Author: malaysiang

MANILA: The national government’s budget deficit narrowed to PHP195.9 billion in March this year from PHP210.3 billion a year ago, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) released on Wednesday showed.

The BTr said the lower budget gap during the month was on the back of 11.32 percent year-over-year revenue growth vis-à-vis a 3.18-percent increase in government spending.

Revenue collections amounted to PHP287.9 billion, up from the PHP258.7 billion in March 2023, despite the slight decline in tax revenues primarily attributed to the contraction in Bureau of Customs collections due to fewer working days in the month due to holidays.

Expenditures, on the other hand, rose to PHP483.8 billion from PHP468.9 billion in 2023.

“While higher disbursements were recorded in agencies, the growth of spending in March was weighed down by the lower subsidies to government corporations and transfers to local government units (LGUs), in particular the special shares of LGUs in the proceeds of national taxes,” the BTr sa
id.

“The transfer of the P15.0-billion Coco Levy Funds to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund for this year is still expected this April; whereas last year’s release was made in March,” it added.

For the first quarter of the year, the budget deficit settled at PHP272.6 billion.

Year-to-date revenue collections amounted to PHP933.7 billion, while government expenditures amounted to PHP1.2 trillion.

The government incurs a budget deficit when spending exceeds its revenues.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Civil Service Commission is encouraging college graduates who have earned Latin honors to apply for the Honor Graduate Eligibility (HGE) and pursue a career in the public sector.

‘Summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude graduates no longer need to take the Career Service Exam as they may avail of the special eligibility. We are eager to work with these bright and fresh minds to bolster the quality of public service,’ CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles said in a statement on Wednesday.

The HGE, granted under Presidential Decree No. 907 issued on March 11, 1976, may be availed of by bachelor’s degree graduates either from the conventional mode of learning or Open Distance Learning (ODL), regardless of the number of years of completion.

The HGE for the conventional mode of learning is applicable to honor graduates of Private Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in the Philippines with bachelor’s degrees recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), State/Local Colleges or Universitie
s with bachelor’s degrees included in their charters, or duly approved by their Board of Trustees or Board of Regents.

For honor graduates through ODL, the open university, college, or institution must be recognized by the CHED as a degree-granting HEI, and have at least Level III accreditation or CHED-equivalent in the programs offered in the conventional classroom or traditional mode of learning.

Meanwhile, Filipinos who graduated with honors from reputable foreign schools, with the corresponding certification on the status of operation issued by the foreign government, may also apply for Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility (FSHGE).

The CSC, however, clarified that the grant of HGE, HGE-ODL, and FSHGE does not include other academic honors, distinctions or awards, such as Highest Academic Distinction, Dean’s List with Distinction, and Honorable Mention.

‘These eligibilities for honor graduates are considered appropriate for first and second-level positions in the government that do not require the
practice of a specific profession and are not covered by Bar, Board, or other laws. Graduates may file their application for HGE to the CSC Regional Office or Field Office that has jurisdiction over their academic institution or alma mater,’ Nograles said.

Applicants for the FSHGE, on the other hand, may submit their application to the nearest CSC Regional or Field Office where they are currently based here in the Philippines.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Tel Aviv: The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel on April 23 hosted a symposium to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954-2024), with the participation of members of the Arab council of foreign relations, local scholars, and officials from Vietnamese representative offices in the country.

Delegates were shown documentary footage of the victory and some television reports on the topic produced by the Vietnam News Agency. Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung recounted the history of Vietnam’s national building and defence struggle as well as the context of the anti-French resistance campaign, with its climax being the Dien Bien Phu campaign. He also introduced the Southeast Asian nation’s current economic and social achievements.

Participants praised the Dien Bien Phu campaign as a magnificent victory of the Vietnamese people and oppressed peoples worldwide and highlighted the decisive leadership roles of President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

Professor Joni A
si of Nablus University, an expert in international law, said the victory had a significant impact on the struggle in Southern Hemisphere countries against imperialism and colonialism for independence and justice. He stressed that the triumph was brought about by various factors, from military communications and the unity between the leaders and the people to the astute leadership of commanders.

Similarly, Khaled Khalafe, president of the Arab council of foreign relations in Israel, shared the view that the 1954 victory was a great achievement for the Vietnamese people, providing other nations with lessons on unity in the struggle for independence and contributing to the end of colonial regimes worldwide./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

SEOUL: South Korea is set to launch a homegrown earth observation nanosatellite into space this week, as part of its plan to create the country’s satellite constellation by 2027, the science ministry said Tuesday.

The nanosatellite, the first unit of the envisioned satellite constellation, will be launched from Rocket Lab’s spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand, at around 10:08 a.m. Wednesday (local time), according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The satellite, named NEONSAT-1, will be launched on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket along with the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System created by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

NEONSAT stands for New-space Earth Observation SATellite constellation for national safety.

NEONSAT-1, less than 100 kilograms in weight, will be the first among 11 nanosatellites to form a satellite constellation to monitor and take images of the Korean Peninsula and its surrounding waters.

South Korea plans to launch five more nanosatellites into space in June 2026
and five more in September 2027, according to the ministry.

Source: Philippines News Agency

SELAMA, It never occurred to Laila Fairus Ismail, 58, that her niece’s excitement of flying in a helicopter would end in tragedy, with Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) Warrant Officer II TNL Noorfarahimi Mohd Saedy perishing with nine other TLDM personnel when two helicopters crashed at the TLDM base in Lumut yesterday.

Laila said Noorfarahimi, 41, had spoken to her about this when they met during the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

“She (Noorfarahimi) was a cheerful person and, during Hari Raya, she told me that she would be retiring in June and wanted to feel the thrill of flying in a helicopter one last time before calling it day.

“However, I never expected this to happen,’ she said when met in Banggol Jas, Sungai Bayor, Selama.

Laila said Noorfarahimi was closest to her, especially since her (Noorfarahimi’s) mother passed away four years ago.

“When I went back to celebrate Raya recently, she took pictures with all our family members except me. It never occurred to me that it was a sign that she
would be gone forever,’ she said.

Noorfarahimi was among the 10 personnel who were killed when two helicopters crashed in Lumut while conducting a third rehearsal for a flypast in conjunction with the TLDM Fleet Open Day, scheduled to be held this Saturday.

Meanwhile, Noorfarahimi’s second daughter, 12-year-old Nur Alwani Fatihah Muhd Zul said her mother told her to take care of herself and to fully focus on her studies before leaving for work.

The youngster added that the advice felt odd because her mother had never done this before.

“My mother never advised me like this and she would usually greet me and then rush off to work. It felt odd and it bothered me until my oldest brother, Muhd Alif Farhan, 16, informed me of the tragedy,’ she said.

MANILA: The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has urged the public to take action and commit to tangible changes in their everyday lives by reducing the use of single-use plastics and promoting a circular economy by reusing, recycling, and repurposing them.

In commemoration of Earth Month this April and celebration of Earth Day, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje said this year’s theme, which focuses on ‘Planet vs Plastics’, aims to raise public awareness, drive action, and promote community engagement on the critical issue of plastic waste.

The CCC’s social media campaign #PledgeForPlanetEarth encourages the public to share their actions aligned with their pledges by posting them in their social media accounts ‘stories’ and ‘my day highlight’.

It also urges social media users to use the #PledgeforPlanetEarth templates at https://tinyurl.com/PledgeForPlanetEarth to show support.

A study by the United Nations reveals that over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally every
year, with 17 million barrels of petroleum used for plastic production.

Around 13 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean annually making up 85 percent of total marine wastes, killing up to 1 million seabirds, 100,000 sea mammals, marine turtles, and countless fish each year.

In the Philippines, approximately 2.7 million tons of plastics are produced annually, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and World Bank Statistics.

The CCC said the impact of plastic waste goes beyond pollution as it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of its lifecycle.

If this continues, plastics production could account for 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The CCC urged everyone to embrace the 5Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, and Repurpose to help cut down on plastic waste and reduce carbon footprint.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO CITY: Fish farmers, especially those growing brackish and marine species, should seize the opportunity to grow milkfish production amid the ongoing effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

‘The heat exacerbated by the phenomenon provides an advantage for breeders, as the relatively high water temperatures stimulate milkfish metabolism, leading to spawning and ample egg and larvae production,’ Dan Baliao, chief of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD), said in a press statement on Wednesday.

During the cold months between November and February, they have to invest in industrial water heaters to keep the breeders active at a water temperature between 29°C and 30°C and ensure a continuous supply of eggs for hatcheries, he added.

Further, the lack of rain also encourages better pond preparation for the growth of natural food sources, such as ‘lab-lab,’ a naturally occurring mat of benthic algae that thrives in brackish water fishponds but dissipates when exposed
to rain.

‘Fishpond operators can save on supplemental feeding if they take advantage of good ‘lab-lab’ growth during dry spells because ‘lab-lab’ itself is a robust source of fish nutrition,’ he added.

The SEAFDEC/AQD, however, has recommended good water management during the tidal cycle and maintaining desirable pond water levels and stocking densities because extreme heat followed by a sudden rainfall can cause fish kills.

‘Farmers ought to stock only the recommended density of 2,500 to 3,000 milkfish fingerlings per hectare. Stocking beyond what is recommended would necessitate additional investment in artificial feeds and life support systems,’ he added.

He also urged farmers to prepare their ponds, including applying organic fertilizers and liming for the rainy season.

Meanwhile, the SEAFDEC has in its facility in Tigbauan 17 juvenile wild mackerel tuna, also known as ‘kawakawa’ or ‘tulingan,’ taken from a fish trap in the municipality of Barbaza in Antique last month.

‘The kawakawa juveniles will
be kept in our hatchery where we hope they reach maturity and lay eggs. It will be another breakthrough for us if the eggs hatch into the first captive-bred tuna in the Philippines,’ Baliao said.

The research center has been studying their reproductive biology since 2020 as part of a project funded by the Japanese government.

Source: Philippines News Agency