Center in Chengdu, China from Aug. 8 to Aug.18, 2019.Dilay and Acosta also snatched bronze (kyuragi) and silver (kyuragi), respectively, according to the Oriental Mindoro Public Information Office (PIO).“Kinikilala naman ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ang malaking karangalang ito na naiambag ng dalawang magiting na police officers sa mga Mindoreño (The provincial government is recognizing the great honor our brave police officers have given to the people of Mindoro),” the statement posted on Oriental Mindoro PIO Facebook page read.The two police officers paid a courtesy call on Governor Humerlito A. Dolor before they left for Cheng…

MANILA -- Cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over the archipelago due to southwest monsoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Sunday.In its 4 a.m. forecast, PAGASA weather specialist Meno Mendoza said there is a low-pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine area of responsibility at 2,195 kilometers east of Visayas.Mendoza added the track of the LPA affecting Mindanao will bring scattered rain showers in the island.PAGASA warned the public against possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.Light to strong winds will blow all over the country while coastal waters along all areas will be slight to moderate.The minimum temperature for the day is 26.1°C while the maximum temperature is at 36°C, PAGASA said. (PNA)
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INQUIRER -- What if China suspects OFWs of spying, too? - EnvoyPHILIPPINE STAR -- Palace, DILG chief back expanded wiretape lawMANILA BULLETIN -- 'Love local' movement gives rise to cultural awakeningDAILY TRIBUNE -- PhilHealth corruption incurableMANILA TIMES -- Duterte to raise ship incursions with XiMANILA STANDARD -- China told: Explain sibutu intrusionsBUSINESS MIRROR -- Gun with the wind
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DAVAO CITY--The city government has released the implementing rules guiding the security arrangements within the San Pedro Square maximum security zone (MSZ).

The implementing guidelines, signed by Acting Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, on Thursday defined the roles of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Task Force Davao, the Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC), and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in ensuring the security within the MSZ.

According to Duterte's memorandum, the local police is tasked to maintain a 24/7 Police Assistance Desk along San Pedro Street; install additional 24/7 Police Assistance Desk along Bolton Street corner Pichon Street; maintain a Police Mobile Patrol Car along San Pedro Street and Pichon Street; and to coordinate with the other members of the security cluster and local officials.

PSSCC, meanwhile, will establish complete closed-circuit television monitoring within the MSZ; impose ex…

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu -- The National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) considered this city on Mactan Island as the focal place for celebrating 500 years of victory over the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, a ranking official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said Thursday.Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III, chief brand integrator of PCOO, told Cebu media that the committee has looked at Mactan Island as one of the three key places of the celebration on April 27, 2021.“The Department of Tourism, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and other government agencies will announce the theme of the program. We will launch it in December,” Cualoping said.He added that the committee is looking at 17 sites where the simultaneous launch of the quincentennial celebration will be held in December.Ed Mendez, Lapu-Lapu City tourism officer, confirmed to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) the countdown of 500 days leading to the 500th year in 2021 w…

ILOILO CITY -- Senator Franklin Drilon and local government officials here planted two native tree saplings named Iloilo tree (Aglaia argentea) at the Provincial Capitol grounds on Saturday.The planting of native trees is expected to raise the Ilonggos’ awareness that native plants are part of the Ilonggo heritage, Drilon said.“This is a significant contribution to the cultural heritage of our city and province given the fact that this is the only province which has a tree named in its honor,” he said.Drilon was joined by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, chief of the National Museum in Western Visayas Honey Beso, some Iloilo Provincial Capitol and Iloilo City Hall department heads and officials.The Iloilo trees that will be nurtured by the local government will also give future generations a living and physical connection with their ancestors, who lived with these trees at a time when forests still covered a great part of the country.Jurgenne Primavera, chief mangrove scientific adviso…

