Austal aims to be shipbuilder of choice in PH, region

The takeover of Multiply social network in Pasig, which made the Philippines the fifth biggest social networking service in the world, may be finalized in the next month or two, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven Robinson has said. 

In a virtual briefing, Robinson said he was "hopeful" that some progress in the negotiations would be finalized in the "next month or two."

"It's still in kind of commercially in confidence so I cannot get too much into the details, but nevertheless, let's hope that there's a positive outcome, which will see Austal expand further here in the Philippines," Robinson added.

Austal is a major global shipbuilder and defense contractor based in Australia.

Earlier, reports said Austal and US-based Cerberus were jointly bidding to take over the Multiply website, which was up for sale after its Indonesian operator filed for bankruptcy in November 2015.

Robinsons said Austal has committed to invest further in the Philippines and become a shipbuilder of choice not just for the country but also the wider region.

"That Hanjin facility, if that comes to the fore, would be a marvelous way to enable that in conjunction with the facility that it has already invested in significantly," he noted.

With the growing maritime relations between the Philippines and Australia, Robinsons also highlighted their stern position in preserving the freedom of navigation and trade in the contested South China Sea.

"Australia's got a position on the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea and it's a principles-based position," he said. 

"What we say is that all countries should subscribe to the rules and the norms and the laws that govern the free passage through international waters."

Robinsons added: "therefore, we are concerned if there's any action taken by any country that seeks to inhibit that free passage and the freedom of navigation."

He also said, "If we see anything that is unfortunate along those lines then Australia will express its views which we have done in the past and we will continue to do so."

Robinsons also emphasized that while "certain countries" would not like their perspectives on the matter, they are "taking a principled approach." 

Manila has been ramping up its maritime presence in the West Philippine Sea with several western powers like the US and the United Kingdom also sending their own navies to the contested waters amid heightened military activities of China in the area.

The West Philippine Sea is the country's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, 90 of which is being claimed by China. 

Beijing does not recognize the 2016 ruling of an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, which junked its "historical" claims to the disputed waters.

Aside from being a strategic naval position, the South China Sea also carries around a third of global shipping, making it an extremely important trade route.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/03/21/austal-shipbuilder-philippines-hanjin-shipyard-subic

Learn How To Live Without Clutter

Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.  Luke 12:15, KJV

Have you ever heard it said that three moves are as good as a fire?  What that means is that every time you move, you throw out things, good things too, which you would like to keep but there is no room to keep them.  Why didn’t you toss it out a long time ago?  You kept it because you were sure it was too good to throw away, so you put it in the closet or stored it in your garage.  Eventually, you have to reckon with it.  If you want to label the disorder, call it, “CLUTTER!”  It isn’t only our closets which eventually suffer from clutter.  Clutter is a disease of the brain, even of the heart, as well as the closet.

Long ago Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3), but nobody wants to be poor, either in spirit or in material possessions.  It’s a universal malady, too.  Wherever I’ve been in the world, and no matter how much or how little people have, when they see or meet people with more, they become dissatisfied with what they have.

Everybody delights in being able to say, “This is mine!” or that house, or those buildings are mine.  A spiritual giant of a generation ago, A. W. Tozer, faced the issue squarely when he wrote, “The pronouns, ‘my’ and ‘mine’ look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant.  They express the real nature of the old Adamic man better than a thousand volumes of theology could do.  They are verbal symptoms of our deep disease.  The roots of our hearts have grown down into things, and we dare not pull up one rootlet lest we die.”

Clutter becomes a disease which is consuming.  The more you have, the more you want; and the more you get, the more you become convinced that you must have more.  Lost has been the freedom of simplicity that has strength coming from within.  Today the issue isn’t simply a matter of things, it is an issue of the things which have you, the things which consume your time, your interest, and your very life.

When Jesus was here, He often made people uncomfortable because He didn’t play games.  He cut to the very heart of issues, stripping away the veneers of hypocrisy and superficiality which have always made us comfortable.  He said bluntly, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15, KJV).

In one of his books Alexander Solzhenitsyn tells how he was arrested, and item by item, his captors took away the things which had been meaningful to him‑‑his home, his books, his papers, his family.  Finally, all that he had was what he had within, and Solzhenitsyn said that he was never richer than when he knew they could not take away the treasures within his heart.

In 1978, Solzhenitsyn addressed the graduating class at Harvard University.  His sober words were a scathing denouncement of the decadence of a society built upon “things.”  He concluded, saying, “If the world has not come to its end, it has approached a major turn in history equal in importance to the turn from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.  It will exact from us a spiritual upsurge, we shall have to rise to a new height of vision, to a new level of life where our physical nature will not be cursed as in the Middle Ages, but, even more important, our spiritual being will not be trampled upon as in the Modern Era. . . No one on earth has any other way left‑‑but upward.”

If Solzhenitsyn’s words were true years ago, how much more are they true today!

Resource reading: Luke 12:16-21.

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/learn-how-to-live-without-clutter/

WATCH: PCSO 9 PM Lotto Draw, May 3, 2021

Duterte gets Sinopharm jab

By Azer Parrocha

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday evening received his first shot of Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical company Sinopharm.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go went live on Facebook to show Duterte getting inoculated with Sinopharm. He was vaccinated by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

“I feel good. I have been expecting this shot vaccination a long time ago,” Duterte said in the livestream on Go’s Facebook page.

Duterte said it took his physician “a long time” to assess which vaccine brand to get.

“Sinopharm itong tinuturok sa akin (Sinopharm is what I am being inoculated with),” he added.

In a separate statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte's first dose was covered by the Compassionate Use Permit issued to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) hospital by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In his previous speeches, Duterte has been vocal about his preference to receive a Sinopharm vaccine.

The Palace earlier denied rumors that Duterte has already been administered with a Covid-19 vaccine.

To recall, the PSG admitted to vaccinating some of its members with Sinopharm in September and October 2020.

Despite initially wanting it done in private, Duterte agreed to get vaccinated for Covid-19 in public to boost vaccine confidence among Filipinos.

He earlier said he was willing to waive his Covid-19 vaccine slot, but Malacañang said that his “personal conviction” may change when more vaccine supplies arrive in the country.

China approved the Sinopharm vaccine for general public use last December after the developer said the vaccine showed 79.34 percent efficacy based on an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials.

On March 1, Roque said Sinopharm has filed an application for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its vaccines before the FDA of the Philippines.

The FDA later clarified that two to three firms have only signified their intent to apply for the EUA of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138948

Defunding NTF ELCAC to allow Reds to exploit communities anew

By Gigie Arcilla

A ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday said defunding the programs of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) will simply allow communities to be exploited again by the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

“Do our senators really want this insurgency to go on by defunding the NTF ELCAC? Do we want more civilians killed by these NPAs? Do we not want these NPA rebels to go back to the fold of the law instead by continuing with our NTF ELCAC programs like E-CLIP and Localized Peace Engagement?“ Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr. raised the questions in a statement sent to the Philippine News Agency.

Parlade, who is the chief of the AFP Southern Luzon Command, was responding to several senators' call for the defunding of the government’s anti-communist body following alleged red-tagging of community pantry organizers.

He cited the death of two civilians, wounding of 4 others, and one 1 CAFGU Active Auxillary member when an anti-personnel mine (APM) exploded on the roadside of Del Carmen Patrol Base, Barangay Del Carmen, Uson, Masbate at around 9:30 pm on Labor.

“The APM was dropped by the perpetrators who were onboard a motorcycle heading towards Barangay Paguiaman, Uson in Masbate," Parlade said, 

The victims were brought to Masbate Provincial Hospital for but unfortunately, Jeffrey Boy Y. Bestingur was declared dead on arrival at 11:43 pm on the same day. A certain Carmilita L. Yanson died at around 1 am on May 2.

He said on April 28, 17 regular NPA members of NPA’s Platoon Aque and Platoon SerNa, Kilusang Larangan Gerilya MAV, Sub Regional Mil Area (SRMA) 4D, six Militiang Bayan (MB), and two couriers from Barangay Monteclaro, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro voluntarily surrendered to our government troops and local government unit.

“Don’t the senators want these peaceful surrenders to continue?” he added.

Sitio Mantay, Monteclaro, he said, is where the NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee has decided to establish the seat of its revolutionary government.

Monteclaro is where the NPA Regional Special Operations Group or liquidation squad of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee trained six of the 13 surrenderers, and another who was captured in 2020.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

“But the NTF ELCAC pursued them in these remotest parts of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro boundary by bringing in the national and local government equipped with goods, electrification, and other programs," he added.

This surrender, Parlade said, is now the result of genuine engagement and sustained presence of government in these Mangyan communities.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138954

Alleged OSG breach concerns justice department

By Benjamin Pulta

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is still waiting for information from the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) on a supposed breach of its database.

Secretary Menardo Gueverra told reporters through text message that the DOJ has a substantial interest in finding out the cause of the alleged data breach and any prejudice to the interest of the government that such breach, if true, may have unduly caused.

“The OSG handles thousands of cases in the Court of Appeals and in the Supreme Court in representation of the government in general and of the DOJ in particular,” he said.

“I will appreciate it very much if the OSG will inform the DOJ of its findings, considering the big number of DOJ cases being handled by the OSG,” he added.

In a statement on April 30, the United Kingdom-based TurgenSec claimed it “became aware of a publicly accessible data store which belonged to the Solicitor General of the Philippines”.

The breach, according to the firm, appeared to contain over 300,000 files and documents downloaded by an unknown third party.

It said the files contained staff training documents, internal passwords and policies, staffing payment information, financial processes, and activities, including audits.

TurgenSec’s e-mails to the OSG about the breach on March 1 and March 24 were unanswered.

“The breach was closed by the 28th of April, presumably using the information provided by TurgenSec,” the firm noted.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138907

Don’t single out OFWs, Palace urges Hong Kong

 By Azer Parrocha

While it recognizes Hong Kong’s sovereign prerogative to push for mandatory Covid-19 vaccination of foreign domestic workers, Malacañang on Monday said Filipino domestic workers should not be singled out.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque echoed the remarks made by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Philippine Consul General to Hong Kong Raly Tejada urging Hong Kong not to force foreign workers to get vaccinated.

“We go with the statement of Secretary Locsin of course… sana po huwag i-single out ang ating mga Filipino OFWs, bagama’t we recognize iyong sovereign prerogative na i-require ang bakuna (I hope they do not single out OFWs, although we recognize the sovereign prerogative to require vaccination),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

Roque acknowledged Hong Kong’s police power to implement compulsory Covid-19 vaccination, but noted that “it must be done in a manner that all people will be covered.”

“Ang (The) exercise ng police power, it must be done in a manner na lahat po ng tao eh sasakupin. Huwag naman pong magkakaroon ng singling out (that all people will be covered. There should be no singling out),” he added.

In a recent tweet, Locsin said Hong Kong’s Covid-19 vaccination requirement “smacks of discrimination and if it is a special favor, it is unfair to other nationalities.”

Tejada, for his part, said concerned consulates should have been consulted as it involves the substantive rights of their nations.

Hong Kong earlier announced the mandatory Covid-19 testing for foreign domestic helpers by May 9, 2021.

Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination will also be required for all workers before their contracts could be renewed, and any incoming worker would be required to have the vaccination to enter Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Roque reassured overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in India who want to go home that they will be repatriated when commercial flights resume.

“Mananaig pa rin iyong puso ng ating Presidente para sa ating mga OFWs at nakikita ko po baka nga po makakauwi na iyong ilang mga Pilipinong gustong makauwi pero subject to stricter quarantine dito sa Pilipinas including full 14-day quarantine regardless of their PCR [polymerase chain reaction] results (Our President's heart will still prevail for our OFWs and I see that some Filipinos who want to go home but are subject to stricter quarantine here in the Philippines including full 14-day quarantine regardless of their PCR results),” he said.

 

In the meantime, he urged them to observe minimum health and safety standards and get vaccinated in their host countries.

“Iniengganyo po natin ang ating mga OFWs na magpabakuna rin po kung nasaan man sila kasi ang alam ko po ang pagbabakuna naman ay sinasakop ang lahat ‘no (We encourage our OFWs to get vaccinated wherever they are because I know that vaccination covers everyone). We are not safe until everyone is safe ‘no, ‘yan po ang motto sa buong daigdig (that’s the motto of the entire world),” he said.

He said consular offices in their host countries are ready to provide necessary assistance to OFWs who may get infected with Covid-19.

The Philippines barred entry of travelers from India or with travel history to India in the last 14 days until May 14 to prevent the transmission of a “double mutant” coronavirus strain.

Roque said the government is studying whether to expand or not the travel ban to other countries with high passenger traffic from India.

“We can never say if what happened to India will not happen [here]. Kaya nga po tayo ay nagta-travel ban ngayon. Pero ang warning nga po ng WHO, kinakailangan ding isama rin sa travel ban iyong mga lugar kung saan mataas ang traffic involving passengers from India, at kasama po diyan iyong Middle East (That’s why we imposed a travel ban at present). But WHO warned that the travel ban must include places with high traffic involving passengers from India, including the Middle East),” he said.

As of Monday, India reported more than 300,000 new Covid-19 cases for a 12th straight day bringing its overall tally to just shy of 20 million.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138923

SC offices physically open during MECQ

By Benjamin Pulta

The Supreme Court (SC) will be physically open until May 14, 2021, despite adjusted work arrangements in lower courts during the modified enhanced community quarantine period (MECQ).

SC Spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka clarified that "only the SC offices are physically open”.

“The other courts (covered by the MECQ) are to remain physically closed," he said.

All offices in the Supreme Court shall be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 3 to 14, 2021, read the order of Clerk of Court Marife Cuevas and approved by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

Adjusted work arrangements in courts lower than the SC, including physical closure in select areas, were extended last week following the declaration of another period of MECQ.

Under the advisory, the seven-day extension under previous issuances for the filing and service of pleadings, motions, and other court submission with the Supreme Court started Monday.

The National Capital Region, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna, will be under MECQ until May 14, and until May 31 in Quirino and Abra provinces and Santiago City in Isabela.

In Administrative Circular No. 29-2021 dated April 30, Gesmundo said all first and second level courts, and appellate collegiate courts and their judicial officers in the areas "shall continue to be physically closed until May 14”.

The order also applies to court and judicial offices in other areas under localized ECQ and MECQ.

Essential judicial offices shall maintain the necessary skeleton staff to address urgent matters and concerns while courts in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ shall be physically opened with a workforce of not more than 25 percent.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138915

Fight vs. pandemic as important as West PH Sea issue: Go

National interest and welfare of all Filipinos are the utmost priorities of President Rodrigo Duterte when it comes to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go assured.

As the chief architect of the country’s foreign policy, the President needs to continue working with international partners in addressing the ongoing pandemic while also securing the country’s interest in the WPS, Go said during ambush interviews after attending the launch of the 104th Malasakit Center at the Leyte Provincial Hospital and the 105th at the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital, both in Palo town, on April 30, 2021.

“Knowing the President for the longest time, always interest of each and every Filipino ang parating nasa isipan ng mahal na Pangulo. Binabalanse n’ya lahat (are on his mind. He balances all issues),” Go said in a news release.

“Ibig sabihin ni Pangulong Duterte, isulong ang dapat isulong, ipaglaban ang dapat ipaglaban, isantabi muna ang dapat isantabi…nasa gitna pa tayo ng pandemya at kailangan natin magtulungan sa isa’t isa (What President Duterte wants to emphasize is we will fight for what is right and set aside what needs to be set aside. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we must help each other out),” he added.

Go said he is confident in the President’s judgment.

“I’m sure, the President po, alam n’ya ang ginagawa n’ya at ipaglalaban n’ya po kung ano ang atin, kung ano ang napalunan natin, atin ‘yun (The President knows what he’s doing and he will fight for what is ours, for what he have won),” he said.

‘A good friend’

Duterte, during his Talk to the People address on Wednesday night, said that the country would not go to war against China as the latter is a “good friend”.

He also asserted that Filipino presence will remain in the WPS despite the demands of China.

Go also asserted that it is in the interest of all parties concerned to uphold the peaceful settlement of disputes, consistent with international law and relevant treaty obligations, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Responding to their criticisms on the government’s handling of the WPS dispute, Go challenged retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario to patrol the sea themselves and face the Chinese coast guard.

“Kung talagang sila ang matapang, dapat noon pa hindi na nila pinabayaan... Ngayon, nagmamatapang sila, puro sila bunganga. Ano ang magagawa ng bunganga mo? Punta ka doon (If they are really that brave, they should have done it before. Now, they’re all talk. What can words do? They should go there [WPS]),” he challenged.

Past mistakes

Go said bickering will not undo the criminal neglect committed by the previous administration which resulted in China’s militarization of the WPS.

“Panahon pa po ng previous administration, hinayaan po nila... Hinayaan nilang makapag-(military) buildup po ang bansang China. So, ngayon ‘di mo na masira dahil hinayaan po nila (The previous administration allowed this to happen They allowed a military buildup by China. Now, it can no longer be undone),” he said.

In an earlier statement last week, Go agreed with and supported the President's position of ordering vessels not to leave the West Philippine Sea.

“Our vessels have every right to be in the West Philippine Sea, especially those areas under our Exclusive Economic Zone,” he said.

“Bilang isang mambabatas, hangad ko na sana lahat ng anumang hindi pagkakaintindihan sa West Philippine Sea ay naidadaan sa maayos at diplomatikong usapan. Mahalaga ang papel ng diplomasya rito at importanteng bukas po tayo sa maayos at tapat na pag-uusap sa ibang bansa (As a lawmaker, it is my wish that whatever misunderstandings there are regarding the West Philippine Sea will be fixed though diplomatic means. Diplomacy plays a vital role here and it is important that we are open to a dialogue),” he added.

Go emphasized that both sides should continue to demonstrate their commitments to the peaceful settlement of disputes, consistent with international obligations and duties as responsible members of the international community.

He added that moves to address concerns on the WPS and the government’s efforts to address the Covid-19 pandemic are distinguishable issues.

“At habang ang buong mundo ay nagnanais na malampasan ang kasalukuyang pandemya, mas mainam na ang mga bansa ay patuloy na nagtutulungan upang puksain ang Covid-19... Katulad ng mga Pilipino, kailangan ng mga bansa ngayon ang magbayanihan upang madaling malampasan ang krisis bilang isang nagkakaisang sangkatauhan (As the world tries to overcome the pandemic, we are also trying to beat Covid-19. Like what we Filipinos are doing, all countries need to unite to overcome this crisis),” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138912

CHR bats anew for passage of Media Workers’ Welfare Act

By Lade Jean Kabagani

In line with the observance of World Press Freedom Day, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reiterated its support for the passage of a legislative measure that provides, among others, security of tenure for media practitioners.

In a statement, CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said the commission recognizes the importance of Senate Bill No. 1820, or the Media Workers’ Welfare Act, filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III in September last year.

"The Commission on Human Rights offers its support to all members of the press in creating a community where they can exercise their profession free from violence, intimidation, and harassment," de Guia stated.

De Guia said the security of tenure for all media practitioners should be guaranteed and their labor rights must be ensured in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Amidst the political climate and the health crisis in the country caused by the global pandemic, journalists play a vital role in ensuring that members of the public remain up to date with the most factual and relevant information and in staying critical in holding power to account," she added.

The bill is aimed at creating a basic compensation scheme to include adequate compensation for hazardous media coverages and guarantees the security of tenure.

"Concrete actions need to be done to ensure that members of the media are protected in the line of duty," de Guia said.

"As journalists give voice to the voiceless, poor, and marginalized, no time is better than now to support them in their fight for truth and justice," she added.

“At times when reliable and accurate information is crucial, such as today amid the menacing health impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic, media workers have set aside all fear and reason and have gone the extra mile to gather facts and figures to make the public fully aware of what is happening in their government and communities,” Sotto said in a previous statement

The bill also mandates a basic compensation scheme, hazard pay of P500 for “dangerous coverages” and insurance benefits aside from what the government currently provides.

A News Media Tripartite Council will cater to the concerns of media stakeholders.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) spearheads World Press Freedom Day observance every third day of May.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138891

WATCH: PCSO 5 PM Lotto Draw, May 3, 2021

Velasco wants urban centers prioritized in vaccine rollout

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Monday urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to prioritize the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus and other urban centers with a high concentration of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the vaccine rollout.

Velasco said this should be done only after all 1.7 million medical front-liners all over the country are fully inoculated against Covid-19.

“As we await large supplies of vaccines to come in, we urge the IATF to prioritize NCR Plus and other urban centers in our vaccine rollout so we can quell the surge in new infections in those areas,” Velasco said.

Velasco noted that Mega Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and other regional centers should be given priority vaccine allocation aside from the NCR Plus.

NCR Plus, which has experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases, is composed of the cities and municipality in Metro Manila, and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

Velasco said the best defense against the “superspreader variants” would be to inundate these areas with vaccines.

