MOBILE APP TO MAKE OFWS' EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE FREE SOON

MANILA — Overseas employment certificates (OEC) can soon be downloaded for free through a mobile app, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Monday.

The agency is only waiting for the Department of Information and Communications Technology's green light for the cybersecurity features of the DMW Mobile App that will contain the OFW Pass, a digital version of the OEC, said Migrant Workers Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople.

Overseas Filipino workers currently pay P100 for the OEC, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to be free of charge, Ople noted.

"‘Pag na-launch na namin yung OFW Pass wala na syang pila, libre pa sya, then valid siya based sa duration ng contract," she told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

"Kaya lang namin hindi pa pinapa-activate kasi gusto namin na secure siya talaga. Kaya continuous ang testing and we also sought the help of the DICT," the official added.

Ople said her agency and the DICT were ironing out the timeline for the app's launch.

Once the app is available, OFWs may still secure the paper version of the OEC during a 2-month transition period.

The DMW has asked recruitment agencies and Filipino community leaders to help train OFWs on using the app. The agency is also preparing informations kiosks and YouTube tutorials, Ople said.

'LOVE THE PHILIPPINES' SLOGAN ROW NO MATCH FOR REVENGE TRAVELERS: PHILTOA

MANILA — Revenge travelers continued to flock to the Philippines despite a recent fiasco on the country's new tourism slogan, the president of a group of tour operators said Sunday.

Philippine Tour Operators' Association (PHILTOA) President Fe Abling-Yu told TeleRadyo Serbisyo that the controversy surrounding the country's new "Love The Philippines" tourism campaign had little to no effect on foreign tourists, who continue to come to the country after 3 years of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abling-Yu said the country's tour operators continue to be more "aggressive" in their approach of attracting tourists to the Philippines, as foreign tourists themselves were just as "aggressive" in spending money for travel.

"Palibhasa hindi po nakaalis ng tatlong taon, ay naging agresibo [sila]. Iyon po iyong tinatawag naming revenge tourism. Ang dami ring revenge spenders... Ang gusto po nila ngayon, more than [a] picture, is the experience," she said.

She added that while the "Love the Philippines" slogan did somehow help them in their tourism efforts, PHILTOA "did not bank on the slogan that much."

"Hindi naman po iyon nakasagabal sa aming agresibong pagsusulong ng turismo dito sa ating bansa. Hindi naman po iyon naging hadlang sa amin na gumagawa ng mga pakete para bisitahin ang Pilipinas lalo na ng ating mga dayuhan," she said.

Abling-Yu also said that tour operators in the country were "business as usual" despite the tourism department's slogan fiasco, especially that the their sector was still bouncing back from the effects of the pandemic.

"Kami ay business as usual, ang pagiging business as usual namin ngayon ay mas agresibo. Dahil kailangan po naming mapunan kung ano po iyong pinagdaanan namin sa loob ng halos 3 taon," she said.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) last month launched its new "Love The Philippines" branding to mixed reception, and later drew heavy flak after a video supporting the slogan used stock footage of sceneries from other countries.

The advertising agency behind the video, DDB Philippines, has since apologized for the blunder, resulting to the DOT terminating its contract with the firm.

PH, WORLD BANK SIGN $600-M LOAN FOR AGRI, FISHERIES

MANILA -- The Philippines has signed a $600 million loan deal with the World Bank to boost the agriculture and fisheries sector in the country, the Department of Finance said Monday.

The loan agreement is for the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up, which aims to boost farmer and fisherfolk access to markets, increase income from selected agri-fishery value chains, and improve efficiency in the food supply chain.

The project will involve direct investments in the rural infrastructure and enterprise projects, which will directly benefit about 450,000 farmers and fisherfolk and generate about 42,000 new jobs.

It will cover 82 provinces in the Philippines.

Out of the $818 million allotted for the project, $218 million will be funded by the national government and the local government units.

Once completed, the Department of Agriculture will make it a locally-funded program to ensure its sustainability.

The World Bank has been supporting the project since 2014, and has provided two additional loans in 2018 and 2021.

The World Bank's total official development assistance loan and grant commitments is at an estimated S$7.94 billion as of July 2023.

DFA TO PINOYS IN SUDAN: TIME TO GO HOME

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday urged Filipinos trapped in the Sudanese capital to flee Khartoum amid reports of looting of homes of foreigners.

Deadly fighting has raged in the northeast African country since mid-April, when army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), turned on each other.

The war has claimed the lives of at least 3,000 people and displaced millions.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said at least 110 Filipinos from Khartoum have contacted Philippine authorities seeking help although not all have expressed desire to return to the Philippines.

"Yung iba ayaw umuwi kasi may utang pa ang employer (Some have refused to go home because their employers still owe them backpay)," he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

Another 17 Filipinos whose homes were raided by suspected RSF elements have been stranded in Port Sudan for the past 2 weeks while awaiting a repatriation flight.

De Vega said they have received reports that RSF elements were looting houses of foreigners "because they have money."

"Economically nag co-collapse yung bansa...Our advice is time to go home," he said.

The DFA official said Philippine authorities are trying to arrange for mass repatriation "and not just individuals or a family."

At least 748 Filipinos in Sudan have returned to the Philippines to escape the fighting, while some 200 have remained.

COAST GUARDIANS NOW IN 4PH PLAN

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the Philippine Coast Guard have agreed to enroll Coast Guardians among the priority beneficiaries of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.

This was the subject of a memorandum of agreement between DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and PCG officer in charge Vice Admiral Rolando Punzalan Jr. during the former’s visit to PCG Headquarters in Manila.

The MOA, the first among the country’s uniformed services, formalizes the inclusion of PCG personnel in the 4PH Program initially targeting 2,000 Coast Guard personnel as beneficiaries.

Punzalan welcomed the partnership as a huge boost to the morale and welfare program of the PCG.

He described the partnership as a big leap to the already robust collaboration between DHSUD and PCG, particularly in the program concerning the Pasig River.

Acuzar tapped Undersecretary Henry Yap to spearhead the collaboration with the Coast Guard.

DHSUD is also eyeing partnerships with the Departments of National Defense and the Interior and Local Government for the inclusion of the 4PH of men and women in uniform under the agencies.

IMEE QUESTIONS PRESENCE OF 'MORE' US MILITARY PLANES IN PHILIPPINES

Senator Imee Marcos expressed concern over the presence of multiple United States Air Force military planes in Manila and Palawan, Philippines. She questioned the lack of information regarding these flights while the presence of Chinese vessels in the South China Sea is constantly called out. Marcos highlighted that a US Air Force C-17 military transport plane arrived in Manila from Guam, flew to Palawan, and then proceeded to Yokota Air Base in Japan. Another C-17 plane was spotted north of Busuanga, Palawan, and later flew over Polillo Island before exiting Philippine territory. Marcos called on Philippine officials to investigate if these flights impacted tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. The first US military aircraft was observed in the Philippines on June 26 when a C-17 aircraft landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

DEPED’S USE OF MOTHER TONGUE IN MULTILINGUAL SETTINGS AN ‘EXPERIMENT’ – SENATOR

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has expressed concerns about the lack of comprehensive studies on the effectiveness of mother tongue-based education in the Philippines. As the chairman of the Senate basic education committee, Gatchalian conducted four oversight hearings on the Department of Education's policy mandating the use of the mother tongue in teaching. He questioned whether research was conducted before institutionalizing this approach through the K to 12 Law. The Department of Education admitted that their studies only focused on homogeneous settings where students communicate in the same language. Gatchalian criticized the lack of intentional effort to analyze learning outcomes and noted that the Philippines has become a de facto experiment for mother tongue-based education in multilingual settings, which has led to confusion and negative feedback from teachers. The Senate inquiry into this issue follows the passage of a bill by the House of Representatives to suspend the use of mother tongue-based education from Kinder to Grade 3 until the government produces appropriate materials in various languages. Critics of the policy have raised concerns about the lack of teaching materials and the confusion among teachers regarding which language to use for students speaking different languages in certain regions.

CYBERCRIMES RISE 152% IN NCR

According to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), cybercrimes in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines have increased by 152 percent in the first half of the year. The rise in cybercrimes is attributed to the carelessness of online users and the availability of malware online. The Philippine National Police reported a total of 6,250 cybercrimes in the NCR from January to June 2023, compared to 2,477 during the same period last year. Online scams nearly tripled to 4,446 cases, illegal access increased by 86 percent to 1,063 cases, and ATM and credit card fraud more than doubled to 625 cases. Police officials expect the exponential growth of cybercrime to continue due to the availability of malware, ease of doing business online, technological advancements, and careless online behavior. The CICC's Inter-Agency Response Center, established following the implementation of the SIM Registration Act, received a total of 4,615 complaints related to cybercrimes and SIM registration from January 1 to June 15, 2023. The most common complaints were related to online fraud, illegal access, and online libel. The CICC emphasizes the need for a centralized portal to enhance the government's ability to combat cybercrimes effectively.

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QUIAPO CHURCH RAISED TO NATIONAL SHRINE STATUS

MANILA — Quiapo Church in Manila, home to the revered Black Nazarene statue, is now a national shrine, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said.

In their 126th plenary assembly in Aklan province on Sunday, the group approved Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula's petition to make the church the country’s 29th national shrine.

The CBCP said it gave Quiapo Church the title "National Shrine of the Black Nazarene."

“Walang hanggang pasasalamat mula sa komunidad ng Quiapo at sa mga Deboto ng Poong Hesus Nazareno sa bumubuo ng 'Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' sa pagkadeklara sa Basilika Menor at Pangarkidiyosesang Dambana ng Itim na Nazareno bilang isang pambansang dambana,” the church’s office said in a Facebook post.

Also known as the St. John the Baptist Parish, the church was recognized as an archdiocesan shrine just last May 10.

The Quiapo Church houses a 400-year-old ebony statue of Jesus Christ that drew millions of miracle-seekers in its yearly procession before the COVID-19 pandemic.

PNP CHIEF, BARMM LEADER PROMISE PEACE IN REGION

Philippine National Police Chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. has met with the Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, to discuss areas of cooperation that will improve the security situation in the area.

Gen. Acorda said Ebrahim’s visit last Friday at Camp Crame in Quezon City was part of BARMM’s commitment to peace and order in the region, amid the recent incident where several police officers and soldiers were wounded in a firefight with forces under the former vice mayor of Maimbung, Sulu, Pando Mudjasan.

“It was an official visit and at the same time to renew commitment to the path of peace especially in the BARMM area. We in the PNP recognized all the mechanisms that are in place as far as the peace and order situation in the area is concerned,” Acorda said in a statement.

“We also renewed our cooperation and active coordination. The real purpose for this is the de-escalation of hostilities in Mindanao and if possible, if we can put up some developments there without necessarily the cost of lives and other hostilities in the area,” he added.

The serving of arrest warrants against Mudjasan and his men, described by the PNP as a private armed group, led to a fierce gun battle and resulted in more than 6,000 local residents being forced to flee their homes.

The incident was blamed on a lack of coordination with officials in the area.

Mudjasan is still at large and the PNP is coordinating with BARMM in pursuing the former vice mayor, a former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Acorda and Ebrahim also discussed security preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections slated Oct. 30 in the Bangsamoro region.“That is also one of the discussions that we had earlier together with the BARMM officials that we will help each other out. So we identified some areas where we see the presence of threat groups,” Acorda said.

The BARMM chief minister assured the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that the regional government will do its best to maintain peace and order in the region.

“We all know that in the past years, BARMM has been very unstable. But now, gradually we are now returning to normal. We are assuring the PNP that we will help in the implementation of the peace and order situation in the area,” Ebrahim said in the PNP statement.

FISHERFOLK AFFECTED BY MT PRINCESS EMPRESS OIL SPILL FILE P114-M IN COMPENSATION CLAIMS

MANILA -- A total of 3,457 fisherfolk have filed a combined P114 million in financial compensation claims for the effects that they suffered from the MT Princess Empress oil spill, according to a lawmaker.

Compensable claims include property damage, costs of cleanup activities at sea and on shore, economic losses by fisherfolk and seafood vendors, or those engaged in mariculture, economic losses in the tourism sector, and costs for reinstatement of the environment.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said in a press release that the figures from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) were "very preliminary" and that additional claims might have been "submitted by now, but have not been aggregated and reported yet."

IOPC Funds is a London-based environmental organization that pays compensation to those who suffered pollution damage from oil spills.

Pimentel added that the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies involved "are also expected to file their respective claims for costs incurred in cleanup operations and preventive measures as well as sea response."

Last February 28, the MT Princess Empress went down in rough seas near Oriental Mindoro while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil.

LGUS MOBILIZED TO SAVE WATER

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has advised village leaders and residents of Metro Manila to reduce activities such as watering lawns and washing cars to avert massive water interruptions in the coming months.

In its Bulletin No. 2, the DENR’s Water Resources Management Office (WRMO) told all barangay officials and condominium and subdivision managers to advise residents to conserve water.

The WRMO said residents should also be encouraged to promote rainwatercollection for non-potable use of water and to reuse laundry and dishwashing wastewater for watering plants.

The WRMO also directed all local government units in the National Capital Region to speed up the approval of pipe repairs of water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad.

“As we prepare for even drier conditions due to El Niño, it is, more than ever, important to conserve water in order to prevent massive water interruptions later this year,” the WRMO said.

Earlier, the WRMO issued its first bulletin containing the guidelines for water conservation measures by all government offices, through their building administrators.

In its second bulletin, the WRMO said its team will conduct spotinspections of office buildings for unwarranted use of water, leaks, and faulty bathroom fixtures. The team will ensure that WRMO Bulletin Nos. 1 and 2 are posted in offices accordingly.

The WRMO said that together with the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage System (MWSS), it will review the monthly water bills of all government facilities. Notices on excessive use of water will be issued, it added.

DIESEL PRICES UP, GASOLINE DOWN STARTING JULY 11

MANILA - Oil firms have announced price adjustments for their fuel products which will take effect on Tuesday July 11.

Shell and Seaoil said they will implement the following adjustments at 6 a.m.

Diesel - P0.75/L (increase)

Gasoline - P0.20/L (rollback)

Kerosene - P0.50/L (increase)

Cleanfuel meanwhile will make the following adjustments at 4:01 p.m. Tuesday

Diesel - P0.75/L (increase)

Gasoline - P0.20/L (rollback)

Other oil firms are expected to make similar announcements today.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

PH BET PAULINE AMELINCKX AMONG 5 CANDIDATES IN SUPRA CHAT FINALS

Pauline Amelinckx is a step closer to winning Supra Chat, one of the pre-pageant challenges of Miss Supranational 2023.

The Philippine representative made it to the final round of Supra Chat after being selected from a batch of 10 semi-finalists.

She joins candidates from Canada, India, Peru, and South Africa. They were selected based on judges' scores (70%) and fan votes (30%).

The first two rounds of Supra Chat showed Miss Supranational 2023 candidates answering a set of questions from host Ivan Padrez.

The pre-pageant competition was streamed live on the Miss Supranational YouTube page.

The Miss Supranational 2023 coronation night will be held on July 14 in Poland (early morning of July 15 in the Philippines).

Amelinckx is aiming for the Philippines' second crown, after Mutya Datul in 2013.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good Character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece...by thought, choice, courage, and determination. - John Luther