PALACE SAYS MARCOS JR VETOED BULACAN ECOZONE TO ‘CURE’ DEFECTS, AIRPORT UNAFFECTED

MANILA - Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s veto of the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport was meant to “cure the defects” in the measure.

In a statement released on Sunday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Marcos “fully supports” the creation of the new economic zone in Bulacan and that construction of the P740-billion international airport in the province will push through.

“Presidential Veto is [the] fastest way to cure the defects of HB 7575, especially the provision which exempts the Commission on Audit to look into the financial transactions on the special economic zone and freeport,” Secretary Angeles pointed out.

All financial transactions in government are audited by COA and the new economic zone “is no exception” she said.

Angeles said that if Marcos had not vetoed the measure, it would have lapsed into law on July 4.

“Without those necessary amendments indicated in the veto explanation, the law may be vulnerable to constitutional challenge. The delegation of rule-making power on environmental laws which is unique to the special economic zone is of particular concern,” Angeles said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said proponents of the new ecozone can press their case further.

“Opening salvo lang naman na may veto,” said PCCI president George Barcelon said during the Balitaan sa Maynila webinar, Sunday.

The group also noted that the veto has no effect on the planned airport.

“Di naman apektado ang airport. Ang apektado lang ang mga incentives ng ecozone. Ang airport mismo, may incentives na binigay ang gobyerno, I don’t think that is affected,” Barcelon said.

The president’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos meanwhile said the veto was “proof of the independence of the branches of government under the Marcos administration.”

MGA ABOGADO KAY MARCOS JR.: MAKIPAGTULUNGAN SA ICC INVESTIGATION VS 'DUTERTE EJKS'

MANILA — Hinimok ng isang samahan ng mga abogado si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na makipagtulungan sa International Criminal Court (ICC) pagdating sa reklamong "crimes against humanity" sa ilalim ng madugong gera kontra-droga ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Una nang sinabi ni ICC prosecutor Karim Khan na itutuloy na nila ang full investigation pagdating sa mga naturang patayan at paglabag sa karapatang pantao, ito matapos unang sabihin noon ng Malacañang na hindi sila makikipagtulungan sa probe hangga't nasa pwesto si Duterte.

"If Marcos really intends to continue the 'war on drugs' within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights, he should cooperate more closely with the ICC investigation, and eventually, rejoin the assembly of states parties," wika ng Mga Manananggol Laban sa Extrajudicial Killings (Manlaban sa EJK), Lunes.

"Manlaban thus firmly supports the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it will achieve the 'high level of accountability' that Marcos has said he wants in human rights."

Ika-24 ng Hunyo nang sabihin ni National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, na itinalaga ni Bongbong, na dapat payagan ng bagong administrasyon ang ICC na pumunta ng Pilipinas para imbestigahan ang isyu ng EJKs.

Sa kabila nito, Enero 2022 lang nang sabihin ni Bongbong noong siya'y kumakandidato pa lang na papayagan niya ang ICC team sa Pilipinas, hindi bilang probers, ngunit "bilang mga turista."

Aniya, gumagana naman daw kasi ang judiciary ng Pilipinas para mag-imbestiga sa mga reklamo sa loob ng bansa.

SARA’S OVP OPENS 6 SATELLITE OFFICES

MANILA — Access to services provided by the Office of the Vice President may easily be reached by other regions in the country now, according to Vice President Sara Duterte, as the OVP has launched six regional satellite offices, three of them in Mindanao.

“On my first full day as Vice President, we have opened satellite offices in various parts of the country in order to help our citizens have immediate access to the services of the Office of the Vice President,” Duterte said in Filipino in a post on her Facebook account over the weekend.

The newly launched satellite offices were located in the cities of Dagupan for Region 1 (Ilocos), Cebu for Region 7 (Central Visayas), Tacloban for Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), Zamboanga for Region 9 (Western Mindanao), Davao for Region 11 (Southern Mindanao) and Tandag in Surigao del Sur for Region 13 (Eastern Mindanao).

Duterte had earlier said that she intends to carry over at the OVP the Magnegosyo Ta Day entrepreneurship program for women, which was launched in Davao City in 2020 during her term as mayor.

