129 RESCUED FROM LISTING VESSEL OFF ROMBLON

MANILA — A roll-on roll-off vessel named Maria Helena ran aground off Romblon, Philippines, and a team from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully rescued all 129 passengers and crew members. The rescue took place in the early morning hours, with everyone being transferred to a lifeboat. Assistance was provided by both the PCG team and other nearby boats. The passengers and crew were taken to Barangay Nasunugan in Banton for medical check-ups and were found to be in good condition. As of the latest update, only the captain and quartermaster remained onboard to monitor the vessel. The incident occurred while the vessel was en route from Lucena, Quezon province, to the Port of San Agustin in Tablas, Romblon. The vessel was carrying 16 rolling cargoes, and the incident was caused by the explosion of a tire, which led to the detachment of the cargoes and the vessel listing. No cracks or holes were found in the ship's hull. The vessel still has approximately 21,000 liters of fuel, and the PCG's marine environmental protection group is prepared to respond in case of an oil spill.

MAYNILAD SHELVES WATER INTERRUPTION

Maynilad Water Services Inc. suspended indefinitely its planned water interruption in six cities as the water elevation at Angat Dam in Bulacan has increased slightly due to southwest monsoon rains.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said at 6 a.m. yesterday, the dam’s reservoir water level at Angat was at 179.06 meters or up by 0.58 meters from the 178.48 meters on Saturday.

The dam’s normal high water level or spilling level is 210 meters.

In a July 16 advisory, west zone concessionaire Maynilad announced that the scheduled daily water interruptions in portions of the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Manila, Navotas, Quezon City, and Valenzuela will be suspended indefinitely.

“The rains brought by tropical depression ‘Dodong’ over the watersheds increased the water level in Ipo Dam, enabling us to get our required 2,400 million liters per day from the portal despite lower releases from Angat Dam,” it said.

Angat Dam provides 97 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water.

The level of water in La Mesa Dam, Binga Dam, San Roque Dam, Pantabangan Dam, and Magat Dam increased, too, PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, Maynilad said it is tapping into 60 idle deep wells across its service area and constructing new ones to generate an additional 32 million liters per day (MLD) water supply in time for the El Niño dry spell.

SOLGEN: PH CAN’T APPEAL ICC RULING ON DRUG PROBE

The Philippines may have no further recourse if the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejects Manila's appeal to halt the ICC prosecutor's investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war-related killings. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra stated that if the appeal is denied, the ICC prosecutor will be authorized to resume the investigation without the possibility of further appeal by the Philippine government. The ICC relies on the cooperation of member states for support in making arrests, transferring detainees, freezing assets, and enforcing sentences. The ICC Appeals Chamber is expected to announce its decision on July 18. President Duterte has previously stated that the government will not cooperate with the ICC investigation, citing concerns about jurisdiction and sovereignty. If individuals are indicted, they will need to hire their own defense counsel.

MARCOS SAYS ADMIN 'RELENTLESSLY PUSHING' FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is committed to providing universal healthcare for all Filipinos and is overseeing the construction of a multi-specialty medical center in Clark, Pampanga as part of that effort. The Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center (CMSMC) aims to address various health concerns, including kidney, cancer, and pediatric-related issues. The President emphasized that quality healthcare should be accessible to all Filipinos and highlighted the country's need to be prepared for future health crises based on the experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to multi-specialty medical centers, the administration plans to build more rural healthcare units, barangay centers, and local pharmacies to ensure healthcare is readily available. President Marcos expressed gratitude to government agencies involved in the construction project and stressed the importance of collaboration for its timely completion. Once operational, the CMSMC is expected to serve patients from various regions across the country.

ZUBIRI, SENATORS: PH MUST TELL WORLD HOW CHINA VIOLATING SCS RULING

The government should not stop citing the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) but tell the world how China is violating the decision that invalidated its expansive claims in the South China Sea, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Sunday.

In blatantly defying the arbitral ruling, China has been bullying the Philippines and other countries involved in territorial disputes over WPS, Zubiri said.

Because of this, Zubiri said he strongly supports the move to present to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) the repeated incursions and violations of China of the Hague arbitral ruling.

Zubiri also said most senators supported this stand, although only he and opposition Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel have publicly stated so.

In an informal poll conducted by the Standard of the senators’ chiefs of staff, at least 20 said their bosses approved of the measure and would come out with their own statements this week.

“We should show the video and photographic evidence of their creeping invasion towards our country and our neighbors with their continuous reclamation of territory within our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) and areas that are considered international waters, hampering freedom of navigation,” he said.

GATCHALIAN SAYS PH IN GSP+ TO BOOST EXPORTS

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is optimistic about the Philippines' proposed renewal of participation in the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which would boost the competitiveness of exports and increase investment prospects. Gatchalian expressed his elation over the European Commission's proposal to renew the country's participation, providing a wider market for exports and employment opportunities. He hopes that the EU Parliament will vote favorably for the renewal. The GSP+ offers zero tariffs on 6,274 products, and since the Philippines' initial participation in 2014, export revenues have grown significantly. Gatchalian believes the renewal will further improve the country's investment relations with EU member economies, as the EU has been a significant source of investments for the Philippines.

