MARCOS LAUDS AIR FORCE’S ‘ESSENTIAL’ MARITIME PATROLS TO SECURE PH

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rallied members of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to brace themselves for “geopolitical changes” as he underscored the importance of maritime air patrol missions in upholding territorial integrity.

“The days ahead will not be easy and will demand every ounce of your strength and resilience. The winds of change signal geopolitical changes around our region and other parts of the world that have yet to affect us,” Mr. Marcos said during the PAF’s 76th founding anniversary at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Monday.

“The Philippine Air Force’s maritime air patrol missions are thus essential in upholding our territorial integrity and safeguarding Philippine maritime zones,” added the commander-in-chief.

Mr. Marcos expressed his administration’s strong commitment to support the Air Force as part of the Armed Forces modernization program.

Mr. Marcos, who led the awarding of outstanding PAF officers, also attended a PAF capability demonstration at the Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Tarlac.

Earlier, Defense chief Gilbert Teodoro said the Philippines is not a pawn in the geopolitical maneuvering in the South China Sea.

Teodoro said the Philippines’ partnerships with other nations should not be linked to the territorial dispute in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The Philippines is for the Philippines and we leverage that. And I think other countries want to help us because they view it as… standing strong with democratic values,” he said.

DOT TO TERMINATE CONTRACT WITH AD AGENCY AFTER VIDEO BLUNDER

MANILA - The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday said it is now in the process of terminating its contract with ad agency DDB Philippines, which it tapped to create the country's tourism branding campaign, after their "abject failure to comply with their obligations."

"As DDB Philippines has publicly apologized, taken full responsibility, and admitted in no uncertain terms, that non-original materials were used in their AVP, reflecting an abject failure to comply with their obligation/s under the contract and a direct contravention with the DOT’s objectives for the enhanced tourism branding, the DOT hereby exercises its right to proceed with termination proceedings against its contract with DDB," the DOT said in a statement.

The issue stemmed from the audio visual presentation (AVP) "prepared, produced, and published by DDB Philippines," which used stock footage purporting to be scenes from the Philippines.

DDB has "profusely apologized" to DOT Secretary Christina Frasco, adding that it would "take full responsibility" for the alleged blunder.

DDB said the presentation, which drew flak on social media over the weekend, was intended to be a "mood video to excite internal stakeholders about the campaign."

DOT said no payments have been made to DDB for the tourism branding campaign.

"The DOT shall exercise its right to forfeit performance security as a result of default in obligations under the contract... Further, the DOT reserves the right to take all other action against acts deemed inimical to the interest of Philippine tourism," the agency said.

But former Philippine Tourism Secretary Richard “Dick” Gordon said he does not believe that DDB was not paid for its services.

He warned that some government officials may also be held accountable for the video editing mishap.

4 FOREIGNERS WHO DESECRATED PH FLAG 'MAD OVER TRAFFIC'

Four foreigners who took turns tearing up the Philippine flag were allegedly incensed after getting stuck in traffic, the Bureau of Immigration said Tuesday.

Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the 4 foreigners were turned over to their office following their arrest last week.

"This is really ridiculous...Na-traffic daw sila on their way to a resort. Nadaanan nila yung flag sa kampo at yun ang pinagdiskitahan nila," Sandoval said in a TeleRadyo interview.

A member of the Philippine Marine Corps spotted the 4 doing the deed and quickly alerted authorities.

The spokesperson said the 4 had proper visas "but it is not a free pass for them to do anything they want."

"Pinagbabawalan sirain ang symbols of the country," she said.

Republic Act 8491, also known as “The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, strictly prohibits the defacement, defiling, trampling, mutilation or casting contempt, dishonor or ridicule upon the flag over its surface."

Sandoval said the 4 are facing deportation proceedings and will be included in the immigration blacklist.

DOLE WON'T OPPOSE PROPOSED P100 WAGE INCREASE BUT...

The Department of Labor and Employment will not oppose Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri's proposal for a P100 legislated minimum wage increase following the recently approved P40 minimum wage hike for workers in Metro Manila.

Speaking to TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said "nothing is enough" when it comes to the issue of salary increases especially when considering the plight of minimum wage workers and their families.

However, he said an additional wage increase on top of the new salary hike should be balanced with the need to create new jobs and allow investors to have a fair return of investment.

Micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs represent 99 percent of enterprises in the country, the 2021 list of establishments of the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

"Tayo po ay hindi kumokontra dahil ang pagpapanukala ng batas ay mandato ng ating lehislatura. Ang napakahirap na trabaho ng ating regional tripartite wage and productivity board ay balansehin ang kakayahan din ng mga mamumuhunan lalo isasangalan-alang na karamihan ng ating mga negosyo ay nasa kategoryang MSMEs," he said.

Zubiri earlier said the P40 wage hike was inadequate after he called for an across-the-board P150 daily minimum wage hike.

MILF, GOV’T RENEW BANGSAMORO PACT

The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have recommitted to implementing the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) during a meeting between their peace implementing panels. The meeting, the first under the Marcos administration, focused on key areas such as expressing condolences for the deaths of seven MILF members, studying proposals for armed forces redeployment, creating a committee for socioeconomic development packages, and intensifying resource mobilization. Both parties expressed appreciation for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s support and commitment to the peace process. The peace mechanisms reaffirmed their dedication to achieving lasting peace in the Bangsamoro and the entire country.

SC CHASTISES COPS, PROSECUTORS, COURT FOR BUNGLING P1-B DRUG CASE THAT LED TO ACQUITTALS OF 5 CHINESE, 1 FILIPINO

The Supreme Court of the Philippines has criticized law enforcement, prosecutors, and the regional trial court for mishandling the prosecution and trial of five Chinese and one Filipino individuals accused of being part of a drug syndicate. All six defendants were eventually acquitted. The case involved the arrest of the accused in November 2003 on charges of illegal drug delivery and possession. The Supreme Court found irregularities in the case, including the failure to establish possession of drugs by one of the accused and non-compliance with the chain of custody rule. The court emphasized the importance of observing the chain of custody rule to ensure the integrity of evidence. The court criticized the law enforcement agents and the prosecution for their lack of care and disregard for the law. The Supreme Court also noted an erroneous penalty imposed by the trial court on one of the defendants. The acquittals were ordered, and the court called on all actors in the administration of criminal justice to fulfill their duties responsibly. The decision was dated February 21, 2023, but released recently to the public.

PBBM, SARA RETAIN HIGH TRUST RATINGS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara-Duterte maintained high approval and trust ratings on the latest survey on public acceptance of their leadership.

Results of the PAHAYAG 2023 second quarter survey released on Monday showed that the approval and trust ratings of the country’s top two officials “remained stable”.

The President’s approval rating even went up slightly to 62 percent from 60 percent last quarter poll attributed to a significant increase from the Visayas, Catholic, and government workers sectors.

The Vice President maintained her approval rating at 67 percent as she received overwhelming support in Mindanao at 79 percent.

However, both Marcos and Duterte’s public acceptance ratings dropped significantly in North Central Luzon, notably among the non-Catholic populations.

In the trust category, the ratings for both Mr. Marcos and Duterte manifested a slight decline. The President had 54 percent, while the Vice President had 61 percent which PAHAYAG described as “statistically stable.”

The significant drop in trust ratings was registered on account of specific segments of the population such as the young adult age group of 18-24, Non-Catholics, and Overseas Filipino Workers logging lower numbers.

Additionally, Speaker Martin Romualdez likewise retained a modest 42 percent and 32 percent approval and trust ratings, respectively, despite the alleged rift between him and the Vice President.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri recorded slightly higher marks of 48 percent approval rating and 37 percent trust rating in the same PAHAYAG survey.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also enjoyed a stable approval rating of 38 percent compared to 39 percent in the previous quarter, Additionally, his trust rating remained consistent at 32 percent.

The nationwide purposive survey covered 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos picked across the country.

PNP UNSURE IF POLICE ‘WINNING’ DRUG WAR

MANILA  — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. is unsure if the PNP is winning the war on drugs.

Speaking at the 21st anniversary of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday, Acorda expressed uncertainty over police operations in countering the illegal drug trade.

“It is difficult to define what the exact parameters are to say that we are winning or not,” Acorda declared.

But he assured the public that the statistics are “good” when it comes to “accomplishments, anti-narcotics operations and number of arrests.”

Acorda also acknowledged corruption in the PNP following the pilferage of 990 kilos of shabu by a dismissed police officer during a sting in Manila in October last year.

Criminal charges have been filed against 48 police officers, two generals and a colonel over the shabu haul.

“We try to do our best to get rid of these rogue officers. We were able to file charges against them and we are just waiting for the court to come up with a verdict,” Acorda said.

He lauded PDEA agents for demonstrating resilience and professionalism in the face of countless challenges.

“They have placed themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities and safeguard the future of our nation’s youth,” Acorda said in his speech.

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MPIC MOVES AHEAD WITH PLAN TO DELIST, SEEKS TRADING SUSPENSION

MANILA - Metro Pacific Investments Corp on Tuesday filed for a voluntary suspension of trading of its shares as it moves ahead with its plan to delist from the Philippine Stock Exchange.

MPIC on Tuesday said its Board of Directors has “unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the filing of an application for voluntary delisting with the PSE.”

The Manny Pangilinan-led conglomerate said its board approved the move after receiving an updated bid from a consortium consisting of Metro Pacific Holdings Inc, GT Capital Holdings Inc, Mit-Pacific Infrastructure Holdings, Inc, and MIG Holdings Incorporated.

The consortium’s "best and final" price was P5.20 per MPIC share. The company last traded at P4.77 per share on July 3.

MPIC said it will hold a Special Stockholders’ Meeting on August 8 with record date of July 18 for shareholders to approve the voluntary delisting of MPIC from the PSE.

“Assuming the shareholders approve the resolution to delist MPIC from the PSE during the SSM, the Bidders will launch the Tender Offer immediately thereafter,” MPIC said.

After this, MPIC said ownership of the company will fall below the prescribed minimum public float for a listed firm.