RE-ELECTION BILL WON'T BENEFIT BONGBONG, SARA, SAYS LAWMAKER

MANILA - A fresh attempt for charter change allowing the president and other officials to seek reelection will not benefit newly-elected President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr or Vice-President Sara Duterte, the bill's proponent said Monday.

Pampanga Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. last week filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 1, which seeks a 5-year term with one reelection for president, vice-president, lawmakers and local officials. The Constitution bans presidents from seeking reelection after their single 6-year term ends. Vice presidents may run for reelection once.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, Gonzales denied that he filed it so that President Marcos and Vice President Duterte would benefit, saying that he also filed the bill under the 17th and 18th Congresses.

"Kung maaaprove po ng 19th Congress, magstart po ito 2025, midterm po ito ng ating Pangulo and Vice President. Hindi na po sila pwede tumakbo sa bagong batas na ito," he said.

He also denied critics' claims that the term extension was "self-serving" as he was on his last term as a lawmaker and cannot run for reelection.

"Swerte po yung mga 2nd term, meron pa silang natitirang term. Kung ma-a-approve po ito…meron kang additional term with this new law," he said.

Gonzales said the current single term of 6 years "appears to be insufficient" for long-term programs and policies.

“We are now on the road to recovery, having more than P12 trillion in national debt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently the high prices of fuel due to the Russia-Ukraine war," he said in an earlier interview.

"A long-term solution is wanting; hence, longer term policy on good and competent leadership should be put in place,” he added.

MMDA: FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS COMPLETED

MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported yesterday that its flood control projects flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) were “substantially completed” this year.

Last year, the audit body identified 59 unfinished flood control projects of the MMDA in the metropolis due to several factors brought by the pandemic.

In a statement, MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office head Baltazar Melgar said the flood mitigation projects are currently operational.

“Now that we are slowly returning to normal following the easing of COVID restrictions, we are reassessing our processes to ensure the completion of our flood control projects,” he said.

Melgar also said all 77 pumping stations of the MMDA are working at full capacity.

The agency continues to conduct flood-mitigation activities to declog and clean up waterways, he said.

DILG FAILED TO UTILIZE P577 MILLION COVID-19 FUNDS – COA

MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) over P577.053 million in unutilized COVID-19 funds, the bulk of which was intended for contact-tracing operations.

In its annual audit report on the DILG, the COA noted that as of Dec. 31 last year, the agency has yet to obligate or utilize 14.29 percent or P577.053 million of its P4.038-billion total allotment for COVID-19 response under Republic Act 11518 or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2021 and RA 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

The COA’s breakdown showed that out of the total allotment, P3.525 billion was downloaded to the DILG’s Regional Offices (ROs) while P512.468 million remained at the DILG Central Office (CO).

The COA’s record indicated that ROs posted high utilization rates of 99.14 percent or P1.914 billion out of the P1.930 billion current year allotment under the 2021 GAA and 92.73 percent, or P1.479 billion out of the P1.595 billion continuing year allotment under Bayanihan 2.

On the other hand, the CO only utilized 35.46 percent or P67.893 million of its P191.467 million current year allotment and none or zero percent of its P321 million continuing year allotment.

The COA said this made the CO responsible for the bulk or P444.575 million or 77.04 percent of the P577.053 million total unutilized COVID-19 response fund of the agency.

“We recommended that the management maximize utilization of allotments through proper planning and timely implementation of planned activities during the period,” the COA, nonetheless, still told the DILG.

NEXT HEALTH SECRETARY SHOULD HAVE 'MALASAKIT' - GROUP

MANILA – A request to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr: the next chief of the Department of Health shouldn't just be a specialist or topnotch administrator but someone who has ‘malasakit’ or concern for the Filipino people, a group of nurses said Monday.

“Sa tingin po namin ang dapat na susunod na kalihim ng Department of Health ay isang tao na hindi lamang po may technical and specialization skills sa public health atsaka po sa administration kung hindi isa rin pong mamumuno na mayroon po talagang tunay na malasakit sa taumbayan,” Filipino Nurses United president Maristel Abenojar said.

“Yung tipo po bang mabilis na kikilos kung kinakailangan at kokonsultahin palagi ang kanyang mga constituents lalo na po ang mga health workers natin na partners po ng DOH sa pagpapatupad ng mga programa,” she added.

Newly-elected President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to name a new Health Secretary.

Abenojar said they hope the Marcos administration would address the shortage of nurses in public health facilities nationwide.

PALACE: NO NEED TO COMMENT ON IMELDA BIRTHDAY PARTY AT MALACAÑAN

MANILA — Photos online suggesting a birthday party was held for former first lady Imelda Marcos at Malacañan Palace are not of public interest, the Office of the Press Secretary said as it declined comment on the matter.

Photos posted by lawyer Michael Manotoc — son of Sen. Imee Marcos and the former first lady's grandson — on his Instagram account showed an event to celebrate "Mama Meldy's 93rd Birthday" at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall on July 2.

The decor of the area where the celebration was held matches those of Rizal Hall, which is used for state dinners and other assemblies, from official photos and the captions on the photos stated the party was held at the presidential palace.

"We will only be releasing statements on issues where public interest/welfare is involved," the Palace said in response to inquiries from media.

Malacañan is the official residence of the president of the Philippines, although President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has indicated he will not be living there.

GREEN TRANSPORT THINK TANK URGES TRANSITION TO ZERO-CARBON TRANSPORT AMID FUEL CRISIS

MANILA — A green transportation think tank called for a transition from oil and gas production and a shift towards more viable zero-carbon options in the wake of the resulting oil price crisis.

In a statement sent to media, the Council for Decarbonising Transport in Asia said that the current fuel crisis exposed countries' vulnerabilities due to fuel importation restrictions, resulting in economic repercussions that also affected public transport supply on the roads.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put Asian countries in jeopardy, causing inflation and another round of price increases for fuel products. The Philippines’ inflation rate at 5.4% is at its highest in over three years. Oil prices soared by more than 6% in India, touching their highest since 2008. Vietnam’s petrol prices have reached a new record and marked its seventh price hike since April,” the council said.

“The fuel crisis's impact on Asian countries exposes their dependence on fossil fuels. If countries cannot keep up with high fuel costs, sectors will not be able to function as expected, which will have economic consequences,” the 14-member council composed of experts in mobility and transportation also warned.

Set up under the NDC Transport Initiative for Asia, the group said that the current fuel crisis should be incentivizing shifts in the transportation system.

“Now is the best time to act, and we expect carbon emissions from transport will increase in Asia by another 48% come 2050. A decarbonized transport industry is possible by mid-century if the mobility needs of all are met with zero-carbon options, integrating all modes seamlessly, efficiently, and convenient,” the council said in its report.

HIGHEST SINCE FEBRUARY 25: PH LOGS 1,323 NEW COVID-19 CASES; 14 NEW DEATHS

MANILA - The Philippines recorded 1,323 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.

This is the highest daily tally since February 25, or in over four months, according to ABS-CBN Data Analytics Team head Edson Guido.

As of Sunday, the number of people currently positive for the coronavirus stood at 9,703 -- the highest since April 27 this year.

There were also 14 new deaths.

The country's total confirmed cases climbed to 3,708,271.

Its first infection was reported on Jan. 30, 2020, involving a Chinese woman who arrived from Wuhan City, China where the disease is believed to have first emerged.

Of the additional cases reported during the day, 663 are from Metro Manila, the DOH said.

The positivity rate from June 26 to July 2 is at 6.8 percent, higher than the 5.0 percent recorded the previous week, said Guido.

COMELEC: VOTER REGISTRATION FOR BRGY, SK POLLS STARTS MONDAY

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded Filipinos qualified to vote for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to register beginning Monday, July 4.

In a statement on Sunday, acting Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco advised those qualified not to wait for the last day of voter registration, set on July 23.

"Dahil po maikli lang ang panahon ng pagrehistro para makatupad ang Comelec sa mga batas at alituntunin ng halalan, hinihiling namin na huwag ng hintayin ang mga huling araw ng pagpapatala para makaseguro ang pagrehistro," he said.

Registration will run from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Laudiangco said.

