Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Monday, August 29, 2022
PLDT Art Contest now accepting entries
Every year, the PLDT-DPC Telephone Directory Cover Visual Arts National Competition has a theme that reflects the changing concerns of society.
The Competition has given many young visual artists the opportunity to gain honors and see their works on the covers of telephone directories. The announcement of winners will be on February 4, 2023 at the Ayala Museum.
The Grand Prize-winning entry will be on the cover of PLDT Metro Manila Telephone Directory, which contains the White Pages and the Yellow Pages which come in two volumes, namely: Household and Business and Commercial and Industrial, while four remaining winning entries will be used for PLDT's provincial telephone directories. The entries are also judged by some of the country's top artists from the Artists Association of the Philippines Foundation Inc.
Almost PhP300,000 and trophies and plaques designed and executed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva are at stake. The Grand Prize Winner receives P60,000 and a trophy, while the School gets PhP25,000 and a plaque. The Second Prize Winner gets PhP50,000 and a plaque, while the School gets PhP20,000 and a plaque. The Third Prize Winner gets P40,000 and a trophy while the school receives PhP15,000 and a plaque. The Fourth and Fifth Prize Winners will receive PhP35,000 and PhP30,000, respectively; their schools get PhP10,000 and PhP8,000.
PLDT Telephone Directories
Metro Manila Telephone Directory - August Issue, 4-column book
Contains three volumes of directories included: White Pages - Alphabetical Listings, Yellow Pages - Household & Business (HB), and Yellow Pages - Commercial & Industrial (CI)
Delivered in: City of Manila, Caloocan City, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, San Pedro, Taguig, Valenzuela and Pateros
Ilocos/Abra Telephone Directory - September Issue, 2-column book
Distributed and delivered in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, parts of La Union are San Gabriel, Santol, Sudipen, and Bangar and parts of Cagayan are Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Calayan, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona.
Cagayan/Isabela/Nueva Vizcaya Telephone Directory - September Issue, 2-column book
Distributed and delivered in Santiago City, Isabela, Cagayan, Batanes, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya
Pangasinan / La Union Telephone Directory - September Issue, 2-column book
Distributed and delivered in Pangasinan and La Union (San Fernando, Agoo, Aringay, Bacnotan, Bagulin, Balaoan, Bangar, Bauang, Burgos, Caba, Luna, Naguilian, Pugo, Rosario, San Juan, Sto. Tomas and Tubao)
CALABAR Telephone Directory - December Issue, 4-column book
Distributed and delivered in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal
Palawan / Marinduque / Masbate / Occidental Mindoro / Oriental Mindoro / Romblon Telephone Directory - July Issue, 2-column book
Iloilo/Capiz Telephone Directory - February Issue, 4-column book
Distributed and delivered in Metro-Iloilo Guimaras (Iloilo City, Leganes, Oton, Pavia, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag), Aklan, Antique and Capiz
Negros Telephone Directory - September Issue, 4-column book
Distributed and delivered in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, Parts of Negros Oriental: Canlaon, Guihulngan, Jimalalud, La Libertad and Vallehermoso
Bohol/Leyte Telephone Directory - July Issue, 2-column book
Distributed in Bohol, Tacloban City, Samar Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran and Southern Leyte
Cebu Telephone Directory - October Issue, 4-column book
Distributed and delivered in Cebu
Davao Telephone Directory - November Issue, 4-column book
Distributed and delivered in Metro Davao (Davao City, Tagum, Panabo, Digos, Samal, Carmen, and Sta. Cruz), entire provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.
General Santos / Maguindanao / North & South Cotabato / Sarangani / Sultan Kudarat Telephone Directory - November Issue, 2-column book
Distributed in General Santos City, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Maguindanao and North Cotabato
Zamboanga Telephone Directory - February Issue, 2-column book
Distributed and delivered in Zamboanga City, Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi
PLDT Telephone Directories fatter-thin for 2023
PLDT Metro Manila:
- White Pages - Alphabetical Listings (merger of Government and Business Listings and Residential Listings)
- Yellow Pages - Household and Business
- Yellow Pages - Commercial and Industrial
- PLDT Iloilo / Capiz
- PLDT Misamis Occidental / Misamis Oriental
- PLDT Zamboanga
- PLDT Maratel
- PLDT Philcom
- PLDT Palawan / Marinduque / Masbate
- PLDT Bohol / Leyte
- PLDT Quezon / Albay / Camarines Norte and Sur / Catanduanes / Sorsogon
- PLDT Benguet / Mountain Province
- PLDT Negros Occidental / Negros Oriental
- PLDT Pangasinan / La Union
- PLDT Ilocos Norte / Ilocos Sur / Abra
- PLDT Cagayan / Isabela / Nueva Vizcaya
- PLDT Bulacan / Nueva Ecija
- PLDT Pampanga / Clarktel / Tarlac
- PLDT Bataan / Zambales / Subictel
- PLDT Cebu
- PLDT Davao / Surigao del Norte
- PLDT General Santos / Maguindanao / North and South Cotabato / Sarangani / Sultan Kudarat
- PLDT Cavite
- PLDT Laguna
- PLDT Batangas
- PLDT Rizal
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Friday, August 19, 2022
Senate on ‘total lockdown’ on Monday following COVID-19 infections
Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News
The Senate building in Pasay City will be on “total” lockdown on Monday to undergo “thorough cleaning and disinfection” following the COVID-19 infections of several senators and some staff, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri announced Friday.
“I have instructed the Secretariat to conduct a thorough cleaning and disinfection of all Senate offices. For this reason, there will be a total lockdown of our Senate building, and all Senate employees shall work from home and need not report to the Senate on Monday,” Zubiri said.
Zubiri said Senate sessions would resume on Tuesday.
Senators JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, and Joel Villanueva are the latest members of the Senate to catch COVID-19 this month.
Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe were earlier infected with the virus.
Comelec urges Maguindanao residents to vote with plebiscite preparations underway
The Commission on Elections has designated September 17 of this year for the holding of the Maguindanao plebiscite to determine whether or not the province will be divided into two.
At the Maguindanao Plebiscite Coordinating Conference in Cotabato City earlier this week, Comelec chair George Garcia urged residents of Maguindanao to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming plebiscite. Residents are voting to ratify Republic Act 11550, which President Rodrigo Duterte signed in May last year, dividing the province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The commission is also set to print 818,790 ballots for the plebiscite.
"We're calling on Maguindanaoans to go out and vote. This is for your future, not just one person. It's for your future... I believe that because of the love of Maguindanaoans in their province, because these are your aspirations, whether you really want to divide, or if you really don't want it, the important thing is always to be able to vote."
"It is not enough for Yes to win or for No to win enough. We should make sure that the people can vote... We will remember, always, sovereignty resides on the people."
Garcia also appealed to the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure the security of poll workers and remain vigilant against election-related violence and other violations.
A gun ban has since been implemented in the province as part of the government's security preparations ahead of the plebiscite.
"Sometimes, the electoral exercises that we know will be quiet are the ones that suddenly doesn't go well. So, let's not ignore that it's just a plebiscite... That's why I'm asking all of you, how can we came together in 2022 May [elections], that would be our coming together, our coordination for this in the upcoming plebiscite," Garcia said.
"That is my request, especially to the PNP and the ace AFP that I hope our election officers, election assistants and all election workers will be protected... I hope no lives will be lost or hurt because of this plebiscite."
A similar plebiscite was held in Palawan in March 2021, wherein a majority voted not to divide the province into three.
Thursday, August 18, 2022
Comelec asks PNP, AFP to secure poll workers in Maguindanao plebiscite
Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia on Thursday led the coordinating conference for the Maguindanao plebiscite next month.
Garcia was joined by Comelec commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo during the event held in Cotabato City.
According to the Office of the Comelec Chairman, security and preparations for the Sept. 17 plebiscite were discussed.
The plebiscite seeks to ratify the division of the Province of Maguindanao into two, to be known as Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The Maguindanao plebiscite will use 818,790 ballots.
Garcia appealed to the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure the security of poll workers.
“Yun pong kahilingan ko lang, lalo na po sa ating PNP at sa ating AFP, na sana naman po ang ating mga election officers, election assistants, at lahat ng manggagawa sa eleksyon ay ma-protektahan," he said.
"Kahit paano po, ang kanilang security ay masiguro natin. Kahit paano, na sana walang buhay na mawawala o masasaktan dahil sa plebesito na ito,” he added.
The printing for the first batch of official ballots has commenced at the National Printing Office (NPO) in Diliman, Quezon City, Comelec said.
The poll body said the manual election system is used for the conduct of plebiscites, and ballots are accomplished manually by the voters by writing the answer for the approval or rejection of the proposed measure.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte last year approved Republic Act 11550 which divided the southern province.
The two provinces will be created upon approval by the majority of residents in a plebiscite, the charter reads.
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Comelec prints ballots for Batangas, Maguindanao plebiscites
By: John Eric Mendoza - Reporter
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) started Tuesday the printing of ballots and other forms for the plebiscites to be held this September in Batangas and in Maguindanao.
The Batangas plebiscite on Sept. 3 is to ratify the conversion of Calaca town into a component city. The Maguindanao plebiscite on Sept.. 17 is to ratify the division of the province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The printing is being done at the National Printing Office, which has so far printed 58,881 ballots for Calaca.
Comelec said it would print 818,790 ballots for Maguindanao.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1647934/comelec-prints-ballots-for-batangas-maguindanao-plebiscites
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Maguindanao plebiscite: Gun ban starts August 16
A gun ban will be implemented from Aug. 16 to Sept. 24 as part of the security measures for the holding of a plebiscite in Maguindanao on Sept. 17.
In a resolution promulgated on Aug. 3, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said checkpoints would be set up in the province during the same period.
The plebiscite will ratify the division of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, as provided under Republic Act 11550 signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte in May 2021.
The resolution was published in The STAR on Wednesday.
The poll body ordered its information department to furnish copies of the resolution to the Department of Justice, Cotabato City prosecutor’s office, Maguindanao provincial prosecutor’s office, Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Cotabato City police officers and 36 local government units in Maguindanao.
The Comelec regional director in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, provincial election supervisor and election officers in the province should also be furnished copies of the resolution, the poll body said.
Comelec acting acting spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said Maguindanao allotted P89.14 million for the plebiscite.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/12/2202052/maguindanao-plebiscite-gun-ban-starts-august-16
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Bill establishing Alcatraz-type 'heinous crime penitentiary’, other measures lapsed into law
Forty-one bills passed during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte have lapsed into law, including measures seeking to establish an Alcatraz-like facility for prisoners convicted of heinous crimes and to strengthen the protection of minors against online sexual exploitation.
The measures lapsed into law last month, data released by Malacañang Wednesday showed.
The 1987 Constitution gives the president 30 days to sign a bill into law or veto it. If the chief executive does not act on the bill within 30 days, the measure would lapse into law.
Among the bills that have lapsed into law is the measure that aims to establish a separate facility for persons convicted of heinous crimes. Under the measure, the facility shall be built in a location away from the general population and other persons deprived of liberty, preferably within a military establishment or on an island separate from the mainland. The bill, which seeks to decongest jails and deter crimes, also directs the justice department to determine the location of the facility. The measure lapsed into law last July 30 and is now known as Republic Act No. 11929.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Alcatraz is a former maximum security prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, off the coast of California. Among the high-profile convicts who were imprisoned in Alcatraz were Al Capone and Robert Stroud.
In an earlier statement, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed that the maximum prison security compound may be built either at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija or an island off Luzon.
Another measure that has lapsed into law is the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act or Republic Act No. 11930. The bill became law without the president's signature last July 30.
The law increases the responsibilities of social media platforms, electronic service providers and internet, and financial intermediaries by requiring them to block and preserve materials that promote sexual abuse and exploitation of children and to cooperate with law enforcers. The measure also forms a national coordinating center against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children that will be under the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.
Other bills that have lapsed into law include the measure penalizing willful and indiscriminate discharge of firearms; Sicogon Island Wildlife and Sanctuary Act; the measure creating the Metropolitan Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay Development Authority; Radio City Telephone Company Inc. franchise; Baliwag City charter; Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act; local measures related to Barangay Naibuan, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Barangay Poblacion B, M'lang, South Cotabato; Barangay Tulalian, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte; Barangay Tagukon, Kabankalan CIty, Negros Occidental; Barangay Songkoy, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Barangay Pangaylan-Ip, Santiago, Agusan del Norte; Barangay Panacan-2, Narra, Palawan; Barangay Crossing, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Barangay Batucan in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur; More Electric and Power Corporation franchise; Private Security Services Industry Act; and the bill increasing the social pension of indigent senior citizens.
Also in the list of measures that have lapsed into law are the National Music Competition for Young Artists Act; and Provincial Science and Technology Office Act; National Youth Day Act; the bill establishing a multi-species matine hatchery in Bagac, Bataan; the bill establishing a mangrove crab hatchery in Barangay Geratag, San Jose, Northern Samar; Summer Youth Camp Acy; Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death and Marriage Act; Parent Effectiveness Service Program Act; Oro Broadcasting Network Inc. franchise; the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act; bills creating barangay Doña Maxima in San Luis, Agusan del Sur and the barangays Acma-Mariano Badelles Sr., San Roque, Luinab, Upper Hinaplanon and Ulbado Laya, Iligan province; the Agriculture Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022; the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act; the Second Congressional Commission on Education Act; Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022; National Baptist Day Act; the bill dividing Barangay Muzon in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan into four independent barangays; the measure establishing a multi-species marine hatchery in Tibiao, Antique, the Unicorn Communications Corporation Telcommunications franchise; and the measure converting the Land Transportation Office extension office in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija into a regular district office.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles denied that President Marcos went on "veto spree," noting that he only vetoed five measures.
The vetoed bills were the measure creating the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone; the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel charter; the bill seeking to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company Inc.; the Philippine Transportation Safety Board Act; and the measure exempting from income taxation the honoraria, allowances and other financial benefits of persons rendering service during elections.