Category: General

MANILA: The acting general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Monday admitted to the sanitary lapses hounding the country’s main gateway, saying there is no one else to blame but himself.

Eric Jose Ines’ remarks came as several video footage emerged on social media showing the presence of a rat, cockroaches and bed bugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“Hindi na po ako magtuturo… Kasalanan ko po ito. Marami tayong dapat ayusin (I will not put the blame on others. This is my fault. There are many things that need to be fixed),” Ines said during MIAA’s flag ceremony.

He called on employees to help him address the issues, saying he could not do it alone.

Ines apologized to those reportedly bitten by bed bugs and had ordered inspection and enhanced sanitation measures and fumigation of metal chairs and the removal of rattan chairs.

In a radio interview, Ines said he would talk to the four pest control contractors Monday afternoon.

Revocation of their contracts
is possible if there were lapses in their job, he assured.

As added solutions, Ines said he instructed the terminal managers to focus on sanitation, aside from facilities such as broken elevators and escalators.

Ines said he is also looking at revising the contract of pest controllers, and prohibiting passengers from putting their bags on the chairs.

“Because (bed bugs) could also come from their bags, and so that other people could use the chairs,” he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: OFW party-list Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino on Monday filed a House resolution, calling for a congressional inquiry into the ‘compounded’ issues affecting the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals.

In her House Resolution (HR) 1615, Magsino urged the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the reported presence of pests and vermin in the premises and facilities of the NAIA terminals.

Magsino also wants to investigate the traffic congestion within the airport complex and adjacent areas, and the long queue of passengers in immigration checking counters.

‘We recognize that the officials of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) immediately addressed the complaints on bed bugs, rats, and cockroaches in NAIA. However, given the repeated problems in NAIA and its tag as one of the world’s worst airports, we have to look into the compounded issues, more so, since NAIA has revenues to address basic operational conce
rns such as sanitation and congestion,’ she said.

The call for the investigation came in the wake of viral videos and complaints highlighting cases of bed bug bites, and sightings of rats and cockroaches within NAIA terminals.

While these incidents initially highlight the inefficiency with the airport’s pest control and maintenance systems, they raise more significant concerns regarding public health safety.

Adding to the compounded problems at NAIA is its negative reputation globally, which in turn affects the nation’s honor and tarnishes the country’s image on the international stage, causing serious damage to the Philippine tourism industry.

‘Bugbog na yun imahe ng ating bansa bilang tourism destination dahil sa paulit-ulit na isyu sa NAIA na siyang main gateway ng ating turismo, at isa ding mahalagang susi sa ating labor migration bilang pinto ng migration corridors sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at mga host countries (The country’s image as a tourism destination has been greatly damaged due to recurring iss
ues at NAIA which is the main gateway of our tourism, and also an important key in our labor migration as door to the migration corridors between the Philippines and host countries),’ Magsino said.

Based on records, the increasing passenger traffic at NAIA has led to congestion within the airport complex and surrounding roads.

The airport’s passenger volume also reportedly exceeds its design capacity by 40 percent, leading to runway congestion and delayed flights.

These result in travel inconvenience, fuel wastage, and risks of missed flight schedules, especially for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have to comply with strict deployment schedules and return-to-work orders.

For the Fiscal Year 2023, MIAA reportedly amassed a whooping PHP3 billion net income from terminal fees, concession privileges and aeronautical fees.

‘Kaya’t tayo’y nagtataka kung bakit ang sanitation at traffic congestion sa palibot ng NAIA ay malaking isyu kung may pondo naman sa maayos na pagpapatakbo ng ating paliparan. Nais la
mang natin malaman ang puno’t dulo nito upang magkaroon ng komprehensibong solusyon (So we are wondering why the sanitation and traffic congestion around the NAIA has become a big issue despite having enough fund for the proper management of our airports. We just wanted to know the reasons behind this for us to have a comprehensive solution),’ Magsino said.

She added that the sought inquiry hearing would give the MIAA officials a chance to explain the steps they are taking and to discuss their plans of action to address the issues at hand.

‘In the end, we all just want to push for NAIA’s competitiveness as an international gateway and safeguard the interests of passengers, especially our OFWs.’ Magsino said.

While plans for the establishment of a new international airport and the privatization of NAIA are underway, she said immediate measures must be taken to address maintenance and housekeeping deficiencies, streamline immigration processing, and enhance traffic routing within the airport premises.

Sour
ce: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY: The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5) is adopting technological advancement to further enhance its capability in crime-fighting.

In an interview, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said Monday they are embracing advanced technology through the use of drones to adapt to dynamic policing demands in the region.

Calubaquib said at least 32 personnel from different units under the PRO5 completed a four-day basic tactical drone seminar on Monday.

“This initiative will strengthen PRO5’s security operations by providing advanced intelligence on terrain and other important factors prior to deploying police forces, enhancing preemptive measures against possible ambushes,” she said.

Calubaquib said at least 15 sets of drones that were purchased using PRO5 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon’s allocated fund will be given to the participating units.

“With this technological advancement, PRO5 is confident in elevating its services to the public and fulfilling its mandate of preservin
g peace and security in the region,” she added.

An expert from the Manila Police District conducted the training, delving into the fundamentals of drone operation and engaging in practical exercises to enhance the lawmen’s proficiency.

Meanwhile, Calubaquib said PRO5 arrested 495 wanted persons from the six provinces of Bicol in February.

“These apprehended suspects were implicated in grave offenses including murder, homicide, rape, robbery, and violations of other special laws,” she said.

Of the six provinces in the region, Calubaquib said Camarines Sur has the highest number of wanted persons arrested with 117; followed by Albay with 90; and Masbate 83.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Hanoi: Vietnam is capable of selling some 40 million carbon credits for a revenue of 200 million USD annually, the Department of Forestry has calculated.

It said the country has freshly signed an emissions reduction purchase agreement with Emergent, a non-profit intermediary engaging between tropical forest countries and the private sector to mobilise finance to support emissions reductions in deforestation. Accordingly, Vietnam is set to transfer to the forest financing organisation 5.15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide that cost at least 10 USD per tonne in the 2022-2026 period.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has already put forth seven targets and 11 solutions for forestry work this year, with a focus on completing the national forestry planning and supporting firms involved in transition from forestry production to forestry business.

Vietnam currently houses 14.79 million ha of forest, a coverage rate of 42%. The forestry production value grows stably at a rate of 4.6% and revenue fr
om environmental protection services nears 11 trillion VND (445.56 million USD).

Last year, the nation, for the first time, sold more than 10 million carbon credits for over 50 million USD, ranking among the 60 countries worldwide with the highest capacity for the carbon trade./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Nearly 500,000 hectares of land were cleared of bombs, mines, and explosives in the 2014-2023 period, informed the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC) at a ceremony to mark its 10th founding anniversary and receive the Fatherland Protection Order, third-class, on March 4.

VNMAC General Director Maj. Gen. Tran Trung Hoa said that in 2010, the Vietnamese Government issued a National Action Programme to overcome the consequences of post-war ordnances in the 2010-2015 period (Programme 504). To manage, coordinate and implement the programme, on March 4, 2014, the Government established VNMAC, under the direction of the Prime Minister and the management of the Ministry of National Defence.

The centre has presided over and coordinated with relevant agencies to research, propose policies, identify goals, and develop plans to overcome consequences of the deadly legacy of the wars in the medium and long terms; mobilised funding at the national level; organised and coordinated the implementation of pro
jects and tasks; supported victims; and stepped up dissemination in this field.

Praising the centre’s achievements in the past 10 years, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, proposed it well perform its tasks, with focus on promoting research, analysis, and forecasting of international and domestic situations related to the work to improve the quality of consultations and build plans to implement Programme 504; and coordinating with relevant agencies to build a plan to overcome the consequences for the 2026 – 2045 period, with orientations to 2050.

The VNMAC needs to complete the building of the content of the Ordinance on overcoming post-war bomb and mine consequences in Vietnam; effectively implement dissemination to raise public awareness of accident prevention; and work with international organisations to provide training on bomb and mine settlement and first aid in accordance with international standards, he added./.

Source: Vietnam News Agenc
y

MANILA: Philippine activities in Bajo de Masinloc are not escalating tension in the South China Sea and do not violate international laws, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

Bajo de Masinloc is a high tide feature and a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos, which means that Filipinos have all the right to fish there, its 12-nautical mile territorial sea, and the surrounding seas within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the DFA asserted in a statement.

‘It is the duty of Philippine authorities to support and protect them in the exercise of this right. These actions are not provocative and do not violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,’ it added.

‘Activities that infringe upon the Philippines’ sovereignty and jurisdiction in Bajo de Masinloc and its surrounding territorial sea are violations of international law, particularly UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award,’ it added.

The DFA issued the
statement after China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang criticized the joint military exercises and patrols in the area, asserting that the Philippines ‘enticed countries out of the region to stir up the situation in the South China Sea.’

Zhang said the Philippines ‘seriously violated the principles of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and jeopardized regional peace and stability, and runs counter to the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability’ with such actions.

In 2013, the Philippines filed a case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands.

The case devolved on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in Bajo de Masinloc and the Spratly Islands group.

In 2016, the Court ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring China’s assertions have no legal basis.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Monday said the country’s supply of refined sugar is stable despite the permanent closure of the Central Azucarera Don Pedro Incorporated (CADPI) refinery in Batangas on Feb. 28.

In a radio interview, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the agency’s target to keep a buffer stock has been implemented.

“Sa ngayon, iyong availability po ng (For now, the availability of) refined sugar in the country is very ample, our supply has been stable the whole year,” he said.

He added that the supply stability sustains the predictable market prices of refined sugar.

According to the latest Department of Agriculture (DA) Bantay Presyo (price watch), the retail price range of refined sugar is around PHP72 to PHP100 per kilogram in Metro Manila.

Azcona clarified that CADPI’s operations already ceased earlier in 2023, causing a supply inconvenience in the portion of Luzon.

He, however, said other refineries in Tarlac, Tuguegarao, and Bukidnon, among others, may co
ver the supply loss.

“Five out of 14 [refineries] can supply the premium demand ng mga (of the) soft drink companies, for the retail o sa palengke (or in the market), we have 13 other refineries that can take over the loss of CADPI,” Azcona said.

CADPI’s production reaches around 18,000 to 19,000 bags of refined sugar per day.

The CADPI, a subsidiary of Roxas Holdings Incorporated (RHI), was forced to terminate employees following its shutdown due to “serious business losses.”

Source: Philippines News Agency