PBBM TAPS DSWD AS ZERO HUNGER TASK FORCE HEAD

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the reorganization of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger and tapped the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as chairperson.

Mr. Marcos issued Executive Order No. 27 after the abolition of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, which used to head the task force.

The EO created the position of a co-chairperson which would be the executive director of the National Nutrition Council.

It retained the Agriculture Secretary — concurrently held by Mr. Marcos — as vice chairperson.

The Secretary of Education — also concurrently filled by Vice President Sara Duterte — will also be part of the task force as a member.

From the original 12 members, Mr. Marcos narrowed it down to only 10.

The Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (now the Presidential Communications Office) have been removed as task force members.

Retained were the secretaries of the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Budget and Management (DBM), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Trade and Industry (DTI), Science and Technology (DOST), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The 10th member is a representative from the Office of the President.

MASSIVE FIRE ENGULFS ICONIC MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE

MANILA, Philippines — A massive fire hit the Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio in the early hours of Monday.

The blaze at the iconic building, which is a national historical landmark, reached General Alarm, requiring 80 firetrucks to respond.

Second Alarm was earlier raised at 1:09 a.m., the Manila Public Information Office said in a Facebook post.

The Manila Central Post Office is the headquarters of the government-owned and controlled Philippine Postal Corp. The main mail sorting and distribution operations of the country are also housed at the Post Office.

Construction on the neoclassical building designed by renowned Filipino architects Juan Arellano and Tomás Mapúa began in 1926.

During the Battle of Manila in World War II, the building was severely damaged but was rebuilt in 1946.

MARCOS TELLS PMA GRADUATES: UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, RULE OF LAW

Fort del Pilar, Baguio City – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on the members of Philippine Military Academy “MADASIGON” Class of 2023 to continue upholding daemocracy and the rule of law as they officially join the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“As you join the military’s ranks, continue to fuel your undying and genuine love for country and commitment to public service. In all your tasks, diligently work for unity, respect for democratic ideals, institutions and mechanisms, and the rule of law,” Mr. Marcos said at the commencement exercises at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday.

Class valedictorian Warren Leonor of Lipa City, Batangas, will join the Air Force.

Leonor received the Presidential Saber, along with the Award of Excellence (cum laude), Philippine Air Force Saber, and the Joint United States Military Assistance Group Saber.

Of the total 310 graduates, 158 (123 males and 35 females) will join the Army; 76 (57 males and 19 females) will join the Air Force; and 77 (59 males and 18 females) will be assigned to the Navy.

“As you encounter challenges along the way, apply the hard-won lessons that you have learned while in the halls of the Academy, clinging to the values of courage, integrity, and patriotism. That way, you will never lose your way,” Mr. Marcos said.

“Live up to the precepts that define your class identity — namely, honor, excellence, and ability to recover — and help lead our nation towards the progressive and prosperous future that we all aspire for,” he added.

DOF: GOV’T EYES SELLING P1.5 BILLION IN ASSETS TO BOOST REVENUES

MANILA — The Philippine government eyes selling more assets through privatization this year to generate revenues and address budget constraints, an official said.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government aims to sell some P1.5 billion worth of assets under the Privatization and Management Office (PMO).

Most of the assets for disposition are real estate properties, as well as mining rights. No list of assets was given, but the Mile Long property and the Basay mine were mentioned during a media briefing.

Aside from assets under PMO, the government is also eyeing to privatize other properties following the successful bidding of the 165 MW Casecnan hydropower facility in Nueva Ecija.

Diokno said the Fresh River Lakes Corp, subsidiary of First Gen Corporation, won the bid by offering $526 million or P29.6 billion. It will still undergo a post-qualification process to verify the accuracy and authenticity of the eligibility documents submitted.

“This is the first asset privatization under the PBBM administration. The privatization of Casecnan will ensure that the sector remains competitive, so as to reduce energy prices,” Diokno said.

First Gen and ABS-CBN are part of the Lopez group of companies.

Meanwhile, Department of Finance Undersecretary Catherine Fong of the Privatization and Corporate Affairs Group said the government could do better than the P1.5 billion target.

Fong intends to double the amount they received last year in privatizing idle assets, which was P1.5 billion.

Fong explained that the government still has many assets, with some coming from dissolved agencies, among others.

Aside from the Basay mine, the government is also eyeing other mining rights to be auctioned off particularly nickel and copper mines, pending clearance since some of these assets are under litigation.

Fong clarified that the government is talking to international agencies regarding the best practices in terms of auctioning off mining rights in a more responsible way.

When asked about the privatization of PAGCOR, Fong said the “policy of the government is to separate regulatory powers from proprietary powers. Naka plano na yun (it is already planned).” However, no timeline has been set yet.

PANEL OKS ALTERNATE EDUCATION MEASURE

A bill seeking to expand and institutionalize alternate education programs for professionals seeking to finish their college studies has been approved by the Senate Committee on Education.

Senate Bill 1908 or Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act, which was authored by Sen. Mark Villar, aimed to help professionals translate their work experiences into academic credits.

“Under this program, professionals with an aggregate of five (5) or more years of work experience can use the knowledge, experiences, achievements, and skills and obtained through their jobs to earn school credits that are then deducted from the total number of units or credits that they are required to earn before they graduate,” the bill read.

To qualify for the program, an applicant must meet the following requirements: a) must be a Filipino citizen, whether in the Philippines or abroad; b) at least five years of work experience; c) a birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority; d) is 23 years old or above; e) a resume or curriculum vitae or personal data sheet; f) a duly accomplished ETEEAP application form; g) a service record or employment certificate signed by the employer; h) a job description signed by the employer; and i) a Transcript of Records.

In the proposed bill, the Commission on Higher Education would remain to implement the accreditation program.

CHED will evaluate the experience and skill of the applicants to properly place them into the appropriate degree. It would also determine the deficiencies of an applicant that would need remedial studies or academic supplementation.

Written examinations, practical and laboratory works would also be part of the program.

“This (bill) will provide greater access to education. This will also allow a sustainable implementation of the program given that there would be a continuous allocation to implement the program as the chair,” Dr. Cherrie Diego, Director of CHED-Office of Programs and Standards Development said in a statement.

CHED said an allocated budget of P20 million to P25 million for the program.

COAST GUARD INVESTIGATES CEBU FAST CRAFT COLLISION, CHECKS FOR OIL SPILL

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard is investigating a collision in the Mactan Channel on Sunday between fast craft MV St. Jhudiel and cargo vessel LCT Poseidon 23.

The two vessels collided in waters off Barangay Looc in Mandaue City after MV St. Jhudiel experienced a “steering casualty and engine failure” as it was sailing to Cebu City from Ormoc, Leyte.The PCG said it sent out a boat as well as land transport and an ambulance in response to the collision. Citing a statement from MV St. Jhudiel’s master, the coast guard said at least 25 of 197 passengers on board suffered minor injuries.

It added that Coast Guard Marine Environmental Protection Force - Central Visayas was dispatched to the area to conduct an oil spill assessment. The regional PCG district has also directed its Maritime Safety Services Unit to conduct a marine casualty investigation.

SuperCat Fast Ferry Corp. said in a statement that it deeply “apologizes for the harm and inconvenience caused by the recent accident” involving its fast craft.

The company added it is “conducting a thorough investigation of the incident with proper government agencies, and that additional safety measures and appropriate actions shall be undertaken to avoid recurrence of this unfortunate incident.”

The company added that its “primary concern now is to ensure that all those who sustained injuries are properly cared for.”

“Additional safety measures and appropriate actions shall be undertaken to avoid [the] recurrence of this unfortunate incident,” it added.

In a statement on Sunday, SuperCat said that the collision happened around 2:44 p.m. It also said that a tugboat brought the fast craft to port in Cebu and unloaded all 208 passengers and crew. It also said that injured passengers were brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.

LCT Poseidon 23 returned to its port of origin in Mandaue City to assess damage to the vessel.

LTO CHIEF TUGADE RESIGNS, CITES DIFFERENCES WITH DOTR

MANILA — Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Jay Art Tugade on Monday announced his resignation from his post, citing differences between his office and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), its parent agency.

In a statement, Tugade said he was stepping down as LTO chief to give DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista "the free hand to choose who he can work best with."

"Even as DOTR and LTO both aim to succeed in serving the public, our methods to achieve that success differ," he said.

"I will continue to root for the LTO's success even as a private citizen, because I will always share in Sec. Bautista’s belief that our offices can be a formidable force for good in our country," he added.

Tugade, the son of former Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade, resigned from the LTO 6 months since assuming the office's leadership.

He was initially appointed as the new general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), but was later moved to LTO last November.

His resignation comes as the LTO faces a shortage in plastic cards for driver's licenses. Bautista and Tugade earlier gave contradicting statements about the issue.

Currently, applicants receive driver’s licenses printed on paper.

Tugade had insisted that the DOTr’s January 2023 memorandum prevented them from procuring plastic cards but Bautista said the LTO should have taken care of the procurement process as soon as they spotted the need.

“Unfortunately, LTO was not able to do the early procurement… When the Bids and Awards Committee requested LTO to do the procurement and requested the TOR, they said they are not ready yet. We are hoping that we will complete the procurement by June,” Bautista said.

Amid all the issues hounding the transportation industry and calls for Bautista to resign from his post, he says he will continue to serve at the pleasure of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

7 MILLION PINOYS TO RECEIVE INFLATION AYUDA

MANILA, Philippines — More than seven million Filipinos will benefit from the P7.6-billion funding that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will receive for its Targeted Cash Transfer (TCT) program.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said the department would facilitate the release of cash assistance of P500 per month to help beneficiaries cope with rising prices of basic goods and other commodities.

“The DSWD has set mechanisms to implement the TCT program in a timely manner. We hope that through this additional funding, we will be able to help our kababayans in their daily subsistence,” he said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced on Tuesday the approval of a Special Allotment Release Order for a P7.68-billion budget for the TCT program.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian thanked the TCT inter-agency committee composed of the DSWD, DBM, Department of Finance and National Economic and Development Authority for prioritizing the budget allocation for the continuous implementation of the TCT program.

