Asean Tribune

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday approved a PHP1 provisional fare increase for both traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJ) nationwide beginning Oct. 8.In a press conference at the LTFRB office in Quezon City, LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III announced that the minimum fare for traditional and modern PUJs would be PHP13 and PHP15, respectively.’Piso na provisional fare increase lamang po ang inaprubahan natin sa first 4 km. pero wala pong kahit anong dagdag sa succeeding kilometers (We approved a provisional fare increase of PHP1 for the first 4 km. but there is no increase yet for succeeding kilometers),’ Guadiz said.The announcement came after the LTFRB board’s hearing with the Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide, Inc. (PASANG MASDA), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO).The transport groups petitioned a PHP
5 fare increase for the first 4 km. and a PHP1 increase for succeeding kilometers.Guadiz noted that the PHP1 increase is only temporary until the LTFRB decides on the groups’ primary petition.He also reminded PUV drivers and operators to provide discounted fares for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and students.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) is eyeing the full implementation of toll interoperability by the second quarter of 2024, allowing motorists to use one radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker and e-wallet across all collection systems in expressways, its spokesperson said Tuesday.”We have ongoing activities on this and we are looking forward na magkaroon kami ng (that we will have) ‘acceptance test’ by December this year, sort of a dry run,” Julius Corpuz, TRB spokesperson, said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.He said the TRB is working with tollway concessionaires and operators for a smooth implementation of the project’s Phase 3 or the one RFID tag and one e-wallet phase.”We are looking forward na ‘yung (that the) phase three ng (of the) interoperability project would be fully implemented by the second quarter of next year. We are on track,” Corpuz said.In September 2017, the government and several private firms signed a memorandum of agreement for the toll collection interoperability projec
t that has three phases.It aims to implement the interoperability of electronic toll collection (ETC) and cash payment systems of existing toll expressways for fast, efficient and seamless travel of motorists.The first phase was launched and implemented in December 2017 and the second in January 2023, according to the TRB.Cashless toll dry runThe TRB is now on its second-month dry run for contactless transactions in select toll plazas to test the readiness of concessionaires for a smooth and efficient reimplementation of the program.Corpuz said the dry run has been smooth so far, without any major issues encountered since Sept. 1.”Napansin namin na simula ng magpatupad tayo ng dry run, marami na rin ang nahikayat na magpakabit ng RFID at ngayon tinatamasa na nila ang mabilis na transaksyon sa toll plaza (We noticed that since the start of the dry run, many of the motorists have their RFID installed and now enjoying fast and seamless travel in toll plazas),” he said.READ: Switch to faster RFID payment system,
motorists told”Paalala sa ating sticker holders na bago kayo pumasok sa ETC lanes, whether kasama sa dry run o hindi, ay tiyakin na meron tayong sapat na load para mapabilis ang byahe sa mga toll plaza (For those with existing RFID sticker, they are advised to have their RFID sticker checked and that they have sufficient load before they enter the expressway for seamless travel),” Corpuz said.After the end of the dry run on Oct. 31, Corpuz said the TRB will assess whether to continue the dry run and find ways to further improve the electronic toll systems in toll plazas.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday attested to the increasing volume of international travel and tourist arrivals in the country.’The significant increase in arriving passengers shows that tourism and international travel is already on the rebound,’ BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.Tansingco added that arrival may even surpass 4 million figure for the last quarter of the year.From January to August, the BI already reported 8,117,286 Filipino and foreign passenger arrivals in the country.Although this is slightly short of the pre-pandemic figure of over 11 million, it posed a dramatic increase from last year’s arrival record of 2,873,423 for the same period, he said.Amid the travel rebound, Tansingco vowed to continue supporting the Department of Tourism by making travel experience easier.’We are procuring more e-gates for faster immigration processing. Through technology, we can work around the limited space that we have at the airports and improve passenger experience,’ he adde
d.Earlier, the BI promised to launch green lanes for frequent travelers, Alien Certificates of Registration Identity card or ACR I-card holders, and overseas Filipino workers before the year ends.The BI also assured the public of its preparedness to cater to all passengers during the peak or holiday season, with more immigration personnel deployed across the country’s borders.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Philippine government is investigating the alleged fraud and illegal recruitment of Filipinos in Italy, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Raymund Cortes said the agency is ready to provide legal assistance but for now, the victims’ families in Italy are employing their own lawyers to study the case.Cortes said the victims failed to secure visas from the Italian Embassy in Manila after presenting the documents they got from their recruiters that later turned out to be “fake.”Each person, he said, paid about 3,000 euros or PHP178,000.No case has been filed so far against the companies involved.’We’re working on both ways to file a criminal case in Italy and to file a case here in the Philippines. But of course, all of that has to be coordinated,” Cortes said. “We need all the evidence to file a case both in Italy, hopefully, and here in the Philippines with the help of DOJ (Department of Justice).”The Philippine Consu
late General in Milan, meanwhile, said it has been ‘working quietly with Italian authorities in the past several weeks’ as part of its investigation of the cases.The Consulate said the Filipino victims paid as much as PHP38.7 million for what later turned out to be non-existing jobs in Italy.Consul General Elmer Cato said as of Oct. 2, about 51 individuals, up from 33 last week, filed complaints with the Consulate against three individuals and two agencies.On Sept. 4, Cato met Prefect Renato Saccone shortly after the Consulate started receiving complaints from relatives and representatives of about 215 job seekers in the Philippines who said they were defrauded of as much as PHP180,000 each.Cato said he requested Saccone’s assistance in verifying the authenticity of the Italian work permits the Consulate was able to gather from complainants and witnesses in Italy and the Philippines.After the documents were determined to be spurious, the prefect immediately created a task force that would assist complainants
in filing the appropriate cases against those involved.Cato said the task force would work closely with the Consulate and the lawyers that DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Edgardo Jose de Vega said the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers would provide.Cato noted that the hiring of Italian lawyers to assist complainants was among the recommendations made by the Consulate as early as Aug. 31.He reiterated his call for other victims to come forward and file their complaints against other individuals and agencies that have defrauded them.

Source: Philippines News Agency

A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday pushed for the allocation of about PHP1.8 billion for the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program for 2024.AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee said the PUV modernization program received zero funding for next year.”We need to understand na holistic at comprehensive itong modernization program (We need to understand that the modernization program is holistic and comprehensive). It does not end in just consolidating or buying new public utility vehicles or units,” Lee said.Lee said a jeepney driver or operator who earns about PHP500 to PHP750 a day cannot afford to buy a modern jeepney worth more than PHP2 million.’We must keep in mind that the transport sector is not only a public service but most importantly, a source of livelihood. Napakarami po nating kababayan ang umaasa sa kabuhayang ito na kasa-kasama nila sa pagtataguyod ng pamilya at pagpapaaral ng mga anak hanggang sila ay maka-graduate (A lot of Filipinos depend on this for their livelihood as
they support their families and finance their children’s education until they graduate),’ Lee said.Aside from the budgetary allocation for next year, Lee also called on the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and other government financial institutions to simplify and streamline the loan requirements for transport cooperatives and corporations to purchase modern jeepneys.’Let us liberalize and simplify these requirements,” Lee said. ‘Kaya po tayo nagsusulong ng ganitong mga programa, kaya natin pinapataas at pinapalaki ang budget, ay para makatulong (That’s why we are pushing for these kinds of programs. That’s why we are increasing the budget, so that we could help).”Lee asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to work hand-in-hand with his office to compel the Land Bank, Development Bank of the Philippines and other government financial institutions to expedite the process of providing loans for modern jeepneys.During the budget deliberati
ons of the House appropriations committee, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Department of Transportation will continue its modernization program for PUVs despite zero funding for next year.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) on Tuesday welcomed lawmakers’ plan to augment its budget for next year as this would help them boost surveillance in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and other fishing grounds in the country.”This initiative would empower our agency to strengthen and enhance our existing monitoring, control, and surveillance activities in the WPS and other fishing grounds to ensure the sustainable use of our marine resources and safeguard the livelihoods of our fisherfolk,’ BFAR Director Demosthenes Escoto said in a statement.This came as the House of Representatives decided to realign the confidential funds of some civilian government agencies and reallot these to agencies whose mandate is to counter threats in the WPS, such as the BFAR, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).Escoto, meanwhile, said they are actively combating illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fish
ing, which remains a persistent threat in Philippine waters, using their current assets and resources.He also said the agency employs floating assets to monitor unlawful fishing activities and conducts resupply missions in collaboration with government agencies, particularly the PCG.These missions provide essentials, such as engine oil, drinking water, and ready-to-eat snacks to Filipinos engaged in fishing activities in the WPS.Escoto reported that they have launched the Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yields and Economic Gains from WPS (LAYAG-WPS), a livelihood project worth nearly PHP80 million.The program seeks to provide local fisherfolk with essential tools, knowledge, fishing gear and paraphernalia, and post-harvest training to help them fish more effectively in the WPS and reduce their post-harvest losses.In June, the BFAR delivered nearly PHP5 million worth of livelihood inputs and capacity-building programs to residents of Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan, under the LAYAG-WPS project.
Assistance included Fiber Reinforced Plastic boats, fish aggregating devices, rain catchers, and more.”We want to ensure they can fish peacefully, productively, and sustainably in our waters, especially in the WPS, which rightfully belongs to Filipinos,” he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency