DAILY WEATHER FORECAST
Issued at: 5:00 AM today, 06 August 2015
Valid Beginning: 5:00 AM today until 5:00 AM tomorrow
Synopsis:
Southwest monsoon affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Meanwhile, at 4:00 am today, the eye of Typhoon HANNA was located based on all available data at 955 km East of Basco, Batanes (20.3N, 131.1E) with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. It is forecast to move West Northwest at 20 kph.
 Predicted Mean Sea Level Pressure Analysis 8 AM 06 August 2015 |  Predicted Mean Sea Level Wind Analysis 8 AM 06 August 2015 |  |
Forecast:
Monsoon rains which may trigger flashfloods and landslides will be experienced over Bicol, Visayas, Mindanao and the province of Palawan. Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms is expected Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of Luzon.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northwest to West will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the Southwest over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.
PAGTAYA: Pag-ulan na dala ng habagat na maaaring magdulot ng mga pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa ang mararanasan sa Kabikulan, Kabisayaan, Mindanao at lalawigan ng Palawan. Maulap na kalangitan na may mahina hanggang sa katamtamang mga pag-ulan at pulu-pulong pagkidlat-pagkulog ang inaasahan sa Metro Manila, CALABARZON at mga lalawigan ng Mindoro, Marinduque at Romblon. Bahagyang maulap hanggang sa maulap na kalangitan na may pulu-pulong pagkidlat-pagkulog ang iiral sa nalalabing bahagi ng Luzon.
Katamtaman hanggang sa malakas na hangin mula sa hilagang kanluran ang iiral sa Hilaga at Gitnang Luzon at mula naman sa timog-kanluran sa nalalabing bahagi ng bansa. ang mga baybaying dagat sa buong kapuluan ay magiging katamtaman hanggang sa maalon.
OVER METRO MANILA:
Maximum Temperature: 01:50 PM Yesterday --- 33.2 ºC
Minimum Temperature: 06:00 AM Yesterday --- 24.2 ºC
Maximum Relative Humidity: 06:00 AM Yesterday --- 97 %
Minimum Relative Humidity: 01:50 PM Yesterday --- 59 %
Low Tide Today: 08:24 AM ..……….... 0.51 Meter
High Tide Today: 02:26 PM ..……….... 0.87 Meter
Low Tide Today: 08:46 PM ..……….... 0.41 Meter
High Tide Tomorrow: 03:27 AM ..……….... 0.95 Meter
Sunrise Today: 5:40 AM
Sunset Today: 6:23 PM
Moonset Today: 11:07 AM
Moonrise Today: 11:12 PM
Illumination Today: 66 %
For more information and queries, please call at telephone numbers 927-1335 and 927-2877 or log on to www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph
Dost_pagasa added 2 new photos — with Benison Jay Estareja.
SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN No. 4
FOR: TYPHOON “#HannaPH” (SOUDELOR)
TROPICAL CYCLONE: WARNING
ISSUED AT 11:00 AM, 06 AUGUST 2015
FOR: TYPHOON “#HannaPH” (SOUDELOR)
TROPICAL CYCLONE: WARNING
ISSUED AT 11:00 AM, 06 AUGUST 2015
TYPHOON “HANNA” HAS SLIGHTLY WEAKENED AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARDS BATANES AREA.
• Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 700 km diameter of the typhoon.
• Fisher folk are advised not to venture out over the Northern and Eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboards of Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao.
• Southwest monsoon is affecting Palawan, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao. Residents in low lying and mountainous areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides
Location of eye/center: At 10:00 AM today, the eye of Typhoon “HANNA” was located based on all available data at 825 km East of Basco, Batanes (20.6°N, 129.9°E).
Strength: Maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph
Forecast Movement: Forecast to move West Northwest at 20 kph
Forecast Positions:
• 24 hour (Tomorrow morning): 370 km East Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
• 48 hour (Saturday morning): 355 km North Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
• 72 hour (Sunday morning): Outside PAR or 765 km Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
• 96 hour (Monday morning): at 1160 km Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (Outside PAR)
Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1
(30-60 kph Expected in 36 hrs.)
Batanes Group of Islands and Calayan & Babuyan group of islands
Impacts of the wind:
• Very light or no damage to low risk structures
• Light damage to medium to high risk structures
• Slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities. Some banana plants are tilted, a few downed and leaves are generally damaged.
• Twigs of small trees may be broken.
• Rice crops, however, may suffer significant damage when it is in its flowering stage.
Wave Height: (Open Sea) 1.25-4.0 meters
The public and the disaster risk reduction and management council concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next bulletin to be issued at 5 PM today.
• Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 700 km diameter of the typhoon.
• Fisher folk are advised not to venture out over the Northern and Eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboards of Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao.
• Southwest monsoon is affecting Palawan, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao. Residents in low lying and mountainous areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides
Location of eye/center: At 10:00 AM today, the eye of Typhoon “HANNA” was located based on all available data at 825 km East of Basco, Batanes (20.6°N, 129.9°E).
Strength: Maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph
Forecast Movement: Forecast to move West Northwest at 20 kph
Forecast Positions:
• 24 hour (Tomorrow morning): 370 km East Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
• 48 hour (Saturday morning): 355 km North Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
• 72 hour (Sunday morning): Outside PAR or 765 km Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
• 96 hour (Monday morning): at 1160 km Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (Outside PAR)
Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1
(30-60 kph Expected in 36 hrs.)
Batanes Group of Islands and Calayan & Babuyan group of islands
Impacts of the wind:
• Very light or no damage to low risk structures
• Light damage to medium to high risk structures
• Slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities. Some banana plants are tilted, a few downed and leaves are generally damaged.
• Twigs of small trees may be broken.
• Rice crops, however, may suffer significant damage when it is in its flowering stage.
Wave Height: (Open Sea) 1.25-4.0 meters
The public and the disaster risk reduction and management council concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next bulletin to be issued at 5 PM today.
August 6,
2015 ( Thursday ) as of 8:00 AM
PIA4A / PIA QUEZON : Partly Cloudy in Lucena City
NORTHERN
SOUTHERN
WESTERN
EASTERN
Marikina follow-through session tackles disaster
preparedness and livelihood
- August
06, 2015
ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal, July 6 (PIA) --Leaders and
representatives from business and civic groups will join the various
faith-based organizations in the Interfaith Dialogue on Climate Change (IFD)
Follow-through session for Marikina Watershed scheduled today at Cristina
Villas, Taktak Road, Antipolo City to help the residents prepare for possible
disasters.
Speakers from government and business will tackle disaster
preparedness, updates on the greening programs and livelihood programs for the
residents in nearby areas. Different peoples organizations will also present
their project proposals to solve environmental problems that can be funded by
the private sector.