He said it would be prudent at this point to concentrate inoculation efforts toward areas where the health systems are vulnerable.

“Our efforts should be strategic as we wait for the time until our vaccine supplies become stable,” Velasco said.

Based on the latest National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19’s count, NTF chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said 1,809,801 doses have been administered to priority groups under categories A1 (healthcare workers), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (persons with comorbidities).

About 1,065,728 healthcare workers, 240,221 senior citizens, and 256,866 persons with comorbidities have been vaccinated since the government’s vaccine rollout started on March 1.

Galvez said beginning August, the country is slated to receive a stable supply of around 15 to 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from various pharmaceutical firms -- Sinovac-Biotech, Gamaleya Research Institute, Moderna, Novavax, Johnson&Johnson, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNtech and through the COVAX Facility.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138892

Bibles, religious books also part of community pantries

By Ferdinand Patinio

Food strengthens the body but souls, according to religious groups, need nourishment, too.

A community in San Mateo, Rizal has included Bibles in its pantry initiative, earning praises from a Catholic priest.

Retired Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said organizers of such initiatives help in uplifting spiritual being.

“Very good! Yes, this community pantry is doing a very commendable act of charity, for man does not live on bread alone but by the Word of God. And the Bible is the Word of God,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday.

“Praise the Lord for this unique community which distributes both food for the body and for the soul! Alleluia!” added the former head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate.

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said they have also been giving out Bibles in his diocese.

“We have been doing it, too, in partnership with Philippine Bible Society,” he said in another Facebook post.

The Eastern Police District (EPD) in Pasig is likewise distributing Bibles in its EPD PaMaMariSan (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, and San Juan cities) pantry.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138872

Gov't intel personnel, not pantry organizers, ordered profiled

 By Gigie Arcilla

As government security forces confront allegations of red-tagging and profiling by community pantry organizers, a classified information report showed that it is the former who are being profiled by communist-affiliated organizations.

“The Central leadership of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) has directed all front-organizations (Bayan [Bagong Alyansang Makabayan}, KMP [Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas], LFS [League of Filipino Students], Anakpwis, Anakbayan, Gabriela, Karapatan, among others to discreetly profile known and compromised intelligence personnel of the State, particularly of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police,” the information report said.

It was gathered that the said profiles will have to be submitted to the “CPP Military Commission for records purposes and other necessary actions.”

Tactical offensives

Along with the “profiling” directive, is an order for the continuing tactical offensives nationwide in response to the red-tagging, deaths, and human rights violations of militant groups.

Bayan, KMP, LFS, Gabriela, together with the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and KADENA were named, in an international conference in Belgium in 1987, by CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison as part of the CPP-New People’s Army democratic forces in advancing their Philippine revolution.

The reliable classified information report is dated April 9, 2021, even before the first batch of community pantries started their operations in mid-April.

On April 19, an organizer of a community pantry in Quezon City announced a temporary halt of operations due to safety concerns after alleged red-tagging activities by the police, while some other community pantries reportedly had the same experiences.

Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Debold Sinas earlier said there is no order from the National Headquarters to conduct any form of profiling of organizers of community pantries.

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año also said he has not ordered the PNP to look into community pantries that have sprouted across the country, adding that police have no intention to interfere "but to serve the best interest of law and order and public safety in such public activities.”

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138904

Defunding NTF-ELCAC means giving up gains vs. insurgency: solon

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez on Monday said defunding the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) would be a "concession" of the government’s gains in the fight against insurgency.

Gomez said the call of lawmakers to defund the country’s anti-insurgency task force is not the appropriate action to "vent frustration" over red-tagging.

The call was triggered by the alleged red-tagging of community pantry organizers by NTF-ELCAC spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade.

Gomez noted that NTF-ELCAC's PHP16.5-billion budget allotted for the Barangay Development Program (BDP) has helped in addressing the root causes of the insurgency, as well as in bringing peace in communities already cleared from the communist influence.

"The PHP16-billion budget earmarked for the Barangay Development Program, which is a cornerstone in this success, has helped many former rebels transition to regular folks. This is a major headway towards achieving peace, especially in the countryside," Gomez said.

Gomez said the government can still support community pantries, even as it continues its "successful programs towards peace" through the NTF-ELCAC.

She added that while she strongly agrees that public officials should be held accountable for their actions and statements, “rational actions must be made so as not to jeopardize localized programs to end insurgency".

“At a time when our country is facing its biggest challenge in modern times, let us not forget that we are all in the same boat," she said. "This is a time that calls for calm and sound leadership. Let us steer away from drastic actions. Let us all work together to keep our boat afloat during this turbulent time.“

Several senators have expressed interest in defunding the NTF-ELCAC, including the BDP, and want the funds diverted to the drive against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country.

At present, a total of 822 barangays in the country will receive PHP20 million each for BDP project implementation, including road networks, classrooms, water and sanitation systems, health stations, and livelihood projects.

The NTF-ELCAC was created by virtue of Executive Order 70 issued by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Dec. 4, 2018 “to provide an efficient mechanism and structure for the implementation of the Whole-of-Nation Approach to aid in the realization of the collective aspirations for inclusive and sustainable peace.”

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138890

DAR execs face raps for 2,007 undistributed land titles

By Christine Cudis

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has uncovered undistributed certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) covering 254,000 hectares (ha) and dating back to 1987.

Secretary John Castriciones, in a press conference Monday, announced the discovery of DAR’s Task Force Undistributed CLOAs – land titles consisting of 1,620 CLOAs and 387 Emancipation Patents (EPs), dated 1987 to 2020, hidden in two sacks inside the DAR-Cebu Land Transfer and Implementation Division.

Castriciones said the discovery is the result of various investigations to address the failure of the distribution of CLOAs from previous years.

Of the total 2,007 titles, CLOAs in Cebu alone cover at least 1,636.7 ha.

"We will be filing charges against 13 officials whose responsibility should be to distribute these CLOAs. When the formal investigation begins, they will be reassigned to other posts and will be replaced by officials who are neutral to the case so the operations in DAR Cebu Province will continue," Castriciones said.

The motives of the officials to keep the CLOAs away from their rightful owners will be the subject of the investigation.

"As far as the perspective of management is concerned, the fact that they were not able to distribute the CLOAs makes them liable. Whatever the reasons are, the fact that there is a failure to distribute those CLOAs, there will be sanctions," he continued.

Lawyer Jazon Collado, DAR Director for Legal Service, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that more officials, aside from the initial 13 in Cebu, will be held liable as the case progresses.

"That will be a growing number. They will face criminal and administrative charges," he said.

Prohibited omission

Collado said the failure to deliver the owner's duplicate copy of the EP or CLOA within 180 days from generation by the Registry of Deeds may constitute prohibited omission.

"It is punishable by imprisonment and the payment of a fine if it is proven that the failure is due to a culpable neglect or a willful omission," he explained.

Castriciones vowed the CLOAs will be immediately released to farmer-beneficiaries.

"The need to ensure that we remain faithful to our task of delivering the EP or CLOA to the ARBS (agrarian reform beneficiaries) cannot be over-emphasized. This task is of paramount importance and should not be delayed on the pretext that there is an existing technical, legal, or operational issue," he said.

Castriciones previously said in interviews that distributing lands to ARBS is the main mandate of the department under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

“That is, to address the social injustice of our land acquisition and distribution, considering that many of the lands here in our country are actually owned by a very few people, landed people,” he said.

An inventory from the Task Force showed that of the undistributed 2,007 documents, there are 1,585 titles still subject to validation.

DAR Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Office Elmer Distor said it could be due to reasons like retention cases, double titling, actual occupancy by farmers, overlapping of boundaries, and conflict of ownership.

"The second phase of the validation will include reports and recommendations from DAR municipal agrarian reform officers on the circumstance of the 2,007 stored CLOAS, a survey of the landholdings, and strategic plans from the DAR provincial and municipal offices to hasten the process flow obtaining CLOAS," he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138842

Duterte directs NBI to probe slay of NegOcc Capitol consultant

By Azer Parrocha

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the killing of a provincial consultant for hospital operations in Negros Occidental last month, Malacañang said on Monday.

“Mariing kinukondema ng Pangulo ang pagpatay kay Mr. Mariano Antonio Cui III, consultant for hospital operations ng Negros Occident at dating chief of staff ni Congressman Jules Ledesma (The President strongly condemns the killing of Mr. Mariano Antonio Cui III, consultant for hospital operations of Negros Occidental and former chief-of-staff of Congressman Jules Ledesma),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.

Cui III was gunned down in his hometown of San Carlos City on April 12. He was declared dead on arrival at a hospital due to two gunshot wounds to the chest.

Roque said Duterte has vowed that justice will be served for the death of Cui.

“Inatasan ni Presidente ang NBI na imbestigahan ang pagpatay na ito at parusahan ang may-sala at mabigyan ng katarungan ang pamilya ng biktima (The President has directed the NBI to investigate the killing and punish the perpetrator to give justice to the family of the victim),” he said.

Duterte also extended sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Cui.

“Nakikiramay po ang Presidente sa pamilya at sa mga taga-Negros dahil alam po namin na mahal po itong si Mr. Cui sa buong lalawigan ng Hilagang Negros (The President extends condolences to the family and the people of Negros because we know that Mr. Cui is loved by the whole province of Western Negros),” Roque said.

Police investigation showed that Cui was hit by long-range shots while he was about to board his vehicle outside his office at Emerald Arcade on F.C. Ledesma Avenue, Barangay Palampas at around 8 p.m.

He was brought to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead by an attending physician.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, a former mayor of San Carlos City, said Col. Romy Palgue, police provincial director, has informed him that the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office has formed a special investigation task group to probe the incident.

He said Cui’s brother, San Carlos City Councilor Mark Cui, has also requested the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138866

Open, free press remain vital during pandemic: Andanar

 During World Press Freedom Day, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar has emphasized the vital role of having a free press during this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, noting that the public has heavily relied on getting their information from the media.

In his statement on Monday, Andanar underscored that an open, free, and pluralistic press remains a vital foundation of a democratic, informed, and empowered society.

“Its presence plays a key role in preventing people from being unknowing of essential and life-saving information and government programs and services, to which the situation we are all in currently calls for,” he said.

He cited the efforts of members of the media in increasing public awareness on the responses that the government is currently undertaking to curb the impacts of the pandemic.

The media has been an invaluable partner of the government in disseminating important announcements and information that allow the public to understand the Covid-19, and likewise provide them with updates on the implementation of various emergency measures and initiatives.

