Congress creates new congressional districts in Bataan, Bulacan and Caloocan City

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Congress has approved the creation of a third congressional district for Bataan province, with less than a year to go before the 2022 elections.

During the plenary session Monday, the House of Representatives concurred with the Senate’s amendments to House Bill 8664, which seeks to reapportion Bataan into three legislative districts from the current two.

The new congressional districts in Bataan are the following: 

1st District - Hermosa, Orani, Samal and Abucay 

2nd District - City of Balanga, Orion, Pilar and Limay

3rd District - Bagac, Mariveles, Morong and Dinalupihan

The incumbent congressional representatives shall stay in office until those for the new districts are elected.

“The additional district ensures a more effective delivery of unparalleled public services, and the Bataan electorate can look forward to a more responsive governance from their elected representatives," said Senate Committee on Local Government chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino.

Besides this, House Bill 6867 increasing the number of congressmen in Bulacan from 4 to 6 was transmitted to the Office of the President last April 23 for signature. 

On the same day, House Bill 7700 dividing the first district of Caloocan City, giving it a third district was also transmitted for the President's signature.

The 1987 Constitution states that party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of representatives including those under the party list. This means that any increase in the number of district representatives leads to a rise in the number of party-list representatives.

The incumbent Congress has 300 members in the House of Representatives.

The Senate also passed on the same day House Bill No. 5306 which seeks to separate Sitio Ladol from Barangay Poblacion in Alabel, Sarangani to be a new village.

House Bill 5944 was also passed by the higher chamber, seeking to declare April 28 as a special working holiday in Aurora province in honor of Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon, the first First Lady of the Philippines.

- with report from Robert Mano, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/17/21/congress-creates-new-congressional-districts-in-bataan-bulacan-and-caloocan-city

House panel OKs tax exemption for election servers’ honoraria

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

A House of Representatives’ panel on Monday approved a measure exempting election servers such as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) from having their honoraria subjected to income and other withholding taxes.

During a virtual hearing, the House Ways and Means Committee approved an unnumbered substitute bill that would provide income taxation exemption to compensation of BEIs and other election personnel, typically public school teachers for serving in the national and local elections.

The bill seeks to amend the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 to exclude election-related honoraria and allowances from the computation of gross income.

Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, author of the bill, said the bill aims to allow teachers to fully enjoy the amount of compensation being paid to them and recognize their notable service even in hazardous environments during election seasons.

Cuaresma noted that the compensation teachers receive is usually being subjected to income tax.

"As a result, the hard-earned compensation being earned by teachers, which to some extent, becomes the price for their safety and lives, is being reduced to a meager amount that is barely sufficient to augment their other source of income," she said.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, committee chair, said the measure should be fast-tracked in time for the 2022 elections.

“Considering both the risks election workers take, the relatively small size of their compensation for such an important function, and the reasonableness of the tax foregone, this proposal does not pose serious threats to our revenue strength,” Salceda said.

According to data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), taxes withheld for the 2019 National and Local Elections amounted to PHP56.8 million.

“The cost is very reasonable, at around PHP56.8 million. It’s worth apprehending just one big-time tax evader. It’s an easy choice,” Salceda said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140516

Proposed OFW department will benefit 10M Pinoys abroad

By Benjamin Pulta

Senator Ronald dela Rosa pushed anew for the Department of Overseas Filipinos to better assist in improving the lot of 10.2 million overseas Filipinos in more than 200 countries and territories.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who filed Senate Bill 2110, or the Department of Overseas Filipinos Act, said in a statement on Monday that the new department could better look after the interest of Filipinos overseas without causing a "swell" to the bureaucracy since it will be an integration of functions of existing concerned government agencies.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed a similar bill (SB 1949) last year and was certified urgent by the Palace.

Of the 10.2 million Filipinos abroad, 4.8 million are permanent migrants, 4.2 million temporary migrants, and 1.2 million are irregular migrants

There are also 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), based on the 2019 Survey on Overseas Filipinos by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

"With the huge number of our kababayan (fellow citizens) living and working abroad, it is important that policies and programs for the promotion of their welfare and protection must be unequivocally instituted," Dela Rosa stated.

"With a single but focused department wherein the mandates of key agencies are synchronized, our overseas Filipinos are assured of easily accessible and more available, and, at the same time, swift assistance and services. Hence, the early passage of this bill is earnestly sought," he said.

Under SB 2110 filed on March 24, 2021, the Department of Overseas Filipinos will subsume all the powers and functions of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Commission on Overseas Filipinos, all Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and the International Labor Affairs Bureau under the Department of Labor and Employment, the Social Welfare Attaches Office under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be attached to the proposed department for purposes of policy and coordination.

In the House of Representatives, House Bill 5832 also known as the Department of Filipinos Overseas passed the final reading with 173 votes in March last year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140484

91% of ECQ aid distributed to NCR Plus beneficiaries

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said the distribution of aid has reached 91 percent or PHP21.06 billion given to low-income earners in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area as of May 15, the deadline set by the national government.

In a news release, the agency said 37 local government units (LGUs) reached 100 percent completion of aid distribution.

DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that amid all the challenges, the LGUs delivered their end of the bargain on the distribution of 'ayuda' to millions of beneficiaries, with most registering a 90 percent completion rate as of May 15.

He said the 91 percent distribution rate is a testament to the LGUs' commitment to extend the most help they can give to their constituents.

“Alam ninyo po isang malaking hamon po talaga itong pamamahagi ng ayuda sa panahon ng pandemya at nakakatuwa na we saw the commitment of the LGUs (As you know, the distribution of the assistance at this time of a pandemic was a big challenge. We are elated with the commitment we saw from the LGUs). And now billions of pesos of financial assistance have reached our kababayans. The 91 percent or PHP21.06 billion 'ayuda' distributed to qualified beneficiaries is a victory for the LGUs and the national government,” Año said.

He explained that the remaining 9 percent represents the unclaimed 'ayuda' and they have granted the LGUs with unclaimed funds the authority to prepare a new payroll and distribute these to other affected individuals in their respective communities within 10 days.

“Despite diligent efforts by the LGUs, some of the beneficiaries did not claim their ‘ayuda’ because they have moved to the provinces or are no longer residing in their LGUs. Many of them were also delisted because they were found to be duplicates in the Social Amelioration Program list. The LGUs have started to prepare a new payroll in order to distribute these unclaimed funds,” he said.

On May 15, Año said Bulacan tallied the highest completion rate of 96.85 percent corresponding to PHP2.87 billion worth of financial assistance with 12 LGUs namely Balagtas, Baliwag, Bocaue, Calumpit, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Guiguinto, Norzagaray, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel, San Miguel and, San Rafael finishing their 'ayuda' distribution.

Laguna tallied 19 LGUs which have completed aid distribution, the most among the whole NCR Plus bubble while garnering a high completion rate of 96.50 percent corresponding to PHP2.62 billion worth of financial aid distributed.

Among the LGUs which have completed distribution of ‘ayuda’ in Laguna are the cities of Biñan, Cabuyao, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and the towns of Alaminos, Calauan, Famy, Kalayaan, Lumban, Mabitac, Magdalena, Nagcarlan, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pakil, Pila, Rizal and Siniloan.

Meanwhile, Rizal followed with 93.34 percent, NCR with 90.99 percent; and Cavite with 86.04 percent, with five LGUs including Tagaytay City, Amadeo, Mendez, Naic, and Noveleta completing the aid distribution.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya said Metro Manila LGUs have tallied 90.99 percent completion rate amounting to PHP10.17 billion worth of 'ayuda' distributed to qualified families within the region.

“We commend the Metro Manila LGUs for stepping up and committing their resources for the effective distribution of 'ayuda',” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140457

Gordon calls for rapid vaccination

Expressing deep concern about the prospect of vaccines expiring in June, Senator Richard Gordon, speaking as chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, aired his appeal to the government to take immediate measures to fast-track Covid-19 vaccination.

Noting that about 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses are expiring in June, Gordon said the government must simplify the procedure of vaccination to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

While he understands the DOH’s protocol of subjecting vaccinees to prescreening to preclude any possible side effects, he said such protocols may be relaxed and encouraged the government to just provide post-vaccination care.

Gordon mentioned that this system has been widely used in the United States that enabled them to vaccinate millions of Americans in record time. Those getting vaccines do not spend long waiting hours and are just given a hotline or a number which they can call should they experience some serious side effects.

He said the Philippine Red Cross has chapters all over the country that can mobilize volunteers to vaccinate as many people as they can and all they need are the vaccine supplies.

“To avoid letting the vaccines expire, the government can immediately deliver the vaccines to the PRC and allow its volunteer doctors and nurses to administer the vaccines quickly and safely. As we struggle to meet our vaccination targets amidst the scarcity of supply, it would be criminal negligence to let so many doses go to waste,” the senator said.

“The Philippine Red Cross as an auxiliary to the government on humanitarian services is also a partner of the government under the Bayanihan Act and should be tapped by the government to help speed up Covid-19 vaccination,” he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140455

PNP, PDEA to craft protocols to prevent misencounters

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will craft operational guidelines and protocols which will be observed by the two agencies to avoid misencounters during the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.

In a statement Monday, PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said this decision was reached during a meeting with PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva over the weekend.

This came after operatives of the Quezon City Police District Station 4 and PDEA agents nearly figured in another incident of apparent miscommunication during a buy-bust operation on May 14.

However, timely communication and courtesy between the two agencies averted a repeat of a shootout between PNP and PDEA agents along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City last February.

"These include more rigid coordination procedures that must clearly indicate the specific areas of operation at the station level in big cities," Eleazar said.

Eleazar earlier noted that “illegal drug syndicates are taking advantage of the weaknesses or gaps in the rules of procedure on coordination and inter-operations" between the PNP and PDEA.

Eleazar said these lapses will be corrected to avoid further miscommunication among the two agencies. (with Priam Nepomuceno)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140450

Cloudy skies, isolated rains across PH Monday

By Ma. Cristina Arayata

The whole country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, the weather bureau said on Monday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said this weather condition is caused by the easterlies.

Flashfloods or landslides are possible during severe thunderstorms, it added.

Light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas will prevail over the entire archipelago, PAGASA said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1140449