According to the poll official, Filipinos aged "at least 15 years old on or before December 5, 2022 but not more than 30 years of age and residing in the barangay for at least 6 months immediately preceding the December 5, 2022" elections can register as SK voters.

P1.7 BILLION ‘SHABU’ CONFISCATED IN QC, CAVITE RAIDS; 2 CHINESE NATIONALS NABBED

MANILA - Authorities hauled more than P1.7 billion worth of suspected crystal meth or shabu in separate raids in Cavite and Quezon City on Sunday.

Two Chinese nationals were also arrested.

The Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) teamed up for the operation conducted in Barangay Lourdes in the Banawe area.

About 40 kilos of a white crystalline substance, believed to be shabu, were recovered. Authorities estimate the haul is worth about P272 million.

The alleged illegal drugs were reportedly placed inside tea bags/packs.

A Chinese national identified as alias "Jia," 33 was arrested in the QC raid.

"Matagal na itong sinusubaybayan, ang grupong ito. Akala nila, 'di siya nakikita," said Villanueva.

“One of the bodegahan dito sa NCR, eventually, nakuha rin. Kaya for the past few weeks, yung mga operatiba natin may malalaking nahuhuli for the past few weeks. Ito na iyon,” he added.

In a follow-up operation in Barangay Salawag, Dasmariñas City, Cavite, authorities confiscated around 220 kilos of the suspected shabu. The haul is estimated to have a street price of P1.46 billion.

Another Chinese national named “Hai” 41 years old, was arrested.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

'MINIONS' DOMINATE US THEATERS ON JULY 4TH WEEKEND

LOS ANGELES — "Minions: The Rise of Gru," the latest installment in the animated "Despicable Me" franchise, crushed the competition at the North American box office in its opening weekend, with an expected $127.9 million take over the four-day July 4th holiday.

Universal's "Minions" far outpaced the number two film, "Top Gun: Maverick," which came in at $32.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

"This is a sensational opening," said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.

"Family animation, more than any other genre, has struggled to find its footing during the pandemic," he said. "This weekend, 'Minions' is breaking through and big animation is back in business."

According to Variety, if confirmed, the box office haul would make the fifth chapter in the "Despicable Me" series about reformed super-villain Gru and his yellow Minions the highest film opening over Independence Day, besting 2011's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."

Rolling along in second place is Paramount's "Top Gun: Maverick," the crowd-pleasing sequel to the original 1986 film that once again features Tom Cruise as cocky US Navy test pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

The film has raked in more than $1.1 billion worldwide.

Baz Luhrmann's music biopic "Elvis" -- starring relative newcomer Austin Butler as the King alongside Tom Hanks as his exploitative manager, Colonel Tom Parker -- dropped to third place in its second weekend of release, at $23.7 million.

Fourth place went to "Jurassic World Dominion," Universal's sixth installment in the "Jurassic Park" franchise, at $19.2 million.

The latest dinosaur frightfest stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard alongside franchise originals Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.

Rounding out the top five was horror film "The Black Phone" starring Ethan Hawke as a serial killer, which earned $14.6 million in its second weekend in theaters.

SPORTS

GILAS PILIPINAS MEN DEF. INDIA, 79-63 JULY 3 | FIBA WORLD CUP 2023 ASIAN QUALIFIERS

Gilas Pilipinas Men (2-2) defeated India men's national basketball team (0-4), 79-63 in the third window of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers on Sunday, July 3 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Dwight Ramos led the young Gilas team with 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting along with 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists in 29 minutes of play. Kiefer Ravena finished with 12 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals while William Navarro added 11 points, 4 boards, 2 steals and 1 assist.

The Scores:

PHILIPPINES 79 – Ramos 21, Ravena 12, Navarro 11, Tamayo 9, Quiambao 6, Lopez 6, Abarrientos 5, Chiu 5, Abando 2, Belangel 2.

INDIA 63 – Hafeez 13, Krishnan 12, Sekhon 12, Bhriguvanshi 8, Goti 7, Rawat 7, Prince 2, Aryan 2, Tomar 0, Nayak 0.

Quarters: 21-10, 45-24, 65-44, 79-63.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge. - C.G. Jung