PALACE: NTC CAN’T GRANT ABS-CBN PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY TO OPERATE WITHOUT FRANCHISEDOJ says NTC ‘not legally compelled’ to grant provisional authority tooperateMANILA - It might be illegal for the National Telecommunications Commission(NTC) to issue provisional authority for ABS-CBN Corp to operate beyond theexpiry of its franchise in May, Malacañang said Friday.President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel and spokesman SalvadorPanelo explained that the NTC cannot grant provisional authority to operateonce the network’s license to operate lapses since there is no validfranchise anymore.“A provisional authority cannot be legal because the NTC cannot giveprovisional authority if there is no franchise,” he told reporters inMalacañang.“If the franchise expires, then there is nothing to give provisionalauthority for an extension. If they do that, that might be most likelysubject to constitutional question before the Supreme Court,” Panelo added.HOUSE SUMMONS CALIDA TO HEARING ON P95 BILLION POWER DEBT TO PSALMMANILA - Two House of Representatives committees have summoned SolicitorGeneral Jose Calida to appear in a legislative inquiry on someP95.42-billion worth of uncollected receivables from power producers.The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability andCommittee on Public Accounts summoned Calida to appear in a March 11 hearingover an ongoing investigation on uncollected funds of state-owned PowerSector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM).Calida was called to provide the House panels with "pertinent documents,"which include its Motion for Leave to Intervene in a court case concerningthe uncollected P14.97 billion and P315.42 million from the Manila ElectricCompany (Meralco) and First Gen Hydro Power Corporation, respectively."This move has been prompted by the failure of the OSG [Office of theSolicitor General] to attend the joint hearings conducted on Feb. 19 and 20,2020 despite invitations," the committees said in a statement.During the February hearings, Meralco manifested it would settle its debt toPSALM, but failed to do so because of the motion filed by the OSG."While we welcome the move of those companies who have been persuaded tosettle their accounts - noting that these funds belong to the people andwill go a long way in ensuring that the Philippine’s plan for energysufficiency and sustainability becomes a reality - there are still those whorefuse to heed the President’s call to pay what they owe," the committeessaid.

BONG GO AIDS PARAÑAQUE FIRE VICTIMSMANILA — Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go extended assistance lastThursday to victims of a recent fire that swept through their houses at Area1, Fourth Estate, Barangay San Antonio, Parañaque City.The fire razed 86 houses, leaving 127 families homeless and eight residentsinjured.During his visit, Go assured the injured or sick and those needing surgerythat he would assist them until they recover from their condition.“Ako na pong magpapagamot sa inyo (I’d answer for your medical needs),” hesaid, reminding them that there is a Malasakit Center at the Ospital ngParañaque.He encouraged them to seek assistance from the one-stop shop, whichstreamlines the delivery of various medical and financial assistancepackages from the government.Malasakit Centers are staffed by representatives from the Philippine HealthInsurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Department of Health (DOH), Department ofSocial Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Philippine Charity SweepstakesOffice (PCSO).PASSENGER ‘RODRIGUEZ’ FACES RAPS FOR FAILURE TO DECLARE $700,000MANILA — The Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against acertain Simon John Rodriguez, similarly named as one of those identified bySen. Richard Gordon during a hearing, for failure to declare $700,000 whenhe entered the country through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)last year.Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Ju-Haree Tolentino recommended the filingof charges against Rodriguez over the undeclared foreign currency, with avalue of P36.5 million locally.The resolution was dated Feb. 24 and released to the media on Thursday.Rodriguez was charged with violation of Section 1401(e) of Republic Act10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and Bangko Sentral ngPilipinas Circular No. 922, 2016, under Cross-Border Transfer of LocalCurrency in relation to RA 7653 or the New Central Bank Act.Tolentino found during the preliminary investigation that Rodriguezfraudulently brought into the Philippines the foreign currency as it wasshown in surveillance footage, and that he directly proceeded to the exitgate of the terminal, instead of the customs declaration desk, where he wasintercepted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation supervisor. It wasthen that the cash inside his baggage was found.Rodriguez claimed that he was asked to carry the foreign currency by afriend from Singapore.“Assessing such evidence, the tilt of the balance favors the complainantswho were able to show that respondent failed to declare the USD700,000currency notes in writing and to furnish information on the source andpurpose of the transport of such currency,” the prosecutor’s resolution readin part.Rodriguez arrived at NAIA Terminal II in Pasay City on Sept. 26 at around2:40 p.m.Gordon had identified a certain Simon John Rodriguez for failure to declareforeign currency and was supposedly still allowed to travel multiple times.The senator, who heads the Blue Ribbon committee, said an estimated $633million, or P32 billion in cash, entered the country in 890 transactionsfrom September 2019 to March 2020 alone.MANILA REQUIRES HIRING OF SENIORS, PWDSMANILA — Senior citizens can now land jobs in Manila as Mayor Isko Morenosigned an ordinance requiring fastfood chains to hire the elderly andpersons with disabilities (PWDs).Under City Ordinance 8598, fastfood chains operating in Manila are requiredto provide temporary employment to qualified senior citizens and PWDs “fornot more than six months.”Each fastfood chain branch should employ at least two senior citizens andone PWD who shall render a minimum four hours work for at least four dayseach working week.The ordinance also requires a salary “of at least the minimum wage providedunder the Labor Code.”For their protection, the ordinance prohibits companies from assigning tasksto senior citizens and PWDs that are hazardous to their health or beyondtheir body capability.After signing the ordinance, Moreno ordered the creation of a technicalworking group that would come up with implementing rules and regulations.ROAD REPAIRS IN QUEZON CITY, PASIG CONGEST WEEKEND TRAFFICMANILA — Several roads in Metro Manila have been closed since last night forrepairs and reblocking, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)said yesterday. The road closures will be until Monday at 5 a.m.The MMDA advised motorists to be ready for heavier traffic flow alongportions of the northbound lanes of A. Bonifacio Avenue; Sgt. Rivera Streetto Bansalangin Street; EDSA-Guzent to Bansalangin Street; and EDSA approachof P. Tuazon flyover to the approach of Boni Serrano flyover, all in QuezonCity.Road repairs will also close portions of General Luis Street near SB Road;Congressional Avenue Extension, Tandang Sora; and Elliptical Road cornerMaharlika Street, including the third lane of EDSA from Aurora Boulevard toNew York Street in Cubao, Quezon City.Meanwhile, one lane along Julia Vargas, Ugong C-5, C. Raymundo, and PasigBoulevard was closed at 10 o’clock last night and will be passable by 4 a.m.on Monday.“This is to give way to the construction of Manila Water’s main sewernetwork,” the MMDA said.LPA TO BRING RAIN ACROSS VISAYAS, PARTS OF MINDANAO: PAGASAA low pressure area spotted 30 kilometers in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga delSur will continue to bring rainshowers and thunderstorms across Visayas,Caraga ang Zamboanga Peninsula, state weather bureau PAGASA said Saturday.PAGASA weather forecaster Loriedin De La Cruz said the LPA will not likelyturn into a tropical storm.Meanwhile, a tail end of a cold front will cause cloudy skies with scatteredrain showers and thunderstorms in the Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, andRomblon.The northeast monsoon will bring cloudy skies with light rains in Batanesand Babuyan Group of Islands while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon willhave partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies withisolated rainshowers or thunderstorm due to localized thunderstorms.ARE KATHRYN AND DANIEL GETTING MARRIED? JOROSS GAMBOA PUT ON THE SPOTMANILA -- Are popular love team Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla gettingmarried soon?In an interview with members of entertainment media on Friday after a pressconference for iWant, "Fluid" star Joross Gamboa was asked to comment onspeculations that his close friends Padilla and Bernardo are getting marriedsoon."Wala akong alam. Huwag niyo na ako i-try hulihin," Gamboa said.Pressed if he sees Bernardo and Padilla ending up at the altar, Gamboa said:"Oo naman. Sila talaga, malapit na. Ewan ko, joke lang. Pero wala pa akongbalita. Pero why not di ba? KathNiel tayo."In previous interviews, Bernardo admitted that she dreams of having a beachwedding.NBA SCORES MARCH 5FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Nuggets 42-20    31    29    20    34    114team logo Hornets 21-41    34    17    31    30    112SCORING LEADERSJ. Murray DEN18 PTS, 3 REB, 6 ASTD. Graham CHA24 PTS, 1 REB, 7 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Clippers 43-19    33    34    23    30    120team logo Rockets 39-22    23    21    21    40    105SCORING LEADERSK. Leonard LAC25 PTS, 6 REB, 5 ASTR. Westbrook HOU29 PTS, 15 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo 76ers 38-25    32    31    33    29    125team logo Kings 27-35    30    23    27    28    108SCORING LEADERST. Harris PHI28 PTS, 14 REB, 3 ASTD. Fox SAC23 PTS, 3 REB, 7 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Raptors 44-18    32    30    27    32    121team logo Warriors 14-49    27    28    33    25    113SCORING LEADERSN. Powell TOR37 PTS, 3 REB, 2 ASTS. Curry GS23 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST