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‘Dutertenomics’ debuts in Middle East Boosts PH economic ties in Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar
‘ DOHA, QATAR—Dutertenomics, the new way to sum-up Philippine (PH) President Rodrigo Duterte’s key socio-economic agenda, which aims to widen the gains of economic development, to address inequality and to uplift the quality of life of all Filipinos, was used to describe the various initiatives undertaken in the official Middle East visits of President Duterte. PH Cabinet members reported, in a press briefing, several gains in securing the safety and welfare of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in these countries, several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and agreements in the field of education, health, vocational and skills training, economic investment and technical cooperation with the three countries that the official delegation visited, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Bahrain and Qatar from 10 to 16 April. Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the chief executive’s visits to these Middle East countries significantly strengthened the relationship between President Duterte and each of the leaders in the three nations, resulting in stronger commitment to build-up on PH bilateral trade and investments with KSA, Bahrain and Qatar. All these initiatives form part the ‘Dutertenomics’ that will create more job and income opportunities, and improve the lives of many Filipinos. These opportunities will be dispersed throughout the country, uplifting the lives of the people in the provinces and addressing inequality in the country. More trade and investments President Duterte led the discussion on how trade can be more balanced by encouraging these Middle East countries to buy more of PH products to improve the trade balance. Said countries are the main sources of oil and oil products... read moreAris, post-encounter, to Boholanos: Stay calm
By JUNE S. BLANCO REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has exhorted the Boholanos to stay calm. This after the running gunbattle on Holy Tuesday in barangay Napo in Inabanga town between government troops and members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). Aumentado said the authorities have been conducting mopping up operations against the now ragtag band to assure his constituents that “we will be safe”. He echoed Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto’s declaration that the military and the police are using all available resources for these operations to see to it that the Boholanos and visitors to this tourism destination can live in peace. Aumentado also allayed fears of vacationers who have earlier booked stays in hotels and resorts in Panglao that Napo is over 90 kilometers from the now famous white sand beach and emerald waters of the former, the go-to place hereabouts for bathing, diving, water sports and other beach activities now that summer is officially here, While there were six ASG killed in the clash, to include their leader Muammar Askali alias Abu Rami, the solon the Bohoholanos must not be complacent. The slaying of the ASG members, however, cost four lives of government troops. Killed in action were He appealed especially to those in his district, where the encounter happened, to inform the officials and the police as well as government troops should there be new faces, more so if carrying firearms or if with suspicious movements, or wounded, sighted in their respective... read more
Small Business Corp. welcomes new president
State-owned Small Business Corporation (SB Corp), the micro financing-arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), recently welcomed its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ma. Luna E. Cacanando. Cacanando’s appointment came amid the government’s step to battle loan sharks through affordable and easy access micro-financing program, the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso or P3 program of the administration. Cacanando expressed strong belief in the MSME finance advocacy as an affirmative action in levelling the playing field for young enterprises that have yet to hurdle the age of maturity and for small enterprises that lack sufficient capital to get to expand into a formal business undertaking. “We will push for MSME financing further to help create more entrepreneurs, spur economic growth that will provide jobs to Filipinos,” Cacanando said. Cacanando brings with her more than three decades of MSME development finance experience and industry expertise, mostly as a government executive. She went on an early retirement from government service in February 2016 as Senior Vice President of Small Business Corporation and Head of the agency’s Financing and Capacity Building Sector. Prior to joining SB Corp, Cacanando was Credit Manager of Guarantee Fund for MSMEs (GFSME) until its merger with Small Business Guarantee and Finance Corporation (SBGFC or SB Corp) as the surviving entity in November 2001. Fresh from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos with a degree in Bachelor Science in Agricultural Economics, Cacanando joined the then KKK-Livelihood Corporation in August 1983. Ten years later, she joined GFSME in April 1993. Prior to her appointment as SB Corp Director and election...Unli Internet Promos Misleading, Telcos May Face Sanctions
The Department of Justice issued a warning to the country’s telecommunication companies for their “misleading” and “unfair business practice” because of their imposition of data throttling when customers avail of unlimited Internet access packages. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima warned telcos that the imposition of fair usage policy (FUP) on unlimited internet service may be considered as a form of misleading or unfair business practice. It is punishable under the provisions of Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines. A fine of Php10,000 or imprisonment of five months to one year or both may be slapped. “The imposition of data throttling on unlimited internet could also be regarded as a violation of the provisions prohibiting false, misleading or deceptive advertisements, hence, deemed punishable in accordance with law,” De Lima said. The advisory was issued after the DOJ-Office for Competition received a complaint with regard to Touch Mobile’s “Astig FB” promo, which is marketed as unlimited access to...Local News/ Bohol Balita
Korte ni isyo og hold-departure order batok ni Salapuddin
SI Judge Ralph Lee sa Quezon City RTC branch 83 nipagawas niadtong Lunes og hold-departure order batok sa kanhi gobernador sa Basilan ug kongresista Gerry Salapuddin kinsa ning sayo pa lang, gi isyuhan og warrant of arrest kalabut sa tuig 2007 nga pagpang-bomba sa Batasang Pambansa complex nga nipatay og 4, apil na ni Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar. Gi isyo ang maong hold departure order human sa mando nga pagsikop kang Salapuddin niadtong Biyernes. Gisulayan apan napakyas ang kapolisan sa Basilan sa pagduso sa arrest order niadtong Sabado. Ang maong pagpang-bomba niadtong tuig 2007 nikalas sa 4 ka kinabuhi, apil na ni Akbar, ug naka-angol sa 12 ka tawo, kasagaran mga trabahante sa House of Representatives. Ang trial court nipagawas na kaniadto og arrest warrant, apan gibawi human nga nakit-an sa Justice Secretary nga walay probable cause batok ni Salapuddin. Apan gibali sa Court of Appeals ang maong ruling. Human niadto, gipasaka ni Salapuddin ang iyang kaso ngadto na sa Supreme Court....Scholarship funds for brgy dads’ sibs still uncertain
IS THERE any hope left for the scholar siblings of barangay officials? The question seemingly hounds most of the sons and daughters of barangay officials who, according to law qualifies for scholarship grants that lets them through college paying only miscellaneous fees. While there is a provision of law that mandates that, the glitch however is that the law is silent as to where the funds to pay for the grants could be taken. That means, there is a law but there is no specific funding provision incorporated in the law that would allow the annual appropriation for such to be downloaded to the state universities and colleges upon where the scholars enroll. Needless to say, students who believe they are qualified scholars are frustrated to know that there is no such budget for them. Every semester, hundreds upon hundreds of government officials send kids as scholars to colleges and universities making some schools finally reveal the situation or decide to reject granting the scholarships for the above reason. “We can not use the funds downloaded for operation and maintenance to pay for the scholars because it would affect our operational efficiency,” Dr. Elpidio Magante of Bohol Island State University (BISU) allegedly told the media. At the Kita ug and Gobernador Friday, media representatives also asked Governor Edgar Chatto what he can do to remedy the situation. Admitting he was certain the law puts no funding support to the scholarships, he said he has talked to the Commission on Higher Education and the state colleges and universities on the matter. The last time that I know, CHED has promised...Sniffing “askals” Why not?–Llorca
SNIFFING dogs, yes. But drug sniffing askals, why not? Noting that an askal (asong kalye) at Camp Dagohoy has become his daily companion in his early morning conditioning runs, Bohol’s top cop said, perhaps training a native dog to sniff out drugs and contraband goods may work out. If, without asking the dog to get after me, he regularly follows during my morning runs, then it shows that by training, the native stray dog can easily cope up with the routines. Himself feeling the concern on the proliferation of illegal drugs that could only pass through the ports from Cebu, PSSupt Rodolfo Llorca said Bohol may be in dire need of drug sniffing dogs to weed out these contraband items being shipped to Bohol. But knowing the staggering costs of acquiring imported dogs, keeping their food allocations and paying for their training and trainors, Llorca said he would like to know if training askals would be just as effective. Llorca told the media during the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis last Wednesday at the Camp Dagohoy that as a metro drug buster, he recalled the indispensability of sniffing dogs to hunt for drugs that may be easy to stash. Once, he said his men were not able to apprehend the suspect who inserted sachets of drugs in her underwear absent a search warrant. But with the succeeding raid, and with a sniffing dog in tow, police were able to confiscate the drugs as the courier knew the dog would just be as relentless as stripping her underwear off. Llorca stressed that the presence of sniffing dogs at the ports of...Fingerprint id prog picks 400 multiple registrants
DOUBLE or multiple registrants have surfaced at random and it is all because of the AFIS. Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) the program being used by the government’s poll agency in registering voters automatically matches the print traces of a single individual and raises red flags when similar fingerprint match surfaces, explains Atty Ariel Selma of the city Commission on Elections office. Because of the AFIS, more than 400 voters from Tagbilaran alone have popped red flags when their prints were cross-matched while re-registering elsewhere. Atty. Selma however was quick to add that the red flags were noted when former Tagbilaran City voters resettled and registered anew in their new precincts of choice. Most of these red flags were not deliberate as instead of just requesting for transfer of records, they re-registered so the computer program picks them out. A case he cited was for a Tagbilaranon who was demanded Comelec records in support of his employment abroad. Having been a registered voter in Tagbilaran and being in Manila at that time, the concerned instead filed for a new registration, not knowing that the computer can pick him out due to his available and valid registration in Tagbilaran, Selma narrated. Also, some of the 400 cases in Tagbilaran were traced to women who failed to request for change of status after marriage and registered instead as new voters with a different family name. Names and status, even faces easily change, but the fingerprints stick to truly identify the person, Selma said further elaborating on the peculiarity of the fingerprint as a true identifying mark of a person. There are...Rebs shift focus on regaining Lost mass base with DWACs
THE Army has confirmed the shift of the communist warfare after losing precious grounds in Bohol. According to LtCol Romeo Brawner, and goal of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Bohol is to regain its lost mass base by organizing District White Area Committees (DWAC). During the recent PPOC meeting held in Carlos P Garcia town, LtCol Brawner said the organizers are semi-legal teams who are out mascarading as “community organizers” but with the intention of raising funds to support the ongoing conflict and regain their lost mass base. The White Area Committee, Brawner said was a term coined by members of the communist movement who spilled out the information during tactical interrogations. He added that the WAC is fully capable of reorganizing the lost mass base, so that the army now is into areas where the WAC operates. We have to tell the people and communities about what these people are after so that we can stop them from destabilizing the peace and order of Bohol, Barwner said....National News
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