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LA inspires in SMC’s latest video as he eyes October return to PBA duty

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Even while undergoing cancer treatment  (he goes to Singapore for chemotherapy every two weeks), Ginebra Gin Kings stalwart LA Tenorio remains active in worthy projects outside of basketball.

Just recently, he helmed the pilot episode of San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) newest vlog Sa’n Si Miguel.

The new vlog, which aims to engage audiences and provide information on SMC’s many projects in support of nation-building, provided him a rare chance to showcase to fans the many things San Miguel does, apart from beverage and food brands that are bywords in the PBA.

“Gusto ko rin makatulong na ma-promote yung mga magandang proyekto at investments ng San Miguel sa buong bansa, at least sa mga fans na nag-follow sa akin. Sa mga hindi nakakaalam ay hindi lang inumin at pagkain ang ginagawa ng San Miguel ngunit pati na rin ang mga tollways at yung airport sa Bulacan. Marami rin ginagawa na agro-industrial complexes hindi lang investment ang madadala sa bawat bayan kundi magbibigay ng hanapbuhay sa maraming Pilipino.” Tenorio said.

He emphasizes: “Mahalaga na malaman ng mga Pilipino na maliban sa pagpapasaya sa mga tao sa pamamagitan ng basketball ay may importanteng mga bagay na ginagawa ang San Miguel at si Boss RSA para mas mapabuti ang buhay nila.“

Like many other sports personalities, LA became more active in the digital sphere during the COVID-19 pandemic when most people at stayed at home and were glued to their phones and gadgets.

The Barangay Ginebra guard now maintains accounts on Facebook (190,000 followers), Instagram (268,392 followers), Twitter (156,136 followers), and Youtube (26,100 followers).

These numbers are enough to make him one of the most followed athletes in the country and also among players in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Tenorio said an athlete’s responsibility is not only to play his best every game, but also to constantly interact with fans.

“Malaking bagay rin ang social media dahil paraan rin yun para magcommunicate sa mga fans, at kahit papaano ay makapag-impart tayo ng mga insights sa kung anu-anong bagay lalung-lalo na tungkol sa sports.”

Tenorio said that supporting “Sa’n Si Miguel” is also one of the ways he shows his gratitude to SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang for his support during his illness.

“Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa suporta ni Boss RSA nung paglipat ko sa Ginebra mga sampung taon na ang nakakalipas, at ito ay isa sa pinakamagandang nangyari sa basketball career ko, “he said.

“Sa simula pa lang andyan si Boss RSA at si Boss Al Chua na tumulong sa akin at palagi nila akong tsinitsek kung okay ako at sinasabihan na huwag mag-alala ay magfocus lang sa pagpapagaling. Sa ngayon ay tinutulungan ko yung team as assistant coach at nagfofocus sa pagbibigay ng pointers sa mga players namin sa practice, “he added.

Tenorio said that he can’t wait to complete the treatments so he can actively prepare for his return to the PBA.

“Sa ngayon ay tuloy-tuloy ang pagpapagamot ko. Every two weeks ako pumupunta doon para sa sessions ko. Matagal pang proseso ito pero positive ako dahil so far maganda ang mga feedback ng mga doktor at syempre patuloy ang pagdarasal natin sa Diyos na mas bumilis pa ang paggaling ko. Basta naman andyan ang suporta at dasal ng pamilya, mga kaibigan, Ginebra fans at San Miguel family ay laban tayo.”

“Talagang hinahanap ng katawan ko ang paglalaro. Noong umabot nga kami sa finals last time ay talagang gustong gusto kong makatulong sa team. Awa ng Diyos ay makakabalik ako sa October pero importante na tapos na ang gamutan at kailangan ko ulit na magpakundisyon dahil kailangan ay ready ako pag pwede na maglaro at makatulong talaga sa team,” he said.| – BNN

Aboitiz Construction adopts 1.6 hectares of NAPOCOR’s tree planting site

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REFORESTATION FOR A BETTER FUTURE. In line with its strengthened commitment towards environmental sustainability, Aboitiz Construction sealed a deal with National Power Corporation to adopt 1.6 hectares of planting site in the Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal reservation area. |

AS part of its environmental sustainability initiatives, Aboitiz Construction recently partnered with National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) to adopt a 1.6-hectare tree planting site in the Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal reservation area for three years. 

Under NAPOCOR’s Energy Sector Carbon Sequestration Initiative, private companies are encouraged to participate in this climate change mitigation program by adopting a rehabilitation site based on priority areas for restoration. 

Aboitiz Construction has funded Mt. Malaraya Environmental Protection Council, Inc. (MMEPCI), a Southern Luzon-based people’s organization, to conduct reforestation activities in the said area. The program will provide livelihood opportunities for community members under MMEPCI for their maintenance and plantation duties in the designated site.

A total of 2,600 native trees will be planted and monitored within the three-year partnership period. A Technical Working Group composed of representatives from Aboitiz Construction, NAPOCOR, and MMEPCI will be tasked to monitor the progress of the activities and implement the program based on the agreed reforestation plan.

“Anchored to our purpose of building for business to prosper and communities to thrive, we remain committed to helping enrich and protect our environment and provide jobs for many Filipinos. We also aim to promote environmental awareness among our team members and encourage them to volunteer in our future tree-planting activities,” said Aboitiz Construction Executive Director Antonio Peñalver.

Aboitiz Construction continues to promote its commitment to environmental sustainability. Last year,  Aboitiz Construction Inc. partnered with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. to better manage plastic waste across all its project sites nationwide.|

Early voting ‘access ramp’ to democracy for millions of PWDs

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LIPA City – House Deputy Speaker and Batangas (6th District) Rep. Ralph Recto on Friday urged the Senate to pass the House-approved measure allowing persons with disabilities (PWDs) to vote early during elections in order to provide PWDs an “access ramp” to democracy.

In a statement, Recto said passing the measure would also give millions of PWDs the political muscle to elect more of their kind to public office.

“House Bill No. 7576 is the assistive device that removes an institutional barrier that prevents PWDs from exercising their right to vote,” he said.

Passed by a 295-0 vote early this month, HB 7576 grants early voting rights to PWDs, qualified senior citizens, health workers, and lawyers on election day duty.

In pushing for the enactment of the measure, the veteran lawmaker noted that despite numbering in the millions – their share of population ranging from 1.7% to 12% per official estimates – PWD leaders have not broken “the political glass ceiling” despite their sterling qualities.

“No sector is grossly unrepresented. The truly marginalized remain unseen and unheard of in policymaking bodies, from local councils to Congress,” he said.

In the House of Representatives, the last PWD who served was the late journalist Art Borjal, a sectoral representative appointed by President Corazon Aquino. He was in office until June 1992.

After a 30 year-drought, the P3PWD Party List, with former Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon as first nominee, garnered almost 400,000 votes, more than enough for one seat, until her assumption of duties was halted by a Supreme Court temporary restraining order.

“My point is, they should have more seats. Sa dami ng (With so many) party lists, yung pinaka-marginalized ang wala (that most marginalized is missing). And they are not just a sector. They are a nation. And if this bill will result in their issues getting discussed and more of them getting elected, then its impact would be felt beyond voting day,” Recto said.
He said the bill complements Republic Act 10366, which authorizes the Commission on Elections to establish accessible precincts assigned exclusively for PWDs and senior citizens.

“There is a law which assigns the place. What is lacking is a law which provides more time for them to vote,” he said.

He also pointed out that hindrances to voting have resulted in the low number of PWDs registered to vote, with 318,747 in 2016, and only 80 percent of them managing to cast their vote.

“The Senate must pass the bill and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. must sign it. The merits of the bill are so evident that we cannot be blind to it,” Recto said.|- ZDL / PNA

Future-proof energy sector to avert supply crisis, gov’t asked

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THE government must be willing to invest larg amounts of time and resources in future-proofing the Philippines’ power sector if it is serious in resolving the energy supply interruptions that inflict damage to the economy, according to a new study.

The report, which delves into the electricity supply issues in the Philippines, notes that power outages remain a big problem and discusses how unreliable electricity is affecting businesses in the country.

It cited the latest World Bank Enterprise Survey in which company representatives signified that electricity supply issues continue to be one of the factors affecting the business environment in the Philippines.

The surveyed firms shared that they were losing 0.8% of their annual sales, on average, due to power outages. Consequently, owning or sharing generators appeared to be a defensive mechanism.

More than 40% of firms in the Philippines were dependent on generators, where they sourced around 39% of their power supply. Generator ownership was particularly high in Metro Cebu at 66%, says the document.

“Generally, this informa-tion from the World Bank Enterprise Survey implies that doing business in the country is more costly due to unre-liable electricity,” said study author and PIDS research fellow Kris Francisco in an online forum this month where she presented the results of her research.

The discussion paper identifies at least three major causes of power interruptions in the country: lack of power supply, technical issues, and environmental factors such as natural events.

Of these, environmental factors trigger a big portion of the disruptions, with “major storm disaster” as the biggest issue and a cause for concern since the Philippines is a typhoon-prone country.

Meanwhile, technical-related issues constitute the second largest factor affecting power interruptions.

Insufficient supply of power to electric cooperatives is also a big issue in itself, where utilities in the Visayas are suffering the most.

The research observes that past efforts to address these problems appear lukewarm. “Electricity supply interruptions, despite the enormous disturbance it causes the economy, have historically received little attention from our policy-makers,” it says.

It reports that in 2021, consumers on average experienced around 5.7 power interruptions a year, translating to a total of 8.8 hours of no electricity. Consumers in Luzon experienced more frequent power interruptions, while consumers in Visayas endured longer hours of no electricity.

Among the list of causes, insufficient supply of power to electric cooperatives or ECs emerges as the main driver of frequent and long hours of power interruptions.
Meanwhile, it takes around 1.5 hours to restore electricity after a power outage, and supply takes the longest time to restore when the damage is done by a major storm disaster, says the paper.

In his message to the forum, PIDS president Aniceto Orbeta Jr. also pointed out that the Philippines has some of the most expensive energy prices in Asia, noting that the country’s rates are between 25% and 87% higher than some of its neighbors in Southeast Asia.
He added that it does not help that the country is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, with the high cost of importation often passed on to consumers.

The expected depletion of the Malampaya natural gas field by 2024 will likely exacerbate this impending energy crisis, he warned.

Francisco suggests three major areas of intervention, all requiring the putting in of large amounts of time and investment in the power sector.

Her first recommendation is to “improve the access of electric cooperatives to sufficient power supply to improve their services” to households outside of Metro Manila.

Finally, the country must work towards climate-proofing the energy infrastructure to protect it from damage and shorten the duration of downtime so that “when typhoons strike, it will take us a shorter time to restore the power,” said Francisco.| – PhilExport News & Features

Farmers, MSMEs in Batangas City trained on food safety

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By John Maico M. Hernandez

BATANGAS City — FARMERS and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in this city were trained on food safety in a training on current Good Manufacturing Practices conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Batangas in partnership with the Office of Batangas City Agriculture held at the Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services Compound, Bolbok, here, May 23.

Participating farmers and MSMEs are assisted by the City Agriculture Office and are currently producing crops and processed goods derived from crops. Hence, to ensure their compliance with food safety requirements, DOST-Batangas provided them with training.

The training was divided into basic food hygiene (BFH) and food safety hazards (FSH). The discussion on BFH covered topics on sanitary permits, health certificates, quality and protection of food, primary production, establishment (design of facilities and equipment), training and competence, establishment maintenance, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, personal hygiene, control of the operation, product information and consumer awareness, and the special provisions of P.D. 856.

The categories of food hazards (physical, biological, and chemical), their implications for food processing, and the control mechanisms for food safety risks were covered under FSH. Diagnostic tests and activities were also carried out to evaluate the participants’ acquired knowledge.

Mr. John Maico M. Hernandez, a DOST-CALABARZON Food Safety Team member, was the resource speaker during the training. The DOST Unified Food Safety Training Modules were the reference materials used during the training.| – BNN

Tightier security for Batangas power plants sought

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The provincial government of Batangas on Saturday called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to tightly watch over the power plants and natural gas facili-ties in the province that supply some 30% of the country’s electricity.

Gov. Hermilando Mandanas made the appeal amid the dry season, when the coun-try’s power supply is at its lowest, and some areas are already experiencing outages.

Batangas has large power-generation facilities, including the 900-megawatt (MW) Calaca power station, the Santa Rita 1,000-MW combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant, 1,200MW Ilijan natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant, and the soon-to-open 1,300MW Batangas Liquefied Natural Gas Plant.

Mandanas said that by protecting vital installations, such as power plants, the AFP is ensuring the continued operation of various industries that help secure the country’s economic future.

He gave his input on security issues when Brig. Gen. Erwin Alea, the newly promo-ted commander of the Philippine Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade, paid him a courtesy call. Alea was accompanied by Lt. Col. Ernesto Teneza, Jr., a battalion commander at the 201st IB, when he presented his credentials to the gover-nor.

Alea and Teneza assured that their unit will strive to promote security and econo-mic stability in the province.

They promised to exert additional effort in watching over economically sensitive locations, such as power gene-ration facilities, industrial hubs and ports.

The two officers also committed the 201st IB’s resources to provide immediate relief and rescue should any calamity, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or typhoons, hit the province.

Meanwhile, Mandanas said that combating insurgency is not only a job for the military, stressing the business sector also has a huge part to play in the fight by creating more job opportunities for economically challenged Batangas townsfolk.| – PNA

Lion Dante Bico is the new LCI District 301-A2 Governor!

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Lion Dante R. Bico of Batangas Crown Lions Club, 3PMJF is being proclaimed as the District Governor-elect for LY 2023-2024. Raising his hands are his wife Past District Governor Wennie Basa-Bico, 25PMJF and Outgoing Council Chairman Frederick T. Lim, PMJF. Also in photo are [L-R] incumbent District Governor Amado Sanglay, PMJF, his lady Ma. Fe Sanglay, 1st Vice District Governor-elect Sol Wilfredo Flores, Jr., 30PMJF, and 2nd Vice District Governor-elect Apolinar Cortes, 2PMJF.|

By JOENALD MEDINA RAYOS

THE Batangas Crown Lions did it again! Lion Rodante Bico, 3PMJF is the run-away winner in the recent election of the Lions Club International District 301-A2 as the next District Governor for the Lion Year 2023-2024, held at the International Eucharistic Convention Center in Cebu City, Philippines, May 20.

“Lion Dante”as he is fondly called, who run unopposed for the topmost position in the district, is past president of the Batangas Crown Lions Lub, PMJF, with headquarters at Mega Heights Subdivision in Alangilan, Batangas City.

A former mariner, a hotelier and real estate magnate, Lion Dante rose the ladder of lionism from a regular member, a committee chairman, until he got elected as 2nd Vice president, first vice president and president of Batangas BCLC.

In 2021, he got elected as 2nd vice district governor, 1st vice district governor in 2022, and now as district governor.

Also elected with Bico are 1st District Vice Governor-elect Sol Wilfredo Flores Jr. of Pasay City Host Lions Club and 2nd District Vice Governor-elect Apolinar Cortes of San Pablo City Host Lions Club.

“I would like to grab this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude for all the trust and support of our fellow Lions. The one-year term is so long for a leader who got the post without any plan for the district, but is so short for leader with mission and vision in serving our less-fortunate brethren,” District Governor-elect Bico said.

“It is with great humility that we accept the challenge of leading our district to regain its pride and stature as the best district in the country in the ensuing lion year 2023-2024. We will act double time in serving our communities and build bridges to ensure unity and stronger district that we envisioned to lead,” he added.

District Governor-elect Bico is well-supported by the majority of the past district governors. Notably, his wife, Lion Wennie Basa-Bico, 25PMJF, is a multi-awarded lion leader who have served too as District Governor in Lion Year 2019-2020.

PROCLAMATION. Past District Governor Billy Braza (4th from left) proclaims the winners in this year’s election — 1st District Vice Governor-elect Sol Wilfredo Flores Jr. (3rd from left), District Governor-elect Dante Bico (5th from left), and 2nd Vice District Governor-elect Apolinar Cortes (2nd from right). Also in photo are Past District Governor Rose Peña (extreme left), Past INternational Director Michael So (2nd from left), Immediate Past District Governor Jesusa W. Antiporda, and Past District Governor Wennie Basa-Bico.|

LCI District 301-A2, the biggest among the nine (9) encompasses the whole of Southern Manila (Pasay City, Makati City, Parañaque City, Las Piñas City, Muntinlupa City), and the provinces of CALABA(r)ZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon); the MIMAROPA Region (Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan); and the province of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon in the Bicol Region.

The said election took place on the 2nd day of the 2-Day 74th Multi-District 301 Philippines Convention held in Cebu, that was attended by thousands of lion members from all over the country.

Annually, members of the Lions Clubs International in the country gather together to thresh out policies, programs and challenges in the conduct of humanitarian services under the five (5) global causes – diabetes, environment, hunger, vision, and childhood cancer.|-BNN

New EO on Mandanas ruling out by end of 2023: PBBM

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A new executive order (EO) will be released by the end of 2023 to ensure the “good” implementation of the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia case, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday.

Marcos made the pro-nouncement during the fourth general assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) at the Royce Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.

In his speech, Marcos ensured that his administration will include the local government “in all of our plans,” adding that there will be a series of consultations with local executives.

“Kailangan maging mahusay ang (There should be a good) coordination between the local and national government. Asahan ninyo na (Expect that) you are not working in a vacuum. You are not working in a vacuum. We are watching, we are asking, we are consulting with you,” he told the governors.

“And in that way, we will come out with a good EO at the end of the year for a good implementation of the very important Supreme Court decision now we call the Mandanas ruling to even further strengthen the coordination and the partnership between the local government and the national government,” Marcos added.

Marcos acknowledged anew that the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to the local government units (LGUs), as directed by existing EO 138, could not be done.

EO 138 was signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2021 to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia case and strengthen the auto-nomy and empowerment of LGUs.

Under EO 138, the func-tions, services and facilities should be fully devolved to the local government no later than the end of 2024.

Identifying ‘hybrid’ areas
Marcos said his administration is currently identifying the functions that belong to the LGUs, as well as the services that should be carried out by the national government.
He noted that there are also “hybrid” areas such as health and education that the national and local governments must work together.

“I think that’s the right way to do it na ang titignan natin, talaga naman very easily identifiable ang mga services na dapat talaga eh manggaling sa probinsya (that we look at the very easily identifiable services that should be done in the provinces),” Marcos said.

“Meron din diyan na hybrid. Hindi lang probinsya (There are also hybrid services that could not be done by the provincial governments alone). It is supposed to be a joint effort between the province and the national government. So, that is what we are trying to calibrate,” he added.

‘Extra’ funding
Marcos said the national government is also working toward providing “extra” funding to LGUs.

This emphasized the importance of giving the local governments a “breathing room” in carrying out their mandate, he added.

“It does not mean na walang made-devolve. Merong mga made-devolve na functions pero ang kaibahan dito, yung pag-devolve na functions, may kasabay na item, may kasabay na funding, may kasabay na training (It does mean that there will be no devolution. Functions will be devolved but the difference here is there will be items, funding and training),” Marcos said.

“The original concept was mabigyan ng extra funding ang mga local government, lalo na ‘yung mga highly dependent sa IRA (to give extra funding to local governments, especially those that are highly dependent to IRA [or Internal Revenue Allotment]),” he added.
Under the Mandanas ruling, the national government is mandated to expand the share of LGUs in tax collection.

On the other hand, LGUs are required to handle the responsibility of operating social services like agriculture, connectivity and health within their jurisdictions.

The ruling is a result of two separate petitions filed by Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas and former Bataan governor Enrique Garcia Jr., requesting that the basis of computation of the LGUs’ IRA be adjusted to include national taxes.

Heading in ‘right direction’
Marcos expressed confidence that his administration is on the “right” track, as it seeks closer cooperation and collaboration with the LGUs.

He also believed that the government is making progress in the fight against corruption since his administration already laid out its “very clear” initiatives.

“There is no slippage. There is no wastage. Even the level of corruption will go down because very, very clear ang gusto nating gawin (what we want to do is very, very clear),” he said.

“I think we are headed in the right direction. We will get there. With your help, we will get there. This will be to the benefit of all our constituents. So, let’s keep that partnership strong and let’s work hard. And I’m sure that we will succeed to the benefit of those who are in need of our help and of our services as public servants,” he added.| – PNA

Sen. Imee, namahagi ng ayuda sa Bauan

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By ROSH JOSHUA LAYDIA at JOHN LOUISE REGLOS

BAUAN, Batangas – BILANG tulong sa mga pamilyang nahihirapan sa pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina at iba pang pangunahing bilihin, namahagi ng ayuda sa 1,000 pamilya sa bayang ito ang pamahalaang nasyunal sa ilalim ng programa ng DSWD na Assistance to Individual in Crisis Situation (AICS) nitong Biyernes, Mayo 19.

Ang pamamahagi ng naturang ayuda sa ilalim ng AICS ay isinulong ni Senator Imee Marcos sa DSWD upang kahit paano’y matugunan ang mga suliraning kaakibat ng pagtaas ng inflation rate sa bansa at iba pang suliraning binabalikat ng mga mamamayan.

Kasama sina Bauan Mayor Ryanh Dolor at mga miyembro ng Sangguniang Bayan, tumanggap ng tig-P3,000 ang bawat isang benepisyaryo ng DSWD-AICS sa bayan ng Bauan, gaya rin ng ginawang pamamahagi sa bayan ng San Jose at Lungsod ng Calaca.

Ayon kay Marcos, ang pagbibigay-ayuda ay tulong sa lahat, lalo na sa mga senior citizen at sa mga TODA na hindi na kumikita dahil sa taas ng presyo ng langis.

Sa maikling speech ng senadora, kinuwento niya ang hirap ng buhay nitong nagdaang dalawang taon dahil sa pandemya o aniya ay “pandemonyong covid”.

“Ngayong tapos na [ang pandemya], makakapagtrabaho na tayo… pero masisindak naman tayo sa presyo, presyo na hindi na maintindihan. Kasi puro imported ang gasolina, ang diesel, LPG,” paliwanag ng senadora, dagdag pa aniya ang kamakailang pagtaas ng presyo ng bawang at sibuyas.

Ang 48-anyos na tricycle driver na si Danilo ay tumigil muna sa pagpasada noong umaga para maghintay ng matatanggap na financial assistance.

“Malaking tulong na din ‘to sa amin… sa pang-araw-araw na gastusin, gatas, diaper. Sa mahal ng gastusin eh talagang ‘di mo alam kung papaano mo pagkakasyahin minsan ang pera sa isang linggo,” ani Danilo.

Gayundin naman para kay Mang Romy, sa mahal ng gastusin, kung minsan ay mas malaki pa umano ang napupunta sa pangpagasolina kaysa sa pang-ulam sa kaniyang kinikita.

Umabot sa Php 3000.00 kada recipient ang inilaan para sa 1,000 benepisyaryo ng AICS na binubuo ng mga PWDs, Senior Citizens, mga magsasaka, fisherfolks, tricycle drivers, mga kasambahay at solo parents.

Samantala, namahagi rin ang senadora ng mga laruan at nutribuns sa mga batang dumalo sa nasabing programa. Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Marcos na mas pinasustansya at pinarami nila ang flavors ng nutribun, kagaya ng cassava, coconut, chocolate, ube, at iba pa, para umano araw-araw ay pwedeng kainin hanggang umabot ang isang indibidwal sa kaniyang tamang timbang.

Ibinahagi rin ni Senator Marcos ang konsepto ng NUTRI-BUS na aniya ay “level-up” ng pagtugon nila sa malnutrisyon kung saan nagluluto at namimigay sila ng mga Arroz Caldo, Champorado, at iba’t iba pang pagkain ng mga bata kontra sa pagiging bansot at pagliit ng utak ng mga sanggol.

Isa sa mga lakad ng senadora sa Batangas ang pagbisita niya sa Bauan General Hospital, na ayon sa kaniya’y bibigyan ng karagdang budget.

Bukod dito, nag-iwan rin si Senador Marcos ng P5-milyong pondo para sa programang tulong-pangkabuhayan sa mga Bauangueño.| – BNN

Bringing Change to Batangas: Anti-Red Tape Authority opens new Field Office

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By MARY JANE LEVITA & LUCKY ANDRE BERMUDEZ

BATANGAS City – IN order to make change in government closer to the people, a new Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) office was established at the compound of the National Food Authority (NFA) , this city May 16, 2023.

