Retards in the Government 326

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1971708/zamboanga/local-news/cop-nabbed-in-gun-slay-of-village-chief-in-zamboanga-city

OPERATIVES of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) have arrested a policeman tagged as one of the two suspects in the killing of a village chief and a former village official in Zamboanga City.

Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, ZCPO director, identified the arrested cop as Police Staff Sergeant Bazir Hamid, 37.

Hamid was arrested in a follow-up operation around 1 a.m. Monday, September 4, 2023, on Comet Street in Tumaga village.

The other suspect, who was not identified, remained at large and is subject of the police manhunt.

Lorenzo said Hamid has been tagged as one of the two gunmen who shot and killed Jul-Asmad Anjawang, 56, and his younger brother, Jamar, 50, around 8:12 p.m. Sunday, September 3, along Labuan Road, in San Jose Gusu village, Zamboanga City.

Jul-Asmad was the incumbent village chief of Pamansaan, Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay, while Jamar was former councilor in the same village.

Lorenzo said that Hamid was recognized by Jul-Asmad's son, Abdurajak, 21, as one of the two suspects involved in the incident.

Two others, Habir Nasta, 46, a candidate for village councilor in Pamansaan, and his younger brother, Ibrahim, 38, were wounded in the incident.

Lorenzo said that investigation showed Jul-Asmad was shot by one of the two suspects as he alighted from a vehicle in front of a business establishment in San Jose Gusu village.

The other suspect went to the driver side of the vehicle and opened fire, hitting Jamar and the Nasta brothers.

Jul-Asmad expired while under medical treatment, while his brother, Jamar, was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The two suspects boarded a car that sped off toward the city proper after the incident.

The ZCPO said the arrested policeman turned out to be a cousin of the slain village chief.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Paul Andrew Cortes, ZCPO spokesman, said they have yet to ascertain the motive in the incident.

There were 13 people, including the victims, who were aboard the victims' vehicle, a pick-up truck, at the time of the incident.

The other passengers were unscathed.

A cop has been arrested and charged with the killing of a village chairman and his bother. He also happens to be the village chief's cousin. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209106

Pasay City Police personnel rescued a Chinese woman allegedly kidnapped by two siblings, one of whom is a police officer, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Monday.

In a report, NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said Zhou Yunqiing, 26, was abducted by Staff Sgt. Lordgin Antonino, 34; and his brother Nelson, 20, at around 10:48 p.m. Sunday.

Nartatez said the police received information on the incident around 1 a.m. on Monday from the victim’s friend, Malaysian Law Yi Wei, 34, who is living at a condominium complex in Pasay City.

Wei appeared before the Pasay police substation 3 in Libertad to seek assistance regarding his friend who was taken by the suspects who posed as operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for an alleged case of human trafficking.

Wei also said the victim was detained inside a room at Qing Qing Hotel in Pasay City.

He also showed a photo of the victim who was then handcuffed and a photo of a police ID bearing the name "PMSG John Reggie Reyes" as well as the text message from the suspects who asked for PHP500,000 in exchange for the woman's release.

Authorities launched an operation at the hotel and saw Lordgin, who matched the description on the police ID shown by Wei, sitting at the lobby of the establishment.

When the police approached the suspect, he identified himself as a police officer assigned at the CIDG Pasay and claimed that he was involved in an operation at the hotel.

However, police arrested Lordgin after verifying with the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) of SPD that the unit was not conducting any operation at the establishment at that time.

Police officers proceeded to a room at the hotel where they rescued the victim and arrested the police officer’s brother.

The police officer yielded a 9mm Taurus with serial number TBW77621 classified as a property of the Philippine National Police, a police ID, wallet, 14 PHP1,000 bills; five assorted identification cards and a mobile phone. 

A cop has been arrested for kidnapping. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1825900/raps-filed-vs-3-qc-traffic-investigators-for-failure-to-protect-cyclist-in-road-rage-case

Complaints have been filed against three traffic investigators of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) traffic sector for allegedly failing to protect the cyclist in a road rage case.

The Quezon City Public Affairs and Information Services Department (PAISD) said lawyer Raymond Fortun filed complaints of oppression, irregularities in the performance of duties, and incompetence against Staff Sergeant Darwin Peralta, Staff Sergeant Joel Aviso, and Executive Master Sergeant Armando Carr – all of the QCPD Traffic Sector 4 in Kamuning, Quezon City.

According to PAISD, Fortun filed the complaints before the Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) pursuant to Rule 21 of the National Police Commission Memorandum Circular 2016-002.

PAISD said that based on the results of the ongoing investigation, authorities first brought dismissed policeman Wilfredo Gonzales and the cyclist to QCPD Kamuning Police Station 11. However, PAISD noted that no complaints seemed to have been filed against Gonzales at the police station and that the case was later referred to the QCPD Galas Police Station.

“Despite the clear and imbalanced status of the parties, the same police officers failed to protect the cyclist’s rights when they failed to provide a legal counsel for him so that the latter would be duly appraised of his rights,” Fortun said in a statement released by PAISD on Sunday.

“Further, they failed to secure the CCTV footage in the area in order to ferret out the real facts in the conflicting statements made by the parties. Finally, and for reasons known only to them, and despite there being sufficient basis to do so, the same police officers failed to file the appropriate charges,” he added.

Fortun’s action received support from Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who underscored the importance of PLEB – the check and balance mechanism that can “summarily dismiss, demote, suspend and reprimand abusive policemen.”

“This incident also highlights the need to institutionalize the presence of PLEB in other cities and municipalities to hear and decide the complaints filed against erring policemen. I am confident that the case filed in the PLEB will be handled without fear or favor,” Belmonte said.

Charges have been filed against 3 QCPD cops for failing to protect a cyclist rights after he got in to an altercation with a former cop. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/09/03/2293478/deped-flagged-over-p10-billion-unliquidated-cash-advances

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Department of Education (DepEd) over the accumulation of unliquidated cash advances (CAs) by its central office (CO) and several regional offices (ROs), which stood at P10.183 billion as of the end of 2022.

“The existence of substantial accumulated unliquidated cash advances is attributable to the lapses in the controls placed by management in the granting, liquidation and monitoring of CAs in disregard of the existing rules and regulations and pertinent DepEd guidelines relative thereto,” the COA said in its 2022 annual audit report on the DepEd.

The COA’s record showed that as of Dec. 31 last year, the DepEd’s CO and 16 ROs have yet to liquidate their CAs past the prescribed period.

The audit breakdown showed that P4.74 billion of unliquidated CAs was for payroll, P2.084 billion was for operating expenses, P1.144 billion was granted to special disbursing officers for various purposes, P166.815 million was granted to officers and employees also for various purposes, while P2.05 billion of the advances was “without specific account details.”

Having the biggest amount of unliquidated CAs was RO 8 with P1.169 billion, followed by RO 4-A with P1.133 billion, RO 6 with P980.527 million, RO 7 with P962.655 million and RO 12 with P913.297 million.

Also listed as having significant amounts of unliquidated CAs were RO 9 with P833.772 million, RO 5 with P790.103 million, RO 3 with 731.27 million, NCR with P696.267 million, RO 2 with P548.851 million and RO 13 with P483.94 million.

Likewise mentioned in the COA report were ROs 1, 11, 4-B, CO and 10 for unliquidated CAs amounting P377.712 million, P219.684 million, P155.583 million, P54.753 million and P503,295, respectively.

The COA said that among the lapses or deficiencies observed by the audit team were the grant of additional CAs despite non-liquidation of previous ones, grant of CAs to accountable officer (AO) and special disbursing officer without proper bond or authority, grant of CAs despite incomplete documentary requirements and liquidation, transfer of CAs by the AO to another personnel and grant of CAs to the AOs in the amounts exceeding the allowed maximum cash accountability.

The state auditor added that the audit team also noted dormant or long-outstanding CAs and that some of the outstanding liquidation accountabilities were due from “retired/ resigned/ deceased/AWOL (absence without official leave)” employees.

Several AOs also failed to refund excess or unused CAs granted to them, according to the COA

Nonetheless, the agency said the DepEd had already agreed to the audit recommendation to “exhaust all possible means to locate the whereabouts of retired/transferred officials and employees with outstanding advances and demand immediate liquidation/refund of their unliquidated cash advances.”

The COA said the DepEd also agreed to “send final demand letters to erring AOs still in active service to settle or liquidate their past due accounts.”

It added that otherwise, the DepEd agreed to impose the appropriate penalties or remedies as provided in the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 23, series of 2019.

The DepEd has 10 billion in unliquidated cash advances. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209217

Motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead an employee of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) North Cotabato 1st Engineering District along the national highway here Tuesday morning.

Lt. Col. John Miredel Calinga, municipal police chief, identified the victim as Jerry Largo Jr., an employee of DPWH-Midsayap and resident of Barangay Cabayuran, Libungan, North Cotabato.

Largo was driving a motorbike heading for work at the DPWH district office when tailed and fired upon by two men riding on motorbikes around 7:15 a.m. along the highway in Barangay Villarica.

He died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds on the chest and abdomen.

A police pursuit operation has been launched following the incident.

A DPWH employee has been assassinated. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1826863/village-captain-seeking-re-election-in-upcoming-polls-shot-dead-in-batangas

A motorcycle-riding gunman shot and killed on Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, in Taal town in Batangas province an incumbent village chief, who was seeking another term in the upcoming local elections in October.

Major Fernando Fernando, Taal police chief, in his report, identified the victim as Erasmo Hernandez, 59, the chief of Barangay Poblacion Zone 10.

The police said Hernandez was standing in front of the barangay office when two unidentified armed men arrived aboard a motorcycle and repeatedly shot him around 7:20 a.m.

The assailants sped off after the shooting.

Hernandez was taken to the Lemery Doctors Hospital in neighboring Lemery town, but died while undergoing treatment.

“We’re still conducting thorough investigation to determine if the killing was election-related,” Fernando said in a phone interview.

An investigation is ongoing to establish the motive behind the incident, he added.

Police launched a manhunt operation to arrest the assailants.

A village chief seeking relection has been assassinated. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209211

A court worker who went AWOL (absent without official leave) since August 2018 after he was administratively charged has been dropped from the rolls.

In a resolution published online Sept. 4, the Supreme Court’s (SC) Third Division ordered the dropping from the rolls of Dumaguete City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 32 legal researcher, Jaime Jasmin, who had wanted to return to work after going AWOL for five years.

Jasmin had initially wanted to go on sick leave in July 2018 but was disallowed by Judge Roderick A. Maxino.

Jasmin proceeded to go on leave after the SC’s Medical Service allowed a medical leave for July 2018. He, however, did not return to work after a month.

Maxino then filed an administrative complaint against Jasmin for alleged usurpation of authority but the charge was dismissed for lack of merit by the SC in February 2020.

“Respondent (Jasmin) during the pendency of the administrative complaint against him, was neither prevented nor disallowed from reporting to work. By going on AWOL for a long period of time, respondent not only failed to adhere to the high standards of public accountability imposed on all those in government service but also caused disruption to the functions and the operations of his office,” the court said.

The tribunal, however, explained “the dropping from the rolls is not disciplinary in nature and that this mode of separation shall not result on the disqualification from reemployment in the government, or in the forfeiture of benefits that the concerned employee may be entitled to.”

A court worker who has not showed up to work for five years has finally been dropped from the rolls. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1828084/aspirant-for-village-council-seat-in-cotabato-province-slain-in-gun-attack

Another aspirant in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections this October was killed Wednesday by two men riding tandem on a motorbike in this town.

Rhoyden Matt Clarence Flores, 36, was buying vegetables at a roadside store in Barangay Takepan, when one of two men shot him from behind at past 4 p.m., according to Major Arvin John Cambang, Pikit municipal police chief.

Flores is seeking a seat in the barangay council of Takepan, where he is a resident and a registered voter.

He died on the spot from bullet wounds in the head and body. Responding police found empty shells for a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

Police probers are uncertain if the killing was related to the coming polls or his active involvement in village peacekeeping duties.

Flores is the second aspirant for a village seat slain in a gun attack in Cotabato in the past seven days.

Another candidate has been assassinated in Cotabato. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/7/candidate-for-village-chair-in-leyte-wounded-in-shooting

A barangay councilor running for barangay chairman in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections next month was shot and wounded in Sitio Naga, Barangay Consuegra, Leyte, Leyte on Thursday, September 7.

Police Capt. Rush Alvarado, Leyte, Leyte municipal police station chief, identified the victim as Junie dela Peña, 51, a resident of Barangay Tag-abaca, Leyte, Leyte.

Initial investigation disclosed that the victim, a candidate for chairman of Barangay Tag-abaca, was driving a center cab towards Barangay Tag-abaca with a passenger, Rosalia Gondong, on board.

The suspects suddenly appeared upon reaching Sitio Naga on board a truck from behind the center cab.

The truck overtook the center cab and two passengers clad in black jackets occupying the passenger seats fired and hit the victim in different parts of the body.

The victim was taken to a hospital in Ormoc City and fighting for his life as of posting time.

A barangay councilor running for barangay chairman has been wounded in an assassination attempt.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209398

Anti-narcotics operatives arrested a former police officer and seized some  PHP7.4 million worth of shabu following a buy-bust in this city on Wednesday night.

Jocelyn Mary, speaking for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM), said Nelson Sali, 50, a former police officer, was arrested during the 8 p.m. operation in Barangay Bagua Mother.

Mary said the Sali earlier agreed to meet and sell several sachets of shabu. He was immediately nabbed after handing over the illegal stuff to an undercover agent.

“He did not resist arrest,” Mary said, noting that the information provided by local officials and citizens led to the success of the operation.

A follow-up operation and search led to the recovery of more shabu items from the suspect. 

The suspect’s companion managed to escape during the sting operation. 

Authorities seized from Sali 1,100 grams of shabu worth PHP7,480,000; a .45-caliber pistol, and a .38-caliber revolver.

Mary said Sali has been trafficking illegal drugs in Cotabato City and parts of Maguindanao del Norte.

An ex-cop has been busted for selling drugs. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1826967/govt-paying-p26-7-billion-yearly-for-pnps-66203-excess-positions-dbm-documents

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been spending P26.7 billion yearly on over 66,203 excess positions, a document from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) revealed.

Based on a letter dated Oct. 12, 2022, which was addressed to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Mary Anne Dela Vega, director of the DBM’s Budget and Management Bureau, said the rank distribution of the PNP, as approved by the DBM, covers only 226,410 personnel.

However, the PNP’s actual strength and rank distribution, as implemented by its leadership, indicated that there are excess positions, contradicting the number set by the DBM.

As stated by Dela Vega, “any changes in the PNP organizational structure should be supported by a study and recommendation of Napolcom(National Police Commission), to include its impact on the hierarchy and leadership structure of the organization, and subsequently, the same shall be subject to the President’s approval.”

This, as the DBM only approved three positions for the rank of lieutenant generals but there are currently eight officials having the rank in PNP. Likewise, there should only be 11 major generals but there are 17. There are 110 brigadier generals, too, way higher than the DBM-approved 86.

The excess, which already reached 66,203 as of June 30, translates to a yearly base pay of P26.7 billion.

The PNP has an excess of positions and as a result is spending more money than it should be. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Fililpino Genetics, One Town One Product, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

President Marcos has issued a rather bizzare and racist statement about current vaccines not being compatible with Filipino genetics.  

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1824712/marcos-wants-specialized-study-of-filipino-genetics

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed support for a research project on Filipino genetics.

He made this known as he bestowed upon clinical geneticist Carmencita Padilla the honor of being a National Scientist.

During his speech on Thursday in Malacañang, Marcos said a conversation with Padilla revealed the importance of the Filipino genome.

Genetics is the scientific study of genes and heredity.

Genome is the set of genetic information in a human being.

The President explained Philippines should not have to wait for foreign vaccines “because one size does not fit all.”

“That is why this effort of genetic research and all the way through to being able to apply that specifically to the Filipino situation, to the genetics of the Filipino,” he said.

“And it even becomes more granular in the sense that she was explaining to me,” he went on.

“There are some Filipinos for which these medicines are effective. There’s another group of Filipinos for which it is not,” he specified.

“So that is really – well, the cracks of the problem,” he pointed out.

Moreover, Marcos sees the need to improve research and development program (R&D) in the Philippines.

The President explained modern R&D can be used for the treatments against diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

“We put together a program so we can support such activities, as we have been speaking about in terms of R&D, and of actually bringing that technology to the general populace,” said Marcos.

He directed Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health and Department of Science and Technology to develop the program.

What exactly is the problem? If this is the case why did no one bring it up during the vaccination drive? Because it's total nonsense. Of course this statement would be good fodder for any anti-vaxxers to use.

It begs the question if these people who received bivalent shots are at risk because they are not genetically geared for Filipinos.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209153

About 94 percent of the 390,000 doses of the bivalent vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 donated by the Lithuanian government have been administered.

"So maganda yung rollout, hindi tayo na expire-an (We had a good rollout, and the vaccines are not yet expired)," Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa told reporters on Monday at the sidelines of the national launch for the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2023-2028.

"I'm waiting for the new one eh 'yun monovalent XBB which is proposed to be better than the bivalent, so tignan natin kung ano ang makukuha natin (so we will see what we can get)." 

The COVAX Facility, a worldwide initiative which aims to provide equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, still has a standing offer of 2 million doses of bivalent vaccines to the country. 

"We're requesting less than 2 million kasi baka ma-expire, maiksi ang shelf life eh, so we know the rate, from how we consume it, so 'yung tama lang hihingin natin (because the vaccines might expire, they have short shelf life, so we know the rate from how we consume it so we'll just request for the right amount)," Herbosa said.

The Department of Health started the administration of bivalent jabs as third booster dose to healthcare workers and the senior citizens on June 21. 

There are better and more important questions to ask about the vaccine though. Questions which can get you blacklisted.

The DOH says they will no longer be using monovalent vaccines. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/09/06/2294128/doh-stop-administering-monovalent-covid-19-jabs

The Philippines will soon stop administering monovalent COVID vaccines once stocks are fully consumed, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

“Based on our inventory, there are only less than 200,000 monovalent vaccines and these are only available in Calabarzon. The other local government units in the different regions already ran out of monovalent vaccines,” DOH Undersecretary Eric Tayag said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“If there will be a recommendation that bivalent vaccines can be used as substitute to the monovalent vaccines, that is one possibility – though most of the country’s bivalent jabs have also been consumed,” he added, noting that there are no plans to procure monovalent vaccines.

Only bivalent vaccines from now on. 

Marcos also wants "revenge travel" to spur the post-pandemic recovery. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/2/marcos-solidify-ph-tourism-take-advantage-of-revenge-travel

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has highlighted that the country's tourism sector remains vital to its growth and urged stakeholders to take advantage of the so-called "revenge travel" to solidify its economic position.

Marcos said this in his speech for the 34th Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) on Sept. 1. His message was delivered by the Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco, as the President could not attend the event due to schedule conflicts.

In his speech, the President said the Philippine tourism sector has consistently proven itself as a strong pillar of the country's economic growth, noting that it provides livelihoods to over 5 million Filipinos.

"With the innate beauty of our 7,641 islands and our people, our tourism will remain to be a vital economic sector for our country in the decades to come," Marcos said.

Marcos urged the government and tourism stakeholders to consciously solidify the sector's economic position, especially by taking advantage of the so-called "revenge travel."

"Through the consistent whole-of-nation approach, we must consciously leverage our strengths and competitive advantages to solidify the sector's economic position, especially with the phenomenon of 'revenge travel,'" he said.

Revenge travel, a buzzword that came about in 2021, refers to the phenomenon wherein people book trips and go on vacation to make up for time lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, the President assured stakeholders of his administration's fervent support for the entire tourism industry.

"Policies and programs are underway to create a wholesome climate and stable foundation," he said.

Among these programs and policies, according to Marcos, are upgrading critical tourism infrastructure, capacity-building for the workforce and entrepreneurs, fostering a more business-friendly environment, and improving security and the rule of law.

How many times do we have to hear about how crucial the tourism sector is to post-pandemic recovery? It's ad nauseam at this point. 

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez says The One Town, One Product Philippines Act will help small businesses "recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1826029/romualdez-one-town-one-product-law-to-help-msme-in-post-pandemic-recovery

The One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act would help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and boost economic growth through policies and programs pushing for inclusive local economic activity, according to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Last August 25, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 11960 or the Act Institutionalizing the OTOP Philippines Program.

Romualdez claimed the law would be “perfect” for the country’s economic recovery, particularly the MSMEs.

“The OTOP Philippines Act is the true embodiment of the Filipino first policy. This is exactly the kind of attitude we need to aid in the recovery of MSMEs, which make up 90 percent of all local business, following the pandemic,” the lawmaker said in a statement on Sunday.

Aside from establishing policies and programs, the law also pushes for the promotion of “the preferential use of Filipino labor, domestic materials, and locally produced goods, and adopt measures to make them competitive.”

“The OTOP Philippines Program is hereby institutionalized and shall be one of the government’s stimulus programs that will encourage the growth of MSMEs in the countryside through the development of indigenous raw materials, utilizing local skills and talents and featuring local traditions across the country; Provided, that simplified requirements and procedures shall be adopted for beneficiaries to easily access the components of the program,” the law reads.

The program will likewise cover locally produced products and skill-based services such as processed foods, agricultural-based products, home and fashion products, arts and crafts, and skills-based services.

“The OTOP Program will redound not just to the individual localities or regions, but the entire country itself in an expedited manner,” Romualdez said.

“It also aims to assist rural communities in growing the local economy and being more market-oriented and innovation-driven, as well as promote convergence of initiatives from local government units (LGUs), national government agencies, and the private sector in developing and promoting Philippine products, whether for export of the domestic market,” he added.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) would be in charge of the law’s implementation and the creation of the program’s management office in order to oversee the program.

The agency’s regional and provincial offices, in cooperation with the concerned local government units, are likewise mandated to determine the beneficiaries of the said program.

He should be more forthright and say that the law will help small businesses recover from the destructive and unnecessary lockdowns imposed by the government. 

The DOH still owes health workers money and the government has yet to fund that debt. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/881274/doh-p1-6b-of-unpaid-covid-19-allowance-for-health-workers-still-unfunded/story/

The government is yet to fund around P1.6 billion worth of COVID-19 emergency allowance for health workers, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Wednesday.

Herbosa made the disclosure when asked by House Deputy Minority Leader Marissa Magsino as to how much of the COVID-19 allowance for health workers have been disbursed.

“We requested additional money [for COVID-19 emergency allowance] because the total funding requirement is P63 billion. With P22 billion budget for 2022, P19.4 billion for 2023, and P20 billion for the [proposed] NEP [budget for] 2024, we hope to get some funds from our unprogrammed funds this year,” Herbosa said during the House appropriations panel hearing on the DOH's proposed P199 billion budget for 2024.

“Last April, the Department of Health wrote the DBM and we are still awaiting their approval of a few billion pesos from the unprogrammed funds of DOH to be used for the [COVID-19] health workers emergency allowance," he added.

The unprogrammed fund refers to budget items which will only be funded if there is an excess of target government revenues for the year, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Herbosa said that most of the unpaid COVID-19 allowance for health workers involve those who work in private hospitals who take longer time in securing documentary requirements compared with their counterparts in the public sector.

“For the government health workers, it is about 93% [who already got their COVID-19 allowance],” he said.

The Health secretary said of the P22.8 billion budget for the COVID-19 allowance for health workers in 2022, 97.66% of such amount has been disbursed.

The 2023 DOH budget, on the other hand, earmarked P19.48 billion for the COVID-19 allowance for health workers, of which 71.89% has been disbursed so far.

The DOH says this amount is mostly for private hospital workers but that is no excuse. 

T-Shirt Factory Destroyed in Fire

 A fire at a T-shirt factory has killed 16 people and destroyed the business. 

https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/15-dead-as-fire-blazes-residential-area-in-tandang-sora-quezon-city

A fire broke out in a residential area being used as warehouse in Barangay Tandang Sora, Quezon City, on Thursday morning, leaving a total of 15 deaths, including a three-month-old child.

According to RH Val Gonzales, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported that the fire blazed at around 5:00 a.m. early morning, and the fatalities were found beyond recognition, and there are still three who fortunately survived.

Moreover, the casualties were still being identified by the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Scene of Crime Operations (SOCO) division personnel.

Based on the incident report from the BFP, the fire started at around 5:30 a.m. and was raised to its first alarm at 5:44 a.m.

It was declared under control at 6:28 a.m. and was officially fired out by 8:04 a.m.

According to BFP NCR Director FCSupt. Nahum Tarroza, there are highly combustible materials inside the establishment, including paints and other materials.

Tarroza added that they also found many working violations, which included the lack of permits as well as a small area that large machines being used in the production of clothes could not fit in.

Furthermore, Brgy. Tandang Sora said that the T-shirt factory just had its permits renewed last month.

The volume of acceptances at the factory appeared to be high as it operated despite an incomplete working permit.

Meanwhile, the BFP is conducting a thorough investigation into the fatal incident that killed 15 people.

Whoops!  It turns out this "factory" and "warehouse" is actually just a regular old house in a RESIDENTIAL AREA. It also had no proper permits though it was in the process of RENEWING its permits. Who the heck granted this business a permit to operate as a t-shirt factory in a residential area?  They need to be held accountable. 

Let's read another report of this same incident. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/31/15-dead-as-fires-hits-building-in-qc

At least 15 workers died when they were trapped in a fire that gutted a two-storey residential-commercial building housing a t-shirt factory in Pleasant View Subdvision, Barangay Tandang Sora, Quezon City on Thursday morning, Aug. 31.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the fire status was raised to first alarm at around 5:30 a.m. and was declared under control at around 6:44 a.m.

The blaze was extinguished at around 8:04 a.m.

Authorities have yet to disclose the amount of damage to property caused by the blaze as well as the number of families/individuals affected.

The BFP and Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (QCDRRMO) personnel retrieved the bodies of the victim after responders were able to put out the fire.

In an interview, BFP Regional Director Chief Supt. Nahum B. Tarozza said that following their inspection, they found out that the commercial building only has one entrance and exit door and the t-shirt printing business operating inside it has no fire safety permit. 

He said that the 15 fatalities, who were personnel of the t-shirt printing business, were staying at the rooms at the back part of the building when the incident happened. Their names have not been disclosed. 

He added that the victims allegedly attempted to escape but failed. Their bodies were found outside their rooms. 

The BFP chief said that the fire allegedly originated from the old office of the business which was located on the first floor of the building according to the witness, while some of the materials used for the t-shirt printing are flammable such as paint and plastic. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“The local government of Quezon City expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family and relatives of the victims of the fire in a building in Barangay Tandang Sora this morning,” the city governement said.

It said the City Social Services Development Department (SSDD) is now coordinating with the families of the deceased victims to provide them with assistance.

“Currently, the Department of Building Official (DBO) and Business Permit and Licensing Department (BPLD) are checking if the business using the establishment has enough permits and documents. Among the things to be investigated is if there is a violation of the National Building Code, Fire Code of the Philippines, zoning ordinance, business permit, occupancy permit and other laws and ordinances,” the local government said.

“We would like to assure the public, especially the families of the victims, that we will give priority to a thorough investigation to hold accountable the agencies or individuals who made the mistake that caused this incident, along with the implementation of additional measures and policies to prevent it from happening again in the future,” it added.

Now we get some more details. The building had only ONE ENTRANCE AND EXIT and NO FIRE SAFETY PERMITS! The "Department of Building Official (DBO) and Business Permit and Licensing Department (BPLD)" is checking to see if there were violations of "the National Building Code, Fire Code of the Philippines, zoning ordinance, business permit, occupancy permit and other laws and ordinances."

Obviously there were such violations. But on a positive note it appears there were no bars on the second floor windows. At least they have not indicated that is the case. It's another area that warrants investigation.

Finally, one more story about this situation.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/31/23/16-dead-in-tandang-sora-fire

Sixteen people, including a 3-year-old girl, were killed in a first-alarm fire that ravaged a house converted to a t-shirt manufacturing establishment in Tandang Sora, Quezon City on Thursday morning, authorities said.

Fire Chief Supt. Nahum Tarroza of the Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region said on TeleRadyo Serbisyo the house on Kennedy Lane was undergoing expansion when the fire struck on the first floor of the house. He said chemicals used for t-shirt printing could have caused the fire to spread rapidly.

The owners of the house and their 3-year-old child were among the fatalities. Most of the fatalities were stay-in workers, the fire official said. 

Three survived the fire including Mariafe Parle, an all-around maid of the owner. She said that they were in deep sleep when the fire broke out and she escaped through a window.

She even tried to rescue the girl who was carried by her mother, but she had difficulty breathing. Parle sustained injuries on her hands and feet from jumping off the window.

Another survivor recalled that it was difficult for them to locate the front door, which is the only way out of the house.

Tarroza said they would launch an investigation into the fire after they learned that the house had no permits to operate. The house has yet to secure a fire safety inspection certification from the BFP.

Firefighters took too long to respond to the fire after they were given the wrong address, Tarroza said. Heavy floods in parts of Quezon City also impeded fire trucks from reaching the area quickly.

Since the maid jumped out of the window it is established that at least that particular window did not have bars. 

It is also noted that most of the fatalities lived at the job site. That is a real problem in the Philippines. No one should be living at their job. It is simply inconceivable that anyone is living in a factory. 

And for the coup de grace we learnt that the firefighters were given the wrong address which resulted in them arriving too late. 

What a horrorshow. Everything wrong with the Philippines is contained in the story. The reappropriation of residential areas as industrial/business areas. Workers forced to live in the factory. No regard for safety. 

No regard for safety is the key here. It seems as if everything in this nation is jury-rigged. I can say with confidence this is not the first such tragedy nor will it be the last. 

Insurgency: Communist insurgency to End During Bongbong Marcos’ Term

National Security Advisor Eduardo Año claims the insurgency is going to end during the term of Bongbong Marcos. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1824876/insurgency-to-end-during-bongbong-marcos-term-says-ano

"We will finish this local armed Communist conflict. And from there, we will support just the developments and we will be certain about the delivery of services."

"What we can see in the term of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., finally it will be ended."

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año made these statements in a briefing in Malacañang, as he talked about the rebellion of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army.

Año admitted insurgency cannot be totally eliminated, but he believes the issue may be brought down to a negligible point.

“While we may not be able to attain this zero insurgents, but at least reduced to an irrelevant number that will not cause concern for peace and order,” he said.

“They will become isolated and just become bandits, because of lost ideology and non-support from the people,” he projected.

The national security adviser said once the rebellion has been wiped out, the military can already focus on security conflicts with other countries.

“Right now, we have so many geopolitical issues and challenges to face,” he observed.

“We need the Armed Forces to now focus their eyes on external threats,” he said.

Año thinks AFP should be concentrating on the defense of Philippine territories, amid China’s aggressive stance in West Philippine Sea.

He said one way to combat insurgency is for government to provide services that will raise the quality of life of people in rural areas.

Oh, look at that. He is so not confident in his proclamation that he has to admit "we may not be able to attain this zero insurgents" but they can reduce them to a negligible point where they become irrelevant. But I thought the NPA was already irrelevant? How many times has the AFP declared them to be irrelevant? Remember the AFP has declared a strategic victory over the NPA. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1209058

The inability of “weakened” guerilla fronts to wage wars is a “strategic victory” for peace efforts, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said on Saturday.

During the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, NTF-ELCAC director Alexander Umpar noted that the government has dismantled 69 of 89 guerilla fronts since the creation of the task force in 2018.

Umpar said only one of the 20 remaining guerilla fronts is active while 19 others are already weakened.

“‘When we say strategic victory, this is the 19 weakened guerilla fronts and only one is left to be confronted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines),” he said.

“There are still concerns about the armed groups but they are no longer able to initiate an armed struggle or to [topple] down our government. So, ‘yun ‘yung (that’s the) strategic victory,” Umpar said.

"There are still concerned about armed groups?" What exactly are these concerns if "they are no longer able to initiate an armed struggle or to [topple] down our government?" Don't expect anything coherent from the AFP.

These types of proclamations are completely worthless and should not even be taken with a grain of salt but should be totally ignored. In this continuing series about the insurgency I have shown again and again that the AFP makes premature announcements about the demise of the NPA. Yet they keep coming. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1208992

The country continued to make significant strides in attaining peace and order, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leading the declaration of Palawan Island as “insurgency-free” on Friday.

“The process of finding peace for all communities in the Philippines is still ongoing,” he said in a media interview in Puerto Princesa City.

“But we can also celebrate because we have seen there is progress and the situation is good,” he added.

Marcos attributed the successful implementation of the peace initiatives and anti-insurgency efforts to the government’s “whole-of-nation” approach.

He also lauded the “collaborative and inclusive” efforts of the Regional and Provincial Task Forces to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), Provincial Peace and Order Council, partner agencies and Palawan residents to end insurgency on the island.

“The milestone that we celebrate today epitomizes the commitment that you have put to end the decades-long insurgency in the area through the provision of national reintegration programs for former rebels and promotion of the island’s peace and security,” Marcos said.

They have not made it clear if Palawan is actually insrugent free or if there as a negligible number of rebels left. Whatever the case this will be "good for tourism.

Election season is here complete with checkpoints and gun bans.  The Army is using voters to not vote for NPA backed candidates. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1208645

Army officials on Monday urged the public to avoid electing candidates supporting communist groups during the upcoming Barangay and Sannguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

Lt. Col. Terence Ylanan, the Army's 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB) commander, said they reiterated the reminder after learning that a certain candidate in Dumingag town, Zamboanga del Sur, allegedly giving sanctuary to remnants of a New Peoples Army (NPA) unit operating in the area.

Ylanan said the area's last six NPA remnants were monitored in the hinterlands of neighboring Zamboanga del Norte, hiding from the authorities after the military managed to cripple the group's recruitment drive.

Villagers, he said, must help the military put an end to the NPA's extortion and harassment in the area, and not to allow their supporters to hold seats in the government.

"With such actions, the voter-parents could truly secure their children from being recruited to be among the rebels holding firearms," Ylanan said.

Said village is located in the boundaries of Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, with little to no access to the town center, and was a haven for the rebels in the past years, Ylanan said.

The village's road was prioritized and provided funding by the local government to address the problem through the intensified campaign against the communist rebels in July 2020.

The 53IB also provided a medical and dental mission with the Dumingag local government.

If there are NPA backed candidates and the AFP knows who they are they should name names and alert the COMELEC. 

Viscom continues the fight against the NPA thought they do need a morale boost.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1208676

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.’s visit to the Visayas Command (Viscom) last weekend has inspired troops to carry on government’s efforts to clear more villages from the New People’s Army (NPA) infestation.

Viscom chief Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo said Brawner’s visit on Saturday raised the morale of the Army in intensifying internal security operations, as he lauded the soldiers for their efforts that resulted in the neutralization of 204 NPAs and recovery of 168 firearms.

Viscom’s incessant community support program (CSP) was also commended as it resulted in the clearing of 418 villages from NPA infestation and the cooptation and reorientation of 113 former NPA-affiliated mass organizations or sectoral front groups.

Arevalo said the whole-of-nation approach has a huge impact in the campaign against insurgency in the central Philippines.

“We could not have done this without the support of the local government units, our partner agencies in the local Task Force ELCAC (ending local communist armed conflict), other stakeholders, and most especially our people. It is their strong will that motivates your Team Viscom to strive for the attainment of a just and lasting peace in the Visayas region,” Arevalo said in a statement.

He vowed to sustain the gains in the fight against the NPAs, vowing “no letup in the operation to prevent the terrorist group from regaining their foothold in the region.”

The efforts to ensure long-lasting peace and development in the Visayas will be sustained through the cooperation of the various government agencies, he said.

With their motivation to end the local communist armed conflict in the Visayas region, Arevalo said they would not stop urging the few remaining members of the NPA to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law while the government has prepared programs for them to become useful members of the community.

The NTF-ELCAC continues to play a central role in the fight against the insurgency and now they have a surprising new partner: The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1824974/cbcp-to-be-represented-in-the-ntf-elcac

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has now representatives in the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), according to Executive Director Usec. Ernesto Torres on Thursday.

The NTF-Elcac had reorganized and expanded the taskforce, with hopes of having a more holistic approach to ending local insurgency.

Torres explained that there are two private representatives in the NTF-Elcac, one would be from the religious sector and one from the business sector.

“When we first approached the CBCP leadership, we were accepted warmly. We did not have a problem with them, in fact, they already accepted to cooperate with us because we were able to explain to them, about the program of the government,” Torres said in a mix of English and Filipino during a Palace briefing.

According to Torres, the representative from the CBCP will be Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista with Father Jerome Secillano as his alternate.

“We are a very religious country, so if I’m not mistaken, more than 80 percent of our population is Catholic or Christian, so the organization could be felt down to the barangays and even sitios. So they are organized as such, so with them on our side, it would be a lot easier for us to disseminate, to cascade the information, the good news of the government to those living in far flung areas,” he said.

What's strange about this is that religious figures connected with the Catholic Church have been attacked by the government as being supporters of the NPA. Catholic youth groups have called them out for this move. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1825311/against-catholic-teachings-youth-groups-surprised-with-cbcp-joining-ntf-elcac

At least two youth groups expressed surprise and concern about the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) decision to join the government’s anti-communist insurgency task force, saying that such a move contradicts Catholic teachings.

In a statement on Friday, the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) questioned why the CBCP is looking to participate in the activities of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), when the said body has “attacked” religious leaders and community organizers, as well as linked them to communist rebels.

“Given the news of CBCP’s said membership in the NTF-ELCAC, we warn against the devilish agenda of the NTF-ELCAC, especially with its habit of attacking religious leaders and community organizers who advocate for our democratic rights such as right to land and livable wage as way of manifesting our faith that does justice,” SCMP national chairperson Kej Andres said.

“We continue to condemn to high heavens the invasive tactics of NTF-ELCAC to militarize and infiltrate civilian authorities. The agency has also been a den of malicious lies that has spewed red-tagging of individuals from beauty queens to high-ranking church people. We hope that the Church would continue to be a safe space for the least, lost, and the last,” he added.

Andres said that SCMP will wait for the CBCP’s explanation, but they also wish that the body would realize that several key figures of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines have stood up against abusive governments while several of its members have allegedly died at the hands of state forces.

“As we wait for an official statement from the CBCP, we hope that they would reach a discernment that reflects the long-standing tradition of Roman Catholics that have stood up against tyranny, most famously, (Jaime) Cardinal Sin’s clarion call to inspire the EDSA uprising,” the SCMP leader said.

The CBCP was quick to give that clarification.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/23/cbcp-clarifies-engagement-with-ntf-elcac

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) clarified on Friday that only its commission would engage with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and not the entire body. 

In a statement, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs's involvement with the NTF-ELCAC would address Church concerns on red-tagging of some cause-oriented groups. 

David also said that the commission intended to provide "moral-ethical approaches" in addressing insurgency in the country. 

"It’s not exactly CBCP as a conference but the Episcopal Commission of Public Affairs that is there as a private sector representative," David said. 

"As such, this Commission has access to the NTF-ELCAC ExeCom and more opportunity to express the Church’s specific concerns, since its mandate is to act as a liaison of the CBCP to the public and private sectors and to advance some of the social concerns and issues of the Church." 

David said that the CBCP as a whole would discuss the issue and evaluate whether it is necessary for the commission to join the NTF-ELCAC's executive committee. 

It appears reports of the CBCP joining the NTF-ELCAC have been overblown as it is only their commission on public affairs which will be engaging the the NTF-ELCAC.

Children Steal Internet Cables

Children running amuck. Hanging cables causing problems. It's the hallmarks of Philippinefails. A barangay in Manila claims they lost internet connectivity because children, "youths," were stealing cables from utility poles. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/880229/barangay-in-manila-loses-internet-due-to-youths-stealing-cables-from-utility-pole/story/

A number of residents of a barangay in Manila have been left without internet connectivity after some of the youth in the area stole cables from a utility pole, which then fell into the street.

According to Barangay 410 Kagawad Froilan Dela Cruz, a utility pole—servicing local telecommunications firms—fell due to some of the youth in the area stealing cables. Some of the cables have been left lying on the street.

Prior to the incident, the barangay apprehended some six of the youth in the area, four of whom were minors and were since released. They were said to have been cutting the cables and selling them.

(There were some youths stealing the cable and when they cut the cables, they dangled. These were then pulled down further by passing cars.

We are among those still without internet. I have a child working from home.)

GMA Integrated News is still trying to reach out to the concerned telecommunication firm.

For its part, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) warned motorists to take caution in areas with hanging cables, even as it clarified that its poles are usually higher and thicker.

"We always tell the drivers of big vehicles, may they be a truck or any other huge vehicles plying the roads, to take caution," Meralco vice president and head of corporate communication Joe Zaldarriaga said.

So, these children pulled down cables causing them to dangle and passing cars pulled them down further? What kind of driver just mindlessly drives into low hanging electrical wires? 

The comment of Meralco vice president and head of corporate communication Joe Zaldarriaga is totally ridiculous. He admits they are constantly warning vehicles to be wary of low hanging wires. But there shouldn't be any low hanging wires!

Take note the "children" were selling these wires.  That means it's a whole ecosystem of theft. Who is stupid enough to believe these children were acting alone?