Category: General

TACLOBAN: The Philippine Army has welcomed the recent arrest in Consolacion, Cebu of the second-highest leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas, who orchestrated several terrorist activities in Samar Island.

Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo lauded the arrest of Romulo Micabalo, alias Ned, the second top leader of the NPA Eastern Visayas regional party committee on April 8, and credited the accomplishment to the Army’s counterparts in ending the local communist armed conflict.

“The support of our partner stakeholders is the key to this achievement, as we continue to crack down on communist terrorists in their smallest formations. We will be relentless in our operations. We assure you that our people will be protected and freed from violence and atrocities by the NPA,’ he said.

Ligayo said Micabilo was behind several atrocities in Samar provinces.

Among these were the burning of Jipapad-Las Navas road construction equipment in upland villages of Las Navas town in July 2021, the ambuscade and massacr
e of a soldier and three militiamen, and the wounding of six militiamen who were building an army detachment in Jipapad, Eastern Samar, also in July 2021.

He was also tagged in the attack on soldiers tasked to secure the construction of school buildings in Dorillo and villages in Jipapad town in October 2022. A 10-year-old child was hurt in the incident.

Micabalo has a standing warrant of arrest for two counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention and robbery with violence against or intimidation of a person in Agusan del Sur.

His father, Dionisio Micabalo, alias Muling, the top leader of the NPA-North Central Mindanao regional party committee, was killed in an encounter with government troops in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental on July 26, 2023.

Source: Philippines News Agency

CAGAYAN DE ORO: The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) extended a PHP2.9 million farm tractor and introduced hydroponics agriculture to farmers in Bukidnon province.

During a ceremony on Thursday, the DA-10 turned over the farm tractor to the Palabucan Farmers Association (PFA) in Libona town, which will benefit its 140 members.

Pooled from the agency’s 2023 funds under the Agricultural Machinery, Equipment, Facilities, and Infrastructure Program, the delivery of machinery is expected to amplify the association’s 200-hectare corn and 50-hectare cassava production, with a 50-hectare potential area.

Meanwhile, DA-10 Director Carlene Collado also led the introduction of hydroponics farming to the 30 beneficiaries under the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Manolo Fortich town on Thursday.

Collado said introducing hydroponics to the recipients fosters a sense of appreciation for agriculture and discipline, enabling the group to learn and engage in food production as a livelih
ood option even at home.

Ronald Allan Camaddo, DA-10 field agriculturist, said the benefits of establishing urban gardens, mainly employing hydroponics, is a technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution instead of the conventional soil.

Camaddo demonstrated how hydroponics works and immersed the participants in a hands-on activity, which he said augments the ‘Food Always in the Home’ program of the government while capacitating individuals to grow vegetables and other crops in limited spaces.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI: The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is encouraging all local government units (LGUs) in the Bicol region to open an electronic business one-stop shop (eBOSS), not just to comply with the law but mainly to boost their local economy.

ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez said Thursday such a move would attract more investors, thus helping the economy in the LGUs.

The ARTA team, led by Perez, was in Legazpi City for a town hall meeting to encourage all 70 barangay captains and officials to create and implement citizen’s charters as part of the requirements under Republic Act 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

“We encouraged other LGUs because napatunayan natin na yung mga LGUs na nag set up at nag operationalize ng eBOSS tumaas yung kanilang (we have proven that the LGUs that set up and operationalized eBOSS increased their) number of business registrations and revenue collections,” Perez said.

He said the ARTA team continuously visits differ
ent areas in the country to give commendations to compliant cities and municipalities and show other LGUs the impact of eBOSS.

“We commend LGU Legazpi City since they comply with the four essential functionalities of eBOSS. We validated them from the filing of the application to the submission of requirements, to the payment of fees and the printing of the business permit can be done online, from the comfort of the home and offices of the applicant. Dahil po sa nagawa ng Legazpi City, andito po tayo para i-award ang commendation (because of what Legazpi City has done, we are here to award the commendation),” Perez said.