LEGAZPI CITY --- A total of 11 persons were hurt when a passenger jeepney collided with a sport utility vehicle on Saturday morning along the road in Barangay Pampang in Sorsogon City, a police report said.Based on an initial report, Police Maj. Malu Calubaquib said the road crash happened at around 6:04 a.m.The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital by members of the City and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Emergency Response Team (ERT).The victims were treated for contusions and other injuries as a result of a vehicular accident. (PNA)
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ILOILO CITY -- The upland village of Putian in Cuartero town, Capiz on Friday expressed its gratitude for its recent acquisition of a livelihood project lobbied by the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion’s (61IB) Community Support Program (CSP) teams.Nes Fuyonan, Putian village chief, said Friday the CSP team played an important role for the project to be implemented.The CSP teams’ deployment is meant not only to bring peace in conflict-affected villages but also to help address community-based issues.The 61st IB and 301st Infantry Brigade on Tuesday headed the inauguration and blessing ceremony of the Grains Flatbed Mechanical Drier Project.The project will benefit the growing 85 members of the Putian Farmers Association (PFA) based in the village.“As village chief, I rendered resolutions to different offices for projects in our barangay but there is no assurance that we can get the projects that we need. The CSP teams had lobbied different government agencies for us and we are…

MANILA-- Countries like the Philippines which have concerns on flooding and traffic congestion, stand to benefit more from the use of fifth-generation or 5G technology, an expert said.Dr. Henry Chan, a development economist based in Singapore and a senior research fellow at the Cambodia Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said the country is poised to improve its existing key social and economic sectors should it focus on "5G user case application"."The Philippines, being a developing country, I think can develop and use it for flood control, traffic management, and for agriculture improvement. That is the good thing with 5G because there's no space limitation," he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on the sidelines of an Integrated Development Studies Institute forum in Makati City.5G is an engineered evolution of the 4G, which promises wider application-- from education banking, transportation, and government services among others.Specific to easing traff…

MANILA -- The government will roll out a PHP1.5-billion loan program for farmers who were affected by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) due to the influx of cheaper imports.At the sidelines of a forum on hybrid rice on Friday, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said instead of the initial conditional cash transfer to help the rice farmers, which would cost the government about PHP6 billion to provide PHP5,000 to some 1.1 million rice farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) changed it to a one-time loan program.Dar said under the program, the affected rice farmers tilling one hectare of land and below may avail of a PHP15,000-loan via the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid).Under the SURE Aid, which will start on Sept. 1, 2019, rice farmers who are farming one-hectare land and below, may avail of a one-time, zero-interest loan amounting to PHP15,000 payable up to eight years.The National Food Authority (NFA) will also buy the produce of ri…

ILOILO CITY -- An initial batch of 300 drivers and operators in Iloilo are expected to benefit from the “Tsuper Iskolar” program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that was launched in a mall in Pavia, Iloilo on Friday. "Tsuper Iskolar" is being offered to transport cooperatives to provide their stakeholders with additional training through scholarships and livelihood training, especially those affected by the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program. Their beneficiaries and families can also avail of free skills and entrepreneurship training and skills assessment.“We are modernizing not only the vehicles but also the skill level of our drivers for them to become more efficient in running their public utility vehicles. We are providing them skills, we are providing them additional livelihood training so that those who will operate our vehicles will become more financially viable,” said DOT…

MANILA-- Ma. Elena Laurel-Loinaz has been conferred with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for her contribution in bridging Tokyo and Manila relations, making her the first Filipina to be feted under Japan's new Reiwa Era,Laurel-Loinaz, daughter of first Filipino Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel III, served as the president of the Philippine-Japan Ladies Association (PJLA) for 13 years.In a congratulatory speech, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda acknowledged the educational and socio-cultural programs she initiated at the PJLA, which encouraged exchanges between Filipinos and the Japanese.Haneda said these programs gave the association's members the opportunity "to share the richness of the Japanese culture" and to promote understanding of Japan's customs and traditions.Laurel-Loinaz was the fifth to receive such Japanese order in her family, the first being her grandfather Jose P. Laurel then his late father Ambassador Laurel III.In an interview wi…

LAOAG CITY—Around 600 mango growers in the province received on Friday soil conditioners, organic fertilizers, fruit fly attractants and high-yielding varieties of grafted mangoes courtesy of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte.Ricardo Tolentino, president of the Mango Growers Association in Ilocos Norte, said a lot of mango growers suffered losses during the last harvest due to the El Niño or the prolonged dry spell and with low prices due to oversupply from other mango-producing provinces.To help farmers cope with unforeseen events, the provincial government through its share in tobacco excise tax continue to distribute additional farm inputs.“We are thankful for the continuing support of the government. That is why we struggle to improve our harvest and inspire others to succeed,” Tolentino said.Over the past seven years, the mango industry in the province has been suffering from low yield due to erratic weather patterns.But as a high-value commercial crop in the province, Ed…

CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal -- The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID) here on Friday bared the discovery of two communist New People’s Army (NPA) hideouts in Sitio Malangawan, Barangay Panaytayan, Mansalay town, and Sitio Naswak, Barangay Hagan, Bongabong town, both in Oriental Mindoro.Military officials attributed the discovery of the rebels’ lairs in the remote areas of Mindoro on Thursday to concerned residents.Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., 2ID commander, whose jurisdiction covers the regions of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and Mimaro (Mindoro Oriental/Occidental, Marinduque and Romblon), said the military will protect the residents in the areas and secure the discovered hideouts to prevent the rebels from returning.Brig. Gen. Marceliano V. Teofilo, commander of the 203rd Brigade, which has operational jurisdiction over Mindoro, said “the harbor areas can accommodate more or less 30 terrorists.”“Troops were able to…

COTABATO CITY -- Using a diplomatic yet tough stance, the head of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOTC-BARMM) resolved on Friday the leadership mix-up at the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) office in Tawi-Tawi. “The confusion of leadership in this office has to stop,” MOTC Minister Dickson Hermoso told MARINA officials in a meeting that resolved more than three years of confusion as to who is the real chief of MARINA-Tawi-Tawi.“No one assumes office without any proper legal authority that comes from the BARMM interim chief minister himself and without my concurrence as the minister of transportation and communications,” he said. Hermoso, a former military general and a known peace advocate, first conducted an ocular inspection and stepped into the MARINA office in Bongao. Alonto Sahiron, MARINA-BARMM officer-in-charge, said Hermoso resolved what previous regional officials had failed to address. “This ocula…

CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal - The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID) here on Friday condemned the killing of a former New People's Army (NPA) rebel, who had returned to the government fold as a barangay tanod (village watchman) in Antipolo City.Rebel returnee Rodel Agudes was on duty when he was waylaid around 5 a.m. on Thursday at the Sitio Apia, Barangay Calawis in Antipolo.Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., 2ID commander, condoled with Agudes' family and called on various groups to join the people in condemning the killing."This is one of the NPA terrorists’ desperate acts of projecting relevance and coercing the people to support them as they try to avert their fast-eroding mass base support from our people,” Burgos said.He vowed to intensify military operational jurisdiction to protect the people and secure Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) and the Mimaro (Mindoro Oriental/Occidental, Marinduque, and Romblon) …

BACOLOD CITY -- Employers in Western Visayas have sought the reclassification of minimum wage workers as the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) is set to start salary hike hearings next week.Negrense labor leader Wennie Sancho, workers’ sector representative to RTWPB 6 (Western Visayas), said he learned about the management sector’s position paper during the board’s regular meeting held in Iloilo City on Thursday.Sancho noted that the employers want to reclassify the workers based on their number in a workplace -- whether 10 and below, or 11 and above, among others.“In this classification, the more the number of the employees, the lower the increase they will receive,” he said.
He added that such a classification scheme is complicated considering that “whether the number of workers is lower or higher, they all have the same basic needs -- they all consume goods.”Under Wage Order No. 24, there are two wage rates depending on various classifications or categories.W…

COTABATO CITY -- Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Friday extended financial assistance to 21 families, whose houses were razed by a fire that hit Kidapawan City in North Cotabato on August 5. Go, accompanied by actors Philip Salvador and Robin Padilla, met with the fire victims in Purok Cherry, Kalye Putol, Barangay Poblacion and handed over financial aid and food items. Daisy Gaviola, Kidapawan City social welfare and development deputy head, said four houses were destroyed by the mid-morning blaze while 17 others were damaged, affecting about 110 individuals.The families, whose houses were destroyed,  received the assistance of PHP30,000 while those whose houses were damaged received PHP20,000 each. “Please take my small contribution to your recovery,” Go told the fire victims in the vernacular. “At least you have something to start with, along with these grocery items for your additional food assistance.” Aside from Go, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social …

