Philippine News Agency (PNA) – Page 28

COVID-19 Crisis: Guidelines for 2nd COVID-19 booster shots for Philippines general population approved

April 21, 2023April 19, 2023carlocarrasco

In the latest development regarding COVID-19 here in the Philippines, it was reported via the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the guidelines regarding 2^nd booster shots for members of the general population have been approved. Specifically, the Department of Health (DOH) referred to healthy adults at least 18-years-old can avail of the said booster shots and there are three specific COVID-19 vaccines to be used.

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

The guidelines on the administration of the second booster of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines for the general population have been signed.

The vaccines to be used as second booster shots are AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer.

“We already signed the guidelines nitong isang araw lamang at eto po ay ipapakalat na sa ating mga (just the other day and we’ll disseminate this to our) local government units,” Department of Health Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a media forum on Tuesday.

The jabs would be given to all healthy adults aged 18 years old and above.

“Pwede rin pong ibigay sa mga buntis at saka (They may also be given to pregnant and) lactating women of 18 years old and above,” she said. “Maaari rin po ibigay sa (They may also be given to) immunocompromised populations 18 years old and above, regardless of their priority group classification.”

To ensure that the booster shots are accessible to the communities, Vergeire encouraged the local government units to integrate Covid-19 vaccination in their daily health programs and services in the primary health care facilities.

“Para hindi na po natin kailangan mag-upa ng mga (So that we no longer need to rent) mass vaccination sites,” she added.

As of March 20, a total of 78,443,972 or 100.44 percent of the country’s target population (78,100,578) have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including 8.7 million senior citizens, 10.2 million adolescents, and 5.6 million children.

The above report ended stating that 23,811,248 have received booster shots out of the fully vaccinated (2 shots) population.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? How many people in your local community have been waiting for the availability of 2^nd booster shots? How long did they have to wait? Do you think that the DOH should tackle next the potential 5^th COVID-19 shot (3^rd booster shot) for people who already received two booster shots? Do you think this latest move by the DOH will prevent further COVID-19 vaccines from going to waste?

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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Philippines tourism gains from influx of South Korean visitors

April 19, 2023April 16, 2023carlocarrasco

Tourism in the Philippines continues to progress in terms of attracting visitors from overseas as tourists from South Korea emerged as the top source of foreign visitors this year, according to a news article published 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…

South Korea is again the Philippines’ top source of foreign visitors so far this year.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco bared this on Thursday when she greeted a batch of 300 travelers from South Korea at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

The travelers are members of the Korea branch of UNICITY, a direct selling company on health functional foods, cosmetics and household items and with over 60 markets globally.

As a reward to their top agents, sellers, and distributors, UNICITY-Korea sends a big volume of incentive groups to Southeast Asian countries annually.

This year, the company is sending 1,400 people in four batches (April 9, 13, 17, and 21) to Cebu.

Department of Tourism data showed a significant pick up in Korean arrivals since last year, with 428,014 or a 16.13 percent share of the country’s arrivals received between Feb. 10 — when the country eased its borders for leisure travelers — up until Dec. 31, 2022.

“The good news is that as of today, we have over 1.5 million tourist arrivals to the Philippines and our number one top source market are the Koreans. So we’re very grateful to our friends from Korea for continuing to show their love for the Philippines as they have come back in droves, and the UNICITY group in particular, has come with a delegation of no less than 1,400 individuals,” Frasco said.

Upon their arrival, the travelers were welcomed with leis and performances by Filipiniana-clad rondalla serenaders as well as by Sinulog dancers.

Prior to the pandemic, Korea ranked number one in terms of visitor arrivals to the Philippines, with 1,989,322 or 24.08 percent of the country’s total number of arrivals for 2019.

Arrivals from Korea declined drastically during the pandemic, dropping to 338,877 and 6,456, for 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“They’re coming on a daily basis and the numbers are increasing by the day. Last year, they were at number two, because it is the United States that [provided] our number one top source market. But this year, the Koreans have reclaimed the number one spot and we send out the message to all our friends in Korea, that you are more than welcome to keep coming back again and again to Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, and the rest of our beautiful islands in the Philippines,” Frasco said.

PH as ideal MICE destination

Frasco noted that the arrival of a delegation as big as the UNICITY group is a welcome development especially with the DOT “seeing MICE tourism become a very strong product for the Philippines and also for Cebu.”

“They are staying for a few days and we expect that this will contribute greatly to the economy of Cebu in particular, and to the rest of the country in general, considering the multiplier effect of tourism is really so that they will support our local tourism stakeholders, our small and medium enterprises, and the like,” Frasco said.

To further boost the Korean tourism source market and visitor arrivals, the DOT, through its office in Korea, carries out marketing initiatives including an online presentation to educate the MICE (meetings, incentives, conference, exhibitions) players in the Philippines about the Korean MICE market, as well as participation to upcoming key events such as business-to-business fairs, and a MICE roadshow.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Philippines will continue to attract even more visitors from South Korea? Do you hope to see some of the South Korean visitors settle here in the Philippines and help build up the national economy by establishing legitimate businesses and creating new jobs?

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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Single ticketing system for Metro Manila traffic violations set to launch on May 2, 2023

April 18, 2023April 14, 2023carlocarrasco

Finally the single ticketing system for traffic violations specifically covering Metro Manila will be launched officially on May 2, 2023 now that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and local government units (LGUs) have formally signed their agreement, according to a news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Specifically speaking, this new system will be in a pilot testing phase. Previously there was the target to start in April 2023.

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

Metro Manila will implement a single ticketing system for traffic violations starting May 2, following an agreement between the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the local government units (LGUs) of the region, and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday.

In a statement, MMDA Acting Chair Don Artes said the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and data sharing agreement (DSA) aim to harmonize the existing national and local laws on traffic enforcement, as well as penalties and fines of the most common traffic violations stated in the Metro Manila Traffic Code.

“The pilot testing will be done so the next LGUs that will be onboard will roll out their respective systems seamlessly,” Artes said.

Pilot testing for the single ticketing system will be done by the MMDA and seven LGUs—San Juan, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Parañaque, Manila and Caloocan.

The MMDA will provide handheld devices to apprehending officers that can offer cashless payment options to violators.

These devices will be connected to the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) of the LTO to enable real-time data sharing and verification.

He added that the system will help minimize corruption and eradicate forms of negotiations between the motorist and the officer.

Senator Francis Tolentino, a former MMDA chair, expressed his support for the single ticketing system as he underscored the importance of integration.

“Integration will enable different systems to communicate with each other, to offer a unified solution and that is what you are doing now,” Tolentino said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., through Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra, welcomed the passing of the single ticketing system.

“Let this be a way for all our motorists to become more conscious and respectful of our laws, rules, and regulations,” Marcos said.

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade, through Noreen San Luis-Lutey, also expressed his support for the rollout of the system.

San Luis-Lutey said the signing of the MOA and DSA is monumental for the LTO.

“It is a big milestone for us in terms of enhancing driver discipline through consistent and coordinated law enforcement initiatives,” San Luis-Lutey said.

The single-ticketing system, she said, will work in conjunction with the implementation of the 10-year validity of the driver’s license.

San Juan City Mayor and MMC president Francis Zamora thanked his fellow local chief executives for being part of the landmark legislation.

“The mayors have shown support and love to Metro Manila by amending our traffic ordinances to create a unified traffic code,” Zamora said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the new Metro Manila traffic violations single ticketing system will succeed in relation to the objectives mentioned in the above report?

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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Overcharged electric bike (e-bike) sparks household fire and causes the death of a family

April 10, 2023April 5, 2023carlocarrasco

Electric bikes (e-bikes) are popular here in the Philippines and they are perceived to be economical and environment-friendly. E-bikes are also favored by fanatics of renewable energy, the climate change fanatics, as well as those who are living with a burning hatred for fossil fuel. However, there is one tragedy that took place recently during Holy Week and it is about an e-bike that was left charging for too long which caused a house fire and the eventual death of a family of five, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report.

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

An overcharged electric bike was the cause of a fire that killed a family of five here early Monday morning, according to an investigation of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Pozorrubio.

In an interview on Tuesday, Fire Officer 3 Christian Verosil said the e-bike was on the ground floor of the victim’s residence and was left plugged in overnight.

“(Their) electronic bike does not have an automatic switch mechanism that would stop once the charging was completed,” he said.

He said the fire that started through the overcharged bike spread through the wirings of their house until it reached the attic where the casualties were sleeping.

“There are 10 persons in the house. The deceased father (Mark Villanueva) saved the other five members of their household including the elderly and those who were on the ground floor but when he returned to try to save his wife (Dexie) and three children aged six, two, and one, they were trapped and were unable to get out,” Verosil said.

He added that the attic was made of wood which made the fire spread almost immediately and there were no other openings aside from a small window and the attic door.

Meanwhile, Verosil said two neighboring houses were also damaged but there were no injuries or casualties.

He said the damage incurred amounted to PHP9 million.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you own an electric bike, have you been very careful about scheduling its recharge at your home or at your business place? How often do you unplug appliances at your home before going to sleep or leaving the household?

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 athletes to the 32nd SEA Games reduced

April 3, 2023March 29, 2023carlocarrasco

With the 32nd edition of the Southeast Asian Games (AKA 32nd SEA Games and Cambodia 2023) all set to launch a little soon, the Philippines will be sending lesser athletes than previously announced, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Take note that the Philippines is already facing bigger odds in the SEA Games this May.

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

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino confirmed on Monday that the Filipino athletes going to Phnom Penh for the biennial meet are now down to 840.

“From the previously announced 905, it was reduced to 840,” Tolentino said right after the SEA Games torch rally here, adding that this will be the final count.

He said various reasons behind the reduction of numbers like typographical errors, for example, dual entry and wrong entry.

Tolentino, however, said the POC also had to let go of some reserve athletes and those who cannot make it to the Cambodian capital as their passports have already expired and their renewal process might not make it in time.

Having to let go of such athletes could possibly hamper the Philippine team’s bid to match or even go higher than its fourth-place finish in the overall standings during last year’s edition in Hanoi, the first time the SEA Games were held in an even-numbered year due to a one-year postponement caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“That’s the big challenge: how can we attain the fourth-place standing or better than that?” Tolentino said.

Despite losing some slots, it is still considered a blessing as the POC was initially targeting only around 600 athletes going to Phnom Penh.

“Medyo mahirap, but dahil sa fighting spirit ng atleta natin at saka nadagdagan (It’s somehow tough, but because of our athletes’ fighting spirit and the increase in number) from 600 to 800, we might [still finish in fourth],” Tolentino said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think having lesser athletes at the Cambodia SEA Games will have a tremendous negative effect on the Philippines’ campaign on winning medals? Would you happen to know someone from your local community who is officially part of the Philippine team heading to the SEA Games in Cambodia?

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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Philippines’ disengagement from any contact and communication with International Criminal Court (ICC)

April 3, 2023March 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Do you honest believe that your country is under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at all? I had to ask that question because my native Philippines continues to be the ICC’s subject over the issues related to the war against drugs that happened during the administration of previous President Rodrigo Duterte. Recently, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., announced that the nation will be disengaging from any contact and communication with the ICC as a result of the international organization’s latest rejection of the Philippines request related to an investigation about the said drug war, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) article.

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

The Philippines is “disengaging” from any contact and communication with the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it rejected the country’s request to suspend its ongoing investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Tuesday.

Marcos made this remark after the ICC Appeals Chamber, in a decision dated March 27, denied the Philippines’ plea “in the absence of persuasive reasons in support of ordering suspensive effect.”

“At this point, we essentially are disengaging from any contact, from any communication I guess with the ICC…We ended up with the same position that we started with and that is we cannot cooperate with the ICC,” he told reporters in a media interview during an event at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

He said the ICC decision to reject the country’s plea ends the Philippines’ involvement with the Hague-based international court.

“We don’t have a next move. That is the extent of our involvement with the ICC. That ends all our involvement with the ICC because hindi na tayo pwedeng mag-appeal (we can no longer appeal),” he said.

“The appeal has failed. And there’s – in our view, there is nothing more that we can do in the government,” he added.

He said the Philippines “no longer” has any recourse when it comes to the ICC.

“We have not been involved with the actual action. Merely as a comment, we would comment, and the appeal is part of a comment. But we have not appeared as a party in the ICC because we do not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC. And so that is again, as I said, we have ended up now at the end where we really started,” he said.

He likewise cited “serious questions” about the ICC’s jurisdiction, saying he considered it to be “interference” and “practically attacks on the sovereignty.”

To recall, the Philippine government submitted two requests — a notice of appeal in February and an appeal brief in March — to suspend the probe after ICC authorized its prosecutor, Karim Khan, to investigate alleged crimes committed during the Duterte administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.

In March 2018, Duterte ordered the Philippines’ termination of the Rome Statute that created the ICC after former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda continued with the preliminary examination.

The Philippines formally cut ties with the ICC on March 17, 2019, exactly a year after the revocation of the Rome Statute.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a citizen of the Philippines, do you really believe that the nation must give in to the demands and commands of the ICC knowing that the ties with them had officially ended since 2019? If the ICC keeps on interfering with the sovereignty and internal affairs of the Philippines, would you find that acceptable? How many people in your family believe that the Philippines should follow the ICC?

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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I Love Israel: Philippine President Marcos cites Israel as a model for achieving water security

March 31, 2023March 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., emphasized the need to use new technologies so that the country will be able to improve the management of its water resources and ensure a stable supply for the people, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. Along the way, Marcos mentioned Israel as a role model that the Philippines can learn from to achieve water security.

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

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday emphasized the need to use new and emerging technologies to improve the management of the country’s water resources and provide safe and affordable water to all.

Marcos made the statement during the opening of the 6th Edition of the Water Philippines Conference and Exposition at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“I happened to have been given the opportunity to walk around a little bit and see some of the exhibitors. And it is very gratifying to note that in fact, the technologies that are being used, that are being employed in terms of water treatment, in terms of water management are well-known technologies,” he said. “And so, I am very optimistic that the solutions that we need to formulate are out there, the technologies are out there. What has continued to change in the light of climate change is the management, the stratagems on how we manage our water.”

Marcos particularly pointed out that flood control projects have evolved through the years, along with the changing times, noting that these are no longer just exclusively used for that.

“We take the water and we use it for irrigation, we use it for drinking water if we have a treatment plant,” he said, adding that water can be used to produce power with small hydroelectric plants.

He also cited Israel’s experience showing how it promotes the sustainable use of clean water for various purposes despite having a limited water supply.

“I’d spent some time in Israel and I saw how they treat the water because water is very scarce. They live in the desert. Nevertheless, they are able to collect the water during the rainy season, whatever is available, they put fish in it to grow fish. When the summer comes, they take it out, take out the water, harvest the fish, and then that goes to irrigation and so forth,” Marcos said.

He said the Philippines could learn from Israel and apply this approach to achieve water security.

“These are the kinds of thinking that we have to apply to the Philippines because of the crisis that we are facing and how debilitating it will be to the entire economy, to the entire society if our water supply problem continues to get greater, continues to become more dependent on what we have been doing in the past,” he said.

It is very notable that President Marcos mentioned Israel while talking about the state of water in the Philippines. I myself had been to Israel recently on pilgrimage tour and there were times when our tour bus traveled great distances on desert areas, I did not just see sand and rocks. I saw lots of plantations along the road and the sight of lively vegetation in the desert of Israel was astounding. Israel is very well known not only for their highly advanced treatment and management of water, they are also highly proficient on agriculture and creating abundant supplies of food. Very recently, the 65^th anniversary of friendship between Israel and the Philippines was commemorated. We need to pray to the Lord that President Marcos and an official delegation of the Philippines will someday visit Israel and have official meetings with their Israeli counterparts, meet with the Filipino community there and come up with new agreements for greater cooperation between the two nations.

To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed by all. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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Department of Tourism (DOT) unveils ambitious plan to establish Philippines as a major tourism player in Asia within five years

March 22, 2023March 17, 2023carlocarrasco

Tourism in the Philippines looks bright right now. Recently, the MUEG Bank Ltd. Of Japan expressed that the tourism sector of the Philippines could double this year with the return of Chinese tourists as the factor. For its part, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced the scrapping of mask wearing and proof of vaccination as requirements in the nation’s tourism enterprises.

Recently, the DOT announced its ambitious plan to transform the nation into a major player in international tourism (specifically within Asia) in the next five years, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

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

The Philippines targets to become a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the next five years, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Wednesday.

At the unveiling of the 2023-2028 National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) during a tourism stakeholders’ summit in Manila, the Department of Tourism (DOT) vowed to “establish a Philippine tourism industry anchored on Filipino culture, heritage and identity, which aims to be sustainable, resilient and competitive in order to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia.”

The roadmap identified seven measures to achieve this goal, with improving tourism infrastructure and accessibility as one of the priorities.

“The overall target is the transformation of the tourism industry of the Philippines, which is why we have embarked on the objective of not just focusing on the promotion of tourism but more importantly on the development of industry from the ground up focusing not just on our key destinations, but also on our emerging and lesser known destinations,” Frasco said.

“We can only truly transform the Philippine tourism industry if we address the prevailing challenges that we face continually across our regions,” she added.

On connectivity, Frasco said DOT is working with the Department of Transportation to negotiate more routes for air and sea travel.

Under the NTDP, Frasco said DOT would focus on digitalization; enhancement of the overall tourist experience by incentivizing sustainable travel and improving safety and security in destinations, among others.

The agency would also tap local government units in developing more tourist sites and linking emerging ones to key destinations.

She said the government will increase investments in creating “high-value” tourism experiences and announced the May 2023 launch of the Philippine Experience.

The program, which aims to highlight heritage and culture unique to every region in the country, will be piloted in Davao, Ilocos Region, Bicol and Calabarzon.

The program, she said, would include a three to five-day tour packages allowing tourists to experience both well-known and lesser-known destinations in said regions.

Frasco presented the salient points of the NTDP before the country’s top tourism players. The roadmap was first previewed during the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) meeting convened in February and would be submitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for approval within the month.

“This NTDP will serve as a blueprint for the strategies on how the Department of Tourism intends to continue and to grow the impact of tourism upon our economy in the next few years. This will be the guidebook of the industry where we put in place mechanisms for sustainability for many many years to come,” Frasco said.

‘Rosy prospects’ – Frasco noted that, even prior to the finalization of NTDP, the DOT has closely collaborated with tourism stakeholders in carrying out the President’s vision through its various plans and programs, citing the most recent awards and nominations received by the Philippines and its tourism destinations.

The DOT has yet to reveal arrival targets for the next five years but earlier said it seeks to reach 4.8 million in foreign visitors by end of 2023.

This follows the positive momentum set in 2022, which successfully closed with 2.65 million visitors that translates to PHP214 billion or roughly USD4 billion in estimated revenues.

