Category: General

CEBU CITY: Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Central Visayas can use cash grants from the government through point of sale (POS) terminals, a social welfare official said Thursday.

Shalaine Marie Lucero, director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 (Central Visayas), said the POS was developed by the agency in partnership with the accredited partner merchants of the Land Bank of the Philippines.

‘They can withdraw. They can check if the grants are available. They can use (the POS) to pay bills or buy groceries or medicines,’ Lucero said in an interview on Thursday.

The POS also enables the beneficiaries to have fund transfers and open LandBank prepaid cards.

According to her, the POS system was introduced in an event called the LandBanKasama Digital Inclusion Program caravan in Carlos P. Garcia town in Bohol on Jan. 18.

She said some of the town’s 200 4Ps household beneficiaries were the first to experience the convenience of checking and using the
ir cash grants through technology.

The POS system, she said, would expand financial services and enhance financial inclusion for the 4Ps beneficiaries, particularly those in the region’s remote and underserved areas.

‘In 4Ps, one of the major program outputs is that conditional cash grants received by our beneficiaries under education and health grants and rice subsidies reach on time and in the correct amounts, and that is where our partner LandBank of the Philippines is instrumental in ensuring they receive them every payment period,’ she said.

She said the program aims to empower 4Ps beneficiaries by reducing transaction costs and enabling savings on travel expenses for those residing outside major urban centers through the LandBanKasama partners.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Sandiganbayan has granted the plea by a former vice governor seeking a reinvestigation by the Ombudsman of the graft cases filed against him.

The anti-graft court’s sixth division, in a resolution dated January 26, has partially granted the motion filed by former Misamis Oriental vice governor Jose Mari G. Pelaez seeking a reinvestigation, after the latter said he had only belatedly discovered that there had been graft charges against him when he sought a clearance from the graft court for employment in another government office.

In his motion, Pelaez said he had not received a subpoena from the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao for the three supposed pending cases against him for violation of RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) based on sworn statements made by a certain Lowell Zarate and Ricky Pagaran.

The court said the Ombudsman’s order on September 13,2022 directing Pelaez to answer the charges was sent to the Office of the Vice Governor of Misamis Oriental, but the same was
returned because, at the time, the accused was no longer the vice-governor.

The subsequent resolution was sent to his last known address in Mahayahay, Medina, in Misamis Oriental but again, there was no one to receive the mail.

‘Due process is satisfied when the parties are afforded fair and reasonable opportunity to explain their side of the controversy or any opportunity to move for a reconsideration of the action or ruling complained of. The accused was not able to participate in the preliminary investigation and file his motion for reconsideration on the Office of the Ombudsman’s resolution because he did not actually receive notices from the Office of the Ombudsman. To afford him due process, he must be allowed to participate in the preliminary investigation to give him the opportunity to explain his side,’ the court said.

The court however said it is not lifting the hold departure order on Pelaez while the case remains pending.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Antipolo Cathedral, otherwise known as the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage National Shrine, has been elevated by the Vatican to the status of Marian “International Shrine.”

The symbolic coronation and rite of solemn declaration was presided by Most Rev. Charles Brown, D.D., the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, on Friday.

In his message, Brown reflected on the role of the ‘Our Lady of Antipolo’ in the history of the country and the Catholic Church.

‘The phenomenon of popular piety, the religiosity of the masses… is so evident [here] in the Philippines. Indeed, it was only last month that all were gathered for the ‘Simbang Gabi’ masses in anticipation of Christmas, a beautiful example of the Philippine popular piety,’ he said.

Brown also recounted the ‘Traslacion’ event of the Black Nazarene and the Sinulog Festival of Sto. Nino as examples of the popular piety of Filipinos, which were both attended by millions of Catholic faithful early this month.

Likewise, he contemplated the tradition of ‘Al
ay-Lakad’ procession in Antipolo every April 30th and May 1st which he referred to as ‘a wonderful pilgrimage on foot.’

According to the Papal Nuncio, the ‘synodality’ led by more than 85 bishops that witnessed the declaration shall make believers closer to the church.

He also recognizes that the presence of church leaders in the ceremony serves as a reminder to ‘walk and listen’ to the simple and poor followers of the Catholic church.