“With the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of an open and free press has become very evident as it allows for the flow of essential and life-saving information for us all. It has also assisted the Duterte administration in increasing public awareness of policies and programs, such as the ayuda (aid) payouts, targeted testing, and the current vaccine inoculation, which address the virus and its effects,” he said. “The untiring reportage and coverage provided by the press on important matters have helped keep us updated of the facts and the news.”

Andanar further noted that the Duterte administration continues to support the freedom of the press. This is evident through the various initiatives and legislations of the government, including the Freedom of Information, Presidential Task Force on Media Security, and the expanded Sotto Law.

“The rights and freedom of the press have always been important to this administration as it benefits every Filipino,” he said.

He urged members of the press to help strengthen the trust and relationship between the Filipino people and the government by relentlessly combating malicious information that in turn can create confusion and public discord.

“May we continue to eradicate biased information, disinformation, and fake news that are damaging not only to our society, but also to the trust and relationship between the government and the people, by working together at this crucial time despite our differences,” he said.

“We salute the heroism, commitment, and bravery of all journalists and media workers as they fulfill their work. We pray for the safety and well-being of everyone as we recover from this global health crisis,” he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138875

WATCH: PCSO 2 PM Lotto Draw, May 3, 2021

Customs clears 1st batch of Sputnik V vaccines

By Ferdinand Patinio

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has cleared the first batch of Russian-made Sputnik V vaccines that arrived over the weekend.

BOC-Port of NAIA District Collector Carmelita Talusan assured that the vaccines would be precleared in its one-stop shop to ensure that documents are processed and cleared fast considering these are time and temperature-sensitive shipments.

She added that they would continue to coordinate with Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for other updates and guidelines.

The 15,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine, which arrived via Qatar airlines from Russia on May 1, is the ninth batch of Covid-19 vaccines cleared by the bureau.

Previous vaccines cleared include 3.5 million doses of Sinovac and 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca

The Sputnik V vaccine has been developed by Russia-based Gamaleya Institute. Last March, the Food and Drug Administration gave approval to Sputnik V for emergency use.

Earlier, BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has instructed the BOC's Covax special handling team to ensure that the vaccine shipments are given priority and expedited clearance.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138850

House panel approves Bayanihan 3 bill

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

A House of Representatives panel on Monday approved the PHP405.6-billion stimulus package under the Bayanihan to Arise As One Act or the Bayanihan 3 to boost the country's economic recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The House Ways and Means Committee approved the substitute bill to the third Bayanihan measure, which would contain direct emergency and social amelioration to Filipinos, livelihood interventions, as well as food security and health interventions.

The bill seeks to provide funding of PHP108 billion for the implementation of a cash subsidy program of PHP1,000 for every Filipino, with another PHP108 billion in standby funds.

Around PHP12 billion shall be appropriated for Phase 1 of assistance for households in crisis situations under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some PHP12 billion shall be appropriated for Phase 2 and PHP6 billion for Phase 3 of the AICS program.

To assist micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) program shall be continued and expanded with direct funding of PHP8 billion, and stand-by funds worth PHP8 billion for Phase 2 and PHP4 billion for Phase 3.

To provide temporary employment to displaced workers, around PHP10 billion shall be appropriated for the implementation of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD), Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), and Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) Program, while PHP10 billion shall be appropriated as stand-by funds for Phase 2 and PHP5 billion for Phase 3.

Assistance to the agri-fishery sector will receive a total of PHP30 billion worth of standby funds to finance programs and interventions toward food security and farmer income security and welfare.

The bill allocates PHP3 billion for medical assistance for indigent patients, and stand-by funds worth PHP3 billion each for Phases 2 and 3.

A total of PHP54.6 billion shall be allocated to the Pension and Gratuity Fund for retired military and the police, while the amount of PHP5.6 billion shall be appropriated to assist the Department of Education in the implementation of its digital education, information technology, and digital infrastructure and alternative learning modalities as part of the pandemic response and transition to a new normal.

Stand-by funds worth PHP5 billion each shall be allocated for the implementation of the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act and Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, both of which are aimed at providing national nutrition.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138843

Lalaki patay nang barilin ng pinsan sa Capiz

Patay ang isang lalaki matapos umanong barilin ng kaniyang pinsan sa Pontevedra, Capiz noong gabi ng Linggo, ayon sa pulisya.

Kinilala ang biktima bilang si Franklin Billones, residente ng Barangay Sublangon sa Pontevedra.

Ayon sa Pontevedra police, pinuntahan ng biktima ang bahay ng suspek, na katabi lang ng bahay niya, matapos makarinig ng putok ng baril.

Sinubukan umanong awatin ni Billones ang suspek, na noo'y nakikipag-inuman kasama ang mga kaibigan, pero hindi ito nakinig at sa halip ay binaril ang biktima.

Tinamaan sa dibdib ang biktima, na agad dinala sa ospital pero idineklara ring dead on arrival, sabi ng pulisya.

Patuloy na pinaghahanap ng mga awtoridad ang suspek na tumakas matapos ang pamamaril. Sumuko naman ang kaniyang mga kasamahan.

— Ulat ni Rolen Escaniel

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/21/lalaki-patay-nang-barilin-ng-pinsan-sa-capiz

WATCH: Press briefing with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque | May 3...

Condoms, pills in community pantries? Population commission says why not?

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) on Sunday said organizers of community pantries should consider including family planning supplies and sexual hygiene items in their initiative.

In a statement, Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez said that the boom of stalls can also help give out family planning services and items that are essential and will help prevent unplanned and teenage pregnancies.

“POPCOM is very much supportive of community pantries as a form of collective action in alleviating the need for sustenance of our less privileged. We believe that they will welcome the addition of condoms and pills among the goods they will source—with the help of their local healthcare personnel,” Perez said in a statement.

Perez said that community pantries can seek the help of local health authorities in order to push through with the suggested initiative. 

“As the most popular family planning method, pills need a prescription or enrollment in the family planning program. Our BHWs and BPVs can be invited to assist in dispensing such,” the official said.

Condoms meanwhile may be freely given to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections or STIs, as well as unplanned pregnancies.

Perez said local offices of POPCOM have been directed to help community pantries in giving out family planning supplies, condoms, and pills.

“To complement these noteworthy activities, POPCOM has also directed its regional offices to actively take part in community pantries in their locale, using various initiatives in partnership with BHWs and BPVs." 

The head of POPCOM also reminded those who will distribute condoms and pills in community pantries, to observe health protocols at all times.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/21/condoms-pills-in-community-pantries-population-commission-says-why-not

PH expands list of foreigners allowed to enter the country

The Philippines has expanded its list of foreign nationals allowed to enter the country beginning May 1, an official said Monday.

Foreign nationals who hold valid and existing immigrant and non-immigrant visas such as students, workers, and residents are allowed to return to the Philippines, said Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval.

Those with travel history to India within 14 days remain barred from entering the country, she added.

"'Yung mga turista po di pa po muna natin mapapayagan (Foreign tourists are not allowed yet). Para makapasok po sila (In order to enter), they would need to secure an exemption from the Department of Foreign Affairs," she told ABS-CBN News.

Foreigners qualified to enter the country must have a pre-booked accommodation for at least 7 nights and they must be tested for COVID-19 on the sixth day of quarantine, Sandoval said.

The Philippines' limit of 1,500 daily arrivals remains, she added.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/21/ph-expands-list-of-foreigners-allowed-to-enter-the-country

Sakto | Teleradyo (3 May 2021)

HITIK KA BA SA BUNGA? Kape't Pandasal kasama si Fr Jboy Gonzales, SJ

PH patrols in West Philippine Sea to continue: Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Sunday said Philippine patrols in the West Philippine Sea will continue, as he denied that he and President Rodrigo Duterte have disagreements over how to handle China's intrusions into Philippine waters.

In a video posted on his Facebook page, Lorenzana said Duterte's orders were "very clear, firm and straightforward." 

"Defend what is rightfully ours without going to war and maintain the peace in the seas. Yung nagsasabi na hindi kami aligned ng Presidente, let me clarify that my pronouncement echo the stand of our president," Lorenzana said. 

The Defense chief added that the Philippines can maintain cooperation with China in various areas that are mutually beneficial to our peoples, "but not at the expense of our sovereignty and sovereign rights." 

Lorenzana said that while China's military capability is more advanced "this does not prevent us from defending our national interests and our dignity as a people with all that we have." 

"Thus the conduct of maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea, in Kalayaan Islands by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will continue," Lorenzana said. 

China recently called on the Philippines to "respect its sovereign rights" in the South China Sea, after as Manila ramped up maritime drills and patrols in the area amid growing tensions. 

Lorenzana responded to this by saying China has "no authority or legal basis to prevent" the Philippines from conducting maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing does not recognize the 2016 ruling of an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, which junked its "historical" claims to almost the entire South China Sea, within which is the smaller West Philippine Sea.

At the start of his term, Duterte set aside the Philippines' arbitral victory saying wanted closer relations with China.

The Philippines however has taken a tough tone in recent weeks over the lingering presence of hundreds of Chinese boats in its exclusive economic zone.

"The government will not waver in this position. Walang alisan," Lorenzana said. 

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio have criticized Duterte's handling of the territorial dispute with China.

Carpio said Duterte's "self-inflicted blows" favored China on the sea dispute.

Malacañang meanwhile said Duterte was pursuing a "careful, calibrated, and calculated foreign policy to its ultimate success." 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/21/ph-patrols-in-west-philippine-sea-to-continue-lorenzana

NUJP condemns killing of Capiz municipal official

(UPDATE) - The the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned the killing of the municipal administrator of the town of Pilar in Capiz province on Sunday. 

John Heredia, who was also the former head of NUJP’s Capiz chapter, was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in Bgry. Lawa-an, according to a police report.

Heredia was about to board his own motorcycle when he was shot. He was taken to the Capiz Doctors’ Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The slain former mediaman was the first and longest-serving chair of the NUJP Capiz chapter, the media group said.

“While Heredia was no longer in the media when he was killed, his death is a symptom of the culture of impunity in the Philippines,” the NUJP said. 

Heredia was killed on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

At least 19 journalists have been killed in the 4 years of the administration of Duterte, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said in November last year.  

NUJP also noted that Heredia’s wife, human rights lawyer Criselda Azarcon-Heredia, was the target of an ambush in September 2019. 

Criselda, who is an anti-mining advocate, had been red-tagged prior to the attack on her, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers said. 

The NUPL has also condemned Heredia’s killing and called for a probe into the incident. 

 - Report from Jeffrey Hernaez, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/21/pilar-capiz-municipal-official-killed-by-gunmen-nujp