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CEBU PACIFIC REOPENS LAOAG-MANILA ROUTE

MANILA — Cebu Pacific said it relaunched on Monday flights between Laoag and Manila to cater to passengers traveling to and from north Luzon.

Starting May 22, Cebu Pacific will operate daily flights between Manila and Laoag, the airline said.

“We are excited to fly again to Laoag as we continue to grow our domestic network and provide accessible and affordable air travel to every Juan. The relaunch of this route will also strengthen Laoag’s position as a leading tourism and cultural hub in north Luzon,” said Xander Lao, Cebu Pacific President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc said the initiatives of Cebu Pacific would boost the province's tourism industry.

Cebu Pacific said Laoag is its 35th destination under its domestic network.

MOTORCYCLE GROUP CALLS FOR INCENTIVES ON LOCAL PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES

MANILA, Philippines – The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association (MDPPA) called on the government to incentivize the production of motorcycles to balance the playing field with the anticipated grant of tax breaks for electric vehicles.

The group said it supports the giving of incentives to electric vehicles (EVs) but it stressed that the government should protect local production.

It said that while they welcome the electrification of transport along with the introduction of e-motorcycles in the country, it is also important to incentivize local production.

"What we strive to achieve is a level playing field, between domestic production of ICE [internal combustion engine] motorcycles, and the tariff-exempted importation of EV, while our country is in the process of electrification," MDPPA said in a statement.

E-motorcycles were excluded under Executive Order No.12 series of 2023 which gives tax breaks to EVs and their components for the next five years to promote their use among Filipinos.

Under the executive issuance, different types of EVs with around 30% tariff got their taxes reduced to zero.

The National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) said that the inclusion of e-motorcycle in the list of EVs with tax breaks will be up for deliberation by February 2024.

MWSS MAGBUBUKAS NG MGA BAGONG WATER TREATMENT PLANT

MAYNILA – Nakatakdang mag-operate ng mga bagong water treatment plant sa bansa ang Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) sa gitna ng banta ng kakulangan ng tubig sa ilang lugar sa Metro Manila at Cavite.

Ayon kay MWSS Angat and Ipo Operations Management Division Head Engineer Patrick Dizon, nakatakda silang magbukas ng water treatment plant sa Marikina, Cavite, at Rizal.

“Marami po kaming i-implement or i-operate na mga projects…yung Cavite Modular Water Treatment Plant, yung Marikina Water Treatment Plant,” sabi niya sa panayam ng TeleRadyo.

“Yung mga deep wells po natin, so nagpa-approve po tayo sa (National Water Resources Board) na ma-operate po namin yung existing deep wells po natin dito sa Metro Manila, at yung Calawis Water Treatment Plant po natin sa Rizal,” dagdag niya.

“So 80 million liters per day po ito, so ito po yung i-operate po natin this summer po.”

May isa pa aniyang water treatment plant na ipinapatayo sa Muntinlupa.

Una nang umapela si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa publiko na magtipid sa tubig, kasunod ng babala ng MWSS na maaaring magkaroon ng problema sa suplay ng tubig dahil sa pagbaba ng kalidad ng tubig sa Laguna Lake at pagbara ng lumot at kalat sa kanilang water filtration system.

SCHOOL FOR DEAF, BLIND NAMED IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTY

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National School for the Deaf and Blind building in Pasay City was recognized by the government as an important cultural property.

The National Museum of the Philippines made the announcement during an unveiling ceremony on Friday, which was attended by city government officials led by Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano.

Present during the unveiling were officials from the National Museum and Nishimura Tokiko, second secretary of the economic section of the Japan embassy.

Established in 1907, it is the pioneer school for the handicapped in the country and in Asia, according to the school’s website.

“It has definitely stood the test of time, and as a family here in Pasay, we vow to take care of such a precious gem,” Calixto-Rubiano said in a statement.

She said the architecture and overall structure of the building have amazed even the most meticulous artists.

“We will do everything that we can to keep it that way,” she said.

PAGASA MONITORING POTENTIAL 'SUPER TYPHOON' OUTSIDE PAR

MANILA -- State weather bureau PAGASA on Monday said it is monitoring a tropical cyclone that may develop into a super typhoon outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

In its latest public weather forecast, PAGASA said the cyclone was last seen 2,330 km east of Mindanao.

It has maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gusts of up to 160 kph. It is moving west northweatward at 15 kph.

Weather forecaster Anna Clauren-Jorda said there is a low probability of the cyclone making landfall in the Philippines.

"In the next 24 to 48 hours makikita natin na possible po itong umabot sa kategorya na super typhoon, pero hindi po naman po natin nakikita na magkakaroon po ito ng landfall scenario sa anumang bahagi ng ating bansa," she said.

"Pero pinag-iingat at pinaghahanda pa rin natin yung ating mga kababayan dahil possible nga po itong mag-enhance o magpalakas ng southwest monsoon o habagat na kung saan magpapaulan sa may kanlurang bahagi ng ating bansa," she added.

Meanwhile, a southwesterly wind flow is affecting the western sections of southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms are expected over Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and Antique.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to the southwesterly windflow and localized thunderstorms.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy. - Martin Luther King