“The momentum for recovery and growth has begun. We’ve eased restrictions. We’ve continued to aggressively promote our destinations through the DOT’s constant and unyielding presence in various exhibits in the Philippines and all over the world. And people are traveling now, and are traveling with a vengeance,” Frasco said.

“By promoting the Philippines through the biggest international tourism and trade fairs across Asia and Europe, we are re-introducing the Philippines to the world, and bringing no less than the best of the best of the country and the Filipino people,” she added

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT and all the strategic partners will be able to fulfill all the adjustments needed to transform the Philippines into a major tourist destination? What would you suggest to the DOT to make the tourism experience in the country more efficient and more interesting? Do you think it is time for the DOT to start recognizing local conventions or special events (examples: ToyCon, Trans Sport Show) and start encouraging foreign tourists to attend them?

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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President Marcos approves flagship infrastructure projects of Build Better More (BBM) program worth P9 trillion

March 17, 2023March 11, 2023carlocarrasco

Philippine infrastructure will continue to develop and improve over time as almost two hundred projects worth P9 trillion have been approved recently by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. This is the latest about the Build Better More (BBM) program.

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

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved 194 high-impact infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) worth PHP9 trillion, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced Thursday.

Marcos, who chairs the NEDA Board, greenlit these projects in a meeting with NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and other members of the board at Malacañan Palace.

“The approved new list of infrastructure flagship projects includes a total of 194 projects amounting to about PHP9 trillion,” Balisacan announced in a Palace press briefing.

Of the 194 projects, Baliscan said 123 projects were initiated during the Marcos administration while the remaining 71 projects were from the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“…The basis for their inclusion there is, this has been approved and this has been before and they have been already implemented. In other words, they have started and so, we cannot discontinue any of those projects,” he said.

Balisacan said these projects will showcase the administration’s “Build Better More” infrastructure program, which is among the priorities under the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda.

He noted that majority of these infrastructure flagship projects are in physical connectivity and water resources which include projects in irrigation, water supply and flood management.

The list also includes projects in digital connectivity, health, power and energy, agriculture and other infrastructure.

“Some of the new projects included in the new list are the Panay Railway Project; Mindanao Railway Project III; North Long Haul Railway; San Mateo Railway; UP-PGH Diliman Project; Ninoy Aquino International Airport Rehabilitation Project; Ilocos Sur Transbasin Project; and the Metro Cebu Expressway,” Balisacan said.

Balisacan said the IFPs are seen to address the binding constraints to business investment and expansion that will create more high quality and resilient jobs.

“IFPs shall be prioritized under the government’s annual budget preparation and enjoy the benefits of expedited issuance of applicable permits and licenses consistent with current legal frameworks,” he added.

He said the projects will adopt an optimal mix of financing from various development partners or official development assistance (ODA), the national government and general appropriations, and the private sector, particularly public-private partnerships.

Balisacan said 45 out of the 194 projects are seen to be financed through partnerships with the private sector.

“The government shall harness the financial and technical resources of the private sector which allows the public sector to allocate its funds for greater investment in human capital development, especially to address the scarring in health and education due to the pandemic, and provide targeted assistance that protects vulnerable sectors from economic shocks,” he said.

Joint Venture guidelines – Meanwhile, Baliscan also announced that the NEDA Board also approved the proposed amendments to the 2013 NEDA Joint Venture Guidelines.

“The amendments aim to enhance competition for projects under joint ventures, ensure better performance of private sector participants, and improve check and balances to ensure that the project is technically and financially sound,” he said.

He said the amendments will also help ensure that the guidelines are aligned with the provisions of the recently amended Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Law Implementing Rules and Regulations, and the proposed amendments to the BOT Law or PPP Act pending in Congress but expected to be passed by this year.

“What we are addressing there is: Number one is to simplify the joint ventures. Again, to make sure that the joint ventures can move efficiently and quickly and will address the public interest, concerns. And so, the amendments will involve putting in place features that improve the competitive processes in the selection of joint venture partners. So, in other words hindi “lutong Macau” iyong mga JVs kundi (the JVs were not rigged) you know, properly completed by or offered in competition,” he added.

Economic transformation – Baliscan described the approval of the new IFP list and the amendments to the NEDA JV Guidelines as a ”giant step” towards the administration’s goal of elevating the country’s competitiveness in promoting the Philippines as a prime investment destination in the region.

Although the country has “much work to do” to catch up with its neighbors in the region, Baliscan said pursuing high-impact initiatives will encourage greater local and foreign investment and private sector participation in infrastructure development.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Do you think that the nation’s infrastructure improvement will lead to better transportation accessibility as well as reinvigorating the economy?

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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I Love Israel: 65 years of Israel-Philippines friendship

March 16, 2023March 14, 2023carlocarrasco

The month of February 2023 is indeed exceptional. In my experience, I had the greatest overseas trip of my life as I went to Israel on a pilgrimage tour with my local church. There, I witnessed the Holy Bible come to life at the many sites in the Holy Land. As such, I am grateful to the Lord and will always be faithful to Him.

On another significant matter, February 2023 also marked the 65^th year of Israel-Philippines friendship which was celebrated a few weeks back according to a news article by the Philippines News Agency (PNA). For the newcomers reading this, Israel and the Philippines have a deep relationship with each other and lots of cooperation has been done.

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

The Philippines and Israel celebrated 65 years of friendship on Sunday, marking an already warm and historic relations with increased interactions in the areas of agriculture, commerce, and development.

In the past 12 months alone, the two nations signed various deals — from a memorandum of understanding to initiate joint activities on trade and investment to a cooperation agreement in technological innovation, research, and development.

The “milestone” Philippine-Israel Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement was also concluded in June 2022, signaling the two nations commitment to create environment for investments in water management, agriculture, cybersecurity, defense industry, smart transportation, manufacturing, and diamond industry development, among others.

Envisioning an even closer economic relations in the years beyond, Israel Ambassador to Manila Ilan Fluss sees the field of innovation as an area the two countries could further develop.

“My vision is that we will establish bridges of innovation in technology between Israel and the Philippines,” he told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.

“For this, we’re working a lot on both on two levels, one on the startup community and how we can get an exchange between startups and to get Philippine startups enter into Israel,” he added.

As an innovation hub, Fluss believes Israel could support the Philippines in building a stronger startup industry through training and guidance in “internationalizing” Filipino startups.

In 2022, there were over 6,000 startups active in Israel, making the country a world leader in startups per capita.

Israeli firms, on the other hand, could enter the Philippines and provide solutions that address challenges unique to the country.

“[The Philippines] could help Israeli startups who are usually focused more on the developed markets, enter into the Philippines, adjusting what they’re doing to the challenges in the Philippines which are different than Europe and the United States,” Fluss said.

“So we want to help them diversify and enter the Philippine markets. So this is a very major effort that we are doing in the embassy,” he added.

Israel and the Philippines’ friendship is founded on deep historical and moral connections, with Manila opening its doors to 1,300 Holocaust refugees in late 1930s even before Israel became a state.

The Philippines was one of the 33 countries to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution in 1947 that created the State of Israel.

65 years of not only friendship but strong cooperation and commitments between Israel and the Philippines clearly shows that the two nations were chosen by God to be together. Be thankful to God for all the breakthroughs and the continuing progress of Israel-Philippines ties. Israel-Philippines ties are essential!

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment. I encourage you all to watch them.

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	Instapundit »… on Israel Approves Proposal To Es…
	Hanna Martin on What To Watch On YouTube Right…
	MarcoPasserini on What To Watch On YouTube Right…
	#Iran on What To Watch On YouTube Right…
	#LGBTQ on What To Watch On YouTube Right…

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