MPIC announced its plan to delist last April saying its share price has not been matching the value of the company, and that going private would be better for the firm.

Some of MPIC’s businesses include Meralco, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp, Maynilad Water Services, and 20 percent of Metro Pacific Health Corp.

COMELEC PURGES VOTERS’ LIST AHEAD OF OCTOBER VILLAGE POLLS

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has deleted a total of 257,805 voter registrations out of the more than 400,000 who have double or multiple registrations.

A Church-based poll watchdog was also preparing for the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco said the purge of the voters’ registration list came ahead of the BSKE.

The Comelec said there were more than 400,000 voters found to have double or multiple registrations nationwide.

“This is a result of the June 19 Special Election Registration Board hearing,” Laudiangco said, adding that “the number includes 167,223 identities of two or more voters’ fingerprints based on the Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

He said the list also covered 84,335 voters who transferred residence to another city or municipality, 83 voters who failed to vote twice in two succeeding regular elections, 2,620 voters who were reported or confirmed deceased by the local civil registrars, and 3,544 voters who were found to have double and multiple records in the city or municipal level.

Another round of voter’s list cleansing will be conducted this coming July 27 preparatory to the BSKE, the poll body said.

Meanwhile, Comelec mulls the automation of succeeding BSKEs.

BELMONTE: OBSERVE MEASURES VS DENGUE, LEPTOSPIROSIS

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has called on residents to take preventive measures against dengue and leptospirosis as cases of these diseases continue to rise in the city. The city's Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU) has recorded 1,160 cases of dengue and 32 cases of leptospirosis from January 1 to June 24. One death due to dengue and four deaths due to leptospirosis have been reported. Mayor Belmonte urged residents to clean their surroundings, get tested for dengue if symptoms appear, and practice self-protection measures such as wearing protective clothing and using mosquito repellent. The city government and barangays are conducting operations to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, and residents are reminded to avoid potentially contaminated water and take precautions when encountering sick animals or skin lesions.

MRT FIRM FILES PETITION FOR P2 FARE INCREASE

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday said the management of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has re-filed a petition for a fare increase before the agency’s Rail Regulatory Unit.

Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez said no fare adjustment was approved for the MRT-3 for the last eight years.

Earlier, MRT-3’s fare hike petition was deferred due to “infirmities in complying with the requirements and procedure.”

MRT 3 filed for an additional P2.29 boarding fare and P0.21 distance fare per kilometer to finance its operating expenses.

FIVE MORE ACCUSED IN DEGAMO KILLING RECANT

Five additional individuals accused in the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo have affirmed their recantations regarding their testimonies implicating suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. in the killing. Their sworn statements were submitted virtually, strengthening the basis to question the multiple murder complaints filed against Teves. The Department of Justice remains confident in the solidity of the case against Teves, asserting that they possess evidence. Teves, who is currently out of the country and claims threats to his life, has consistently denied any involvement in the assassination.

PUMP PRICES DOWN BY LESS THAN P1/LITER

MANILA  — Oil companies are implementing a less than P1 per liter rollback in pump prices starting today.

In separate advisories yesterday, oil firms said that prices of both gasoline and diesel will drop by P0.70 per liter, while that of kerosene will go down by P0.85 per liter.

The adjustments will take effect at 6 a.m. today for most companies, except for Caltex and Cleanfuel which implemented theirs at 12:01 a.m.

This week’s domestic pump price decrease reflects the movement in the international oil market.

Department of Energy (DOE) Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad earlier attributed the decline in global oil prices to the signals of fresh US rate hikes, which comes following a recent surprise rate hike by the Bank of England.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

SUNSHINE DIZON SHARES BEST LIFE LESSON AS SHE TURNS 40

MANILA -- Actress Sunshine Dizon took to social media to thank her followers for their love and support as she turned 40 on Monday, July 3.

"So as they say, life begins at 40. Guess will be doing that starting now. Thank you for all the love and support. Promise that no matter how others may have painted a different picture of me, I will always strive to be a better human being in spite of and despite of. Thank you to those who has never left my side," Dizon wrote on Instagram.

"To those who continued to believe. And to those who have judged me unfairly, believe me when I say I will be vindicated. And when that day comes I pray you find peace knowing you intentionally ruined one’s name for your own gain. I pray you sleep soundly at peace at night knowing 'the all knowing' knows the truth. Bilog ang mundo minsan sa taas minsan sa baba. Matutong sumabay sa agos ng buhay importante wala kang tinapakan at niyurakan," she added.

She concluded her post by sharing the best thing she learned in life.

"The best thing I learned from life is choose your friends wisely and who you allow to come in your circle 'cause you never know when you’re actually raising a snake you treated as more than a family but will eventually swallow you whole. Ask while I can still smile because I'm blessed, you can never put a good woman down," she wrote.

In another post, Dizon paid tribute to her late father, who died last March.

In 2021, Dizon was part of the ABS-CBN series "Marry Me, Marry You."

She is part of the cast of the upcoming series “Pira-Pirasong Pangarap,” which is the first teleserye collaboration between ABS-CBN and TV5.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 55.32

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials. - Lin Yutang