Day: April 16, 2023

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has requested the Labuan Chamber of Commerce (LCC) to come up with a full report on Labuan’s economic issues and challenges for immediate attention.

Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim said the report was needed for a thorough study and to find solutions.

“I have received a briefing on Labuan’s various economic issues and challenges faced by the business community and people as a whole, and I have noted that.

“We want a full report on that, and we will look at it thoroughly,” he said after visiting the Labuan Royal Malaysian Customs Department, here today.

Sim said the report must include the issue of restoration of full pledged duty-free status of Labuan.

“They have briefed us about the reinstatement of duty-free cigarettes in Labuan and the almost double amount of tax for vehicles purchased in this island after a certain period of time,” he said.

Sim said issues that are under the jurisdiction of MoF would be dealt with, including issues related to customs that would be taken up to the customs Director-General to seek solutions.

“We want to discuss with customs on how we can work together with private sectors (industry players) to develop and facilitate business.

“The close cooperation between customs and private sectors will enable us to improve the existing policies and boost the economy that will benefit the people,” he said.

Sim who was on a one-day visit to Labuan was briefed on the Megah Port Management Sdn Bhd (MPM) port handing services, activities of ship-to-ship by Victoria STS Sdn Bhd and issue on eroding duty-free status of Labuan among others by LCC chairman Daniel Doughty.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Naval Forces West (NFW) has announced that joint Philippines and US forces on April 14 have successfully conducted the amphibious raid exercise of this year’s “Balikatan” in Palawan. In a statement Saturday, NFW chief Commodore Alan M. Javier said the exercise was done at the beachhead of Barangay Samariñana in Brooke’s Point, Palawan. “Following the arrival of the surface assets in Palawan (on April 14) an amphibious raid exercise was performed at the beachhead of Barangay Samariñana, Brooke’s Point, Palawan,” he added. This Fleet-Marine capability was showcased by different units, namely: BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), BRP Tarlac (LD-601), amphibious assault vehicles, marine amphibious ready unit and marine Reservists. The US forces, meanwhile, employed their force reconnaissance platoon. “Amphibious raids are usually performed against the enemy. It is accomplished by employing a special force into an area that is controlled by enemy forces. Amphibious raids are commonly quick and swift leaving minimal footprints on the ground,” Javier said. The successful conduct of the amphibious raid in the “Balikatan” 38-23 reinforces the Philippine Navy’s commitment in ensuring national sovereignty, security and stability. This year’s “Balikatan” started April 11 and is set to end on April 28. Anti-tank live-fire with US forces Meanwhile, the Philippine Army (PA) said it successfully executed the Javelin anti-tank weapon system live-fire exercise with the US Army and US Marines forces as part of the introductory activities of the Balikatan 38-23 at Range 2, Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija last April 13. “The US Army, US Marines, and PA troops fired five missiles which are facilitated by the anti-tank trainers during the simulation of the combat scenario, a part of the 38th iteration of ‘Balikatan’,’ Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Saturday. ‘The PA soldiers applied the skills they learned through lectures and simulation exercises, especially during the Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) of the recently-concluded ‘Salaknib’ 2023 Phase 1. The Army troops showed their tactical skills, accuracy, and confidence in using the Javelin weapon which could be one of the integral armaments of the PA’s future arsenal,” he added. Meanwhile, PA chief Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., who witnessed the exercise with United States Army Pacific commander Gen. Charles A. Flynn, applauded the smooth execution of the exercise. ‘By sustaining the build-up and expansion of our areas of collaboration, we can achieve our shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,’ he added. Brawner also stressed that the exercise allowed the PA troops to deal with the real-time experience and to observe how the weapon works and reacts in the environment, particularly in an actual warfare setting. ‘What you see here with ‘Balikatan’ and ‘Salaknib’ is an expression of us trying to commit to enabling and assisting the Philippine military (in) being able to protect their national sovereignty and protect the territorial integrity of the Philippines,’ Flynn noted.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Nearly 4.24 million people travelled to tourism destinations across the country on April 15, the second day of Khmer New Year holiday, according to a report of the Ministry of Tourism issued this afternoon.

The figure showed an increase of 101.94 percent compared to the first day, read the report, adding that of the total registered number, more than 4.2 million were national tourists and the rest were foreigners.

Siem Reap province topped the list of destinations receiving 653,679 tourists, followed by Kampong Cham and Kampot provinces with 515,129 with 404,058 visitors, respectively.

Cambodian people are celebrating their traditional New Year, the Year of Rabbit, from April 14 to 16.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th District Rep. Ralph Recto on Sunday called on authorities to stop relying on ‘lamppost CCTVs’ in piecing post operation evidence and instead source the footage from the equipment they carry before, during and after drug operations. Recto said police officers should wear body cameras (bodycams) during drug busts so that a video recording of the operation can aid in prosecuting suspects, commend deserving officers and deter those caught and their coddlers from bribing their way to freedom. ‘A widely available and affordable device, which is the camera, can preserve a hard to refute documentation of drug arrests. Whether the narcotics seized weigh one kilo or one ton, a video recording is the best receipt there is,’ Recto pointed out in a statement. ‘Mainam kung may resibo na mahirap ipagkaila. ‘Ika nga, may bodycam sa katawan at may dashcam sa sasakyan (It’s good to have a receipt that is hard to deny. As saying goes, bodycam in the body, dashcam in the car),’ he added. The presence of bodycams, he said, would also serve as a deterrent against any attempt by suspects and their backers to buy the freedom of the one arrested. He said the use of body cameras can also be an ‘anti-arbor’ device, referring to the street slang of suspects going scot-free after somebody influential intervened for their immediate release, without going through legal process. The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched the use of body-worn cameras in June 2021 under Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (ret.). At the time, he said they needed to purchase up to 34,000 units to cover the entire force. As of last year, there were 2,696 body cameras in the inventory, according to PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. during the Congressional budget hearings. As for the Supreme Court order requiring police officers to wear the gear while serving warrants, the PNP still lacks around 5,000 units as of September 2022. According to PNP guidelines, the bodycams may be worn during checkpoints/chokepoints/traffic stops, hot pursuits, arrests, suspicious vehicle/person stops, crimes in progress, assistance, transport of victims/suspects/detainees/evidence, any significant law enforcement activities that need audio or video evidence, and when taking statements or gathering information. ‘Dapat kasama ‘yan sa OOTD [outfit of the day] ng mga pulis na sasabak sa mga operasyon laban sa droga (It should be included in the OOTD of the policemen who would participate in the drug operations),’ Recto said. He said if it is now ‘SOP (standard operating procedure) for police officers and police units to blanket their activities with social media reportage, then why is such an important operation be spared of such coverage?’

Source: Philippines News Agency

A South Korean Navy vessel fired warning shots to drive out a North Korean patrol boat that crossed the western de facto maritime border last week, the South’s military said Sunday. The North Korean boat crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in waters northeast of South Korea’s Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea on Saturday at 11 a.m., prompting the South Korean Navy to dispatch its Chamsuri-class patrol boat, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). After the North’s boat remained unresponsive to South Korea’s warning broadcasts and communication attempts, the South Korean vessel fired 10 warning shots with its autocannon and made the North Korean boat retreat. The North Korean boat made the incursion as it was chasing a Chinese fishing boat, according to an informed source. The JCS said there was contact between the South Korean vessel and the Chinese boat during the operation, and some of the South Korean sailors suffered minor injuries and are currently receiving treatment. Tension remains high along the poorly defined border, the scene of a series of bloody naval clashes between the two Koreas. North Korea has never recognized the NLL, demanding that it be re-drawn further south. The incident came as North Korea remains unresponsive to routine inter-Korean calls through the joint liaison office and the military hotline since April 7.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday, together with a private group championing road safety, urged all Filipino motorists to share the road and stop for children. In a news release, ImagineLaw urged drivers to observe traffic rules, drive under the speed limit, and abide by road safety policies to avoid road crashes that oftentimes lead to casualties involving children. ‘Hindi pwedeng hari-harian sa kalsada,’ said Daphne Marcelo, the group’s project manager for road safety. ‘We need to learn how to build a community and a road system that protect vulnerable road users, especially children.’ The groups made the call during DOH’s ‘Pista ng Kalusugan’ (Festival of Health), an outdoor festival promoting Filipinos’ health and well-being at Quezon Memorial Circle during the weekend. DepEd Assistant Secretary Dr. Dex Galban and DOH Health Promotion Bureau chief Rodley Carza joined the call. Records from the Philippine Statistics Authority said at least 1,670 Filipino children are killed by road crashes every year. Last month, a 5-year-old was killed by a passing truck in Taguig City. ‘We need to work together in building a set of solutions to end this epidemic: safer driving behavior, better infrastructure for pedestrians, commuters, and drivers, and strict and sensible enforcement of traffic rules,’ she also said.

Source: Philippines News Agency