MARCOS WON’T VETO MAHARLIKA

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his intention to sign the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill into law once it reaches his office. He emphasized the importance of proper management and independence of the sovereign fund for its success. The President stated that decisions related to the fund should be made by finance professionals and not influenced by politics. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri signed the enrolled copy of the MIF bill during his visit to the United States, addressing concerns over the bill's prescriptive period provisions. The MIF aims to create a sovereign wealth fund for government investments while safeguarding the pension funds of various agencies. Opposition Senator Koko Pimentel raised concerns over the bill's constitutionality, while the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives criticized the discussions held on the bill through a Viber group.

MARCOS TELLS DPWH: INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS MUST SERVE FUTURE GENERATIONS

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ensure that infrastructure projects would benefit future generations.

"People sometimes forget..that the decision we make today, we will have to leave with to the next 80 to 100 years. So wag natin lang iisipin kung ano ang maganda ngayon, kailangan tumagal ito," Marcos said in a speech for the DPWH's 125th anniversary.

"After 10 years hindi natin gigibain, ang laki-laki ng binayad natin para diyan. It has to physically survive that kind of time period but more than that, that it is built and designed in such a way that... [it] will continue to serve its purpose for the next 80 to a hundred years," he added.

Marcos said the DPWH should be known not only for building roads and bridges, but also for social projects such as hospitals and civic centers.

The DPWH must also recognize the needs of people with disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly. It should also incorporate elements of Filipino culture and history into infrastructure design "to foster a sense of pride and belonging amongst our community," Marcos said.

"Kaya gandahan natin, gawin nating tama at pag-isipan mabuti para hanggang sa katagalan ay nakakatulong pa sa taong bayan," the President said.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan earlier this June said 194 infrastructure projects were in the pipeline of the administration's "Build Better More" program, while 68 others were underway.

These are all worth P9 trillion.

Nine projects, meanwhile, have yet to secure government approval, Balisacan said. He said "some of these" could be approved before Marcos Jr's State of the Nation Address in July.

MALACAÑANG GIVES ORDERS TO DEVELOP PH EXPORTS

Malacañang has issued a memorandum circular directing government agencies to implement programs, activities, and projects for the development and promotion of Philippine exports. The circular was issued in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s approval of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2023-2028. The PEDP aims to transform the Philippines into a major exporter of high-value products and services. Government agencies are mandated to identify and implement relevant programs and submit an inventory of initiatives aligned with the PEDP. The Export Development Council (EDC) will coordinate and assess the plan's implementation. The PEDP is part of efforts to boost export growth and enhance the country's global competitiveness.

MAYON SHOWS 'NO INDICATION' FOR LOWER ALERT LEVEL AS QUIET ERUPTION CONTINUES: PHIVOLCS

MANILA — The angry Mayon volcano has yet to show any indication that would merit lowering its alert level, some two weeks into its quiet eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Friday.

A 5-step alert system for the volcano was raised to 3 from 2 in early June, after Mayon spewed ash and rocks. Alert 3 means there is "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption," state volcanologists had said.

"Wala pa pong indikasyon na we have to lower the alert level kasi as of the moment, technically, nag-e-erupt pa rin yung volcano. It’s just that it is an effusive eruption," Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

An effusive eruption involves fluid lava or molten rocks, in contrast to an explosive eruption where magma fragments into ash or rocks, according to Phivolcs.

In its 5 a.m. report, Phivolcs said it recorded 339 rockfall events around Mayon in the past 24 hours. This is higher than the 299 rockfall events recorded the previous day, Bacolcol noted.

Sulfur dioxide emissions also went up to 706 tonnes per day, higher than the 574 tonnes per day reported on June 21, he said.

Thirteen pyroclastic density current events were also observed on Thursday, Bacolcol added.

Some 20,000 people have fled their homes due to the continued unrest of Mayon. At least 2 evacuees have caught COVID-19.

Bacolcol asked residents to stay away from the permanent danger zone around Mayon in the meantime.

“Yung mga nasa evacuation centers, tiis-tiis lang… 'Wag muna tayong bumalik inside the permanent danger zone, para po ito sa ating kaligtasan," he said.

RAPS FILED VS DERA, 6 NBI SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR SNEAKING OUT OF DETENTION FACILITY

MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday filed criminal raps at the Department of Justice (DOJ) against NBI detainee Jose Adrian “Jad” Dera and 6 NBI security personnel, a day after they were arrested upon returning to the NBI compound in Taft, Manila.

Dera is accused of corrupting public officials under Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), for allegedly bribing the security personnel to allow him to get out of NBI detention facility from 8pm Tuesday until midnight of Wednesday.

The 6 NBI security personnel, meanwhile, are facing complaints for infidelity in the custody of prisoners/detained person under Art. 223 of the RPC, bribery under Art. 210 of the RPC, and for violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

All 7 were brought to the DOJ for inquest proceedings Thursday afternoon but they agreed to a preliminary investigation, waiving their right against arbitrary detention under Art. 125 of the Revised Penal Code.

The next setting is on July 29, when the respondents are required to submit their counter-affidavits.

The NBI submitted a joint affidavit of arrest, photos of the operation and inventory of seized items and screenshot of CCTV footage at a buffet restaurant in Makati City, among others.

Despite evidence that Dera dined at a restaurant, Dera’s lawyer, Mark Anthony Te, claimed there was a medical reason for Dera to be brought out of the NBI detention facility.

“Jad Dera was experiencing gastritis or acid reflux. When you say acid reflux, may mga instances na sobrang taas ng pain scale nya so di siya makukuha sa mga usual antacids. So may pine-prescribe for this. I’m not a doctor but may pine-prescribe na antacids na high dosage para maibsan yung gastritis,” he explained.

CEBU PACIFIC, PHILIPPINE AIRLINES ADOPT MEASURES TO MINIMIZE FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS

MANILA — Local airlines on Thursday said they were implementing measures to mitigate flight disruptions and shorten aircraft servicing period, following complaints that triggered a Senate probe.

Senate Committee on Tourism chairperson Sen. Nancy Binay led Wednesday's inquiry on reports of overbooking, offloading and glitches against Cebu Pacific.

Philippine Airlines, AirAsia and other related aviation stakeholders and regulators were also present during the inquiry.

In a statement, Cebu Pacific said the existing fleet availability issues affecting the global aviation industry were partly causing the disruptions.

To mitigate the impact on passengers, it said it was implementing the following initiatives:

• Heightened customer care and recovery by expanding customer service capabilities and increasing the number of live agents 24/7

• Reducing scheduled flights to account for the unavailable aircraft that are expected to be out of service for a "considerable amount of time"

• Increase in standby aircraft to 4 from 3, and reach as much as 6 by year-end to improve operational resiliency since there will be more aircraft available immediately if needed

In an interview with Teleradyo on Thursday, Binay said the Senate would monitor improvements as the airline implements these measures.

"Sa susunod na hearing titingnan natin kung may improvement na sila dahil mukhang magbabawas na sila ng flight kung ano na lang yung kaya nila ibigay sa 'ting kababayan ay yun lang ang ibebenta nila na flights," Binay told Teleradyo.

"Since magbabawas sila ng mga ibebentang upuan, hopefully mabawasan ang pagka-cancel at pag-overbook natin," she added.

Philippine Airlines, meanwhile, said it was making adjustments in its flight operations "to minimize disruptions and restore normalcy."

PRC: NO LAW PROVISION ON TEMPORARY LICENSE FOR NURSING GRADUATES

MANILA — There is no provision under the Philippine Nursing Act that would give government power to grant temporary license to nurse graduates amid proposals for them to have this, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said on Thursday.

PRC Commissioner Jose Cueto Jr. said section 21 of Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act only gives temporary license or permits to licensed nurses from foreign countries.

These nurses, Cueto said, are typically invited to become instructors in Philippine nursing institutions or get involved in medical or humanitarian missions.

"O kaya naman na-invite sila para maging eksperto sa diskusyon ng mga issues involved dito sa nursing profession," the PRC commissioner said in a public briefing.

"So doon sa RA 9173, wala hong probisyon na nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan ang PRC o any government agency na magbigay ng temporary license sa mga nursing graduates na hindi pa nakapasa ng Nurse Licensure Examination," he added.

Nursing graduates must also get 75 percent in the licensure examination to pass, he said, as this is based on the law and Congress must amend this if they want changes.

"Kapag hindi napapalitan iyong provision sa batas eh hindi puwedeng gamitin iyong percentage na lower than 75," he said.

Some nursing graduates who have yet to pass the licensure examination are assigned to hospital areas that have manageable workloads, said the commissioner.

"Hindi sila puwedeng idiretso na mag-duty sa mga critical na areas kagaya ng mga intensive care units, operating room, recovery room," he added.

"So, mayroon namang quality assurance mechanism sa lahat po ng healthcare institutions para mapanatili iyong pangangalaga sa mga pasyente," he said.

Health Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa earlier said he wants to fill up 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in the Philippines by helping more aspiring nurses pass the board exams.

Herbosa noted that only about half of all nursing board exam takers pass the government’s qualifying test. Some of those who flunked the test shift to other careers.

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FOR 3RD YEAR IN A ROW, UP SLIPS IN RANKING OF TOP ASIAN UNIVERSITIES

MANILA — The University of the Philippines (UP) has seen a decline in its ranking for the third consecutive year in the Times Higher Education's Asia University Rankings. However, it still holds the position as the second-best university among the four Philippine institutions included in the rankings. On the other hand, Ateneo de Manila University has made its debut in the rankings, securing the 84th spot overall and becoming the only Philippine university in the top 100. Mapúa University also joins the rankings for the first time, ranking as the fourth-best Philippine university in the 601+ bracket. UP's ranking has dropped from 65th in 2020 to 129th in 2022. De La Salle University's ranking has also declined, placing in the 501-600 bracket. Ateneo was previously tagged with a "reporter" status but has now achieved a ranking. The rankings are based on 13 performance indicators grouped into teaching, research, citations, international outlook, and industry income. Tsinghua University in China retains the top position in the rankings for the fifth consecutive year.

The following are the top universities in Asia:

Tsinghua University in China

Peking University in China 

National University of Singapore in Singapore 

University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong 

Nanyang Technological University in Singapore  

Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong 

The University of Tokyo in Japan 

Fudan University in China 

Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China 

PHILHEALTH WIDENS DIALYSIS COVERAGE TO 156 SESSIONS

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced Thursday that its coverage for hemodialysis patients has been expanded from 90 to 156 sessions starting this year.

PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said he is confident the expansion coverage will adequately support people who need the life-saving treatment.

He said the expansion was provided under PhilHealth Circular 2023-0009 entitled “Institutionalization of 156 hemodialysis sessions,” which takes effect on June 22.

Ledesma emphasized that the expansion of hemodialysis coverage, as well as its institutionalization, were made possible with the help of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

A total of P21 billion from these partner agencies have already been approved for transfer to PhilHealth under the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

PhilHealth members and their qualified dependents diagnosed with chronic kidney disease stage 5 (CKD5) needing hemodialysis as prescribed by their nephrologists may avail themselves of this benefit package.

The patient should also be registered in the PhilHealth Dialysis Database prior to availing.

EPLDT UNVEILS PLANS FOR 12TH DATA CENTER TO BOOST MARKET CAPACITY

MANILA — PLDT Inc said on Friday its ICT subsidiary ePLDT had plans to boost its data center market capacity by building its 12th facility.

The move will enhance digital innovation and increase the regional competitiveness of the country, ePLDT President & CEO Victor Genuino said.

“We want to be able to help the Philippines be the next hyperscaler hub of Asia while continuing to support the digital transformation journey of different sectors locally. That’s why we’ve been investing heavily in our ecosystem to ensure that our data centers will be a crucial enabler of the country’s digital economy,” he said.

The company said the 12th data center would have a power capacity of at least 100MW.

“Historically, data centers have played a silent yet fundamental role in the digital agenda, most especially in the Philippines. But things are changing now. Governments and enterprises are now seeing the integral role that this industry takes on to secure our digital future,” Genuino said.

Genuino said ePLTD's 11th data center in VITRO Sta. Rosa is already receiving colocation requests from hyperscalers, banks, BPOs and the national government, among others.

VITRO Sta. Rosa would be the country's largest and most advanced data center, ePLDT said, with a total power capacity of 50MW. Upon completion of the 11th and 12th data centers, ePLDT said its power capacity would increase to around 200MW.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

FIL-AM ACTOR MARTIN MARTINEZ STARS IN 'PRIMO' AND 'MAGNUM P.I.'

Martin Martinez grew up in Northern California where he started his performing career in theater.

Unable to find TV and movie opportunities in the area, he was overjoyed when his talent manager found a role that he thought was best for him.

"One of those auditions, I remember so vividly, was 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' and it was a Filipino character in that film," Martinez said.

He added: "And so, I ended up moving down to Los Angeles in 2018. I worked for a bit of a year to save and then I just started auditioning."

Fellow Filipino-American Jacob Batalon ended up getting the Spider-Man role. But getting close to it inspired Martinez to keep going.

He starred with "Wednesday" star Jenna Ortega in the 2018 movie "Saving Flora" and has since appeared in several other projects.

Martinez is currently in "Primo," the coming of age comedy series that has been praised by critics as one of the best new shows of the year.

It tells the story of Rafa, a Mexican-American teenager played by Ignacio Diaz-Silverio.

Martinez said that as a Filipino-Latino-American, he felt at home with the show's emphasis on family.

"My mom is a first generation immigrant from the Philippines," he said. "And it was important for us to always visit our Lola and Lolo, our aunts and uncle’s house. I was really immersed in the culture and the food and everything always revolved around a lot of food."

As a regular cast member on the show, he plays one of Rafa's friends, Miguel. Martinez said he is hoping for more opportunities to explore the character's background.

"I'm excited to be able to share this side of myself and my culture in this character as well," he added. "You know, there's a little bit of a hard, tumultuous upbringing that I think is hinted at and I think in season two would be really cool to see that."

Martinez also stars and sings in an upcoming movie called "And One" which has a mostly Filipino cast and crew.

The 22-year-old actor is also part of the hit NBC series "Magnum P.I."

SPORTS

PHILIPPINE PADDLERS WIN IN DRAGON BOAT COMPETITION IN MACAU

Paddlers from the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) won first place at the B-Finals Heats of both the men and women categories held in Macau, China on Thursday.

The PDBF said the men’s team competed against 35 other teams, while the lady paddlers raced against 15 others in the 2023 SJM Macau International Dragon Boat Race.

“Our paddlers delivered more than we expected, as a team, we always have that big heart to win,” team manager Marcia Cristobal said.

Overall, the PDBF team placed seventh among champions from China, Thailand, Macau, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore in the competition that could be seen as a prelude to the World Championships.

"We’ve had a glimpse of what is waiting for us in the World Championships. There is no time to waste. We have to make our crews even stronger and better. No matter the financial struggles and difficulties, we will make it through," the PDBF said on Facebook.

It also thanked the Philippine Consulate in Macau, other sponsors and supporters.

“No support is too big or small,” the PDBF said.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 55.62

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Hope is itself a species of happiness, and perhaps the chief happiness which this world affords. - Samuel Johnson