He said ARTA aims for a 10-minute processing time for businessmen to acquire or renew their business permits.

During the awarding of a plaque of commendation at the city hall, Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal thanked the ARTA for the recognition.

“I would like to thank the ARTA for this commendation for the city government initiatives to improve efficiency in the delivery of the g
overnment service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape preventing graft and corruption and promoting ease of doing business,” Rosal said.

She said making Legazpi a business-friendly city is a manifestation that it could be done and replicated by other LGUs and even the barangays.

Perez noted that the conduct of Bagong Pilipinas town hall meetings was directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to inform the people at the grassroots level on what the government is doing.

“The Bagong Pilipinas envisioned by our President will make us proud as a people. Ang lahat po ay dapat mabigyan ng tamang serbisyo na ginagawa ng ating gobyerno (Everyone should be given the right government service). We also want to inform (the people) through this roadshow (about) the programs and initiatives of ARTA like the eBOSS,” he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent in February this year from 4.5 percent in January, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday.

In a briefing, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said based on the time series, the unemployment rate during the month was the second lowest on record since the 3.1 percent in December 2023.

Unemployment rate in February last year was 4.8 percent.

Mapa said the number of unemployed Filipinos went down to 1.80 million from 2.47 million and 2.15 million unemployed persons in February 2023 and January 2024.

The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR), meanwhile, was at 64.8 percent or about 50.75 million Filipinos aged 15 years and above who were either employed or unemployed.

This is lower than the 66.6 percent LFPR seen in February last year with young people (-669,000) and women (-404,000) withdrawing from the labor force. 

“The needs of vulnerable groups, including women, youth, older people, and those with disabilities, remain our priority to en
courage workforce participation. We will improve access to quality childcare, finance, and entrepreneurship opportunities to support women’s entry and retention in the labor market,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a separate statement.

Balisacan said the government will revisit the existing policy governing alternative work modes, such as the Telecommuting Act, and adapt it to the evolving work landscape to address the growing preference for remote work.

“The government will explore enhancing the potential of part-time work to help promote lifelong learning. A framework for part-time work and similar set-ups can allow workers to retool or upskill without leaving the workforce,” Balisacan said.

The country’s employment rate, meanwhile, went up to 96.5 percent in February from 95.5 percent in January and 95.2 percent in February this year.

The number of employed persons was registered at 48.95 million, higher than the recorded number of employed person
s in February 2023 at 48.80 million and in January 2024 at 45.94 million.

Major industries with the largest increase in employment include construction (470,000), transportation and storage (444,000), administrative and support service activities (344,000), manufacturing (313,000), and accommodation and food service activities (210,000).

Underemployed persons – or those who expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their current job or to have an additional job or to have a new job with longer hours of work – reached 6.08 million, down from last year’s 6.29 million.

The NEDA said the Marcos administration will continue to prioritize people-centered policies and attract job-creating investments to support the continued improvement of the Philippine labor market and enable Filipinos to earn higher wages from better jobs.

“The government remains resolute in creating an enabling policy and regulatory environment to attract employment-generating investments. We will also continue to implement me
asures to address bottlenecks and expedite processes to realize investment pledges, particularly in priority sectors holding much promise, such as renewable energy and critical minerals,” Balisacan said.

He said the Inter-Agency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee is currently coordinating the formulation of the medium- and long-term Foreign Investment Promotion and Marketing Plan.

“We also recognize that the fast-tracked implementation of the government’s infrastructure flagship projects, housing program, and recovery of the tourism sector contributed to positive employment outcomes,” he said.

To facilitate the development of soft and hard skills among workers and create a more agile and adaptive workforce, Balisacan said the government continues to advocate for the passage of the Apprenticeship Bill, Lifelong Learning Bill, and Enterprise Productivity Act.

Meanwhile, with the recent issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, the government will start for
mulating the TPB plan, which will be the country’s master plan for employment generation and recovery.

Source: Philippines News Agency

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began a summit in Washington on Wednesday with a shared aim to cement the two countries’ evolving alliance in the midst of China’s assertiveness, Russia’s war in Ukraine and North Korea’s persistent threats.

The high-profile summit came as the Biden administration seeks to leverage its alliance network to confront global challenges and highlight its steady security commitment to the Indo-Pacific despite the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Biden and Kishida will produce over 70 “deliverables” or agreements, including on the modernization of the force structure, the launch of a military industrial council on weapons co-production, lunar exploration and technological research partnerships, according to a senior US official.

The high-profile meeting is expected to underscore Japan’s pursuit of a greater security role and America’s backing for it as Tokyo decided to double its defense spending to 2 percent of gross domesti
c product, adopted “counter-strike” capabilities, relaxed arms export curbs and bolstered security cooperation with South Korea.

The agenda for the summit includes North Korea’s threats, according to a White House official, as the recalcitrant regime’s security challenge has come sharply into focus due to its continued weapons tests and burgeoning military cooperation with Russia.

At a ceremony welcoming the arrival of Kishida at the White House, Biden celebrated what he called the “unbreakable” and “global” alliance between the United States and Japan, while touting Tokyo’s efforts to reinforce its own defense capabilities and the alliance, as well as its support for Ukraine.

“The alliance between Japan and the US is a cornerstone of peace, security, prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” Biden said, calling Kishida a “visionary and courageous” leader. “Ours is truly a global partnership. For that, Mr. Prime Minister Kishida, I thank you.”

Biden also took note of the improvement in relatio
ns between Seoul and Tokyo, which has led to a strengthening of America’s trilateral cooperation with the Asian allies highlighted by the three countries’ standalone summit at Camp David in August.

“Last year, the prime minister took one of the boldest steps yet when he and President Yoon (Suk Yeol) of the Republic of Korea decided to heal all wounds and start a new chapter of friendship,” he said.

“Our historic summit that I hosted at Camp David marked the start of an entirely new era infused with hope, shared values and focus relentlessly forward because these leaders know that the divisions that defined us in the past do not need to define us in the future,” he said.

Kishida underscored his commitment to furthering the alliance.

“Today, the world faces more challenges and difficulties than ever before. As a global partner, Japan will join hands with our American friends,” he said.

“Together, we will lead the way in tackling the challenges of the Indo-Pacific region and the world while tirelessly devel
oping the relationship between our countries with a view to the world 10 and even 100 years from now,” he added.

Kishida arrived in the US on Monday for an official visit — equivalent to a state visit, a technical term for a head of state rather than a premier — in an invitation that capped state visits by leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad that consists of the US, Australia, India and Japan.

His trip marks the first official visit by a Japanese leader since then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2015.

“It should not be lost on you that this is our fifth state visit and state dinner (during Biden’s presidency). But four of the five — this is the crowning partnership of the Quad,” the official said.

On Thursday, Kishida is set to deliver a speech to a joint meeting of Congress and attend the first-ever trilateral summit with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Source: Philippines News Agency

KUANTAN: Muslims celebrating Aidilfitri which is the triumph of exercising self control in the holy month of Ramadan, especially the people of Pahang, must continue performing prayers, good deeds and charitable activities.

The Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah decreed that such good deeds, prayers and charitable activities which has been performed in abundance during the month of Ramadan, must continue in the months to come.

‘Let’s come toghether and continue the good deeds performed throughout the month of Ramadan like praying, fasting, going to the mosque,especially during Subuh and continue reciting the Al-Quran. I also remind myself and family to carry out the religious duties,’ decreed the Sultan.

Al-Sultan Abdullah said this after gracing Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, here today.

The Sultan was accompanied by Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Isk
andariah, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

During the ceremony, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tengku Hassanal entertained about 10,000 people who had attended the open house by singing a few numbers, including songs like Kisah Seorang Biduan, Gadis Melayu and Butakah Cinta.

