governance – Page 61 – Author Carlo Carrasco

DTI says cash aid and price monitoring related to rice to continue

October 9, 2023October 5, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., lifted the mandatory price caps on rice (regular milled and well-milled specifically). Even though this has happened, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) confirmed that cash aid and price monitoring will still continue, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Financial aid distribution to rice retailers and monitoring of rice prices will continue despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s announcement Wednesday about the lifting of the price cap on regular and well-milled rice.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, in a press conference in Makati City Wednesday, said the government will still release the financial aid to small retailers selling the said rice varieties who have not received the PHP15,000 cash assistance.

As of Sept. 29, the government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), has released a total of PHP217.2 million under the Sustainable Livelihood Program-Economic Relief Subsidy to 14,480 out of the 19,685 targeted rice retailers nationwide.

DTI has helped the DSWD in identifying, profiling, and validating the beneficiaries of the cash aid.

Since Executive Order 39, which set price ceilings of PHP41 per kilo for regular-milled rice and PHP45 a kilo for well-milled rice, took effect last September 5, the Trade Chief said the compliance rate of retailers nationwide was high at 81.46 percent as of Sept.28.

“There’s (a) good number of sellers selling within those price(s),” Pascual said, adding that prices of these rice varieties in Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley) and 3 (Central Luzon), the country’s rice granary, are even lower at around PHP38 per kilo.

He noted that since rice is being produced in these regions, logistics costs are much lower.

Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) Director Fhillip Sawali, during the same briefing, also assured that DTI will continue monitoring rice prices, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, despite the lifting of the price cap on rice.

“We will see the full force of the market because the PHP41 and PHP45 (price caps) are no longer mandated,” he said.

“There is a continuing role for the DTI to play post-EO 39” since there is a need to “see if they (rice traders) continue to follow or nearing their prices at PHP41 and PHP45,” he added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there will be drastic changes happening with the prices of rice grain sold in markets here in the Philippines? How much did you spend on rice grain in recent times?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Parañaque City finishes as the 24th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City, dead last on Government Efficiency and Innovation (CMCI 2023)

October 5, 2023October 5, 2023carlocarrasco

The official results of the Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index (CMCI) for 2023 have been published and it shows Parañaque City did worse this time finishing as 24^th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City (HUC) of the nation and this includes finishing dead last (33^rd place) among the HUCs in the categories of Innovation and Government Efficiency.

To put things in perspective, the HUCs (which covers very dense cities in the National Capital Region and the provinces) are determined by means of Competitiveness (the main category) as well as other related categories such as Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, Resiliency and Innovation.

The 2023 CMCI showed that Parañaque City scored 36.301 for 24^th place in Competitiveness (versus 19^th place in 2022). The city’s highlight is finishing 11^th place on Economic Dynamism with a score of 5.3264, 16^th place on Infrastructure with 5.2753, and 26^th place on Resiliency with 11.4956.

What is most notable is that Parañaque finished dead last among the 33 HUCs on the categories of Government Efficiency and Innovation with scores of 8.2859 and 5.9169 respectively.

How and why did Parañaque end up as the worst HUC on Government Efficiency and Innovation needs to be explained in detail by the local officials. I know for a fact that Parañaque has been a hot spot for crime but that alone does not explain the CMCI’s 2023 findings. I can only wonder how efficient the City Government of Parañaque has been over the past 24 months as well since the day Mayor Eric Olivarez took office.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque and had been doing transactions with the City Government, did you notice anything wrong? Has the City Government been performing sluggishly in recent times? Did transparency at the City Government weaken? What do you think should the City Government do with regards to innovation in relation to public service?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Formal groundbreaking of Muntinlupa City Skate Park done

October 5, 2023October 2, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, several local officials took part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Muntinlupa City Skate Park in Barangay Tunasan, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. This is the latest sports-related project of the city.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

City officials led by Mayor Ruffy Biazon and Rep. Jaime Fresnedi held the groundbreaking for the Muntinlupa City Skate Park.

The skate park, located in Barangay Tunasan, is part of the Muntinlupa City government’s vision to develop the next generation of Asian Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal.

“This facility will provide an engaging space for local skaters to connect with each other and develop their skills as individuals. It also gives us the unique opportunity to harness these skaters to help us develop athletes for medal events,” said Biazon.

He said the skate park was a result of Muntinlupa bagging the Seal of Good Local Governance, which had an incentive of P7 million. The fund will be used for the project.

The skate park will feature facilities primarily for skateboarding, such as quarter pipes and practice rails. It can also serve as a venue for various events and competitions, with an audience area and view deck for spectators to enjoy the action.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, what do you think about the city skate park? Are there lots of skaters in your local community who could use such a facility?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippine economic growth for 2023 could hit 5.5%

October 4, 2023October 2, 2023carlocarrasco

In the views of the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), the economy of the Philippines could grow by 5.5% for the year, according to a news article by Philippine News Agency (PNA). 2023 has been an economically challenging year and many anticipated that the national economy won’t grow as high as it did in 2022.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine economy is projected to grow by 5.5 percent this year, driven by the growth in government spending, a report released by the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) said.

In the September issue of The Market Call released on Wednesday, FMIC and UA&P said Philippine economic growth in the third quarter of the year will likely reach 5.0 to 5.2 percent.

For the fourth quarter of this year, FMIC and UA&P project the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 6 percent.

This would bring the full year GDP growth to 5.5 percent which is slightly below the government’s 6 to 7 percent target for this year.

“Despite the weak July-August, we think the NG will accelerate further its spending on infrastructure and transportation for the rest of the year, and employment will have strong rebound in September,” the report said.

The Philippine economy grew by 4.3 percent in the second quarter of this year. During the quarter, government expenditure contracted by 7.1 percent.

FMIC and UA&P however expect government spending to accelerate in the second half of the year.

“National Government took up the slack in July spending as it ramped up expenditures by 16.2 percent year-on-year in July through higher social protection and infrastructure outlays,” the report said.

Aside from government spending, FMIC and UA&P also expect manufacturing and construction to drive growth.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national economy can do better than the 5.5% growth foreseen by the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P)?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Marcos signs Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act into law

October 3, 2023September 30, 2023carlocarrasco

In a new attempt to provide jobs in the Philippines and boost the economy, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., recently signed into law the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The passage of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act will help the government achieve the goal of the Philippine Development Plan to provide more jobs to Filipinos, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Wednesday.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed on Wednesday the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act which seeks to, among others, address the challenges in the labor market.

“We support the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act as it contributes to the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which aims to increase employability, expand access to employment opportunities and achieve shared labor market governance,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

The law mandates the formulation of the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan (TPB) to address unemployment, underemployment, the informality of working arrangements, the reintegration of Overseas Filipino Workers and other challenges in the labor market.

It will also focus on improving the employability and competitiveness of Filipino workers through upskilling and reskilling initiatives and will provide support for micro, small and medium enterprises, and industry stakeholders.

The TPB Inter-Agency Council, chaired by the NEDA Secretary, will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the employment situation and labor market in the country.

The Council will also ensure the effective use of resources, harmonizing and complementing all governmental efforts and assisting local government units in planning, devising and implementing employment generation and recovery plans and programs within their respective localities.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act will create positive results over the next few years if it succeeds? Do you think that more could be done to help local job hunters find opportunities and get employed soon?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Muntinlupa City declared 5th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City of the nation (CMCI 2023)

October 2, 2023September 30, 2023carlocarrasco

The City of Muntinlupa has officially been declared as the 5^th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City of the nation based on the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) results which also showed strong finishes by the said city on other categories, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Muntinlupa City was named the No. 5 overall most competitive highly urbanized city in the Philippines and landed in the top three in resiliency and infrastructure.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon received the awards at the Philippine Creative Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Congress held on Sept. 28 at the Manila Hotel.

Local government units were ranked based on the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index by the National Competitiveness Council.

“Cities and municipalities are ranked on their competitiveness based on an overall competitiveness score. The overall competitiveness score is the sum of scores on five main pillars which pool data from several sub-indicators. The five main pillars are: economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, resiliency, and innovation. Scores are determined by the values of the actual data, as well as the completeness of the submitted data. The higher the score of a city or municipality, the more competitive it is,” according to the CMCI website.

Overall, Muntinlupa ranked fifth under the most competitive highly urbanized cities category in the country with a score of 49.59.

It is also No. 3 in the resilience and infrastructure pillars, and No. 6 in the innovation pillar.

“Infrastructure pertains to the physical assets that connect, expand, and sustain a locality and its surroundings to enable provision of goods and services,” according to CMCI.

Resilience, on the other hand, “applies to the capacity of a locality to build systems that can absorb change and disturbance and being able to adapt to such changes.

For a closer look at the CMCI results, click https://cmci.dti.gov.ph/rankings-data.php?unit=Highly%20Urbanized%20Cities

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, what is your reaction to what the city achieved in the latest CMCI rankings? Do you believe that Muntinlupa is a blossoming and highly competitive city among all highly urbanized cities of the nation?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Rice retailers in Muntinlupa get temporary relief as City Government implements moratorium on rental payment collection

September 29, 2023September 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the local sellers of rice grain received temporary relief as the City Government implemented a moratorium on the collection of rental payments, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government has imposed a moratorium on the collection of rental payment from stall holders engaged in the selling of rice as assistance to them following President Marcos’ decision to put a price cap on regular and well-milled rice.

Marcos issued Executive Order No. 39 on Aug. 31 imposing a mandated price ceiling of P41 per kilo for regular milled rice and P45 per kilo for well-milled rice. The rice price cap took effect on Sept. 5.

To assist the affected rice retailers, the Muntinlupa City Council passed Ordinance 2023-120 “imposing moratorium on rental payment for public stall holder in the retail business of selling rice during the effectivity of Executive Order No. 39 or the imposition of mandated price ceiling on rice.”

Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed the ordinance on Sept. 26, which became “effective immediately upon its approval.”

According to the ordinance, the President issued E.O. 39 “with an end view to put a price cap on rice in the effort to ease off the increasing price of the staple caused by illegal price manipulation such as hoarding by opportunistic traders and collusion among industry carters in the light of the lean season, as well as global events taking place beyond the Philippines’ control, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India’s ban on rice exportation, and the unpredictability of oil prices in the world market, among other factors, have caused an alarming increase in the retail prices of rice/”

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular No. 2023-131 for mayors to assist and ensure the effective regulation of the price of rice through “regular inspections of public and private markets, as well as rice warehouses; activation of hotlines, consumer complaints desk, and Timbangan ng Bayan; and deputation of barangay officials and non-government organizations to monitor abnormal price increases,” the ordinance added.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you approve of the City Government’s moratorium on the collection of rental payments with regards to the local sellers of rice grain?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COMELEC and DOJ sign agreement versus vote-buying related to the BSKE

September 28, 2023September 25, 2023carlocarrasco

With the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) all set to happen on October 30, 2023, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) formally signed an agreement versus vote-buying, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) signed an agreement on Monday to go after and prosecute persons involved in vote-buying in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said prosecutors nationwide will be on duty to accept complaints on Oct. 30, election day.

“The fiscals will be available for the cases that may be filed,” he told the media during the “Kontra Bigay” memorandum of agreement signing at the DOJ office in Manila. “We can handle the volume. Mahalaga dyan may testigo (What is important is there are witnesses).”

He said the need for witnesses is crucial since most-vote buying may be conducted using electronic wallets, instead of actual cash changing hands.

Remulla also sees no conflict with a recent DOJ directive to closely scrutinize all charge sheets filed before prosecutors to ensure that complaints with a reasonable probability of conviction will be filed by the courts.

All charges may be considered “open-and-shut” cases if sworn statements from witnesses are complete and sufficient.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia expressed confidence that measures such as warrantless arrest of persons involved in vote buying and red flags like the transport of large volumes of cash and giveaways are sufficient measures.

So far, Comelec has already received 23 complaints related to vote-buying.

The practice of “flying voters” or voters ferried to different voting areas are no longer prevalent due to the adoption of modern voter identification systems, Garcia added.

The campaign period for the BSKE will be on Oct. 19 to 28.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that this agreement by the COMELEC and the DOJ will make an impact against vote-buying related to the BSKE?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Muntinlupa LGU declared a drug-free workplace

September 27, 2023September 25, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, the City Government was formally declared a drug-free workplace and a marker was unveiled highlighting it, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City government achieved another feat when it was declared a drug-free workplace.

Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Catalino Uy and Mayor Ruffy Biazon unveiled the marker for the drug-free workplace during the weekly flag-raising ceremony at the Muntinlupa City hall quadrangle on Monday, Sept. 25.

According to Florecito Ragudo, chief of the Muntinlupa Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Office (DAPCO, the Muntinlupa City government became a drug-free workplace after successfully following the parameters set by the DDB.

He said the drug-free workplace policy was finally initiated under the administration of Biazon after years of deferment due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Overall, what our mayor wanted was that all employees are not using illegal drugs so we can deliver effective services to our citizens,” said Ragudo.

Biazon signed an executive order establishing a workplace anti-drug abuse assessment team to implement the policy.

Under DDB Regulation No. 13 issued in 2018, the drug-free workplace policy covers “all appointive public officers in all offices, including all constitutional bodies, departments, bureaus, and agencies of the national government, government–owned and controlled corporations, state and local universities and colleges, and elective local officials of local government units.”

“Mandatory drug testing shall remain a requirement for initial entry to government service. Any applicant found positive for drug use shall be denied entry to government service,” it added.

Uy congratulated the Muntinlupa City government for achieving the milestone.

“On behalf of the Dangerous Drugs Board, I would like to commend and congratulate [you]. We are with you in the success in having and launching of drug-free workplace policy here in Muntinlupa. Congratulations,” said Uy.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think of the City Government as a shining example of a drug-free workplace?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Almost 8,000 young students receive supplies from Muntinlupa City Government

September 26, 2023September 21, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, almost eight thousand young students received school supplies from the City Government, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Take note that the City Government previously started the distribution of school supplies locally.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

About 7,800 young kids received free school supplies from the Muntinlupa City government.

Mayor Ruffy Biazon distributed the Balik Eskwela Packages to the young students in 89 Child Development Centers in Muntinlupa on Sept. 20.

Through Muntinlupa’s Early Childhood Education Division (ECED), the students received school bags, water tumblers, notebooks, pad papers, jumbo pencils and crayons.

“Naglaan ng pondo ang city government para makapag-provide ng gamit para sa kanila. Bahagi ito ng Karunungan Agenda natin sa ilalim ng 7K Agenda (The city government allotted funds to provide things to them. This is part of of the Karunungan Agenda under the 7K Agenda),” said Biazon.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the City Government is doing the right thing with the release of school supplies to qualified local students?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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