“We must keep the Marikina Watershed safe in the entire NCR
for the headwaters of its river meet the Manggahan Floodway that controls the
overflowing deluges of Metro Manila,” says former Senator and now Climate
Change Commissioner Heherson T. Alvarez.
Studies show that more than 70% of the upper Marikina
watershed is highly vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion because
of denuded forests. This condition periodically contributes to
widespread flooding in Metro Manila.
In 2012, the Marikina Watershed was declared a
protected area by the virtue of President Benigno Aquino III’s Proclamation
296, which is pursuant to Republic Act 7658 or the National Integrated
Protected Area System.
“With its proclamation as a protected area, the Marikina
watershed will now be placed under a regime of management where all native
species of plants and animals, including its unique features, are protected for
perpetuity,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said.
The summary of issues and concerns will also be discussed in
the Marikina Watershed which transpired in the Marikina IFD last year. Also
included in the program is the memorandum of agreement signing between the
DENR, the Dumagats and the people’s organizations.
“The dialogues enabled us to hear the grassroots communities
of the poor, the farmers, the fishermen, informal settlers, the socially
underserved, the indigenous peoples, the marginalized sector, civil society and
people’s organizations,” says Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma of the Climate
Change Congress of the Philippines.
The IFD, first convened by Alvarez in 2010, already
conducted three national conferences and seven regional dialogues were already
conducted before this event. It is co-sponsored by the Climate Change Congress
of the Philippines, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, and the
Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy in partnership with the Climate
Change Commission and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It
aims to develop interfaith unity and action on both local and national climate
change challenges. (Kat Manapat, Climate Change Commission- Office of Comm.
Heherson T. Alvarez/PIA-4A)
- See more at:
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/631438823377/marikina-follow-through-session-tackles-disaster-preparedness-and-livelihood#sthash.yLx3vyW6.dpuf
| President Aquino signs law promoting safety of children riding motorcyles |
| President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed a law promoting the safety of children riding motorcycles on public roads. According to Republic Act (RA) 10666, “It shall (now) be unlawful for any person to drive a two-wheeled motorcycle with a child on board on public roads where there is heavy volume of vehicles, there is a high density of fast-moving vehicles or where a speed limit of more than 60/kph is imposed, unless: “The child passenger can comfortably reach his/her feet on the standard foot peg of the motorcycle; the child’s arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the motorcycle rider; and the child is wearing a standard protective helmet”, as prescribed in the RA 10054 or the ‘Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.’ Violators will be fined P3,000 on their first offense; P5,000 on second offense; and P10,000 on third and succeeding offenses. On the third offense, a violator’s driver’s license will be suspended for a month. Violation beyond the third time will result in the automatic revocation of the offender’s driver’s license. The President signed Republic Act 10666 last July 21, after the Senate and House of Representatives passed it last May 27. PND (ag) |
| Gov’t agencies told, “aim for total client satisfaction” | |||||||||||
| Source: http://web.csc.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| The Civil Service Commission (CSC) urged government agencies nationwide to focus on continuous streamlining and improvement of frontline service delivery, following the release of Report Card Survey (RCS) results for the first half of 2015 where majority of surveyed frontline service offices were rated as “Good”. As of June 30 this year, 63.10% or 460 out of 729 surveyed frontline service offices nationwide obtained a numerical score between 80 and 89.99 equivalent to a Good rating. Some 226 offices (31%) received an Excellent rating; six offices (0.82%) got Outstanding; 30 offices (4.12%) were Acceptable; and seven offices (0.96%) incurred a Failed rating. The service offices subjected to the RCS came from 10 agencies, namely, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Land Registration Authority (LRA), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), Philippine Statistics Authority-National Statistics Office (PSA-NSO), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). The RCS provides a quantitative measure of client perceptions on the quality, efficiency, and adequacy of public services. The CSC runs the survey as the lead implementer of Republic Act No. 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 (ARTA). “It is not enough to just tick all the boxes. Our aim should be total client satisfaction, not just basic compliance with the provisions of the law,” said CSC Acting Chairperson Robert S. Martinez. The RCS criteria is composed of Core Area 1 or Compliance with ARTA Provisions, and Core Area 2 or Overall Client Satisfaction. Under Core Area 1, the CSC checks if the service office has a Citizen’s Charter that contains detailed commitments on transaction steps, cost, and time. It also checks if anti-fixing measures are implemented, if frontline staff wear identification cards, if there are no hidden transaction costs, if there is a functional Public Assistance and Complaints Desk, and if the No Noon Break policy is observed. Under Core Area 2, the CSC looks into the effectiveness of frontline service providers, service quality (overall transaction time and outcome), physical setup of the office, availability of basic facilities for pregnant women, senior citizens and persons with disability, as well as client feedback or satisfaction. Service offices which obtain a score of 90 to 100 with no failed/delinquent rating in any sub-area are rated Excellent. Those with scores of 90 to 100 but have a failing mark in any sub-area are rated Outstanding. Scores of 80 to 89.99 are rated Good; 70 to 79.99 are Acceptable; and 69.99 and below are Failed. Offices that fail in any of the two core areas, regardless of the final numerical rating, also incur a Failed rating. All surveyed agencies had a full passing rate with all of their service offices obtaining scores not lower than 70, except for BIR with three Failed offices out of 119 surveyed, and LTO with four Failed offices out of 226 surveyed. GSIS and Philhealth had the highest proportion of offices that got Excellent rating, numbering 39 out of 47 surveyed offices (82.98%) for GSIS, and 41 out of 60 surveyed offices (68.33%) for Philhealth. | |||||||||||
| Inflation reaches new 20-year low in July 2015 | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.neda.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| MANILA – Slower price adjustments in food, energy, and oil pushed inflation to its new lowest level in 20 years, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The Philippine Statistics Authority reported today that headline inflation rate plummeted further to 0.8 percent in July 2015 from 1.2 percent in the previous month and 4.9 percent in July 2014. “Inflation remained low and stable in the first semester of 2015 while year-to-date headline inflation lodged below the inflation target range of 2.0 to 4.0 percent set by the government for 2015. In fact, using the current base year 2006, the July 2015 inflation rate is a new record low, covering the monthly inflation series from 1995 to June 2015,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. Headline inflation in the food subgroup eased further in July 2015 (1.3% from 2.1% in June), following moderate price pressures in bread and cereals, fish, vegetables, and fruits. “In part, the increase in total rice stocks inventory, which grew by 30.9 percent year-on-year as of June 2015, supported the normalization of rice prices from double-digit annual growths recorded in 2014,” the Cabinet official said. “Stable bread prices also benefitted from the low global wheat prices while meat prices remained stable,” added Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General. Non-food inflation also reflected stable price movements in July 2015 following continued rollbacks in the prices of electricity, gas, and other fuels. Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes selected volatile food and energy prices, slid further to 1.9 percent from 2.0 percent in June 2015 and 3.0 percent in July 2014. Core inflation in the first seven months of 2015 averaged at 2.3 percent. “The easing of the core inflation is favorable for household consumption and supports economic expansion moving forward, as it provides less pressure for interest rates to increase,” he said. On the other hand, inflation in the National Capital Region accelerated due to slight increases in the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities. In contrast, all regions, except the Davao Region (Region XI), registered slower year-on-year price increases, thus resulting in a moderated overall inflation of 0.8 percent in July 2015 for from 1.4 percent in June 2015 and 5.1 percent same period a year ago. Amid low and stable inflation this year, Balisacan emphasized the need for the government to be wary of the upside risks to inflation such as the occurrence of typhoons in the second semester which is expected to be intensified by the prolonged El Nino. “Continued monitoring of agricultural areas is important to ensure that appropriate policy actions are implemented without delay,” said Balisacan. | |||||||||||
| Former Punong Barangay indicted for not returning firearm | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| The Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente indicted former Punong Barangay Elmerito Panlaan of Anopog, Pinamungajan, Cebu, for violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code (Malversation of Public Property) for not returning a 0.9mm caliber pistol worth P40,175.00 issued to him in 2003. During the investigation, it was established that when the new municipal mayor of Pinamungajan assumed office in 2013, he issued a memorandum order requiring the municipal treasurer to account for and turn over all service vehicles and firearms owned by the municipal government. Despite notice and repeated demands, Panlaan did not return the firearm but instead submitted an affidavit stating that he no longer had custody of it since he already surrendered the same to the chief of police in 2006. In junking the bare claim of respondent, the Office stated that the failure of Panlaan to return accountable property was prima facie evidence that he has appropriated the missing firearm for personal use. The Resolution stated that Panlaan failed to overcome the prima facie evidence of guilt when he was unable to produce, let alone sufficiently explain who had custody of the missing property. Article 217 of the RPC prescribes penalties for failure of public officers to account for public funds or property with which he is chargeable, upon demand by any duly authorized officer. | |||||||||||
| Outgoing French Ambassador conferred Order of Sikatuna | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dof.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| French Ambassador Gilles Garachon has been awarded with Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Grand Cross (Datu), Gold Distinction (Katangiang Ginto) by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario, on behalf of President Benigno S. Aquino III, last 22 July 2015. The said distinction was conferred to honor and recognize Ambassador Garachon’s contributions in deepening and sustaining the relationship between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and Republic of France. Ambassador Garachon assumed his duty as the Ambassador of the Republic of France to the GPH in July 2012. It was during his term that significant events which further strengthened diplomatic relations between the two states took place. Among the high level initiatives he facilitated with the GPH’s Department of Foreign Affairs was President Aquino’s visit to France in September 2014- the first official visit of a Philippine Head of State to France since 1994 – and French President Francois Hollande’s official visit to the Philippines last 26 to 27 February, which made a mark in history as the first official visit of a French head of state to the Philippines. During this visit, the Manila Call to Action on Climate Change was launched by Philippine President Aquino and French President Hollande. Ambassador Garachon has likewise been an instrument in strengthening bilateral negotiations that contributed to the growth of the economy, renewable energy, urban transportation and infrastructure, sustainable development, and management of natural resources in the country. Other sectors of cooperation during his watch are in the health care sector, tourism, and education. More significantly, Ambassador Garachon played an important role in expediting humanitarian relief from the French Republic for those deeply affected and devastated by the Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. The conferment ceremony was held at the Department of Foreign Affairs and was attended by Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario, other high-level officials and personal guests of Ambassador Garachon. The Order of Sikatuna is an order of diplomatic merit for exceptional and meritorious contributions to the Republic of the Philippines. Named after the first treaty between the Philippines and a foreign country, it is conferred upon diplomats, officials, and nationals of foreign states for fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between their country and the Philippines, or upon personnel of DFA who displayed such meritorious service between the Philippines and foreign states. The Gold Distinction (Katangiang Ginto) conferred to Ambassador Garachon is the highest distinction under the Rank of Grand Cross (Datu), given only to a crown prince, vice president, senate president, speaker of the house, chief justice or the equivalent; a foreign minister or other official of cabinet rank, ambassador, undersecretary, assistant secretary, or other person of a rank similar or equivalent to the foregoing. Before he was assigned in Manila, Garachon served as the Political Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Bangkok (1999-2003), the Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Jakarta (2003-2007) and the head of the Human Resources Department (non-permanent staff) of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for four years. | |||||||||||
| ADB President announces increased funding for host country Philippines | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dof.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Purisima: Philippines welcomes the hand extended in partnership with unequivocal vow to press on MANILA, PHILIPPINES (28 July 2015) – Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao today met with Philippine Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima to discuss ADB’s deepening partnership with and increased funding for the Philippines. ADB stands ready to boost its sovereign lending from the present $1.8 billion over the 3 years 2015 to 2017, to about $3 billion (or 66% higher) between 2016 and 2018 using ADB’s expanded lending capacity. “ADB will continue to support infrastructure needs; programs to strengthen senior high school education, job creation for youth, and social protection; deeper capital markets; improved access to finance; and development in southern Philippines including Mindanao,” Mr. Nakao said. “We are pleased to see the recent progress made by the government in its public-private partnership (PPP) program and will continue to support its implementation.” One of the recent examples of PPP projects, assisted by an ADB private-sector loan of $75 million, is the Mactan-Cebu International Passenger Terminal Project, for which construction commenced in June. Meanwhile, Mr. Purisima thanked ADB for its continued partnership with the Philippines saying, “Our country has more than proven its mettle throughout the past 5 years writing a comeback story of growth and better governance. Deepening support from ADB in sustaining these reforms is critical–we need quality education and infrastructure to fuel further inclusive growth.” “The Philippines welcomes the hand extended in partnership with an unequivocal vow to press on. Filipinos have seen what we can achieve with good governance and are ready to dream of bigger things.” On 14 May this year, ADB’s Office of PPP, together with its co-advisor the Development Bank of the Philippines, was appointed as Transaction Advisor for the North-South Railway Project South Line (Manila to Legaspi with extensions to Batangas and Matnog). The pre-qualification process has been initiated by the authorities. Mr. Nakao mentioned that once implemented, the project will help transform the railway sector in the Philippines to offer efficient and affordable services, which would enhance connectivity and boost economic productivity. Mr. Purisima, on the other hand, noted that the Philippines’ PPP Center has recently been upheld as a global model cited by the Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Partnership due to its strong track record and clear structure. “We will continue innovating on the infrastructure financing front, knowing full well that our future growth rests on our ability to create mobility and connectivity networks to support our 100-million strong population.” The Philippines has in recent years maintained consistent growth, with the economy expanding 6.1% in 2014. ADB is forecasting this to be followed by 6.4% and 6.3% growth in 2015 and 2016, respectively. ADB has highlighted the need to improve the investment climate, increase public and private investment, and generate more and better jobs. The unemployment rate fell to 6.6% in January 2015, the lowest in 10 years, yet addressing youth unemployment remains a key challenge. Mr. Nakao emphasized that the country should utilize the potential of its young and educated population, increasing opportunities in such areas as business process outsourcing, tourism, and agri-business. In his discussion, Mr. Nakao shared ADB’s phased approach to deepen capital markets and nonbank finance, with two ADB programs planned in the next 3 years. A capital