Category: General

The PHP30-million access road project in Barangay San Vicente Calasiao town, Pangasinan has boosted the accessibility and comfortable travel of residents and pilgrims to the Señor Divino Tesoro Shrine.

In a statement on Thursday, Department of Public Works and Highways-Ilocos Region (DPWH-Ilocos Region) information officer Esperanza Tinaza said the project involves the construction of a 1.5428-kilometer road and reinforced concrete pipe culvert (RCPC) drainage.

Tinaza said the construction started on Feb. 13 last year and was completed on Dec. 20, funded under the national budget and finished ahead of the May 2 patronal fiesta.

‘The project also addresses longstanding challenges in transportation concerns of the residents,’ she said, adding the old road lacked proper maintenance.

‘With widened lanes and improved drainage, the upgraded road aims to streamline traffic flow, reduce travel time, and mitigate safety hazards for motorists and pedestrians alike,’ Tinaza said.

In a phone interview on Thursday, m
unicipal tourism officer Tammy Fernandez said they have recorded around 9,000 visitors to the church during the Holy Week this year alone.

She said the municipal government is hopeful that the access road project would further improve faith tourism in the town.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday said it recorded at least 800 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank that resulted in casualties or property damage since Oct. 7.

“This included the killing of more than 30 Palestinians by Israeli forces or settlers, the injury of nearly 500 others, and damage to dozens of homes, and nearly 12,000 trees and 450 vehicles,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, noting OCHA’s warning that the situation in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem is escalating.

OCHA reported that aid organizations continue to face access constraints in reaching people in need of assistance in the Gaza Strip, including denials of planned missions or prolonged delays at Israeli military checkpoints on roads used to move between northern and southern Gaza.

The UN agency said more than a quarter of humanitarian missions to northern Gaza in April were impeded by Israeli authorities, and 10 percent were denied.

“We and our huma
nitarian partners continue our efforts to scale up aid operations whenever and wherever possible,” OCHA said in a statement.

Asked about a possible ceasefire in Gaza as talks are ongoing in Cairo, Dujarric said a truce would make it “a lot easier” for the UN to distribute aid that is already in Gaza.

Israel has waged an unrelenting offensive on the Palestinian enclave since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack last year that killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and thousands injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85 percent of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel also is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarant
ee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Source: Philippines News Agency

A total of 40 New People’s Army (NPA) members were neutralized in just one month of focused military operations from April 1 to 30, an Army official said.

Lt. Gen. Fernando Reyeg, commander of the Visayas Command (Viscom), said the number was a reflection that the NPA continues to bear significant losses due to the unified command’s relentless effort to implant peace in three central Philippine regions.

Of the number, 22 were apprehended, 16 surrendered, and two died during encounters.

A total of 26 assorted firearms and an anti-personnel mine were seized during the same period.

‘There will be no let-up in our efforts. We will never hold back nor will hesitate to use our full force to finally put an end to this decades-long menace that has been terrorizing our country and our people,’ Reyeg said.

The Army official said Viscom stands firm in its commitment to ending the local communist armed conflict in the Visayas regions very soon.

Reyeg called upon the few remaining members of ‘the NPA terrorist grou
p to learn from the mistakes of their fallen comrades and heed the call of the government to return to the folds of the law before it’s too late.’

Source: Philippines News Agency

Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Nograles on Thursday said the agency is fully committed to help eligible contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in getting the eligibility for permanent positions in government through the grant of Career Service Eligibility – Preference Rating (CSE-PR).

Nograles issued the statement after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. extended the engagement of COS and JO workers in government, and ordered government agencies to develop the skills and capabilities of these workers to help them pass the civil service examination.

‘The CSC recognizes that many dedicated government employees, who have played a pivotal role in delivering public service over the years, do not possess the necessary civil service eligibility. Following the President’s directive, the CSC shall assist these qualified workers in various government agencies in their application for CSE-PR, enabling them to pursue plantilla positions,’ he said.

He said the CSE-PR is given to qualifie
d workers who have shown valuable skills but lack the specific eligibility for plantilla positions.

Under CSC Resolution No. 2301123 promulgated on Dec. 7, 2023, a Preference Rating of a maximum of 10 points shall be added to the failed rating range (70.00 to 79.99) to achieve the passing rate of 80.00 for qualified applicants in Career Service Examinations (CSEs), qualifying them for Career Service Professional or Subprofessional eligibility.

The resolution covers workers collectively called JOCOSC6 in the government service. These include individuals under JO, COS, casual, contractual, coterminous, employees holding Category III and Category IV positions as enumerated in CSC Memorandum Circular No. 10 dated April 16, 2013, and Career service employees with first level eligibility.

To qualify, applicants need to have accumulated a minimum of 10 years of service in the government as JOCOSC6, along with a performance rating of at least Very Satisfactory or its equivalent in the two most recent rating period
s before the application date for eligibility.

JOCOSC6 individuals interested in availing the CSE-PR must have applied for and taken the scheduled CSE beginning with the March 3, 2024 CSE and thereafter, at either Professional or Subprofessional levels.

The CSC, however, said individuals can avail themselves of the CSE-PR grant only once.

The application for the grant of CSE-PR must be filed using the appropriate application form with complete requirements within six months from the date of release of the results of the career service examination taken.

Nograles earlier said the grant of the preference rating is an “exceptional privilege” extended only to those who have shown their ability to satisfy the demands of the job despite not having the required civil service eligibility.

‘Through this initiative, we acknowledge that actual job experience is given due consideration in measuring one’s aptitude to perform the duties of a public servant,’ he said.

‘We are mindful, however, of the need to uphold me
ritocracy in the hiring process and to ensure that the quality of government service will not be compromised. Therefore, the conferment of CSE-PR will go through a meticulous process so that only those who are truly qualified may avail of this privilege,’ he added.

The complete guidelines regarding the grant of CSE-PR can be accessed on the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Finance (DOF) said on Thursday it is set to execute around USD1.5 billion worth of pipeline projects with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 2024 to 2025.

The DOF and JICA are also working toward executing four major loan agreements within the year.

In a statement, the DOF said the development was discussed during a meeting between DOF Undersecretary for the International Finance Group (IFG) Joven Balbosa and JICA’s Director General of Southeast-Asia and Pacific Department Hayakawa Yuho on April 18, 2024 at the JICA Office in Washington, D.C.

During the meeting, the DOF and JICA discussed the timeline and preparations required to facilitate the signing of the loan agreements for projects on maritime safety, roads and flood risk management, which are targeted before the end of the year.

JICA, meanwhile, expressed its plan to expand its funding into other sectors that are in line with the Marcos administration’s development objectives, such as agriculture, education and
health.

JICA also expressed its openness to scale up its policy-based lending, with an intent to co-finance the Climate Change Action Program (CCAP) Subprogram 2 with the Asian Development Bank and Agence Française de Développement.

The CCAP will support the Philippines in implementing its national climate policies, including its Nationally Determined Contribution.

The program will intensify efforts to transform key sectors toward a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy.

The DOF also sought JICA’s assistance in bringing in more private sector financing to support the administration’s development goals as the Philippines transitions to an upper-middle income country status.

Last year, Japan was the country’s largest official development assistance (ODA) partner with total loans and grants amounting to USD12.30 billion.

The amount accounted for about 32.82 percent of the total ODA as of December 2023.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be accepting applicants for the government internship program (GIP) from May 8 to 10, an official of the agency said on Thursday.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao said 75 slots will be available for each DSWD-Field Office (FO) while 35 slots will be accommodated in the DSWD Central Office in Batasan, Quezon City.

‘As an integral part of the Kabataan 2000 program initiated by the Philippine government, GIP offers young individuals an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience within various government agencies,’ she said.

The GIP application is open to 18 to 25-year-old college students, preferably in their 3rd or 4th year. To qualify for the program, the monthly income of the applicant’s family should not exceed the existing poverty threshold set at PHP13,797.

Dumlao said selected GIP applicants will get a stipend of 75 percent of the existing wage rate in the region in exchange for the
ir 30 working days of service rendered.

‘GIP participants assigned to the DSWD Central Office will engage in tasks such as encoding, report writing, and assisting in the implementation of key programs,’ she said, adding that those stationed at Field Offices will support their local government units with similar responsibilities.

From 2017 to 2023, some 6,710 students have benefited from the initiative which provided them with practical exposure and a deeper understanding of public service.

For details, interested applicants are encouraged to communicate with Verlan Rosales, Youth Focal of the Sectoral Programs Division of the DSWD’s Program Management Bureau through his email address, [email protected].

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: A former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agent’s testimony linking President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs is part of a larger effort to discredit and destabilize the current administration, House of Representatives Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Jude Acidre said on Thursday.

Acidre, representative of the Tingog Party-list, even raised doubts about the credibility of former PDEA intelligence officer Jonathan Morales.

‘I think it becomes even more clear now na itong mga pangyayaring ito ay kaparte ng isang mas malaki pang (these events are part of a bigger) effort to discredit and destabilize the current administration,’ he said in a press conference at the House.

In a recent Senate hearing, Morales provided testimony on the purported ‘authenticity’ of leaked 2012 documents allegedly implicating then Senator Bongbong Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano to illegal drug use.

PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo, however, strongly refuted Morales’ claims, asserting that the docume
nts in question, including a supposed pre-operation report and authority to operate, were nonexistent.

Lazo said Morales’ allegations were “fabricated” and ‘have no basis,’ emphasizing that the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs should not rely on testimony from an individual who had previously committed perjury by concealing his dismissal from the Philippine National Police (PNP) during his application to PDEA.

Acidre also questioned Morales’ showing up to accuse the President, especially since the Senate hearing was meant to tackle the seizure of about 1.4 tons of shabu worth PHP9.68 billion in Batangas.

“Katulad nyo medyo naguguluhan din ako (Like you I’m also quite confused),” he told the media.

He said the detailed explanations provided by PDEA, especially about how all operational reports are computerized and serialized, raised questions about Morales’ statements.

Echoing Acidre’s sentiments, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino ‘Inno’ Dy questioned why Morales was included in the h
earing when the main issue should have been the Alitagtag, Batangas 1.4-ton drug haul.

He also emphasized the ease of fabricating documents in today’s technology-driven world, citing the prevalence of deepfake technology.

Dy likewise noted the lack of evidence from the PDEA corroborating Morales’ claims and no less than the agency’s leadership had refuted the existence of such documents.

Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig City 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria ‘Pammy’ Zamora, said the PDEA has acknowledged that the document has no control number.

‘So, obviously the document doesn’t exist,’ Zamora said.

On Wednesday, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers questioned the credentials of Morales, who, he said, was dishonorably discharged from the police service.

Source: Philippines News Agency