‘Alhamdulillah, the arrival of Aidilfitri and the hosting of open house functions like this certainly helps strengthen unity among guests of various races who are in attendance, not only from the Unity Government but also from Perikatan Nasional,’ said the Menteri Besar.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR: Katiravan Subarayan, a 63-year-old retired Malaysian who is on an extraordinary global motorcycle journey advocating environmental awareness and national pride, continues to make impressive progress.

Bernama last caught up with him in February when he reached his 32nd country, Kingston, Jamaica, aboard his cherished motorcycle affectionately named ‘Parameswara’.

Since then, the retired electrician has traversed through many countries in South America, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia.

During his journey across the continent, he experienced warm hospitality, encountered diverse cultures, participated in extreme sports, and savoured a variety of cuisines.

His stories and pictures from South America offer Malaysians a new perspective, revealing the natural beauty, cleanliness and safety of the continent. Panama shines with development, while Colombia and its city, Medellin, often misconstrued through news reports of drug cartels, emerge as cle
an, stunning and safe.

Reflecting on his journey since the last interview, Katiravan shared that he has reached his 40th country, Colombia, riding into Medellin on his trusty ‘Parameswara’, a BMW R 1200cc GSA motorcycle.

Alongside his mission of spreading environmental awareness, Katiravan has successfully planted 66 trees across the countries he visited, emphasising the importance of sustainable living and adding more trees to the planet.

Through sharing captivating photos and videos with Bernama, he has opened eyes to the wonders of a continent less known to Malaysians, sparking curiosity and awe.

When asked about his global journey’s highlights, Katiravan said: “The best part has been meeting different peoples who are friendly and always willing to help, and of course, experiencing the diverse culinary delights.

“Many people I met didn’t know about Malaysia, but through tools like Google Translator, I could share the beauty of my homeland with them,’ he said.

Katiravan acknowledged the role of artifi
cial intelligence (AI) in bridging language barriers and making communication easier across continents.

“AI technology has significantly helped overcome the communication gap between humans from different parts of the planet,” he remarked.

While relishing the gastronomic adventures abroad, Katiravan confessed to missing Malaysian cuisine dearly.

“Food along the way has been fascinating, but I long for Malaysian delicacies like chicken rendang, asam pedas and nasi lemak.”

Finding familiar flavours was unexpectedly easy for Katiravan, as he discovered a bounty of Indian restaurants along his journey. Even some local eateries served rice and curries, providing a tasteful variation that pleasantly surprised him.

“Rice may be ubiquitous, but it’s the spicy flavours that evoke memories of home,’ he reminisced.

In his quest to raise awareness about environmental issues, Katiravan found widespread support among the people he encountered.

“Many people I met share a deep love and concern for the environment and
acknowledge the impact of global warming. Their support has been invaluable,’ he noted.

On Monday, Katiravan and six other bikers from Colombia planted seven trees at a hilltop called Family Welfare Garden in Medellin.

‘Our initial plan is planting only three trees. While we were planting, the neighbours requested us to plant more trees and they sponsored them. Such nice people.

“The charm of the event was in the participation and support from local schoolchildren. As I spoke in English, another biker translated my words into Spanish,” he reflected on the successful gathering where Steven Pa Buena, the local environmental group leader, along with schoolchildren, parents and neighbours, came together in solidarity.

Despite being thousands of kilometres away from Malaysia, Katiravan extended heartfelt wishes of ‘Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri’ to the Muslim community celebrating Eid.

He also emphasised road safety, reminding everyone to drive carefully, knowing that families eagerly await their safe return.

K
atiravan’s remarkable motorcycle journey began in Malaysia in early January 2023 and his goal is to reach 106 countries together with his ‘Parameswara’.

His commitment to spreading awareness about global warming and showcasing the beauty of Malaysia prompted him to embark on the road trip.

Aimed at making a difference for a better tomorrow, Katiravan also wants to showcase and promote the natural beauty of Malaysia, including its diverse and harmonious culture.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency