Day: April 30, 2023

More overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will have a chance to purchase their dream houses under the Pambansang Pabahay Program Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

On Sunday, OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the Pambansang Pabahay Program para sa mga OFW.

‘Lubos akong nagpapasalamat kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., kay Secretary Acuzar at sa buong DHSUD sa agarang aksyon na maisakatuparan ang isa sa pinakatanging pangarap ng ating mga OFWs – ang magkaroon ng sariling tirahan (I’m greatly thankful to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to Secretary Acuzar and to the entire DHSUD for the swift accomplishment of this important dream of our OFWs – to have their own houses),’ Magsino said during the signing.

The MOA includes the allocation of units in the DHSUD projects to OFWs, returnees and their family members.

DHSUD will provide the details of housing projects in the pipeline, which the OFW Party-list can match with OFWs who have signified their intention to be prospective beneficiaries. It will then manage the assessment and pre-qualification of the validated and endorsed beneficiaries of the project.

DHSUD’s 4PH Program aims to achieve the country’s estimated 6.5 million housing needs by constructing 1 million units per year until 2028.

DHSUD has signed agreements with 123 local government units all over the country.

The Department has 364 ongoing projects, 10 of which are in the construction stage in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Marikina City and Quezon City in Metro Manila; Tanauan City, Batangas; Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; Biñan City, Laguna; Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur; Ilagan City, Isabela; Roxas province; and Northern Samar province.

‘Prior to being a legislator, I was actively involved in the housing industry as chair of the National Real Estate Association, thus, there is a strong bond that ties up two of my primary advocacies: that of providing decent and affordable housing to our people, and that of the aspiration of our OFWs to realize their long-cherished dream of acquiring their own homes for their families, upon their return and retirement,’ Magsino said.

‘That is why I consider our Pambansang Pabahay Program para sa mga OFWs with DHSUD a major accomplishment in my first term as representative of the OFW Party-list.”

Source: Philippines News Agency

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Sunday underscored the importance of creating an additional division in the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) to further improve the quasi-judicial body’s handling of labor cases.

Duterte and Rep. Eric Yap of the lone district of Benguet have filed House Bill (HB) No. 4958, establishing an additional division in the NLRC ‘in support of its mission to resolve labor disputes in the fairest, quickest, least expensive and most effective way possible.’

The bill seeks to increase the NLRC divisions from eight to nine.

Under the Labor Code of the Philippines, the NLRC’s first to sixth divisions shall located in Metro Manila, the seventh is based in Cebu and the eighth in Cagayan de Oro.

Under HB 4958, the additional ninth division will be located in Davao to handle cases in Mindanao.

Once enacted into law, the proposed measure would provide for three additional NLRC commissioners, bringing the total number of the Commission’s members to 27, including the chairperson.

NLRC’s 2021 Performance Report maintained a high disposition rate and significantly reduced pending cases.

The Commission posted an overall output of 32,433 cases for compulsory arbitration of which 24,262 are original cases from the Regional Arbitration Branches (RABs) and 8,171 are appealed cases from the Commission Proper.

Of the NLRC’s 98 percent overall target, the RABs and the Commission Proper were able to dispose of 27,754, which translates into an 86 percent accomplishment rate.

However, on the percentage of cases resolved within three months from the filing or receipt of complaints, the RABs were able to accomplish only 38 percent of its 69 percent target for 2021.

The NLRC is a quasi-judicial body attached to the Department of Labor and Employment. It is mandated to decide on labor and management disputes through compulsory arbitration and alternative modes of dispute resolution.

The current eight divisions of the NLRC are composed of three members each – the presiding commissioner from the government and two other members representing the workers’ and employers’ sectors.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is sheduled to undergo a minor procedure to remove gallstones next week.

The Sabah Chief Minister Office in a statement today said Hajiji has been experiencing pain but is otherwise in good health.

“Speculations have been rife in the past few days about the Chief Minister’s health and he thanked all for their concern and prayers,” read the statement today.

Meanwhile, in the statement it was mentioned that Hajiji attended the state government’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House at Sabah International Convention Centre here today.

Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim were present at the event.

At the gathering, Hajiji presented Hari Raya contributions to the underprivileged including inmates of old folks’ homes, members of Society for the Blind and Society for the Deaf.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The statement said to have been issued by Alor Setar PKR’s Youth Wing (AMK) protesting the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the 2023 Kedah MADANI gathering is fake.

Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil, in his official Facebook post today said the Telegram account called ‘Edisi Siasat’ disseminates false information while reminding the public not to be deceived by it.

“Upon first reading you can already notice the media statement is wrongly formatted and made up by those who are against the Unity government,” said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) communications director.

AMK central leadership through a Facebook post today also denied the media statement while urging the public to refer to its official social media accounts for the latest and accurate information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was at the Malaysia MADANI Open House in Kedah last Friday along with Ahmad Zahid who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

More than 20,000 guests attended the Sabah’s government Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here today.

Present at the event were Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Norlidah R.M Jasni,

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as well as his wife Datuk Seri Julia Salag were also in attendance.

Juhar, Anwar and Hajiji and the state government’s leaders were seen spending time and getting acquainted with the guests at the open house.

Meanwhile, state Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who is also the open house main committee chairman told reporters that 50 stalls serving various dishes such as rendang, kolupis (glutinous rice wrapped in leaves), buras (rice dumplings) and cookies were provided at the open house for the guests to choose from.

He said the four-hour event that began at 10 am received a good response from visitors of various backgrounds.

“The prime minister also congratulated the chief minister and the state government on their success in organising the Sabah State Open House.

“This year’s celebration is special as the event could be held openly compared to the previous year due to the pandemic,” he said.

The guests were also entertained by singer-cum-actress, Marsha Milan and Datuk Ramli Sarip as well as several local artists who performed Hari Raya songs.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Any decision on the proposal to extend school holidays, due to the current heatwave, will be brought up for discussion at the state Cabinet level, said state Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif.

Mohd Arifin, who is also the state education exco, said that the matter will also be discussed at the federal and the state education department levels.

“I will also hold a meeting with the district education offices (PPD) to get views as well as information related to education,” he told reporters after the state government’s Aidilfitri open house, at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here today.

The event was attended by the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, and his wife Toh Puan Norlidah R.M Jasni; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim; Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and the state government leadership.

On Friday (April 28), Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was reported to have said that the Cabinet should discuss whether the school holidays should be extended, following the heatwave which is currently hitting the country, resulting in two deaths involving children.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency