Sunday Pinasaya magpapaalam na sa ere bago mag-Pasko

Some good things never last.

Makalipas ang apat na taon na pamamayagpag sa telebisyon tuwing Linggo, magpapaalam na ang Sunday PinaSaya.

Mapapanood ang farewell episode nito sa December 22, 2019.

Ang APT Entertainment ang producer ng Sunday PinaSaya, na nag-umpisa noong August 9, 2015.

Ipinalit ito sa Sunday All Stars, ang station-produced Sunday musical-variety show na nagwakas noong August 2, 2015.

Nalulungkot ang mainstays at production staff ng Sunday PinaSaya dahil sa nalalapit na pagwawakas ng kanilang weekly show.

Nakadagdag sa kalungkutan nilang magpapaalam sila sa kanilang loyal audience tatlong araw bago ang Pasko.

Normal ang nararamdamang lungkot at separation anxiety ng lahat ng mga bumubuo sa programa, pero malaking consolation para sa kanila na hindi kagaya ng ibang mga TV show na pinatay dahil sa poor ratings, magpapaalam ang Sunday PinaSaya na mataas ang rating at maraming commercials.

Tiyak na isang station-produced program ang ipapalit sa Sunday PinaSaya na mapapanood sa unang Linggo ng January 2020.

Ito ang inaabangan ng mga naghihintay ng balita tungkol sa bagong Sunday musical-variety program ng GMA-7.

https://www.pep.ph/pepalerts/cabinet-files/147700/sunday-pinasaya-goes-off-the-air-before-christmas-a734-20191121

National anthem music videos to remastered in 1080p HD Widescreen and 4K UHD

The National Anthem Music Video is part of sign-off and on messages on television stations and first screening and last full show of movies in moviehouses, to remastered in 1080p HD Widescreen and 4K UHD.

For rival television networks ABS-CBN and GMA would stop producing their own version of national anthem music videos, in favor of the Philippine National Anthem 1998 Centennial Version during the Presidency of Joseph Estrada (full, digitally remastered and restored version in 1080p HD widescreen and 4K UHD with end tagline with voiceover saying: “Ang watawat at pambansang awit ay sagisag ng ating pagka-Pilipino. Igalang natin at ipagpitagan ang mga ito” plus Philippine Centennial Logo and special thanks to) aired on the said network and S&A, PTV, TV5, 5 Plus, IBC and BEAM while the digitally remastered version of 1994 Philippine National Anthem produced by BPI full version aired on GMA and GMA News TV.

63 North Cotabato villages officially under Bangsamoro rein

COTABATO CITY – The management of 63 North Cotabato barangays that opted for regional autonomy is now officially under the stewardship of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim received the symbolic key from the delegation of North Cotabato officials led by Vice Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, serving as acting governor, in formal ceremony at the Sahriff Kabunsuan Cultural Center here last Wednesday.

The SKCC is the session hall of the 80-member BARMM Parliament, which subsequently concurred with the turnover of responsibility as a matter of procedural protocol.

In her ceremonial speech, Mendoza said the provincial government was “honored to be part of this history, to partake with (the Bangsamoro) common struggle for everlasting peace.” She described the event as “a continuing reminder of our unified cooperation and love for Mindanao.”

In response, Ebrahim reiterated his administration’s commitment for the 63 North Cotabato barangays to receive “utmost care” similar to that of other regular component-local government units in the BARMM.

“Rest assured we shall do our best to serve the people of the 63 barangays in continuance of your provincial slogan for ‘Serbisyong Totoo’ (true service) in conjunction with our avowed policy for regional moral governance,” Ebrahim told Mendoza’s delegation.

Meanwhile, officials of Bayang, Lanao del Sur have yielded 44 loose or undocumented firearms to the military in what they described as gesture of support to the campaign of the Duterte administration for a “shift to peaceful life from traditional propensity for feudalist stance.”

Bayang Mayor Aslani Balt led the turnover of the assorted firearms to the Army 55th Infantry battalion in formal ceremony last Monday, Lt. Col. Ian Ignes, battalion commander, said. (Ali Macabalang)

http://tempo.com.ph/2019/11/21/63-north-cotabato-villages-officially-under-bangsamoro-rein/

PCOO to use 2020 budget for 'more programs, projects'

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Wednesday vowed to use the proposed 2020 budget of his office in implementing more programs and projects aimed at improving its services.

Andanar made this promise following the Senate's swift approval of the PCOO's proposed PHP1.698-billion budget for 2020, which is 12 percent higher than this year's PHP1.4 billion.

He thanked the senators for the immediate approval of the PCOO's proposed budget spending next year.

“Ito po ay gagamitin para mapaigting at lalo pa nating mapaganda ang serbisyo ng Presidential Communications Operations Office (The proposed budget will be used to further improve the services of the Presidential Communications Operations Office),” the PCOO chief said in an interview.

“Tuloy-tuloy lang ang ating ginagawang innovations sa PCOO so that mas lalong gumanda ang information dissemination ng (The PCOO will continue pursuing innovations to further improve the dissemination information of the) executive branch of government to the public, not only in Metro Manila but also to the province and to the rest of the world,” he added.

The Senate on Wednesday immediately approved the proposed PHP1.698-billion budget of the PCOO and its attached agencies.

Around PHP764 million of the PHP1.698-billion budget of the Communications office will be used for personnel services, while the PHP719 million will be allocated for maintenance and other operating expenses and the remaining PHP213 million will be tapped for capital outlay.

'Groundbreaking' projects in 2020

Andanar said the PCOO and its attached agencies will be launching "groundbreaking" projects next year.

He said among the projects that will begin in 2020 is the construction of the "first-ever" Government Strategic Communications Academy in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.

The facility is targeted to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.

Andanar said national and local information officers would benefit from the establishment of the communications academy.

"For the first time in the history of Philippine governance ay mayroon pong sariling academy ang ating mga communicators sa buong Pilipinas (our communicators in the Philippines will have their own academy),” he said.

Andanar noted that streamlining of government messages is also underway, as part of the PCOO"s effort to provide a "strategic communications template."

He said he is now coordinating with PCOO Undersecretary Raquel Tobias for the crafting of the communications template.

The PCOO chief said the creation of the office of the Global Media Affairs is one of the institutional initiatives made by his office to reach out to the international community.

Media hub in Visayas eyed

Andanar also renewed the PCOO's plan to establish another media hub in Visayas, once the same facility in Davao City is completed.

The PCOO chief shared that the Mindanao Media Hub in Davao City is expected to be launched by first or second quarter of 2020.

The Mindanao Media Hub will house regional counterparts of the state-run People’s Television; Radyo Pilipinas' News and Information Bureau; Philippine News Agency; the Philippine Information Agency; National Printing Office; APO Production Unit; and other attached agencies in Davao City.

Andanar also ensured that the PCOO, through its attached agency Philippine Broadcasting Service, would continue improving the services of state-owned radio stations nationwide.

IBC privatization fast-tracked

Meanwhile, Andanar received assurance that the process of privatizing the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)-13 is being rushed.

IBC-13 president and CEO Katherine de Castro said her office is still awaiting the opinion of the Procurement Board but assured Andanar that they are exhausting all efforts to facilitate the privatization of the station, in favor of the welfare of its employees.

“We cannot announce the Terms of Reference yet because kailangan pa naming yung nag-iisang opinion from the procurement board (we need to first get the opinion from the procurement board),” de Castro said.

“Rest assured that the PCOO, under Secretary Martin Andanar, we are doing everything we can para ma fast-track ang privatization ng IBC (to fast-track the privatization of IBC),” she added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1086636

Sotto assures timely passage of 2020 budget bill

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has assured that the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 will be passed on time.

Sotto said the Senate is on track in its calendar for the approval of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) as it resumed plenary deliberations Tuesday following its transmission by the House of Representatives.

“It was submitted on time. We are right on track of our timetable without sacrificing important issues being raised in the different departments,” Sotto said.

He also noted that senators have been given plenty of time to bring up and clarify questionable or ambiguous provisions in the budget bill.

Sotto said plenary discussions on the budget bill, including the period of interpellation, individual and committee amendments are expected to be completed by the last week of November.

The budget bill is also seen to be approved on second and third reading by next week to be followed by the convening of the bicameral conference committee by the first week of December.

“The bicameral debates will be unpredictable. We expect healthy debates among members of the bicameral panel as they thresh out and reconcile the differences in our respective versions of the measure. We hope they will remain level-headed and open-minded during the discussions,” Sotto said.

Congress is eyeing to have the proposed 2020 budget enacted and signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte before it goes on a break for the holidays on December 20.

https://www.untvweb.com/news/sotto-assures-timely-passage-of-2020-budget-bill/

House committee approves DDR substitute bill

The House Committee on Reorganization on Wednesday has approved a Duterte administration measure creating the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

In the committee-approved substitute bill, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, principal author of the proposal, the bill adopted a “joint operational supervision” clause over four vital agencies, namely, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Philippine Atmospherics Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in lieu of attaching them.

According to Salceda, only 66 out of 80 provinces have permanent disaster office.

The lower chamber is eyeing to pass the proposed DDR bill before the year ends.

The measure now provides that the “DDR shall exercise joint supervision with: DOST over Pagasa and Phivolcs; the DENR over Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the MGB; and the Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG] over the BFP.

“The bill also requires that the DDR and these departments shall establish systems and protocols for sustained sharing of knowledge, data, information technology, facilities and other resources critical to DDR at all times.

“The measure added the DDR shall provide DDR training, upgrading of equipment and other logistical requirement that the said agencies will be under the full supervision and direct control of the DDR in anticipation of, during and, as necessary, in the determination of the secretary, in aftermath of emergencies and disasters.”

“Marked as an urgent bill by President Duterte himself, this was the second time the Lower House has passed the DDR proposal after it was overran by the 2019 national elections in the 17th Congress. Public clamor for the measure ensued following a series of earthquake devastation in Mindanao,” Salceda said.

Under the bill, the DDR is envisioned to be the primary government agency that is “responsible, accountable and liable for leading, managing and organizing national efforts to prevent and reduce disaster risks; prepare for and respond to disasters; and recover, rehabilitate and build forward better after the destruction.”

It said the DDR will be a full-blown department headed by a secretary, supported by undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and directors with an initial budget of P10 billion.

It also provides “that Pagasa, Phivolcs and MGB Geohazards unit shall second dedicated staff to the DDR based on the requirement of DDR.”

But the bill said the DDR will still have the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as its core organization which, in turn, will be integrated to the Climate Change Commission Office, the Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH), the Disaster Response Assistance and the Disaster Response Management Bureau of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

As conceived, the DDR will lead in the “continuous development of strategic, holistic and systematic approaches to disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation, and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures, techniques and options.”

The new department will also promote accelerated capacity building by local government units (LGUs) with relevant national agencies and other stakeholders, for the implementation of disaster and climate-change plans, programs, projects and activities.

“It will also be tasked to formulate comprehensive guidelines on the initiation, entry, facilitation, transit and regulation of international relief goods and personnel, as well as eligibility guidelines on how to legally assist international players, as well as provide sanctions for prohibited acts by public officials and private persons or institutions,” Salceda added.

The DDR will retain the OCD National Council with an expanded membership as the policy advisory board of the proposed department. It also creates a multi-stakeholders’ convergence unit to help align disaster resilience efforts of the private sector, CSOs, academe and other stakeholders with those of the DDR by assisting, coordinating, or providing them services that strengthen public-private cooperation and coordination for disaster resilience.

Salceda said the DDR will also have a distinct National Disaster Resilience Fund scheme that allows fund inputs from both national and local government bodies.

Under its new fund scheme, only 20 percent of resources can be used for quick response or stand-by fund, while the remaining 80 percent is for climate-change adaptation; disaster risk, and vulnerability reduction and mitigation; disaster risk transfer; disaster preparedness; recovery; rehabilitation; and anticipatory adaptation.

Also, the bill said DDR will create a Disaster Resilience Support Fund that will be dedicated exclusively for the use of third to sixth class provinces and towns in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating their programs, projects and activities for climate- change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and mitigation, disaster risk transfer and disaster preparedness.

Based on the 2019 national expenditure program, Salceda said the budget of government agencies absorbed by DDR would amount to P31 billion.

“Together with the NDRRMF budget of P20 billion, the DDR would have a funding base of P50.1 billion. It is estimated that aside from the existing budgets, the DDR would require an initial P10 billion based on the new mandates. OCD would require P1 billion for new offices, especially field offices in the regions, excluding capital outlay,” he added.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/11/21/house-committee-approves-ddr-substitute-bill/

House committee okays ‘disaster resilience’ entity

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Reorganization on Wednesday passed the bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience. The panel, chaired by Batangas Rep. Mario Vittorio Mariño, approved the bill that carries ‘joint operational supervision’ clause over four agencies vital to DDR, namely Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Pagasa, Phivolcs, Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Environment department and Bureau of Fire Protection in lieu of attaching them.

Marked as an urgent bill by President Rodrigo Duterte himself, this was the second time the Lower House has passed the DDR proposal after it was overran by the 2019 national elections in the 17th Congress. Public clamor for the measure ensued following a series of earthquake devastations in Mindanao, according to the bill’s principal author, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

Salceda said the DDR is envisioned to be the primary government agency that is “responsible, accountable, and liable for leading, managing, and organizing national efforts to prevent and reduce disaster risks; prepare for and respond to disasters; and recover, rehabilitate, and build forward better after the destruction.”

He said the DDR will be a full-blown department headed by a Secretary, supported by undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and directors with an initial budget of P10 billion.

The proposal initially required taking under DDR’s wings, from their mother departments, the PHIVOLCS and the PAGASA, the Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the MGB, and the BFP, said Salceda.

But the House-approved version has settled for a new provision that preferred the “joint supervision” of these vital government bureaus, which the DDR needed for unity of command during disasters.

He said that Section 94 of the proposal, on Inter-Departmental Relations, now provides that the “DDR shall exercise joint supervision with: 1) the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) over PAGASA and PHIVOLCS; 2) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), over Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and; 3) the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) over the BFP.

The provision also requires “that the DDR and these departments shall establish systems and protocols for sustained sharing of knowledge, data, information technology, facilities and other resources critical to DRR at all times; that the DDR shall provide DRR training, upgrading of equipment and other logistical requirement… that the said agencies will be under the full supervision and direct control of the DDR in anticipation of, during, and as necessary in the determination of the Secretary, in aftermath of emergencies and disasters”.

It also provides “that Pagasa, Phivolcs and MGB Geohazards unit shall second dedicated staff to the DDR based on the requirement of DDR”.

But DDR will still have the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as its core organization to which will be integrated the Climate Change Commission Office, the Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH), the Disaster Response Assistance and the Disaster Response Management Bureau of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The bill provides that the DDR will lead in the “continuous development of strategic, holistic and systematic approaches to disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation, and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures, techniques and options.”

The new department will also promote accelerated capacity building by local government units (LGUs) with relevant national agencies and other stakeholders for the implementation of disaster and climate change plans, programs, projects and activities. It will also be tasked to formulate “comprehensive guidelines on the initiation, entry, facilitation, transit and regulation of international relief goods and personnel, as well as eligibility guidelines on how to legally assist international players, as well as provide sanctions for prohibited acts by public officials and private persons or institutions,” Salceda added.

The DDR will retain the OCD National Council with an expanded membership as the policy advisory board of the Department. It also creates a Multi-Stakeholders’ Convergence Unit to help align disaster resilience efforts of the private sector, CSOs, academe, and other stakeholders with those of the DDR by assisting, coordinating, or providing them services that strengthen public-private cooperation and coordination for disaster resilience.

Salceda said the DDR will also have a distinct National Disaster Resilience Fund scheme that allows fund inputs from both national and local government bodies. Under its new fund scheme, only 20 percent of resources can be used for quick response or stand-by fund, while the remaining 80% is for climate change adaptation, disaster risk and vulnerability reduction and mitigation, disaster risk transfer, disaster preparedness, recovery, rehabilitation and anticipatory adaptation.

The DDR will create a Disaster Resilience Support Fund (DRSF) that will be dedicated exclusively for the use of 3rd to 6th class provinces and towns in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating their programs, projects, and activities for climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and mitigation, disaster risk transfer, and disaster preparedness.

Based on the 2019 national expenditure program, Salceda said the budget of government agencies absorbed by DDR would amount to P31 billion. Together with the NDRRMF budget of P20 billion, the DRR would have a funding base of P50.1 billion. It is estimated that aside from the existing budgets, the DDR would require an initial P10 billion based on the new mandates. OCD would require P1 billion for new offices, especially field offices in the regions, excluding capital outlay.
As this developed, lawmakers welcomed the House committee on government reorganization’s approval of the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) tasked to create a primary agency responsible for leading the national effort before, during and after disasters.

Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez, the chairperson of the House committee on the welfare of children, and House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, was elated over the bill’s approval at the committee level and expressed hope that Congress will soon enact the measure.

“A new Department of Disaster Resilience will effectively improve the institutional capacity of the government for disaster risk reduction and management, reduce the vulnerabilities surrounding the affected local population as well as build the resilience of local communities to both natural disasters and climate change,” the Romualdez couple, principal authors of House Bill (HB) 1151 to create DDR.

“Guaranteeing disaster resiliency through closer coordination and stronger management synchronization at all levels of the country’s disaster risk reduction and management system cannot be delayed any further,” they added.

Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, another principal author, said the DDR “shall oversee and coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of disaster and climate resilience plans, programs, projects and activities.”

Villafuerte said the DDR is also envisioned to “provide leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches to disaster prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation, anticipatory adaption strategies, measures, techniques and options.”

Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas joined his fellow legislators’ support for the bill’s enactment.

Abu underscored the need for a coherent government response to disasters under a new agency that would be called the DDR, adding that the country has been visited by an average of 20 tropical cyclones every year which produce floods, landslides and storm surges.

“We have to pass the DDR with dispatch to effectively respond with the disasters without delays,” said Abu.

http://manilastandard.net/news/national/310599/house-committee-okays-disaster-resilience-entity.html

Department of Disaster Resilience Bill approved

The substitute bill seeking to create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) has been approved, including the amendments discussed, in the joint hearing of the Committee on Government Reorganization chaired by Rep. Mario Vittorio Mariño (5th District, Batangas) and the Committee on Disaster Management chaired by Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (4th District, Leyte).

A technical working group (TWG) co-chaired by Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (Party-list, TINGOG SINIRANGAN) and Rep. Romeo Momo, Sr. (Party-list, CWS) consolidated and harmonized the provisions of 32 measures led by House Bill No. (HB) 4 authored by Speaker Alan Peter “Compañero” Cayetano.

Romualdez gave the assurance that, during the TWG meeting, the structure and budget reorganization of key government agencies were exhaustively discussed. She added that manifestations and proposals of valued stakeholders were earnestly considered as the panel drafted the substitute bill.

Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda (Lone District, Antique) lauded the TWG for thoroughly reviewing the various versions of the measure establishing the DDR, which resulted in a substitute bill that promotes science-based and risk-informed development plans and investments.

Torres-Gomez expressed delight that the measure is finally a step closer into becoming a law. “There will still be many ways to fine-tune the bill so we will wait for the amended substitute bill and then this will be deliberated further on the floor. But I think as representatives we are all one in wanting a department that can really function the way it should,” she said.

Being a priority measure of the Duterte administration, Torres-Gomez hopes the bill will be approved on third reading by the end of 2019. “I’m very hopeful. Ganoon naman kapag gusto ng President. And the Speaker, I’m sure, will push for this also,” she said.

Upon the committees’ approval, Mariño directed that the measure  be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda (2nd District, Albay) and the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Isidro Ungab (3rd District, Davao City). Salceda bared that his committee is set to tackle and approve the tax provisions of the measure next week.

In the explanatory note of his HB 4, Speaker Cayetano said that while the country has very good people in the National Disaster Risk, Reduction Management Council, it is high time that the government provides for a focused, single-minded, specialized  department to upgrade the government's capacity to respond to disasters in an effective and speedy manner.

The unnumbered substitute bill provides for the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) which shall serve as the primary government agency responsible for leading, organizing and managing the national effort to reduce disaster risk, prepare for and respond to disasters, recover and rehabilitate, and build forward better after the occurrence of disasters.

To be headed by a Secretary who shall be appointed by the incumbent President, the DDR shall (a) oversee and coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of disaster and climate resilience plans, programs, projects and activities and (b) provide leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation.

There shall be four Undersecretaries under the DDR, who shall be responsible for the following key result areas: (a) disaster risk reduction, (b) disaster preparedness and response, (c) recovery and building forward better, and (d) support to operations.

To properly implement the provisions of the measure, the DDR shall have a Disaster Resilience Fund, which shall consist of the Annual General Appropriations, the Disaster Contingency Fund, and the Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund.

The implementing rules and regulations shall be crafted and promulgated by the DDR, Department of Budget and Management, Department of National Defense, Department of Finance, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Science and Technology, National Economic Development Authority, House and Senate Committees on Government Reorganization, as well as representatives from the academe and business sectors.

http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=11779