The arrival of Brown, representing the leadership of Pope Francis, marks the interconnectedness of the local church with the universal Catholic community, and bestows global recognition to the local celebration.

The Latin Decree was proclaimed by Most. Rev. Francisco De Leon, D.D., Bishop Emeritus of Antipolo, while Rev. Msgr. Bernardo Patin read its English translation.

Present during the ceremonies were First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Rizal Governor Rebecca Ynares, Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares, and other officials from the local government, together with hundreds of pr
iests from the Diocese of Antipolo.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: An internal investigation team has been formed by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Remulla to investigate the possible involvement of immigration lawyers in a scheme that facilitated 9G alien working visas for expatriates to companies with fraudulent records.

‘We will have to be patient with the independent investigation by DOJ, together with the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), para malaman talaga natin kung ano talaga, gaano kalalim itong problema na to (to get to the bottom of this problem),” DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said.

Clavano noted that the scheme at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) appears to have been going on for years.

‘Yung time period kasi na tinitignan natin, medyo malaki ito (The time period we are looking at is lengthy). We’re starting with the five years that have passed, and then given kung ano ‘yung makita natin doon, baka mag extend pa yan para makita talaga natin kung gaano katagal na ito (what we can glean from it, we might extend the time frame to see ho
w long this has really been going on),’ he added.

The scheme was discovered when an operation in Makati City on Jan. 22 to serve a warrant of arrest against a Taiwanese national implicated in a human trafficking case, along with a second foreigner, found that the subjects were holders of 9G visas.

Clavano said the operation also uncovered other fraudulent activities like online scamming, gambling, illegal drugs and illegal firearms.

Authorities also found in the possession of the two foreign nationals various government identification cards, including drivers’ licenses and even national ID cards, that bore different Filipino names.

He said the focus of the DOJ investigation will be on how the government IDs were obtained, for what purpose they were used and ultimately, what crimes could be charged against the suspects.

Clavano said those involved may be charged for violation of the Anti-Dummy Law, falsification of public and private documents, and even estafa if the IDs were used in transactions.

Sourc
e: Philippines News Agency

Dak Lak: Residents in the Central Highlands, particularly ethnic minority groups, have expressed support for the court’s recent sentences on the 100 defendants in the terrorism case aimed at subverting the people’s administration that occurred on June 11, 2023, in Cu Kuin district, Dak Lak province.

The provincial People’s Court sentenced 10 defendants to life imprisonment on the charge of ‘terrorism aimed at opposing the people’s administration’, including five ringleaders. Five others received a 20-year prison term each for the same offence while the rest had jail terms ranging from 9 months to 19 years.

Y Lina, head of the Ea Nur ward’s residential group in Pong Drang town, Krong Buk district, said he believes that the sentences demonstrate the lenient policy of the Party and the State. Expressing his hope for the effective rehabilitation of the convicted, he looked forward to a day when they could reunite with their families and community.

Pastor Y Djan Eban, the respected leader of the Kniet Evangelic
al Church boasting a congregation of 1,050 followers, endorsed the court’s rulings as just and aligned with the State’s law. The residents, acknowledging the lenient stance upheld by the Party and the State, rest assured from the fact that justice has indeed prevailed.

Village elder Y Chau Nie said in the coming time, each hamlet and village will intensify the dissemination of the Party’s policies and guidelines and the State’s laws to the community while encouraging residents to prioritise their livelihoods and resist any attempts of provocation from malicious elements.

Meanwhile, head of the Cu Kuin district’s Committee for Mass Mobilisation Hoang Minh Hai said the district Party Committee advocates grasping the information and legitimate aspirations of local residents to promptly address issues at the grassroots level, especially in administrative and land procedures and beneficiary policies. The district places a significant emphasis on fostering unity through twinning initiatives between villages and p
olitical and mass organisations, with a focus on developing new rural areas and alleviating poverty.

Dak Lak, with a population of over 1.9 million people, is now home to 49 ethnic groups, with 35.7% belonging to ethnic minorities.

Last year, Dak Lak met and surpassed 12 out of the 16 criteria, with the rate of poor households reducing to 9.19% from 10.94%. Its budget revenue exceeded the projection by 6% to over 7.8 trillion VND (325 million USD) while export turnover hit 1.6 billion USD, up 0.86% annually.

Under the master plan on Dak Lak province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the locality aims to improve the material, cultural, and spiritual lives to achieve an above-average national standard based on green and circular economy while preserving the cultural identity of ethnic communities. Dak Lak aspires to become a distinctive and appealing destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, with Buon Ma Thuot, a thriving hub in the Central Highlands, poised for further development,
fostering integration and connectivity in the region and beyond./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MALASIQUI: An official of the municipality of Bolinao has vowed to continue with the town’s demand and supply reduction programs against illegal drugs after it received drug-cleared status from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Pangasinan.

Municipal Administrator and Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council focal person Blesilda Ramirez, in a phone interview on Thursday, said they aim to maintain their drug-cleared status, citing that three of their villages – Culang, Lambes and Catungi- were not affected by drug problem while the other 27 have been declared drug-cleared.

Ramirez said the local government’s anti-drug project funding has been increased from PHP500,000 to PHP1 million this year to boost their capacity to fight drug-related issues.

‘Our programs under demand-supply reduction will be continued,’ she said.

Part of the program is the continuing spiritual guidance with annual retreat for its surrenderers and their immediate family members and cash-for-work programs.

Ramirez said there a
re over 400 drug surrenderers in the town who have undergone community-based rehabilitation since they were diagnosed with low risk level of addiction.

‘No need for them to be in rehab(ilitation) centers but more on community-based with constant monitoring (and) unannounced drug-testing to check if there might be somebody who have relapsed, but so far none. When they surrendered, there was finality,’ she said.

The local government has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Manaoag town for the center-based rehabilitation of street-level pushers who availed of plea-bargaining and were endorsed to the local government unit by the court, she said.

PDEA-Pangasinan Director Retchie Camacho, in a separate interview, said 33 of the 44 municipalities in the province have been cleared of illegal drugs, but he is urging officials to remain vigilant and continue the fight against proliferation of illegal drugs.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Philippine government has assured United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan of its commitment to fostering an environment conducive to free expression, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) said Thursday.

“The government remains steadfast in its efforts to foster an environment where anyone can freely express their opinion without fear,” PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez said, as quoted by his office in a news release on Thursday.

Gutierrez made the assurance during the welcome dinner for Khan hosted by the PTFOMS, in collaboration with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Publishers Association of the Philippines (PAPI), and National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año at Barbara’s Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday night.

During the event, Gutierrez relayed to Khan the current administration’s strong resolve to protect and promote the Filipinos’ right to freedom of expression.

The PTFoMs said the welcome dinner fo
r Khan was attended by various government offices, agencies, and representatives of free media, including PAPI, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), and National Press Club (NPC).

‘UNSR Khan’s remarks focused on the complexity of freedom of opinion and expression, the importance of diverse information sources, and the value of multiple perspectives. She expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome and recalled her previous visit to the Philippines in 1981 with the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees,’ it said.

‘Khan commended the Philippines for its early adoption of the UN 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol. She also discussed the role of freedom of opinion and expression in bridging the ideological divide between the USA and USSR during the Cold War which resulted in both opposing parties promoting civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights,’ the PTFoMS added.

Officials from various ag
encies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), also issued their respective statements during the event.

The PTFoMS said DOJ Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez discussed the government’s role in upholding justice and freedom of opinion, while PHRC Director Tito Fajardo presented the country’s human rights achievements and reports.

It added that DFA Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Almojuela reaffirmed the country’s commitment to working with the UN on freedom of expression issues while NTF-ELCAC Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. emphasized the need to focus on socio-economic development in areas affected by insurgency.

‘The event also provided an opportunity for human rights defenders from multiple Civil Society Organizations, such as the Hands Off Our Children Movement, Inc. (HOOC) to interact with UNSR Khan. HOOC represents mothers of children
allegedly taken by the New People’s Army through their front organizations,’ the PTFoMs said.

Khan visited the country to meet with various government agencies to assess the country’s human rights mechanisms.

Prior to the welcome dinner, she met with officials from the National Privacy Commission (NPC), discussing the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its role in safeguarding personal information while supporting freedom of opinion and expression.

On Wednesday, she also met with officials of the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice.

Khan is expected to provide recommendations to the UN on enhancing the country’s human rights mechanisms after her 10-day visit.

Source: Philippines News Agency