2 COOPERATIVES SAY NOT JOINING TRANSPORT STRIKE

Commuters between Novaliches, Quezon City, and Valenzuela City and vice versa do not have to worry about being stranded during the planned transport strike in Metro Manila on July 24 to 26, to be led by public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators and drivers protesting the government’s modernization program.

A total of 84 air-conditioned mini-buses or modern jeepneys belonging to two transport cooperatives and plying the Gen. Luis St. (formerly Novaliches-Polo Road) route from the former Novaliches town proper to MacArthur Highway in Malinta, Valenzuela City are not joining the “tigil-pasada” (stop operation) spearheaded by the Manibela transport group.

Fifty-two of the units are operated by the Novaliches-Malinta Jeepney Transport Service Cooperative (NMJTSC) and 32 units by the Novaliches Development Cooperative Inc. (NOVADECI).

NMJTSC general manager Helen Reponia has assured Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Teofilo Guadiz III that their cooperative is fully supportive of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

ANGAT DAM REACHES MINIMUM OPERATING LEVEL DUE TO RAINS

MANILA — The water level in Angat Dam in Bulacan, where much of Metro Manila's water needs come from, has reached the minimum operating level of 180 meters as monsoon dumped rains last week, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday.

Angat Dam's water level increased to 180 meters early Monday from 179.06 meters on Sunday, said PAGASA.

Rosalie Pagulayan, PAGASA senior weather specialist, told TeleRadyo Serbisyo that Angat Dam's level increased by almost 2.47 meters in the past 3 days, thanks to the rains.

Pagulayan said all dams saw an increase in water level on Monday except for Binga Dam in Benguet.

Water concessionaire Maynilad on Sunday announced that it has suspended indefinitely water interruptions in some parts of Caloocan, Malabon, Manila, Navotas, Quezon City, and Valenzuela following the rise of water level in Ipo Dam.

Maynilad said the increase in Ipo Dam's water level enabled them to get the required water of 2,400 million liters per day "despite lower releases from Angat Dam."

To recall, the raw water allocation of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System was reduced to 48 cubic meters per second as Angat Dam's water level decreased to 179.99 meters on July 8, which prompted the disruptions that affected nearly 600,000 customers.

‘THIRD COUNTRY’ ILLEGAL RECRUITERS FACE LAWSUITS

MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in the Philippines is taking a more active approach in pursuing legal actions against "third country" illegal recruiters, according to DMW Secretary Susan Ople. Third-country recruitment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) poses a significant challenge for the government. An example of this type of illegal recruitment is the online hiring of a Filipino worker in Hong Kong for a job in Russia. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has been cautioning OFWs about the risks of third-country hiring schemes by illegal recruiters. OFWs in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Cyprus are often targeted by recruiters who entice them to other countries like the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, Turkey, and Russia. To address the issue, the DMW plans to file charges against illegal recruiters in the host countries instead of repatriating the OFWs first. The goal is to build cases against the responsible parties on-site and seek justice through the laws of the host government. The DMW has authorized labor attachés in different host countries to establish agreements with organizations that can provide legal counsel, particularly for victims of gender-based crimes abroad.

SC ORDERS RE-ARREST OF EX-PALAWAN GOV. OVER INVOLVEMENT IN KILLING OF BROADCASTER

MANILA — The Supreme Court of the Philippines has ordered the re-arrest of former Palawan Governor Mario Joel Reyes for his alleged involvement in the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega in 2011. The court also directed the Puerto Princesa regional trial court to proceed with the murder case promptly. Dr. Ortega, a vocal critic of the former governor and mining operations in Palawan, was shot in the head by a lone gunman. Reyes, who is implicated as the mastermind behind the killing, had questioned the Department of Justice's creation of a Second Panel of Prosecutors and had sought to quash the arrest warrant and dismiss the murder case against him. While the Court of Appeals initially granted his petition, it later reversed its ruling, reinstating the murder case and ordering the arrest warrant. The Supreme Court had previously issued a temporary restraining order but has now lifted it, allowing for Reyes' re-arrest and continued proceedings in the murder case.

COA REMINDS PTV OF UNSETTLED P75 MILLION DOT ADS WITH TULFO SHOW

The Commission on Audit has reminded People’s Television Network, Inc. that a total of P75.78 million Department of Tourism advertisements to program Kilos Pronto remain unsettled.

In its 2022 audit report, state auditors said that the two notices of suspension or NS, worth P60.009 million and P15.789 million have already matured into notices of disallowance or ND.

In 2018, former DOT secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo resigned following the controversial ad placements of her department to Bitag Media Unlimited, Inc. owned by her brother Ben Tulfo.

The two NDs in the audit report however were marked “under appeal”.

The Tulfos had denied any wrongdoing and had refused to return the questioned amount.

The NDs concerning the Tulfos were included in the P128.612 million total NDs of PTNI.

A copy of the audit report was received by the Board of PTV as well as General Manager Julio Castillo, Jr. on June 8, 2023.

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NEW BRGY. HALL RISES IN BANGSAMORO VILLAGE

MIDSAYAP, Cotabato—The Bangsamoro autonomous government is constructing a two-layer barangay hall building to be equipped with modern facilities unlike the smaller, already congested old government hall in Barangay Tumbras.

The new hall is symbolic of peace in the surrounding communities, Bangsamoro Transitional Parliament Member Mohammad Kelly Antao said.

Barangay Tumbras and six other villages comprising Midsayap Cluster I of the 63-barangay Special Geographic Area (SGA), now make up a “community of peaceful coexistence between Muslim and Christian residents.”

These communities would also be setting the goals through the future of governance, said Interior and Local Governments Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Sinarimbo said the BARMM barangay clusters in majority Christian settlements in Cotabato Province will set the “future of governance” with innovative setups that would enhance local communities with “enterprising governance/” given their inherent “corporate powers.”

He said this will bring about changes and results in the affairs of LGUs “different from the usual governance.”

“As we operationalize the SGADA (Special Geographic Area Development Authority) you will receive more” (assistance package), Sinarimbo assured recipient-residents of farm and fishery equipment machineries gathered Thursday in Barangay Tumbras.

BIG HIKE IN FUEL PRICES SET ON JULY 18

MANILA - Oil companies are set to raise pump prices again this week.

Shell announced that it will implementing the following prices hikes on its fuel products at 6 a.m. July 18, Tuesday.

Gasoline - P1.90/L

Kerosene - P1.80/L

Diesel- P2.10/L

Other oil firms are expected to make similar announcements during the day.

Analysts earlier said the price hikes are due to Russia's announcement that it is cutting oil production in a bid to support prices.

HABAGAT RAINS CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF PHILIPPINES

MANILA — The southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to bring rains over some parts of the Philippines, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday.

Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro will experience occasional rains, the weather agency said in its 24-hour bulletin issued at 4 a.m.   

Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms lash Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Mimaropa, the rest of Central Luzon, and Western Visayas, PAGASA said.

The rest of the country    meantime will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added.

PAGASA weather forecaster Robert Badrina told TeleRadyo Serbisyo that sunny weather could be expected on Tuesday or Wednesday following rainy days.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

'Haunted Mansion,' a premiere without stars as strike bites

LOS ANGELES, United States - The first major world premiere since Hollywood actors went on strike featured no stars -- and a mournful director who said he backed the walkout but missed his cast "terribly."

The "Haunted Mansion" premiere at Disneyland in California on Saturday evening was scaled back after actors took to picket lines and movie and television production ground to a halt in the most serious Hollywood strike in decades.

Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) members have joined writers who have been on strike for weeks, triggering the first industry-wide walkout for 63 years.

"I'm a director and a writer and an artist in this industry. And it's really, really hard," Justin Simien, director of "Haunted Mansion," told AFP at the premiere.

"I absolutely support them (the actors). And I'm part of the fight myself."

Disney still laid on a red carpet at the theme park's Haunted Mansion ride, but none of the movie's stars were in attendance, including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis, who has been active in the strike organization.

"I miss them terribly," Simien said. "I wish I could celebrate with them here."

Actors formally went on strike at midnight Thursday after negotiations to reach a new deal with production studios ended without an agreement.

The union's demands have focused on dwindling pay in the streaming era, and the threat posed by artificial intelligence.

The "double strike" has essentially shut down all US productions, with limited exceptions such as reality and game shows.

SPORTS

OBIENA SETS NEW COMPETITION RECORD EN ROUTE TO ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS GOLD

Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena set a new competition record to win the gold in the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.

Obiena, who is already assured of a berth in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, broke his own competition record and clinched the gold medal when he cleared 5.80-meters in his first try.

The 27-year-old pole vaulter owned the previous record of 5.71-m, which he set in the 2019 edition of the event in Doha, Qatar.

He later reset the standard to 5.91-m, needing two tries to clear the height.

Obiena then tried to set a new personal best -- and a new Asian record -- of 6.02-m, but failed in three attempts. His personal best remains at 6.0-m, set last June at the Bergen Jump Challenge.

Hussain Asim Alhizam of Saudi Arabia came in at second with 5.56m, while Huang Bokai of China made the podium with 5.51.

Obiena qualified for the Olympics after clearing the qualification standard of 5.82 meters at the Bauhaus-Galan meet in Sweden earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Fil-American Kristina Knott failed to make it to the top three of the 200m women's finals after clocking in at 23.39 seconds.

Pereira Shanti of Singapore won the gold by clocking in at 22.70, while Jyothi Yarraji of India (23.13) and China's Li Yuting (23.25) rounded up the top three.

Earlier, Robyn Brown delivered the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Asian Athletics Championships by ruling the women’s 400m hurdles on Saturday.

She clocked 57.50 seconds to break the ice for the Philippines in the weeklong meet.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Our zeal works wonders when it seconds our propensity to hatred, cruelty, ambition, avarice, detraction, rebellion. – Michel Eyquem de Montaigne