The inauguring program was held at the NFA main lobby with different ARTA officials, administrations, media outlets, and other staff in attendance who also gave a warm welcome to the newly opened office.

ARTA Director General Secretary Ernesto V. Perez led the ceremony with other invited speakers who gave an inspiring message and expressed their support for the said event.

In her short message, Mayor Beverly Rose A. Dimacuha of Batangas City expressed her support and she mentioned a little information about the importance of law enforcement.

“We balance the values in public service; that we place it in the high part. We also value environmental protection, law enforcement, compliance…” she said.

She also mentioned that Batangas City belongs to the Top 10 Competitive Cities. Nevertheless, Batangas City has many incoming investments.

The Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) Law

According to the Department of Labor and Employment, Anti-Red Tape Act is an act to improve efficiency in the delivery of government service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape, preventing graft and corruption, and providing penalties therefor.

During the opening of the ARTA office, the officials mentioned and gave information about the ARTA law. One of the ARTA officials, Undersecretary Rabindranath P. Quilala, shared and emphasized the meaning of ARTA.

“Si (sic) ARTA na walang gagawin kun’di agarang responde at tamang aksyon…That’s what we want to bring to the Filipino nation… a brand-new leadership with bureaucratic efficiency…” he said.

In addition, he expressed his gratitude to the people who came to the event to support the newly opened ARTA office.

Most of the speakers at the event focused on the ARTA’s progress toward greater bureaucratic efficiency. Despite this, government officials seek to provide advantages to Filipino citizens while objectively assessing their needs and concerns. Nonetheless, they provided another branch of the ARTA office to further asses those problems by improving the government’s services.

On the other hand, Director General Secretary Ernesto V. Perez shared his gratitude and information about the ARTA law.

“ARTA being the agency under the office of the President, tasks to implement the national policy on issues doing business….and he [the President] is taking the lead making a difference in the way services are being offered to the public that’s why today is very significant for us because we have chosen Batangas to be the center of our services…” he said.

He also emphasized that the eight-point socio-economic agenda focuses on improving bureaucratic efficiency and a better way to enhance digitalized government processes. Hence, ARTA law has a lot of factors that can assess and help the Filipino nation.

Streamlining Government Processes and Enhancing Service Delivery

The purpose of ARTA is manifold. Its mandate includes monitoring and evaluating the performance of government agencies in terms of service delivery. By holding agencies accountable for their actions and that service standards are followed. Nonetheless, ARTA ensures compliance with prescribed processing times for various transactions following the 3-5-20 rule, which refers to simple transactions (3 days), complex transactions (7 days), and highly technical transactions (20 days).

Director General Sec. Ernesto Perez said that people availing government services should not be required to return once again to submit additional documents if the application meets all requirements, citing under the law that whoever comes to government offices ready to apply should be welcomed, entertained, and served.

Moreover, lengthy bureaucratic procedures and discretionary powers provide opportunities for corruption to thrive. ARTA’s emphasis on simplifying processes and implementing technology-driven solutions reduces the potential for corruption. Through its various initiatives, ARTA empowers citizens to engage actively with government agencies and demand efficient and transparent services. It provides opportunities for public feedback, complaints, and suggestions, which may result in better service delivery.

Following a recent directive given by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for all government processes to be following a centralized online system, ARTA has established the Electronic-Business One Stop Shop (e-BOSS): a user-friendly interface where users can input their business information, upload necessary documents, and make online payments for fees and taxes. It also offers real-time updates on the status of applications and notifications regarding any additional requirements or steps needed to complete the registration process.

The e-BOSS simplifies the registration process and ensures transparency and accountability. In addition, it reduces the potential for corruption and irregularities by digitizing the process and minimizing direct contact with government personnel.

While there are only 8 LGUs found to be compliant with the e-BOSS mandate based on validation conducted by the Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation Office (CMEO), seven of which are coming from the National Capital Region, Sec. Ernesto Perez expressed his hope that the province of Batangas will soon join the ranks.

“We don’t stop here, continue ang laban,” said the secretary during a panel interview.|-BNN