Day: June 26, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sent back Carlito Galvez Jr. as head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) while lawyer Lorenzo ‘Larry’ Gadon was appointed Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation, the Presidential Communications Office said. Galvez, a former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief, served as OPAPRU head under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte shortly after his retirement from the military in December 2018. His tenure at the OPAPRU was extended during the Marcos administration. On Jan. 9, Galvez was named Defense department officer-in-charge until June 6 when President Marcos appointed Gilberto Teodoro Jr. as secretary. Meanwhile, Gadon’s appointment “reflects the government’s commitment to address one of the most pressing challenges faced by our nation,” the PCO said in a statement. Gadon obtained his Bachelor of Science in Management and Law degrees from Far Eastern University in Manila. Prior to his appointment, he served as managing partner of Gadon and Associates Law Office and as associate at Antonio Abad and Associates Law Office. The PCO said Gadon will play a pivotal role in advising the President on strategies and policies to combat poverty and improve the lives of the most vulnerable sectors of society. “He will work closely with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders to design and implement comprehensive programs to address the root causes of poverty,” the PCO said. “His wealth of experience as a corporate executive and legal counsel in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, information technology, realty development, healthcare, resorts and hotels, construction, and trading, will contribute to the formulation of innovative and sustainable poverty alleviation strategies.” Other appointees Aside from Galvez, the PCO also announced the appointment of Isidro Purisima as senior undersecretary in OPAPRU. Purisima served as acting OPAPRU chief during Galvez’s stint in the Defense department. OPAPRU congratulated Galvez and Purisima on their appointments. “(OPAPRU) proudly congratulates Secretary Carlito Galvez and Senior Undersecretary Isidro Purisima on their appointments within the office,” the agency said in a Facebook post Monday. “Their unwavering dedication and exemplary leadership truly have been instrumental in advancing our nation’s journey towards lasting peace and unity.’ The PCO likewise announced the appointment of Ruel Rivera as chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Other appointees: –Dan D. Baliao as chief of aquaculture of the Department of Agriculture –Nolasco A. Mempin as undersecretary of Department of Education (DepEd) –Noel T. Baluyan as DepEd assistant secretary –Vener S. Baquiran as deputy commissioner of Bureau of Customs –Aileen S. Manalo as acting chairperson and member, Board of Trustees of Asian Productivity Organization Production Unit, Inc. –Arlene Romasanta (Director IV), Cleo D. Sabado-Andrada (Director III) and Felix C. Taguba (Director III) at Department of Environment and Natural Resources –Federico M. Marquez Jr. and Michael Democrito C. Mendoza as members of National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council –Pia Charmane O. De Jesus as deputy executive director IV and Warren Gregorio A. Manilay as member of Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, Region 12. –Aurelio C. Angeles Jr. (member), Michael Dennis M. Ballesteros (member), Conrado G. Marty (member), Armando P. Rubia (member), Pablo M. Gancayco (acting member), and Benjamin M. Tancio (acting member) of the Board of Directors of Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan. –Liberito V. Espiritu (chairman), Francis Gerard S. Cañado Jr. (member), Noel S. Flores (member), Ronaldo R. Elepaño Jr., and Dino Mae D. Suelto (member) of Philippine Domestic Construction Board. (With reports from Priam Nepomuceno/

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provincial office here on Monday awarded livelihood assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in the furniture manufacturing industries in this province. The move is under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), one of the agency’s flagship programs that provides assistance and capacity-building on livelihood and entrepreneurial endeavors to vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized workers. In partnership with the provincial government of Pampanga, the DOLE-Provincial Office turned over some PHP260,000 worth of tools and equipment needed for furniture making at the provincial capitol compound here. DOLE-Pampanga provincial director Arlene Tolentino said the program beneficiaries were 50 members of the Samahan ng mga Manggagawang Pilipino ng Concepcion (SAMAPICON) who are engaged in furniture making. Tolentino congratulated the group for being selected as eligible recipients of the DILP in the province as she encouraged them to strive through the opportunity given to them. ‘The DOLE and provincial government of Pampanga worked together to equip you with the necessary tools and equipment needed for your livelihood. Now, it’s your turn to enhance and sustain your livelihood to ensure your success as furniture makers,’ she said during the distribution activity. The recipients of the livelihood kits thanked the DOLE for the program, which they said gave them the opportunity to improve their livelihood. ‘Kami po ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa binigay na tulong ng DOLE . Malaking tulong ito (We are very grateful for the assistance extended by the DOLE. This is a great help to us),’ one of the beneficiaries of the program said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Yonhap News Agency will host an annual forum this week to discuss the shifting geopolitical situation and explore the future security environment of the Korean Peninsula as the South Korea-U.S. alliance marks its 70th anniversary.

The symposium, co-hosted by Yonhap News Agency and the Ministry of Unification, will take place at Lotte Hotel on Thursday under the main theme of “70 Years of the ROK-U.S. Alliance: the Present and Future of the Korean Peninsula,” bringing together senior government officials and security experts.

The forum comes amid rising uncertainty on the peninsula beset by growing rivalry between Washington and Beijing, and the prolonged Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Park Jin is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech while a special session will be joined by senior U.S. officials, including Kurt Campbell, U.S. National Security Council coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, via video. U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg and Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, deputy chief of the U.S. Forces Korea, will also address the session.

The South and the U.S. signed their mutual defense treaty, a bedrock alliance document, in October 1953, after the Korean War ended in a truce three months earlier.

The forum is divided into two comprehensive sessions.

In the first session titled “The reshaping of international order and South Korea’s Indo-Pacific Strategy,” participants will discuss President Yoon Suk Yeol’s strategy and explore ways to preserve peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The second session will address ways for Seoul to resume dialogue with North Korea amid a protracted stalemate in denuclearization talks. Yoon has proposed an “Audacious Initiative,” which promises to offer economic incentives to North Korea in return for Pyongyang’s commitment to denuclearization.

Seong Ghi-hong, CEO and president of Yonhap News Agency, said the event will serve as an opportunity for in-depth discussions with experts on foreign affairs, security and North Korea.

“As South Korea and the U.S. marks the 70th anniversary of their alliance, the international order is being reshaped by intensifying hegemonic competition between the U.S. and China in areas ranging broadly from security and economics to technology, as well as the prolonged Ukrainian war,” he said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

The government will likely surpass its revenue target for this year, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.
“I think for full year [2023], we will surpass our target,” Diokno said during his weekly press chat.
The revenue target for this year is PHP3.729 trillion which is equivalent to 15.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Diokno said that for the first five months of the year alone, revenue collections already amounted to PHP1.6 trillion, higher by 10.8 percent compared to the PHP1.437 trillion collections in the same period last year.
Broken down, tax revenues amounted to PHP1.414 trillion, up by 9.71 percent from last year’s PHP1.289 trillion.
Of the total amount, PHP1.054 trillion was collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue while the Bureau of Customs’ collections amounted to PHP359.3 billion.
Diokno said the higher collection could be attributed to “improved tax administration.”
“We don’t have new taxes. In fact, some of the taxes were reduced, the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law puts more money in your pockets,” Diokno said.
Diokno said the BIR’s campaign against fake receipts also contributed to the increase.
Non-tax collections meanwhile amounted to PHP178 billion, up by 20.56 percent from the PHP147.7 billion a year ago.
Despite the good revenue performance, Diokno however expressed concern about the government agencies’ slow spending.
“We have a surplus, that’s surprising. This reflects on slower spending on the part of the government. It will impact government performance. I’m concerned with the [spending] performance of the government,” Diokno said.
Diokno however clarified that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is quick to release funds.
“It’s not DBM. Agencies have slow spending and that will impact the performance. We’re collecting more revenues than forecasted, but they [agencies] are underspending,” he said.
“We are below our deficit target. For the fiscal conservative, that’s nice, not necessarily good for a developing country. That’s not good, because we are trying to pick up, make up for that pandemic,” Diokno added.
Diokno however said there is still time to adjust the spending performance.
“I brought this up in the Cabinet. We need to spend. It’s not a lack of money, it’s ability to perform,” Diokno said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The low pressure area (LPA) last tracked 500 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar is unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone, the weather bureau said Monday.
“This LPA is embedded along the ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone) and has a slim chance to develop into a tropical cyclone,” said Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Obet Badrina.
PAGASA is expecting the LPA to become cloud clusters. No other LPA is being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, Badrina said.
Meanwhile, the ITCZ will cause scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over the Visayas, Region 4-B (Mimaropa), Bicol Region, Aurora and Quezon.
Moderate to at times heavy rains may result in flash floods or landslides in these areas.
Badrina said the rest of the country will experience isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms, however, may also cause flash floods or landslides.
Light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas will continue to prevail across the archipelago, PAGASA said.

Source: Philippines News Agency