Category: General

MANILA: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) reminded heads of government agencies, human resources management offices, and the public that nomination for deserving government officials and employees for the 2024 Search for Outstanding Government Workers is still open till March 31.

‘Let us continue this tradition of honoring outstanding public servants who, through selfless dedication and unwavering commitment, have shown their love for our country and tirelessly work for the welfare of others,” CSC chairperson Karlo Nograles said in a press release.

The CSC said nominations can be submitted electronically to CSC regional and field offices nationwide.

The annual activity under the CSC’s Honor Awards Program (HAP) aims to recognize and reward public service exemplars who demonstrate exceptional dedication to public service. By showcasing these exemplary individuals, the CSC hopes to inspire civil servants to improve the quality of their performance, instilling deeper involvement in public service.

Governmen
t workers in both career and non-career services, as well as appointive barangay officials, are eligible for nomination in any of the three categories under the search.

These categories are the Presidential Lingkod Bayan, which recognizes outstanding achievements with a nationwide impact, the Outstanding Public Officials and Employees (Dangal ng Bayan) for consistent display of exemplary behavior, and the CSC Pagasa Awards for contributions that benefit a department, office, community, or region.

However, Job Order or Contract of Service employees are excluded from the coverage of the program.

The CSC also accepts posthumous nomination for public servants who died in the line of duty or in the pursuit of their official duties and responsibilities. The nomination must be made within 12 months from the time of death.

The search concludes with the awards rites to be led by the President of the Philippines.

In addition to receiving recognition, awardees are entitled to various rewards and incentives. These i
nclude cash prizes, automatic promotion, or a salary increase equivalent to the next higher position, a one-time executive check-up, and scholarship opportunities for graduate degree programs offered by any of the CSC’s partner educational institutions.

The complete guidelines and nomination forms may be downloaded from the CSC website.

For queries, contact the CSC regional or field office concerned, the Honor Awards Program Secretariat through email at [email protected]; or the CSC’s Contact Center ng Bayan at [email protected] or text 0908-881-6565.

Source: Philippines News Agency

TAIPEI: Taiwan is encouraging cities worldwide to be proactive in promoting renewable energy investments to address the impact of climate change.

This comes as the island’s government implements policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition towards environmentally sustainable energy sources.

‘We are promoting a second wave of energy transitions. We need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,’ Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen said in his address during the Net Zero City Leaders Summit, as part of the 2024 Smart City Summit and Expo at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2 on Tuesday.

Chen further stated that the renewable energy sector continues to show significant growth amid international efforts to pursue net zero emissions in 2050.

Net zero is the state of balance between producing and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

‘Under the leadership of President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan is implementing initiatives towards net zero in 2050. We will continue to work with ot
her cities across the world to achieve net zero goals,’ according to the high-ranking Taiwanese official.

The Taiwan government’s blueprint to attain net zero emission in 2050 aims to increase renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, promote green industries and low-carbon technologies, and ensure a just transition for workers and communities impacted by the shift to newer sources of energy.

The plan, titled “Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050,” which was published in 2022, will particularly focus on research and development on green technologies and passing legislation that will strengthen carbon reduction goals.

National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin, meanwhile, is urging the public to change lifestyles to further reduce carbon emissions worldwide.

Among these lifestyle changes being pushed by the Taiwan government to its citizens are promoting public transportation, cycling, walking, and carpooling to reduce dependence on private automobiles; offering incentives
for energy-efficient appliances in households; and best practices on waste management, such as composting and promoting recyclable products like shopping bags to encourage responsible consumption.

‘If we can change people’s lifestyles, we can reduce carbon emissions by 40 to 80 percent. Cities need to take a leading role on this. We want the world to go toward zero emissions in great strides,’ he said.

Kung said the Net Zero City Leaders Summit and Expo provides a platform for government departments to showcase their net-zero initiatives while research institutions and businesses will exhibit corresponding net-zero emission solutions. He expressed hope that more enterprises would join the net-zero efforts, becoming new drivers for economic growth.

Meanwhile, Dr. James Liao, president of the Academic Sinica of Taiwan’s National Academy of Sciences said they are pushing for a science and technology approach towards net-zero carbon emissions in the island.

He said five key technologies can be used to achieve
net zero – methane pyrolysis to power, geothermal energy, ocean current energy, high-efficiency solar energy, and bioenergy and biocarbon storage.

Methane pyrolysis is the process where thermal energy is applied to methane to break the chemical bond between carbon and hydrogen, generating hydrogen gas and a solid carbon product with no carbon dioxide emissions.

Call to action

At the joint global press conference on the sidelines of the SCSE, resource persons touted the event as an effective way to educate more stakeholders on the importance of smart city and net zero initiatives.

“We are very excited to see new participants, as well as good ideas and innovations, artificial intelligence, smart solutions. The target is to enhance the resilience of communities and the development of these initiatives,” Taiwan Smart City Solutions Alliance chairperson Jason Chen said.

Meanwhile, Kaohsiung City Deputy Mayor Charles Lin said the event showcases the long-term benefits smart city and net zero initiatives for ci
tizens.

“We want to use this platform as a way to reach the international community. We can be the platform to move the industry across borders,” he said, adding that there is a need to “run to zero,” which means an urgent need to implement net zero measures.

Asked on how smart city initiatives can help address traffic congestion in the Philippines, Lin said this could be done by continuously educating Filipinos on these measures.

“Whenever I visit Metro Manila in the Philippines, it is gaining progress every time. We have spoken with administrators of local government units and they said they need more traffic control because there is heavy traffic. We have to educate the people on technology. They still need help on the process of technology implementation. I think Taiwan can help on this,” he added.

“We remind people that we cannot achieve our net zero goals unless we do something. Truth is a powerful weapon. We have to use it more.”

Kaohsiung City is hosting the second leg of the SCSE from Thursday t
o Saturday.

So far, the southern Taiwanese city has implemented smart city initiatives in disaster response, particularly firefighting and drug abuse prevention.

The city’s Big Data and AI Technology Counseling – Intelligent Drug Prevention System is Taiwan’s pioneering program that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technology to aid individuals in overcoming drug addiction.

The program is a recipient of this year’s Innovative Application Award, which honors local governments and enterprises for their stellar innovations.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Women’s rights should be taken into consideration when crafting a ‘gender-responsive’ climate action plan, the Philippine Commission on Women said in an event in the United States on Wednesday (Manila time).

During the side event at the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), PCW officer-in-charge Khay Ann Magundayao-Borlado said climate change disproportionately impacts women because of intersecting vulnerabilities from pre-existing structural gender inequalities.

Magundayao-Borlado called on the CSW member-states to strengthen inclusive decision-making to make sure ‘the voices of women and girls are heard and gender equality environment action is achieved.’

‘The rights of women and girls must be at the center of climate action, advancing the rule of legal and policy frameworks and delivering a gender responsive just transition and often overlooked pathway is critical,’ she said.

‘Because women are most at risk of being left out of the process and benefits of a just transition, the
re is an urgent need to understand the linkages between women’s rights in the world of work and the transition to a more sustainable and low carbon economy, particularly on the structural barriers and the interventions that promote women’s equal opportunities and treatment at work,’ she added.

To deliver a just transition, Magundayao-Borlado said women’s health, well-being, and livelihoods must be protected, adding that they should also be provided with more opportunities through the creation of green jobs and the promotion of entrepreneurship.

Magundayao-Borlado said nations must invest in education, skills, capacity- building, and health and social protection services that engage and support women as ‘active agents of change.’

‘We must ensure effective financial flows to the regions and populations that need it the most,’ she said. ‘Finally and in order to achieve this, we need better quality gender disaggregated data to support decision making in (the) transition plan. I look forward to discussions to b
e had today to deliver a gender responsive and inclusive just transition for all.’

Citing the 2023 Gender Assessment of Climate Related Legal and Regulatory Frameworks in the Philippines by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Magundayao-Borlado stressed the need to enhance existing climate and environmental laws by incorporating gender considerations.

She said gender responsive approaches and policies and laws must be integrated, in the context of disasters and climate change and advanced social justice, economic equality and environmental sustainability.

‘This intersectionality of vulnerability results in climate change affecting women and girls in different ways than boys and men. Women are expected to be most severely affected due to their high representation in sectors, particularly susceptible to climate change impacts,’ Magundayao-Borlado said.

‘Exposure to these hazards amplifies existing gender inequalities and poses a serious threat to women’s livelihoods, health and well-being
. Considering gender equality and climate action is, therefore, essential to building inclusive and just transition to resilience,’ she added.

Magundayao-Borlado said a just transition presents an important opportunity for a transformative agenda for the diversity and inclusion of gender equality in the workplace.

She noted that in the Philippines, the government is making sure that the recently-adopted National Adaptation Plan and Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan are gender responsive and guarantee inclusive and equal representation in the decision-making process.

‘Legal and policy frameworks ensure that the transition to a more climate resilient sustainable and equitable economy benefits everyone, including women and marginalized groups,’ she said.

Magundayao-Borlado participated in the CSW68 side event organized by the IDLO, with the theme, ‘Gender Equality in Climate Action: The Role of Legal and Policy Frameworks in Delivering a Gender-Responsive Just Transition’.

Source: Phil
ippines News Agency

MANILA: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a new market intelligence tool to help foreign and domestic businesses map investment opportunity areas (IOAs) across the Philippines.

The Philippines’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Investor Map highlights 12 investment IOAs across the country, all aligned with the SDG, including climate finance initiatives and nature-based solutions.

Each IOA provides comprehensive information, including the specific development needs it addresses, anticipated developmental impacts, supportive conditions, potential impact risks, and illustrative case studies.

‘As interest grows among private sector actors to align investment activity with the SDGs, there is a demonstrated call for unifying standards, tools, and services that can be relied upon by investors to support a process of targeting, measuring, and achieving development outcomes,’ UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran said during the launch in Makati on March 19.

‘
This is the reason why the UNDP, through its SDG Impact Team, in partnership with the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices, initiated the development of the SDG Investor Maps,’ he added.

The UNDP Philippines produced the map in partnership with the SDG Impact and the Center for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP), and was supported by the recently concluded UN Joint Programme on Integrated National Financing Framework (JP-INFF).

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon, who was also present at the launch, highlighted Manila’s strides in SDG financing in the country.

‘We made sure that the SDGs are mainstreamed in the Philippine Development Plan. Taking off from the lessons from the pandemic, we have seen that we need to effect an economic and social transformation so that we can have a prosperous and inclusive society,’ she said.

‘We are championing the SDGs because we know that if we achieve the SDGs in 2023, it gives us better chances of achieving our Ambisyon2040,’ she added.

The Philippine’s 12 I
OAs may be accessed through the global platform — https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org/

The platform currently houses 613 IOAs from various countries around the world and provides private sector investors with access to country level market intelligence, including on-the-ground insights on local investment landscape and investor connections.

The Philippines’ SDG Investor Map was prepared through close collaboration with the government and the private sector, the UNDP Philippines said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY: The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is set to showcase fresh and affordable local farm products from different agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) at the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In an interview on Wednesday, Christine Ascutia, DAR Bicol agrarian reform program officer II, said different ARBOs will display their harvest and products at the Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) every Friday.

“The initiative will be formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Friday with DAR Regional Director Reuben Theodore C. Sindac and PRO-5 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Andre P. Dizon. Given the number of PNP personnel, our farmers will have wider opportunities to market their products inside the camp,” Ascutia said.

Under the MOU, DAR will assist participating ARBOs and smallholder farmers in the production and timely delivery of agricultural product displays. They will also ensure that the ARBOs get a good and reasonable price
for products and services.

In a separate interview, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO-5 spokesperson, said the upcoming partnership will strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and local farmers.

“We will have an avenue to promote and facilitate the display and sale of agricultural products. With this program, we are helping and promoting DAR’s programs and activities like Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP),” Calubaquib said.

Buy-bust operations

Meanwhile, in a separate report, police officers seized suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP1.1 million in two anti-drug operations in Catanduanes and Albay on Tuesday.

Calubaquib said the operations conducted resulted in the arrest of a certain “Win”, 29, of Virac, Catanduanes, and the confiscation of 51 grams of shabu with an estimated value of PHP346,800.

Also nabbed in a separate drug sting were “Tham”, 27, and “Jan”, 35, of Legazpi City, Albay, with 113 grams of shabu with a street value of PHP768,400.

Source: Philippin
es News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY: The Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Bicol (DOH-CHD-5) and various national and local government agencies are working together to achieve herd immunity for children’s immunization programs in the region this year.

During a consultative meeting on Wednesday, Dr. Desiree A. Bricenio, DOH-CHD-5 immunization program manager, said both regional and local government agencies here pledged support to achieve 95 percent routine immunization coverage for children.

“Our goal for this inter-agency consultative meeting is to renew the support of our stakeholders in all immunization services, particularly the routine vaccines for the children in the region from zero to 12 months old,” Bricenio said.

She noted that the region achieved only 51.3 percent coverage in the past, which is lower than the target for herd immunity.

According to DOH-CHD-5, several challenges prevented them from meeting the 95 percent target. These included problems such as difficulty accessing services, delays i
n the delivery of supplies, insufficient budget allocation, and failed procurements.

On the demand side, delayed data recording and reporting, misinformation, lack of awareness, and delayed communication of guidelines were also factors that contributed to the challenge.

According to DOH-CHD-5, a child is considered fully immunized if they have been administered the following vaccines from birth up to 12 months old: a Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, three doses of pentavalent vaccine (DPT-HIB-Hepa B) vaccine, three doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV), and two doses of measles-containing vaccine.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MAMBURAO: Inflation in this El Niño-stricken province rose slightly to 4.2 percent in February from a tamer 3.9 percent the previous month.

In a special release report on Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) traced the uptick to the faster rate of price increases of three commodity groups, specifically food and non-alcoholic beverages, transport, and information and communication.

However, the agency said the province’s inflation rate last month was still substantially lower than its 8.7 percent level in February 2023, when inflation surged throughout the country due to supply deficiencies in some heavily-weighted food commodities.

The PSA said inflation in the Mindoro (Occidental and Oriental), Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) region was still on a decline.

‘Inflation in Mimaropa decelerated to 3.4 percent in February 2024, from 3.6 percent in January 2024. In February 2023, the inflation rate in the region was 9.0 percent,’ said Maribel Bernardo, chief statistical specialist at
the PSA’s Occidental Mindoro Statistical Office.

The food cluster remained to be the top driver of inflation in this province last month.

Cereals and cereal products; vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses; and meat and other slaughtered land animals were the main contributors to overall inflation in Occidental Mindoro in February.

However, Bernardo said inflationary pressures were tempered by lower inflation in other heavily consumed food items.

‘Fish and other seafood, milk and other dairy products, eggs, oils and fats, fruits and nuts, sugar, confectionaries and desserts, and ready-made food and other food products had a decelerated annual growth rate, from January 2024 to February 2024,’ she added.

Meanwhile, Emerson Kim Lineses, chief economic development specialist at the National Economic and Development Authority-Mimaropa, said in an earlier interview that the severity and longevity of the ongoing dry spell in Mimaropa will significantly influence inflation in the five-province
region.

So far, El Niño’s impact in Mimaropa has been mixed, with Occidental Mindoro experiencing a dry spell that is proving ruinous to crops while food production in its neighboring provinces is far less affected.

For his part, Roberto Galang, dean at the Ateneo de Manila’s John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM), said local government units (LGUs) should not delay officially declaring states of calamity in their jurisdictions when the drought takes a turn for the worse.

‘It is unfortunate that we are starting to experience these negative effects of El Niño. Unlike typhoons, the long impacts of dry spells are difficult to measure. LGUs need to be more proactive in making these declarations. With a typhoon, the damage is very visible, but with droughts, it takes some time,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Earlier this week, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) here formally recommended to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) or provincial council that the entire pro
vince be placed under a state of calamity due mainly to the severe dry spell.

Occidental Mindoro Governor Eduardo Gadiano, who concurrently chairs the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), said an estimated PHP300 million worth of crops have already been ruined by El Niño while another PHP30 million have been destroyed by an infestation of armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda).

Source: Philippines News Agency