NEWS BRIEFS
>> Friday, February 17, 2017
DOH:
Diseases in Cordillera down
BAGUIO
CITY – Regional Health officials here bared diseases in the Cordillera
drastically decreased last year to date.
The
Department of Health- Cordillera Administrative Region and Regional
Epidemiology Surveillance Unit told a media forum here Thursday diseases or
syndromes under surveillance in CAR were down.
A
DOH report said cases of acute bloody diarrhea decreased by 64 percent from 157
cases in the same period of 2016 to 57 cases in 2017.
Provinces
with recorded cases were Benguet, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Baguio
City. Males were mostly affected with 31 cases with no deaths reported.
Cases
of dengue decreased by 84 percent from 602 cases in the same period of 2016 to
95 cases in 2017. Males were majority with 65 cases or 65.7%.
There
were no deaths reported as compared to three deaths in 2016.
Influenza
also decreased by 75% from 1081 in the same period of 2016 to 269 cases in
2017.
Females
with 138 cases were predominantly affected with no deaths.
Cases
of typhoid decreased by 52% from 233 cases in the same period of 2016 to 110
cases in 2017 with 58 females affected.
There
was one death reported from Region 2.
DOH
officials said intensive surveillance of diseases is encouraged. Maintenance of
good personal hygiene, proper hand washing and good environmental sanitation
was advised. -- Trizha Ocampo
DepEd,
schools to make story book using dialects
BAGUIO
CITY – The Department of Education in partnership with University of San Jose
Recolectos in Cebu and Saint Luis University of Baguio will hold a “writer work
shop on book development.”
This
aims to train teachers develop story book using local dialects like Kalanguya,
Tinubuang Binisaya, Bicolano or Cagayanon. Teachers will be using software
called bloom software’s for the development of learning material which is the
story book.
Regional
Education assistant regional Director Soraya T. Faculo said this project is an
opportunity for teachers of kalanguya area in Benguet to be part of the project
because they will be trained in making the story book for the learning material
and then they will be the author of that learning material itself.
She
urged Kalanguya and Ifugao teachers who are interested get in touch with the
Benguet Division and register your name to be part of the workshop project. -- Fely Guanzo
Displaced
Fontana casino workers seek gov’t help
CLARK
FREEPORT, Pampanga – Displaced workers of Fontana Leisure Park and Casino owned
by Chinese gaming mogul Jack Lam appealed to the government Wednesday to help them regain their jobs.
Around
2,000 workers have yet to be asked to return to work even though the
state-owned Clark Development Corp. lifted its order suspending the operations
of Fontana.
“Punish
those who have sinned against the law, but please spare the innocent workers.
We need our jobs back. We need to provide for our families. We need to
survive,” the workers said in a statement.
The
workers also defended Lam from accusations of involvement in illegal
online gambling operations.
“He
knew that his operations were legitimate and complied with government
standards,” the workers said.
The
casino was closed after 1,316 illegal Chinese workers were arrested during a
raid in November. -- Ding Cervantes
Annual Coffee
Festival set in La Trinidad
LA
TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The first Coffee Festival will be celebrated on the first
week of February in this capital town next year and it will be an annual event
from now on.
This
after a proposed ordinance authored by councilors Roderick Awingan and Arthur Shontogan for the event was approved
by the sangguniang bayan Tuesday with funds allotted for it.
The
festival aims to recognize contribution of coffee producers who have taken
great attention and care in producing excellent coffee beans and also it will
link coffee producers, buyers and consumers in a one activity.
Awingan
said the festival will be a great help to local farmers in boosting their
livelihood, adding he was hoping more local folks will be encouraged to plant
coffee trees because this is one way to relieve the effects of climate change.
– Fely Guanzo
Chinese art group to perform cultural
show in Ilocos Norte
LAOAG
CITY, Ilocos Norte-- An art group from
the Chinese City of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, will be visiting Ilocos Norte
this month for a performance on February 16 as part of the China-Philippines
Cultural Festival.
The
festival allows for cultural exchange between Chinese and Filipinos, promoting
greater cooperation and strengthening relations between the countries.
Quanzhou City is known as the birthplace of
the "liyuanxi" regional opera tradition and home of the Quanzhou Art
Institute, an institution devoted to the preservation and innovation of
culture and training of quality talents towards the Chinese art industry's
socio-economic development.
In the past, groups on chartered flights
coming from the Cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province had
already been accommodated by the provincial government of Ilocos Norte and the
Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag.
Chinese Consul Mme. Wang Jianqun said Monday
that "the Consulate is starting today, working for the upcoming
performance.
"I am sure the art group will give a
wonderful show to Governor Imee R. Marcos, other officials, and the local
people as well."
Marcos said the Chinese Consulate has been
Ilocos Norte's "constant partners in sustainable and inclusive progress in
boosting agriculture, education, and our tourism industry." -- Mizpah Grace G. Castro
Japan officials visit Trinidad fosters
ties
LA
TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Mayor Romeo K. Salda and town councilors welcomed
officials of Minami Maki Nagano, Japan leaded by Vice Mayor Toshio Ikemot here
Tuesday as part of sisterhood relations between the two local government units
of both countries.
Salda said the visit was in accordance with
the friendship vow they made a year ago to visit each other’s place, speak to
each other, share experiences and share means to address concerns like those on
agriculture to promote culture, education, tourism and agricultural exchange.
Salda said La Trinidad could learn from Japan
as it is advanced in terms of disaster preparedness.
Meanwhile
Vice mayor Toshio Ikemoto, said, “not only for exchanging ideas but we train
them (Filipinos working in Japan) in understanding culture and knowledge so
Filipinos will bring back the knowledge and experiences to contribute to their
hometown for their future.”
Ikemoto is hoping for the projects to be
successful just like before, saying he looks forward to foster more friendship.
-- Fely Guanzo
UB dentistry department offers free
dental services
BAGUIO
CITY -- The University of Baguio Dentistry Department is offering free dental
services to indigent people from Baguio, Benguet and neighboring provinces.
These include tooth extraction, restoration
and oral health rehabilitation. Through UB, a top performing dentistry school
from Manila also gives free oral prosthetics to people who need it.
Ian Banda-ay, head of clinical instructions
said UB had been doing this practice since 1980 and it was started by Dr.
Reynaldo Bautista,” He added the school is a
partner of institutions such as Notre Dame Hospital Baguio, Brent School
and the city government in dental outreach programs where indigent people
reside. The Rotary and the Lions Club are also some of the organizations they
work with in conducting this outreach programs.
Some barangays where such programs were
barangay Loakan Apugan, Balacbac and Lucnab. -- Tan Dulag
Kalinga execs: PESO okay but where to get money?
CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga --Local
officials here welcomes institutionalization of the Public Employment Service
Office (PESO) in their local government units but said they were constrained by
budgetary requirements.
Participants said tough we support
the program, the measure has to be studied since LGUs are required by the Local
Government Code to set a ceiling cap on personnel services which is percent of
the local budget during their orientation on on Republic Act No. 8759 or the
PESO law as amended by RA 10691 at the Golden Berries Hotel here.
RA 10691 mandates for the
establishment of PESO offices in all provinces, cities and municipalities
manned by a PESO manager and one labor and employment officer as maybe
determined by the LGU.
However, Dr. Alexander Gumabol,
Provincial DOLE head, explained hiring
of PESO personnel is exempted from the personnel services cap. Opening of PESO
offices should be funded from LGU’s respective Internal Revenue Allotment then
its eventual inclusion in the regular local budget.
The PESO, according DOLE, shall be a
venue for clients to avail the various employment services such as labor
markets, information referrals, training and entrepreneurship reintegration. It
also serves as information center for DOLE and other government agencies and an
established linkage of other PESO for job exchange and other employment-related
services
In Kalinga, only Tabuk City has
established its own PESO office with support personnel. The Tabuk PESO is among
national awardees for “Best PESO” in the past. With the LGU’s support,
recruitment agencies frequent this city to receive applicants for work abroad
and participate in jobs fair, City Administrator Lawrence Bayongan shared.
In the Cordillera Region, only 17 of
84 LGUS have institutionalized their PESO. DOLE is pushing of the
institutionalization of PESO in all local government units. -- Peter A. Balocnit
Bangued officials ban loud mufflers
BANGUED, Abra – Noise pollution due
to loud open mufflers may soon be solved here with Traffic Management Group now strictly enforcing Anti-Open
Muffler Ordinance.
Acting on complaints
raised by general public regarding the irritating noise caused by open
mufflers of motors around this capital town, Mayor Dominic B.
Valera ordered the TMG headed by Danilo Adame to confiscate all
motor vehicles with open mufflers as these create noise pollution.
He directed Adame to
destroy all confiscated mufflers with road rollers (padpadulang)
so motor owners cannot use these again.
“Before we just confront the
drivers, tell them to clean their vehicle’s exhaust system and send them home.
But now, once confiscated there is no taking back.” Adarme said adding that
they have been confronting the same violators most of the time.
Adame informed there will be more
traffic enforcers deployed in the metro vicinity around the clock this time to
check on vehicles with loud open mufflers.
Sadanga sets livelihood development program
SADANGA, Mountain Province --
To uplift low economic status of
constituents here particularly farmer-entrepreneurs, duly registered
organizations, and lowly paid employees, the Sangguniang Bayan enacted an ordinance establishing the
Municipal Livelihood Development Program Fund.
The program is funded under the
General Fund of P250,000 effective this year. This shall be loaned
out with a very minimal monthly interest of one percent to be
collected and shall accrue to the revolving fund, and a five percent per
annum as administrative cost for operational expenses of the program.
The amount loaned shall be payable
in 12 months either monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually depending on
the kind of livelihood the borrower is undertaking. Borrowers start paying
their loans on the third month after the release of the loaned amount.
Qualified beneficiaries under this
program include local residents-entrepreneurs engaged in income generating
projects with a minimum capital of P20,000.00 as certified by a depository bank
or cooperative and must be operational for three years; duly registered
organization/association with a minimum capital of P20,000.00 as
certified by a depository bank or cooperative and must be operational for at
least two years with good financial track record, and municipal employees
engaged in livelihood projects.
The amount to be loaned shall be
determined by the livelihood committee based on their capacity to pay, kind of
livelihood project and subject to availability of funds to be concurred by the
Sangguniang Bayan.
It is provided in the ordinance that
the loan shall be secured through co-makers who are permanent employees of the
municipal government. The co-maker shall assume the payment
of the loan including interest and surcharges the moment the
loan shall have become due and demandable as based on the schedule of
payment of monthly amortization. --
Juliet B. Saley
Ifugao ‘reflection camp’ brings hope to druggies, families
KIANGAN, Ifugao -- The Ifugao Reflection Camp (IRC) at Tiger
Hill in this historic town offers new hope to drug surrenderees and their
families.
Jane, 35 and Mary, 26 (not their
real names), spouses of two campers (drug surrenderees) in the IRC said through
reformatory activities at the center; attitudes of their husbands have changed.
Jane narrated that before her
husband entered the IRC, he just leaves the house without any. word leaving her
and the children wondering where he is. Now, he discloses his whereabouts and
what time he will come home.
His stay at the IRC entails
sacrifices with Jane doing all the work to support the family but she is not
complaining for the sake of her husband’s sincere reformation for
them to have a happy family.
Mary, on the other hand, shared that
her husband is now participating in community activities and going to chapel to
worship.
“We are thankful to those who
contributed to the successful establishment of the IRC that would help our
husbands, brothers and relatives to have straight paths for the benefit of our
families and the community as well,” they said in an interview.
They cited importance of
family support system for drug surrenderees in their quest to
reform for a better life, family and drug-free community.
The IRC is a half-way house that
provides drug abuse behavioral therapy, whose results determine the next
disposition of the surrenderers.
It was established by the provincial
government last year following the surrender of many drug users and pushers in
the province with the intensified war against illegal drugs
of President Rodrigo Duterte. Its supervision and
operationalization is a hands-on joint effort of the line agencies that
comprise the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council.
Upon entry into the IRC, a drug
surrenderee avails of temporary confinement and is given food and water,
medical assistance including drug test, health and fitness therapy and
counseling.
Unless immediately referred for
court-ordered rehabilitation or charged in court by the Philippine Drug Enforcement
Agency, Philippine National Police, a surrendered stays in the camp for six
intermittent rounds of six days each. Between each round, he is returned to his
residence and placed under the custody of municipal or barangay anti-drug abuse
council for three weeks.
Department of Social Welfare and
Development Assistant Secretary Jose Antonio Hernandez recently visited the IRC
to observe the processes for possible national application. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon
PCO exec promotes Panagbenga integration into ASEAN
BAGUIO CITY -- A Malacanang
official is promoting integration of internationally-accredited
Baguio Flower Festival into the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
community.
“We are partners for change, we only
will not engage other regions of the Philippines - we will be one with ASEAN.
We can engage the world,” Presidential Communications Office Assistant
Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said during Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga
opening program at the Athletic Bowl last week.