MANILA-- Filipinos planning to travel abroad or to other parts of Libya are advised to be vigilant in the wake of the frequent shelling of Mitiga International Airport, the sole functioning airport in Tripoli."The incidents of shelling during the past several days have not only resulted in the suspension of flight operations but have also endangered the lives of hundreds of civilians using the only functioning airport in Tripoli for inbound and outbound travel," the Philippine embassy in Libya said in a statement on Friday."Filipinos flying to and from Mitiga are advised to take these factors into consideration when making their travel plans," it added.While the more than 1,000 Filipinos in Tripoli are still covered by restrictions under Alert Level IV, Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato said many of them still travel abroad for their vacations."Some of those exempted from the Level IV restrictions also use the airport as a transit point to other places in Libya whe…

ILOILO CITY -- The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) turned over on Friday the restored main building of the University of the Philippines - Visayas (UPV), Iloilo City Campus.The main building used to be the Iloilo City Hall before it was donated to UP, Randy Madrid, director of the Center for West Visayan Studies, said in an interview.“The building was constructed as City Hall in preparation for a chartered city in 1937 but eventually, after 1937, it was decided by the city government under mayor Fernando Lopez to donate the building to UP,” Madrid said.Through the efforts of Senator Franklin Drilon and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda, the building was restored in 2017 through a PHP54-million fund from the NHCP.In an interview, Drilon said the newly restored building was an additional pride for Ilonggos, making them conscious of their rich culture and historical background.He added that the building reminded him of his high school years from 1957 to 1961.“I am very …

COTABATO CITY -- The city government on Friday conducted the first Halal Assurance System Training to ensure that food served to the public by restaurants and hotel owners adhere to the Islamic law, a city official said.The training was attended by about 30 hotel and restaurant owners, fast-food operators, bakeshop owners, and food caterers with business operating in this city.Abdulatif Sangcupan, president and chief executive officer of the Halal Development Institute of the Philippines, Inc., said three factors should be considered before food establishments are classified as halal-certified entities.“First, the people handling the food; second, the facilities being used; and third, the product,” he said.Sangcupan also discussed to the food managers the 11 criteria before a food establishment is considered to have the Halal Assurance Management System.“These are policy, halal management team, education and training, material, products, facilities and equipment, procedures for critic…

MANILA—Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic personnel can have safer enforcement of their duties following the donation of 108 high-visibility reflective vests by a private sponsor on Friday.Edison “Bong” Nebrija, MMDA Edsa Special Traffic and Transport Zone (ESTTZ) head, said they appreciate the donations from private organizations and individuals, who see and happy with the work of the MMDA.“Hindi lang naman si sir Alvin Carranza, marami ring mga taong, they signify their intentions to help us out. Sa susunod naman may iba na naman gamit na ibibigay sa amin from a different group naman, so, pampa-high morale talaga ito sa mga enforcers natin (It’s not just Alvin Carranza, there are many people who have signified their intentions to help us out. Next would be other equipment that would also be given to us by a different group. This really helps with keeping the morale of our enforcers high),” Nebrija said in an ambush interview at the MMDA office in Makati City.Th…

MANILA -- The southwest monsoon or "habagat" may bring cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms to northern Luzon's Batanes province and Babuyan Islands, according to the weather forecast released on Saturday.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 24-hour public weather forecast that Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers from localized thunderstorms.Some of the expected thunderstorms around the country may be severe, enough to trigger either flash floods or landslides, PAGASA warned.The bureau also forecasts moderate to rough coastal waters with waves up to 3.4 meters high off Luzon because of moderate to strong winds.Slight to moderate coastal waters with waves as high as 2.1 meters are possible in the rest of the country from light to moderate winds, PAGASA added.Temperature in Metro Manila will range from about 27 °C …

MANILA – Though not a regular member of the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago and other militant groups’ leaders have surely mastered the art of deception to take a place in the country's political process. Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) made this statement in response to Elago's claims that she is not an NPA member."Who said you are an NPA member? Of course, you are not. What we said is that you have been hiding in your comfortable cover as Kabataan Party-list representative. You all have mastered the art of deception, moving from aboveground to underground, and now walking in the Halls of Congress," he said in a statement sent to the Philippine News Agency Saturday.Parlade, who is also Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, said …