reform program in 2017 will help boost access to nonbank finance through bond market development, promotion of long-term savings, and improving Treasury operations. A financial inclusion project the following year will increase the number of poor and near-poor participating in the financial system, boosting their access to housing finance, small and medium enterprise credit, and microfinance credit. Taking into consideration the government’s thrust under the Cebu Action Plan, Mr. Purisima encouraged ADB to join the Philippines in its regional advocacy in the area of financial integration. The Philippines is championing the liberalization trade and cross border investments across APEC economies (supply-chain financing for MSMEs), and creating an enabling environment to integrate low-income households and MSMEs into the financial mainstream and enable them to be part of the regional and global supply chain. “Only when we have woven the most vulnerable households and enterprises at the margins of the country into the fabric of our economy can we attain shared prosperity under a stronger economy,” Purisima noted. ADB also aims to deepen its partnership with the government on disaster risk financing, especially at the local government level. This would be a follow-on from ADB’s support in areas affected by 2013’s Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda. ADB committed $900 million assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction using community-driven development approaches, of which about $650 million has already been disbursed. For his part, Mr. Purisima thanked ADB for its support in Typhoon Yolanda affected areas, and urged the Bank to support the government’s disaster risk and financing strategy by developing instruments considering the three levels of financing: national, local government, and household. Mr. Nakao reiterated ADB’s commitment to supporting the government in its effort to bring lasting peace and development to Mindanao and the Bangsamoro areas. ADB has worked with the local authorities in the preparation of the Bangsamoro Development Plan and on various projects to develop road infrastructure and a transport master plan. ADB plans to follow this up with an Adult Literacy and Livelihood grant program for the region. ADB is also working with the National Economic Development Authority to prepare technical studies as part of a long-term strategic development vision of the country. The studies will identify scenarios of what the Philippines might look like in 2040 and options to realize Filipinos’ aspirations for their bright future. Since 1966, ADB has been a strong development partner of the Philippines, its host country, approving a cumulative total of $15.7 billion in assistance as of the end of 2014. The ADB country partnership strategy for 2011-2016 focuses on improving the investment climate, more effectively delivering social services, and minimizing disaster risks. ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2014, ADB assistance totaled $22.9 billion, including cofinancing of $9.2 billion. | |||||||||||
| Open Letter – request for information: Systems Management and Access Service | |||||||||||
| Source: http://icto.dost.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Dear Industry Partners, Our project: Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places has begun implementation with several public tenders in various stages of execution, with more to come. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated so far, and encourage everyone to work with us to deliver this public service to the e-Filipino. Days ago the “President’s Budget” for 2016 was submitted to Congress, and includes P1.652 billion for the project’s 2nd year. We hope that you will likewise be reassured of the strong intention of the government to see this project fully implemented and eventually institutionalized. We are issuing this Request-For-Information (RFI) to seek your comments and suggestions on the financial aspect of the soon to be issued tenders for the Systems Management and Access (SMA) Service. The aggregate SMA Service is budgeted at P300 million for 12-month subscriptions to ISP Managed Services as shown in our latest Annual Procurement Plan (APP). Complying with law and prevailing government policy, rules and regulations, “Internet services” can only be contracted for 12 months at a time, without any advanced payments. Renewal for another year is possible without public bidding, provided that the Service Level Requirements will have been met by the provider and the mandated cost benefit analysis favors doing so. Public bidding for the third year will be mandatory however the incumbent will naturally have competitive advantages over other contenders. In other words, the SMA Service provider may reasonably expect to provide 24 months of service, or, for illustrative purposes only, garner revenue of up to P600 million in the case of the SMA tenders. The use of Managed Services – partnerships of the public and private sector, is desirable for many reasons. For the project, this approach is essential to meet the short term necessity, and achieve the long term goal, of ubiquitous commercial services, alongside the Free Wi-Fi public service across the country. While these might be achieved with other approaches, such are froth with traps and pitfalls as have been experienced with past projects, and would likely not be a win-win for all stakeholders. It is firmly believed to be best overall solution that will lead to a win-win for all partners since it capitalizes on the strengths of each, complementing their individual limitations. The public service will handle up to 20 Gbps of international IP traffic and approximately 20 Gbps of domestic IP traffic, serving over 2,000,000 online users at any given time. The original SMA Service, as mentioned earlier, budgeted at P300 million per year, will be implemented as several tenders to ensure the efficient use of public funds. The first tender will be for System Levels 1 and 2, consisting of the two (2) nodes of the IP Core, and the fourteen (14) instances of the Points-of-Presence (PoPs) services. System Levels 3 and 4 shall be implemented by the other tenders, and provide the 967 Municipal PoPs and the 7,118 Site Access services. The use of carrier grade equipment and software manned by highly technical personnel on a 24 x 7 shifting schedule, will be necessary to achieve the target service quality. The SMA could thus represent a significant CAPEX/OPEX investment. We do realize that the investment risk could be challenging for industry, and that the project in turn would be at risk of the mission-critical SMA tenders failing. As such an occurrence would be a major setback, we are seeking greater clarity by requesting for your reply to the following: 1. Will your company, possibly with partners, participate in the SMA tenders given that capital investments would be necessary, while service contracts for only 12-month of service can be issued? 2. What is the Single Largest Similar Completed Project you or your partners have done in the past five (5) years? Where “similar” generally refers to Internet Service or Telecommunications related projects. 3. What other challenges do you foresee you may encounter or issues you may have that we might mitigate if not eliminate? Please also provide a brief description of your company. Rest assured that all replies shall be treated with the appropriate confidentiality. Finally, we request that you reply on or before 12 noon Monday, August 10 by e-mail to submit.rfi@icto.dost.gov.ph. Furthermore, to ensure we do receive your valued reply, please also FAX a copy to +632 426-1525. Respectfully, USEC. LOUIS NAPOLEON C. CASAMBRE Executive Director | |||||||||||
| Education: The real gold in Mt. Diwata | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Monkayo, Compostela Valley – “Ang edukasyon ang isa ka bahandi nga among maikahatag sa among mga anak. Mao kini ang ilang bulawan nga dili makuha sa ilaha (Education is an invaluable treasure that we can give our children. This is their brand of gold that could not be taken away from them),” shared Elenita P. Lampera, 43, a mother of three. Hence, it was a dream come true for Elenita and the rest of the residents of Sitio Upper Ulip, Barangay Mt. Diwata, a remote village in this town, when a one-classroom high school building rose through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) – PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program. Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-driven development (CDD) program, which aims to empower ordinary citizens to directly participate in local governance by identifying their own community needs and collectively responding to these. One of the modalities of this program is PAMANA which provides conflict-affected barangays access to basic social services. A village of gold without a classroom Brgy. Mt. Diwata is a relatively cold and quiet mountain village with 1,000-meter high range. Known for its rich gold ore deposits, Mt. Diwata has an estimated population of 40,000 people based on data of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). “Pagmimina ng ginto ang ikinabubuhay ng aming komunidad mula pa noong 1980s (Our community here is dependent on gold. Small-scale mining has been our major industry since the 1980s),” Elenita said. A 45-minute rough ride away from the town’s poblacion, the community identified that one of their pressing needs was a decent classroom building to accommodate the increasing number of high school enrollees. In the absence of a classroom, high school students used the barangay gymnasium for their classes. However, a low-hanging makeshift ceiling made from recycled tarpaulins can hardly protect the students from the elements since the gym is not covered. For a long time, the residents did not really care much about the situation of the children as they were more focused on earning more and managing their livelihood as small scale miners. “Pag umuulan, nag-uunahan ang mga bata para sumilong hanggang tumila na ang ulan (When the rain pours, students race to a dry corner and huddle until the rain stops),” Mt. Diwata Barangay Captain Pedro J. Samillano, Jr. said. He stressed that the makeshift classrooms, divided by thin plywood, do not make learning conducive. Brgy. Capt. Samillano disclosed that one of the reasons why people devote themselves into mining instead of aspiring to provide education to their children stemmed from the belief that the government neglected them. “Daghan naabot nga mga proyekto diri, pero dili kini mahuman-human tungod sa kalisud sa sitwasyon sa amoang barangay. Layo kini ug dakong kwarta ang kailanganon sa pagpadala sa mga materyales sa konstruksyon (There were a number of projects which were started here, but were never completed. Accordingly, our village is far and hard-to-reach, and that the hauling cost of construction materials is apparently expensive),” he said. Realizing the importance of education All this changed when Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA reached this mountain village. With assured funding support for the construction of a classroom from Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA amounting to P679,175, the residents became motivated to work together for the benefit of their children. They volunteered to help in the construction of the classroom. Capt. Samillano shared that the residents learned to prioritize their children’s education, thanks to Kalahi-CIDSS. They realized that having an education is a treasure worth more than gold, which can’t be taken away from their children. Kalahi-CIDSS community facilitator George Nasula agreed, saying that parents no longer wish for their children to work in tunnels to dig for gold anymore. They would rather see their children work in the city one day. “And since the sub-project implementation is directly carried out by the community as volunteers, working without remuneration, they feel that they own it,” Nasula said. Nasula also shared that the villagers were amazed that the grant is released directly to the community account and managed by community volunteers themselves, a far cry from other government projects in the past where beneficiaries have no say on project implementation. Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer Danny Banares, Sr, reported, “Daghan na nga pagsulay ang among naagihan. Kabahin na ini ang kalayo sa among lugar, ang bagyong Pablo, ug daghan pang kalamidad. Pero sa among pagtinabangay, nahuman gyud namo ang sub-proyekto nga mas sayo pa sa gitakda nga petsa (We have experienced a lot of trials in our area. These include the remote location of our place, Typhoon Pablo, and other calamities. But with everyone’s cooperation, we completed our sub-project earlier than the due date).” Now, the children have a safe classroom conducive for learning with its walls painted brightly and furnished with armchairs and blackboards. A collective effort of community, civil society, and government The classroom now serves as a testament to the hard work of the community, as well as the partnership of the national and local governments, and the civil society organizations (CSOs) in initiating change in Mt. Diwata. Showing their full support, the LGU and some CSOs extended their help in the difficult task of hauling the construction materials to the mountain village. DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said, “Partnership of different sectors and community empowerment are the driving principles of Kalahi-CIDSS.” Secretary Soliman said that the Kalahi-CIDSS program is truly a model of “matuwid na daan” (straight path) in government project implementation. “With the construction of the classroom managed by the community, the project is protected from corruption,” she emphasized. This was affirmed by the villagers who expressed their gratitude for the government program. They said that through Kalahi-CIDSS, they also realized that they too could contribute to their community’s development. Further, they realized the importance of always working for the best future for their children. Presently, there are around 4,429 Kalahi-CIDSS household-beneficiaries and 832 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilpino households in the barangay who are benefiting from the classroom project. But more importantly, the number of enrollees has recently increased by 25% which means more children are now in school as a result of the classroom built through Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA. | |||||||||||
| LGUs are also major partners in Pantawid Pamilya | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dswd.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that local government units (LGUs) are one of the major partners in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program by providing the supply-side support, including monitoring, and grievance resolution. However, the Department’s engagement with LGUs does not include the identification of beneficiaries. This is done to maintain impartiality and to avoid the perception of possible political influence. This developed as Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos raised that the Pantawid Pamilya would have been less prone to leakage if the DSWD tapped LGUs as partners instead of exclusively implementing it. Sen. Marcos, however, did not elaborate the extent of his proposed DSWD-LGU partnership. LGU engagement The entry of the program to an LGU starts with the conduct of the Pre-Supply Side Activity where a Memorandum of Agreement is drawn between DSWD and the LGU to formalize partnership regarding program implementation. Under the agreement, the LGU will commit to provide infrastructure like health stations and educational facilities, to enable the beneficiaries to comply with the health and education requirements. Apart from this, advisory committees at the provincial and municipal levels are organized headed by the governor and the town mayor, respectively. These advisory committees oversee the over-all implementation of Pantawid Pamilya in the Provincial and City/ Municipal. They are also responsible in ensuring that the commitments of the Local Government stipulated in the MOA are fulfilled. In addition, they are also tasked to facilitate and address complaints and requests endorsed to the committees. Selection of beneficiaries To explain further why LGUs are not involved in the selection of beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya, DSWD emphasized that the beneficiaries were taken from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction or Listahanan, a database of poor families. At present, the Department is now winding up the second assessment of poor families which will update the 2009 database. The updated database will then become the basis for the identification of government social protection programs and services including the Pantawid Pamilya. For this 2nd assessment, DSWD has enhanced the targeting system and is now implementing quality control measures such as random re-interviews and spot checks, to ensure that the assessment will produce accurate and reliable results. Among the enhancements made to the targeting system is the development of new proxy means test (PMT) model. The PMT is a statistical model that estimates income of poor households based on household characteristics such as housing materials, education attainment and livelihood of each household member, among others. Improvements in the new model such as inclusion of barangay characteristics as among the determinants of poverty status and installation of a 2nd stage screener to weed out possible inclusion errors, resulted to the decrease in model-based error rates, from having an inclusion and exclusion error rates of 22-35% in the 2009 model to 6.9-19.3% in the new model. An inclusion error is when a non-poor family is classified as poor, while an exclusion error is when a true poor family is classified as non-poor. Resolved issue With Sen. Marcos bringing up the issue on leakage rate in Pantawid Pamilya, DSWD emphasized that the issue has long been resolved. The issue of the alleged leakage stemmed from an article published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) using 2009 data which has been used to incorrectly calculate that P19 billion of current program funds did not go to intended beneficiaries. The ADB has already clarified this and expressed that it continues to support the DSWD on the implementation of Pantawid Pamilya. “DSWD has resolved the leakage problem and that this is no longer the current situation of the program,” the ADB press statement said. DSWD maintains that it continues to address leakages in the program through the Beneficiary Updating System and the Grievance Redress System (GRS). To date the BUS and the GRS has already delisted more than 77,000 ineligible beneficiaries. The GRS provides a platform for addressing concerns and complaints. Majority of the cases recorded and responded were issues on the exclusion of qualified families and the inclusion of ineligible families. Other issues involve erring beneficiaries. Moreover, the GRS received 51,557 complaints through the GRS. Of this, 30,670 have been resolved as of June 2015. The complaints include issues on eligibility, misdemeanor, and payment, among others. The GRS also sanitizes the database of beneficiaries by removing cases of double entry or duplication, fraud, missing beneficiaries, waived membership, to the program, and unregistered beneficiaries, among others. | |||||||||||
| Oplan Lambat-Sibat nets 20 offenders; Drugs, guns, stolen motorcycles seized | |||||||||||
| Source: http://pnp.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| The Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) together with the combined elements of Special Action Force (SAF), Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) and Caloocan City Police served 14 Search Warrants against known lairs of criminal elements under the ‘One Time Big Time’ operation earlier today at Brgy. Tala, Caloocan City. The said operation resulted to the arrest of 20 persons involved in gun-for-hire activities, drug trafficking and carnapping. Authorities seized eight (8) firearms including one (1) carbine rifle, five (5) pcs 45 caliber, one (1) pc 38 caliber and one (1) pc 22 caliber revolver, assorted ammunitions, two (2) hand grenades, undetermined quantity of drugs believed to be shabu, drugs paraphernalia and 17 stolen motorcycles. Arrested persons were identified as Yamrin Abdani, Geo Asamao Abubakar, Norodin Maunte Basher, Salem Mamailao Davo, Omaire Zaid Macabinlar, Usman Langco Lala, Ansari Dangnan, Lala, Amanudin C. Donnie, Cairuding Mangandiri Comdaraan, Ali Edres Angni alias Jomaid Arundao Condara, Osman Rega Cassan, Dennis Padua Fernandez, Ileuterio Cabantac Marcaida, Jessica Majaong Liray, Jimmy Labrador Fuentes, Alex Pilapilan Borromeo, Amado Alcaide Yuson, Jerome Martirez y Macalinga, Jun-Jun De Vera Delos Santos, and Charilo Ramoso Agpasa. The arrested suspects are presently detained at the CIDG detaining facility while charges appropriate for the crimes committed are being prepared for filing. Moreover, law enforcers discovered 10 hastily abandoned spacious drug dens (Shabu tiangge) with multiple small rooms along an obscure street in the said barangay. ‘One Time Big Time’ operation is under the Oplan Lambat Sibat Projet of PNP and DILG nationwide operations against syndicated crimes, wanted persons, loose firearms and illegal drugs announced Police. (PNP-PIO) | |||||||||||
| Decommissioning does not have to be in BBL, legal team reiterates | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.opapp.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Manila – Responding to Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement that one reason for the delay in the submission of his committee report on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is the difficulty in incorporating provisions on the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) weapons and combatants, a lawyer of the government peace panel today said that decommissioning actually need not be included in the law. “We have explained many times before that decommissioning as well as the broader normalization process need not be in the BBL,” Atty. Sittie Amirah Pendatun explained. According to Pendatun, the primary reason why decommissioning and the normalization process are not in the proposed BBL is because the Constitution prohibits the creation of a bill with more than one subject, citing Art. VI, Sec. 26(1) of the 1987 Constitution which says “every bill passed by the Congress shall embrace only one subject which shall be expressed in the title thereof.” “The BBL is really about the establishment of an autonomous region. It’s about the creation of a political entity which seeks to establish an inclusive system of governance for a multicultural segment of the Philippine population, and not about the MILF per se,” Pendatun stressed. “For this reason, the normalization program is not a pertinent subject of the proposed BBL,” she explained. “In fact, if we include two subjects, there’s a possibility that this will be challenged in court for non-compliance with the constitutional requirement.” In addition, Pendatun said that decommissioning does not need new legislation as it is within the power of the president to conduct peace talks and ensure the wellbeing of the country. “We believe that the current legal framework empowers the President to enter into and implement the peace agreement, including decommissioning,” she said. “Thus there is no need for a new law.” “The Supreme Court decided in a case that the President is the one in power to conduct peace negotiations. That is implicitly included in his powers as Chief Executive and as Commander-in-Chief,” Pendatun explained. Pendatun reiterated that the President as Chief Executive “has general responsibility to promote public peace,” and as Commander-in-Chief has the “specific duty to prevent and suppress rebellion and lawless violence," while noting that "normalization, which includes decommissioning, is a measure to promote public peace and to prevent or suppress rebellion." Citing jurisprudence, Pendatun also noted that “the President must be given leeway to explore solutions for the implementation and to end hostilities, because the President is in a singular best position to know the grievances and also know the measures to address these grievances. Finally, according to Pendatun, the Constitution already provides a guideline for the content of an organic act such as the proposed BBL. “The Constitution itself provides the guidelines for it. We have two sections: Article X, Sec. 18 and Article X, Sec. 20,” Pendatun explained. “According to the Constitution, an organic act should contain the basic structure of government, [both] executive and legislative, the creation of special courts, provisions on the conduct of a plebiscite, and the legislative powers of the proposed entity. And all of these matters are already included in the proposed BBL" The decommissioning process has already formally begun on June 16, 2015 with the ceremonial turnover and decommissioning of MILF weapons and combatants, despite delays in the passage of the BBL in Congress. Further developments in the decommissioning process are expected with progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which includes the passage of the BBL, conduct of a plebiscite in the envisioned core territory and the establishment of the Bangsamoro region. | |||||||||||
| UN Member States adopt ambitious “People-Centered” Development agenda for next 15 Years | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| 05 August 2015 - Member States of the United Nations (UN) adopted on August 02 an ambitious “people-centered” Agenda that will define international, regional and national development agenda priorities for the next 15 years. The Agenda, as contained in the outcome document entitled, "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, announces 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that cover the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development. It identifies the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, as the greatest global challenge and as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. Nypm2 The Agenda will be launched at the UN Summit for the Post-2015 Development Agenda to be held from September 25 to 27 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit will also launch a Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) to support the SDGs through science, technology and innovation. The Philippine delegation, led by Permanent Representative Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, strongly advocated for the recognition of the positive contribution of migrants to inclusive growth and sustainable development in source, transit and destination countries and the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers, regardless of migration status. It also pushed for the inclusion of the special challenges facing middle-income countries, gender equality and empowerment of women, and for the adoption of an ambitious and universal climate agreement during the COP21 conference in Paris this coming December. “We wish to recall that the Rio+20 outcome document on “The Future We Want” calls upon States to promote and protect effectively the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants regardless of their migration status, especially those of women and children,” Ambassador Yparraguirre said during negotiations. Nyom3 “The middle-income countries (MICs) are not yet in a comfortable situation just because they have passed what many believe is an arbitrary threshold. The reality is that 73 percent of the world’s poorest people are to be found in MICs, so if we are to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, we need to complement MICs’ mobilization of domestic resources with ODA, capacity building and technical assistance. In turn they can overcome the so-called middle-income trap and continue to be engines of regional and global growth,” she stressed. The SDGs will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and seek to complete what the MDGs did not achieve. The post-2015 development agenda is complemented and supported by the Addis Ababa Action Plan (AAAA), which is the outcome of the 3rd Financing for Development Conference, held last July 13 ro 16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AAAA provides a track for the means of implementation (MoI) of the post-2015 development agenda, through the harnessing of domestic and international resources, both public and private, as well as trade, and science and technology. Negotiations for the post-2015 development agenda began in November 2014 with the appointment of Macharia Kamau and David Donoghue, Permanent Representatives of Kenya and Ireland to the United Nations, respectively, as co-facilitators of the process.Philippine Mission to the UN, together with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), represented the Philippines at the negotiations. The negotiations also involved extensive consultations with major groups and other civil society stakeholders. | |||||||||||
| Judicial Governance Programme 2015 concludes in Singapore | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dfa.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| 05 August 2015 - Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Antonio A. Morales joined the closing ceremony of the Judicial Governance Programme 2015 on July 31 at the Singapore Civil Service College. Participation in the programme, jointly organized by the State Courts of Singapore and Civil Service College under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), is by invitation and usually involve senior decision makers and judiciary leaders. Assistant Solicitor General Atty. Maria Antonia Edita C. Dizon represented the Philippines this year. | |||||||||||
| Php 59.4-M equipment for 118 farmers orgs in North Mindanao | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.dar.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Cagayan de Oro - A total of 118 agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) composed of 18,845 CARP beneficiaries and 10,217 non-CARP beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao will receive Php59.4 million worth of farm equipment from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Procured under the Agrarian Reform Communities Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS), the equipment consist of 37 floating tillers, 27 rice threshers, 18 corn shellers, two units 120-horsepower tractors, 14 90-horsepower tractors, and one hand tractor. The above-mentioned common service facilities were already delivered to the DAR–10 Regional Office at Macanhan, Carmen, this city for inspection. Test runs were also subsequently done to determine the functional operating condition of the delivered units. ARBOs’ representatives are required to attend the training on operation and maintenance to be conducted by the equipment suppliers before they can avail themselves of the said farm implements. Formal turnover of said equipment will be done as soon as the Trust Agreement with the ARBOs have been made. The ARCCESS project aims to strengthen the communities of the ARBOs by building them into support hubs, hopeful that it will contribute in increasing ARBO household incomes. | |||||||||||
| August 2015 results of the Technical Evaluation for the Upgrading as Professional Electrical Engineers | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.prc.gov.ph/ | |||||||||||
| The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 15 passed the Technical Evaluation for the Upgrading as Professional Electrical Engineers given by the Board of Electrical Engineering in Manila this August 2015. The members of the Board of Electrical Engineering who conducted the Technical Evaluation are Engr. Francis V. Mapile, Officer-In-Charge and Engr. Jaime V. Mendoza, Member. Registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will start on August 10, 2015. | |||||||||||
| August 2015 Licensure Examination for Foresters results released in two (2) working days | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.prc.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 461 out of 961 passed the Forester Licensure Examination given by the Board for Foresters in the cities of Manila, Cagayan De Oro and Davao this August 2015. The members of the Board for Foresters who gave the licensure examination are Monina T. Uriarte, Chairman; Jose A. Lorenzo and Gerardo T. Cabreros, Members. The results were released in two (2) working days after the last day of examination. Registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be on August 10-11, 2015. Those who will register are required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, current Community Tax Certificate (cedula), 1 piece passport size picture (colored with white background and complete nametag), 2 sets of metered documentary stamps and 1 short brown envelope with name and profession; and to pay the Initial Registration Fee of P600 and Annual Registration Fee of P450 for 2015-2018. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals. The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees in the said examination WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER. | |||||||||||
| 4th CES CIRCLE forum highlights: Leveling up Philippine competitiveness | |||||||||||
| Source: http://www.cesboard.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| he Career Executive Service Board (CESB) successfully concluded its 4th CES CIRCLE forum last 16 July 2015 at the Bayleaf Intramuros, Manila with the theme, “Transform Tomorrow Today: Leveling Up Philippine Competitiveness in the Context of Regional Integration – Smart Regulations for a Healthier Business Environment”. CESB Executive Director Maria Anthonette C. Velasco-Allones welcomed the participants with an inspiring message to take the “Wasto at Tuwid na Daan” which has been the battlecry of the current Administration. Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) spoke about global competitiveness and showed current data on the ease of doing business in the Philippines. She noted that while the Philippines has improved in various components of global competitiveness (GC), the country needs to level up in the GC’s other components such as the global innovation index, logistics performance index and the global gender gap report. During the question and answer portion of the forum, she shared that there are three things that the government should focus on: (1) reducing the over-regulation which hinders the ease of doing business, (2) investing in education, and (3) improving the country’s branding. The second plenary learning session provided a refresher on environmental regulations relating to businesses. Ms. Eva S. Ocfemia, Assistant Director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) presented the salient points of environmental laws on businesses. She also provided an update on the accomplishments of the DENR in fast-tracking the processing of the environmental requirements in relation to businesses. The third and last session with Quezon City Administrator Aldrin Cuña was fondly received by the attendees as the speaker shared a lot of inspiring stories from his experiences in converting the crucial operations of the City Government from manual to online to mobile such as the processing of business registrations, in order to address the needs of local businesses. The attendees were highly satisfied with the forum, strongly agreeing that the program objectives were fully achieved. OIC City Director Amada T. Dumagat from DILG Olongapo said that the forum was a good way of knowing a better perspective on the global competitiveness of the Philippines. According to DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Aniano M. Ogayon, the topics were well presented and that the forum had a lively discussion. The event is part of a series of fora on this year’s major theme which is, “Transform Tomorrow Today”. This year’s series is an opportune occasion to discuss urgent and critical issues in order to arrive at a collective output that would propel positive changes for the future of the country. | |||||||||||
| PH PPP discussion with New Zealand’s Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce | |||||||||||
| Source: http://ppp.gov.ph | |||||||||||
| Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Deputy Executive Director Eleazar E. Ricote shared the Philippine PPP experience to visiting Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce of New Zealand and officials of Asian Development Bank. Deputy Executive Director Ricote highlighted the major policy and process improvements pushed by the PPP Center to build a robust pipeline of projects and an enabling PPP environment during the meeting held at the ADB Headquarters in Manila on August 4, 2015. | |||||||||||
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Last Updated: 04 AUGUST 2015
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 | President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the gathering of friends of the Liberal Party (LP) in a restaurant in San Juan Tuesday (August 4). Sharing the presidential table are LP members Batangas vice governor Mark Leviste, Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and TESDA chair Joel Villanueva. The President is the titular head and the chairman of LP. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the gathering of friends of Liberal Party (LP) in a restaurant in San Juan Tuesday (August 4). Sharing the presidential table are LP members Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas. The President is the titular head and the Chairman of LP. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the gathering of friends of the Liberal Party (LP) in a restaurant in San Juan Tuesday (August 4). The President is the titular head and the Party Chairman of LP. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III sprinkles holy water at the grave of his parents during the Holy Mass to commemorate the 6th death anniversary of his mother and democracy icon, former President Corazon C. Aquino at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque City on Saturday (August 01). The former president led the 1986 EDSA People Power and remains deeply beloved following her death from colon cancer at age 76 on August 1, 2009. (Photo by / Gil Nartea / Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the nation in commemorating the 6th death anniversary of his mother and democracy icon, former President Corazon C. Aquino in a Holy Mass at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque City on Saturday (August 01). The former president led the 1986 EDSA People Power and remains deeply beloved following her death from colon cancer at age 76 on August 1, 2009. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima during the 111th anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) at the BIR National Office Compound in BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (August 03) with the theme: “Angat Pa Pinas”. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III converses with BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares during the 111th anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) at the BIR National Office Compound in BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (August 03) with the theme: “Angat Pa Pinas”. (Photo by Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 111th anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) at BIR National Office Compound in BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (August 03) with the theme: “Angat Pa Pinas”. For the first semester of 2015, the BIR collected P705.87 Billion, posting a 9.74% growth over the collection for the same semester of 2014. Also in photo are Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares. (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 111th anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) at BIR National Office Compound in BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (August 03) with the theme: “Angat Pa Pinas”. For the first semester of 2015, the BIR collected P705.87 Billion, posting a 9.74% growth over the collection for the same semester of 2014. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 111th anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue at the BIR National Office Compound in BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday (August 03) with the theme: “Angat Pa Pinas”. Also in photo are Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. delivers a message following the mass held in celebration of the fifth year anniversary of the PCOO at the New Executive Building in Malacanang on Friday (July 31). President Benigno Aquino III signed Executive Order No. 4 on July 30, 2010, renaming the Office of the Press Secretary as PCOO and created the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. (Photo by Luisito L. Iglesias / NIB) | ||
 | Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. leads his PCOO family in marking the 5th year anniversary of the office on Friday (July 31) at the New Executive Building in Malacanang. President Benigno Aquino III signed Executive Order No. 4 on July 30, 2010, renaming the Office of the Press Secretary as PCOO and created the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. (Photo by Luisito L. Iglesias / NIB) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III congratulates Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II after endorsing him as the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party in the 2016 Presidential elections during the “A Gathering of Friends” at the Cory C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall of the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City on Friday (July 31). (Photo by Marcelino Pascua / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II delivers his acceptance message to the endorsement of President Benigno S. Aquino III to be the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party in the 2016 Presidential elections during the “A Gathering of Friends” at the Cory C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall of the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City on Friday (July 31). (Photo by Gil Nartea / Rey Baniquet/ Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III formally endorses Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II as the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party in the 2016 Presidential elections during the “A Gathering of Friends” at the Cory C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall of the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City on Friday (July 31, 2015). (Photo by Gil Nartea / Benhur Arcayan / Joseph Vidal/ Rey Baniquet / Marcelino Pascua / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | The 2015 national awardees of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) include Khenn Arquiza from Western Mindanao State University, Ma. Nerissa Nicolas of Dr. Yangas Colleges Inc., Adriel Gamier Sanches of University of San Jose Recoletos, Gregg Louise Tolentino of De La Salle Manila, Ryan Carl Yu of Ateneo University Manila, Apolinario Bagano Jr . of Benguet State University, Maria Stephanie Gana of Far Eastern University, Lynrose Jane Genon of Mindanao State University, Raphael Aaron Letaba of University of the Philippines, and Fharnieza Mohammad of Western Mindanao State University during the awarding ceremony Thursday (July 30) in Malacanang. The awards are presented by TOSP founder businessman Jose Concepcion Jr., his son Joey Concepcion III, Commission on Higher Education secretary Patricia Licuanan and Cabinet Secretary Jose Almendras. The Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) is an awards program seeking young role models who have personified academic excellence, exemplary leadership and deep sense of social responsibility, all anchored on good moral values. (Photo by Joseph Vidal / Lauro Montillano/Malacanang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III is shown with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City on Monday (July 27). The delivered his 6th and last State of the Nation Address (SONA). (Photo by Benhur Arcayan / Gil Nartea / Rey Baniquet / Joseph Vidal / Robert Vinas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his 6th and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City on Monday (July 27). (Photo by Robert Vinas / Rey Baniquet / Gil Nartea / Lauro Montellano, Jr. / Valerie Jude Escalera / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City on Monday (July 27). Also in photo are House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon. (Photos by Benhur Arcayan / Lauro Montellano, Jr. / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City on Monday (July 27, 2015). (Photo by Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III greets the legislators upon arrival for his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives Complex in Constitution Hills, Quezon City on Monday (July 27). (Photo by Robert Vinas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III reviews the Honor Guards upon arrival for his 6th and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday (July 27). (Photo by Joseph Vidal / Robert Vinas / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III is received by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon upon arrival for his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday (July 27). (Photo by Robert Vinas / Joseph Vidal / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III poses for a photo opportunity with project partners and stakeholders including DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, former senator Manny Villar, Representatives Rodolfo Biazon, Marc Villar, and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala during the inauguration of the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expresswayin Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City on Friday (July 24). The MCX is Ayala Corporation’s first toll road project under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership Program. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
 | President Benigno S. Aquino III arrives for the inauguration of the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway in Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City on Friday (July 24). The MCX is Ayala Corporation’s first toll road project under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership Program. (Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacañang Photo Bureau) | ||
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