Banaag said the Panagbenga, now on
its 22nd year, can be among the pride of the country to the
ASEAN community for having reached international standards and being the only
local festival accredited by the International Festival and Events Association.
-- Carlito Dar
PCOO to strengthen govt, media presence nationwide
BAGUIO CITY -- Government media
organizations will be strengthened to bring the government
closer to the people.
Officials of Presidential
Communications Operations Office told Mayor Mauricio Domogan this
development during their courtesy call to him at the Baguio City
Hall last week.
PCOO Assistant Secretary for
Operations Marie Banaag said they are working with government media entities to
upgrade equipment and services that will strengthen the presence of the
government media nationwide.
“There is a need to strengthen and
improve the facilities and enhance operations of the government media and the
communications arm,” said Banaag.
The government media organization
includes the Philippine Information Agency, Philippine News Agency-News and
Information Bureau, People’s Television (PTV) and the Bureau of Broadcast (BBS)
which carries the Radyo ng Bayan station.
PTV General Manager Dino Apolonio
and BBS Director Rizal Giovanni Aportadera, Jr. said they are improving their
facilities nationwide including that of the Radyo ng Bayan Baguio particularly
its broadcast system. There is also a newly-built PTV
station in Baguio City which will cater not only Cordillera
but rest of Northern Luzon .
The PTV and Radyo ng Bayan
management also offered their facilities and programs to the different
government offices including the local government units for them to bring
closer the services of the government to the people.
At present, Radyo ng Bayan Baguio is
hosting the weekly Ugnayan Media Forum with Mayor Domogan which is aired live
every Wednesday.
Aportadera urged government agencies
to plug their various programs and services and to even have programs over RnB
for wider dissemination.
Once the PTV –Baguio
station goes on air, there will be TV programs with government
offices and local government units aside from the usual news reports and
feature stories, Apolonio bared.
Banaag added that the strengthening
of the government media is also part of the advocacy of the PCO with the
Philippines chairing ASEAN this year.
The PCOO officials were in town
for the Baguio leg of the PCOO- ASEAN Roadshow as part of the
information education communication campaign to engage the various
sectors, increase awareness and appreciation and entice participation to
ASEAN and other agency programs.
The PCOO as the communication arm of
government is the lead committee on media affairs and communications in
spreading awareness and educating the public on ASEAN and the country’s
chairmanship of ASEAN 2017. -- Redjie
Melvic Cawis
ASEAN - PCOO Roadshow goes to Baguio; issues
tackled
BAGUIO CITY -- Secretary
Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations
Office (PCOO) led an information, education
campaign here Feb, 2-4 focusing on their office programs. Dubbed
2017 ASEAN-PCOO Roadshow, this will focus on Philippines
chairmanship of the 2017 Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2017, Freedom of Information, and Presidential Task Force
on Media Security.
As the government’s communication
arm, PCOO is heading the IEC campaign on the country’s hosting of ASEAN 2017.
The roadshow featured two fora on
Feb. 3, a multi – sectoral forum at Hotel Elizabeth and youth/communicators forum at Benguet Electric
Cooperative conference hall.
In the forum, Department of Foreign
Affairs Director Florida Ann Camille Mayo presented the country’s chairmanship
of ASEAN 2017 while provisions of Freedom of Information order was be presented
by PCOO Undersecretary Kristian Ablan.
Usec Jose Joel Sy Egco, Executive
Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security tackled
Administrative Order No. 1 and
Protection of Journalists while Princess Pebbles Duque and
Carlos Munda discussed “new media
communications for participatory governance.”
PCOO Asst. Secretary Marie Rafael –
Banaag presented “development and formulation of domestic and foreign
information and news and print platform.
In between of events, Andanar and
other PCOO officials met Baguio media and national correspondents in a forum.
On Feb. 4, the Secretary
together with Philippine Information Agency Deputy Director
Gregorio Angelo Villar, Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Rep. Mark
Go graced launching of the ASEAN Kiosk at SM City Baguio.
On the same day, presidential
spokesperson Ernesto Abella talked on Project 181 Days: workshop on
presidential messaging and communication for social media, journalists and
media workers. -- Carlito Dar
SSS
Abra shares good news to its members
BANGUED, Abra -- The
Social Security System (SSS) office here said initial P1, 000 pension
hike for members would take effect this January.
President Rodrigo
Duterte approved earlier this month an across-the-board pension increase
of P2,000 to benefit more than two million SSS pensioners
with the initial P1,000 effective this month and another P1,000 in
2022 or earlier. Along with the President’s decision to increase pension
was the instruction for SSS to incorporate reforms to ensure sustainability of
the pension fund.
It’s possible to
happen because they won’t promise it if they can’t, stressed SSS Provincial
Manager Edward Urua following reactions pension hike is highly improbable
to materialize sooner because it may cut down SSS fund life in 10 years if not
accompanied by higher contributions.
On calamity assistance
loan, Urua said they are still waiting for go signal from the National Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Council before they can allow their members who
are victims of typhoon Lawin to apply for a loan. -- Ginalyn B. Brioso
Ifugao town shares
good practices in ALS program
KIANGAN, Ifugao --
Networking among stakeholders and municipal government’s investment of
resources in implementation of Alternative Learning System (ALS)
program were among the best practices of the local government of Kiangan.
Municipal Social
Welfare and Development Officer Mario Indopia representing Mayor Joselito Guyguyon
shared the town’s best practices in 2016 under the ALS program at Schools
Division Office here. The event was conducted to appreciate LGUs actively engaged in developing learners
under the ALS programs.
Indopia said the LGU
showed its commitment by allotting financial support to the ALS from its
Special Education Fund and its 20% development fund. It also helped in
advocacy of ALS programs and projects, provided data of out-of-school-children,
out-of-school-youth and out-of-school-adults which assisted the ALS
implementers in their mapping and appropriate intervention.
The LGU also
participated in the strategic planning and maintained strong and effective networking
with ALS implementers and other stakeholders.
Last year, there were
193 learners in the municipality who passed the Secondary Level ALS Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test, 95 were
trained on livelihood skills with 25 engaged on soap making, 33 on corsage
making and 37 on detergent making.
ALS program
coordinator for Ifugao Arsenio Yongoyong cited Kiangan officias for their cooperation.. -- Daniel
B. Codamon
Youth participation in Baguio disaster
programs proposed
BAGUIO CITY – The City Council
approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing youth
participation and representation in local disaster risk reduction and
management in the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor
Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated there shall be a youth representative in the city
and barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils and the National
Youth Commission (NYC), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) City field office, shall formulate the guidelines for
the selection of the youth representative.
Under the proposal, the
qualifications of the youth representative to the said councils are: not
necessarily college graduate but underwent training and have experience in
disaster risk reduction and management or climate change actions, and is
willing and capable of serving as a member of the councils; a member of a
community-based organization, preferably those that have disaster risk
reduction engagements or have worked with the NYC; at least one year residency
in the barangay to help ensure familiarity of the barangay he or she will
serve. -- Dexter A. See
4
Abra LGUs use SGLG incentive for infra projects
BANGUED, Abra -- More
infrastructures are set to be built or improved in at least four towns in the
province using the Performance Challenge Fund.
Department of Interior
and Local Government provincial director Millicent B. Cariño said the P3
million incentive as Seal of Good Local Governance awardees was released
to four out of six municipal government unit awardees in Abra last year.
All four LGUs have programmed PCF for infrastructure projects.
San Juan Mayor
Meynardo Arthur Bautista said they will use their PCF for concreting of the unfinished portion of their
municipal access road in Barangay Bayog to Supiil and Nangobongan to
Abualan.
Mayor Robert
Victor Seares, Jr., of Dolores said their P3 million will be used for concreteing of canals in Poblacion.
In Bucay, Mayor
Bernadette Cardenas-Baroña said they will construct a multi-purpose hall
in South Poblacion.
For Peñarrubia, Mayor
Jane Mamsaang-Cecilia said their PCF was programmed for
farm-to-market road and construction of spillway and stone masonry.
The Tayum and La Paz
are yet to receive their PCF, Carino said. -- Maria Teresa B. Beñas
OCD-CAR
honors 2016 Gawad Kalasag
awardees, partners
BAGUIO CITY -- The
Office of Civil Defense recognized exemplars and partners in disaster risk reduction and
management efforts and actions in Cordillera during the 2016 GawadKalasag
awards night here at at Camp John Hay Jan. 18.
The regional
awardees were University of the Cordilleras – Best School DRRM; La
Trinidad, Benguet and Luna, Apayao – first and second place
respectively in the Best Municipal DRRM 1st to 3rd class category;
Municipality of Tublay, Benguet for best Municipal DRRM – 4th to 6th
class category; Baguio – Benguet Public Info and Civic Action Group as Best
Volunteer Group; Tuba Fire Station as Best Government Emergency
Management Service, with Baguio City EMS at second place.
Baguio City is the best DRRM for the highly urbanized city category and Apayao
as the best Provincial DRRM and Mountain Province at
second place.
For the DRRM
Commitment Awards (individual category), recognized were Benguet DRRM
coordinator for Department of Education Nerissa Barbosa; Tublay MDRRMO Abner Lawangen;
Licuan-Baay, Abra MDRRMO Erosbon Sabedo; Mountain Province PDRRMO Edward
Chumawar; La Trinidad MDRRMO Yoshio Labi and Police Regional Office Deputy
Director for Operations, PSSupt. Angelito Casimiro.
OCD also gave
recognition to 30 government agencies and organizations, private institutions
and volunteer groups for their valuable contribution in the DRRM advocacy and
efforts last year especially during the onslaught of super Typhoon Lawin.
Assistant Secretary
Kristoffer James “Toby” Purisima, OCD deputy administrator for admin-
operations cited importance of awardees’
work and leadership.
Gawad
Kalasag’ (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) is an
annual award that is given to individuals, non-government organizations,
private sector and government organizations in recognition of their
initiative in helping the Filipino government uplift the standard of disaster
management in the country. -- Carlito C.
Dar
OSG wants to improve caliber
of solicitors
Solicitor General Jose Calida bared his plans
to improve the caliber and quality of solicitors under his watch.
He said he is inviting
the brightest lawyers to join the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
“We have embarked in a
campaign to lure the best and the brightest lawyers in the Philippines to join
us,” Calida said in a press briefing in Malacañan on Jan. 19.
“If you have friends
who are valedictorians or topnotchers of the Bar exams, please endorse them to
us because we will accelerate their entry from associate solicitor I to
associate solicitor III. And we have capacity-building seminars and
conferences. We send our solicitors abroad to study the recent trends in law
especially now the arbitration law,” he said.
“Of course, our main
mission here is to defend the Republic of the Philippines from its enemies
whether internal or external,” he added.
Calida said that the
OSG needs to increase its manpower, considering the cases that are filed in
court every day.
“We are still
short of the minimum number of assistant solicitor generals,” he said.
According to Calida, among the recent
accomplishments of the OSG include the West Philippine Sea case.
“This case is
the crowning glory of international law and the law of the seas as well as the
rule of law,” he said.
In the same press
briefing, meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella welcomed the Asia
Business Outlook survey for 2017, which showed that 39.4 percent of the
respondents said that they will increase investments in the country as compared
to the 4.3 percent who said that they will reduce levels.
“We continue to look
at the Philippine socio-economic political landscape and note that based on
evidence, there were business [that] seems to be affirming the administration's
aggressive efforts on nation-building,” Abella said.
“The Duterte
administration's economic pronouncements appeared to be clear and consistent
and want to achieve an economic growth that's not only robust and sustainable
but actually inclusive for more Filipinos,” he said.
Just this week, the Palace official had
announced that more foreign banks have expressed interest to enter the
Philippines this year, which is expected to help potential investors to set up
shops in the country.
The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) has also said that the Philippines is expected to maintain
its strong GDP growth momentum registered in 2016 into 2017 at a pace of 6.8
percent.
In the same press briefing, Abella said the
Department of Education (DepEd) is set to release 977 million hardship
allowance for teachers.
“Teachers assigned to
multi-grade classes, mobile teachers and alternative learning system
coordinated is set to receive the respective special hardship allowances (SHA)
amounting to 997,405,080,” Abella said.
The Palace official
said the incoming SHA covers a total of 14,896 recipient schools for teachers
assigned in hardship posts and multi-grade classes; and 2,395 recipient school
districts and community learning centers, CLCs, or for mobile and ALS teachers.
“The allowance
of teachers assigned in hardship posts is computed based on the distance from
the nearest point of available transport, which corresponds to a certain
percentage of their basic salary,” Abella said.
Hardship posts include
schools with transport inaccessibility as well as those that are in difficult
situations such as exposure to calamities and armed conflicts.
“Computation of
the allowance from multi-grade, mobile and house coordinators are based on the
number of classes or learning levels that the teachers handle,” Abella added.
Likewise, in the same
briefing, Abella said Filipinos can now use the improved and widened radial
road or R-10 as an alternative route to EDSA via Bonifacio Drive and
RoxasBoulevard.PND
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