Day: June 26, 2024

The U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights reiterated Washington’s readiness for dialogue with Pyongyang on Tuesday, as she highlighted the issue of Korean Americans with families in the North as a matter of “utmost urgency.”

Ambassador Julie Turner underscored her priority on addressing the issue of separated families, noting that many of the families are “running out of time” due to their old age.

“As we continue to message to the DPRK that the U.S. is ready to talk right now without any preconditions, we are hoping to put out there different areas, in which the North Koreans might be willing to communicate,” she said during an event hosted by the U.S. Institute of Peace to discuss how to heal the trauma of family separation involving Korean Americans.

DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“I hope they will hear us in thinking through these issues, particularly divided families and family reunifications because of the humanitarian mission undern
eath of this effort, and so we will continue to signal and message our readiness to get back to the table,” she said.

Turner said that Washington is ready to proceed with in-person and virtual family reunions by building an official, regular channel, and that it would welcome opportunities for Korean Americans to visit their ancestral hometowns in the North.

The ambassador pointed out the urgency of the issue as many families, including those in their 80s, have long been looking to reunite with their families in the North.

“At the end of the day, we are prioritizing this because no one deserves family separation. It’s inhumane and traumatic,” she said. “The clock is ticking and the reunification is a matter of utmost urgency.”

As a Korean American adoptee, Turner said she understands the “desire to return home” and the feeling of “not wanting to be too late” for family reunions.

“When I was a young college student, I did travel back to Korea to do a birth parents search. When I got to Korea, I found out
that the individual, who was listed on my paperwork as my biological father had passed away just a few months before,” she said.

“I do understand that feeling of not wanting to be too late … I wanted to just extend my sympathy and express that on the U.S. government side.”

The event took place on the 74th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War. The issue of separated families is dealt with as a legacy of the war.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

MALASIQUI: The proposed rehabilitation of the seven-kilometer Ramut-Puguil farm-to-market road project in La Union is expected to benefit at least 1,500 households and upland farmers in the province as well as those in neighboring Benguet province.

The PHP300-million Ramut-Paguil project is a seven-kilometer farm-to-market road project that will traverse directly to the villages of Ramut and Puguil in Santol town.

La Union Provincial Agriculturist officer-in-charge Sharon Veloria, in a virtual forum spearheaded by Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David on Wednesday, said three other villages in the town of Santol – – Tubaday, Sasaba, Sapdaan; another village in Sudipen; and even a village in Benguet province will benefit from the road rehabilitation.

‘Santol town is near Benguet and some farmers from Benguet prefer to bring their produce through Santol hence, the service area to be covered by this project is huge,’ she said in Filipino.

‘Aside from the fact that these are geographically-isolated and dis
advantaged areas, there are also indigenous communities in these villages or 3,234 indigenous people beneficiaries,’ she said.

Since the area is mountainous, part of the project component is the construction of slope protection on the top and the bottom part of the road network, she said.

‘There is a part of the seven-kilometer for a road opening while some parts are tire tracks or only the track for the vehicle’s wheels are concreted while the middle part of the road is still made of gravel and stones. These villages’ terrains are high and very rough,’ she added.

With the expected benefits, Governor Ortega-David called on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) to pass the necessary resolutions to have the funding for the infrastructure project.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) approved the proposal for the project, to be funded under the World Bank’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), in 2017 pending the submission of requirements such as feasibility studies, right of way clearances,
permits, and consultations with stakeholders.

Ortega-David said the provincial government is required to have a 10 percent equity but the project cannot push through pending the approval of the necessary SP resolutions, which needs to materialize before the June 30, 2024 deadline.

Once approved, the targeted completion days will be 669 days, she said.

Peace and Order

Ortega-David, who is also the chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council in Ilocos Region, said strengthening of road network and connectivity is also crucial in maintaining peace and order.

‘It is big thing since we will be able to give the people direct services and they would be able to feel the government’s presence. It is very important in peace and order since at least we know that the upland villages will not be penetrated (by anti-government propaganda),’ she said adding that it would ultimately to make the lives of the people better.

Ortega-David said this project can also open up opportunities for farmers even from other
towns and provinces.

‘I have learned that some farmers only plant for themselves and they no longer sell their produce due to high transportation cost but if this will be constructed, it would open opportunities for them,’ she said in Filipino.

The PRDP is a national project under the DA that aims to establish a modern, value-chain oriented, and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. It is jointly funded by the World Bank, the national government and the local government units.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Rain showers are likely to dampen most parts of the country on Wednesday due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the easterlies, the weather bureau said.

Caraga and Davao Region will have scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, while the rest of Mindanao will experience isolated rain showers or thunderstorms caused by the ITCZ.

“Most of the isolated rain showers and thunderstorms will occur in the afternoon or evening,” Obet Badrina of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA forecast the easterlies to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Aurora, and Quezon, and isolated rain showers or thunderstorms over the rest of the archipelago.

Flash floods and landslides are possible during moderate to heavy rains and severe thunderstorms, PAGASA added.

Meanwhile, light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas will continue to prevail nationwide.

Badrina said no weather distu
rbance would develop or enter the country in the next three days.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LAOAG: More than 18 kilos of shabu with an estimated value of PHP117 million were found floating in the waters of Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur on Wednesday morning, two days after similar items were found in another town.

According to the police report, a lone fisherman recovered the items while at sea, 16.1 nautical miles west of Sta. Maria.

In front of the public as witnesses, a forensic examination by the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Forensic Unit was conducted, taking at least six packs for random sampling. The result yielded positive.

On Monday, fishermen from San Juan, Ilocos Sur, around 58 kilometers away from Sta. Maria, found floating in the waters illegal drugs, which authorities said weighed around 23.9 kilos and has an estimated value of PHP157 million.

In a media interview, Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office director PCol. Darnell Dulnuan said a thorough investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the contraband.

The items recovered by the Ilocos Sur fishermen on both incidents appear to
have similar Chinese markings, authorities said.

‘This swift action demonstrates our dedication to combating drug trafficking and ensuring public safety in the province,’ Dulnuan said in a public statement.

With the latest discovery of illegal contraband in Ilocos waters, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has recommended the conduct of training among fishermen and residents in coastal communities to serve as additional force multipliers in gathering information.

‘The capacitation of our fisherfolk and residents of coastal municipalities is important in improving our operations,’ PDEA-Ilocos Norte provincial officer Richard Tinong said during his presentation for updates in the campaign against illegal drugs held at the provincial Capitol session hall.

He also cited the need for continuous coordination and participation of all concerned government institutions in the anti-drug campaign.

Bigger shipment not ruled out

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office (PRO) 1 (Ilocos) chief Brig. Gen. Lou Evang
elista said the recovered illegal drugs from the waters off Ilocos Sur province are likely to be only a portion of a bigger drug shipment.

In a phone interview, Evangelista said he has directed local police units to set up checkpoints to intercept traffickers who may attempt to transport the drugs by land.

‘This is the first time that we encountered such an incident. So we have also intensified our coastal operations,’ he said.

Evangelista added they are also looking into whether the incident is similar to the drug haul in Alitagtag, Batangas, where a yacht was purportedly used to transport the contraband in the province’s waters.

He said the attempt to transport the contraband may have been hampered by bad weather.

‘Baka dahil sa mga pag uulan, malalakas na pag uulan baka hindi nila nabuhol nang maayos. Siyempre malakas ang alon pagka umuulan. Baka ganun ang pangyayari (Because of the rains, heavy rains, they were not able to tie the drug packs properly. Of course, the waves are strong whenever it rains
.That’s what possibly happened),’ he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

South Korea’s industry ministry said Wednesday the country has secured US$610 million worth of investment from three U.S. companies, in a move expected to further bolster bilateral ties in emerging industries and the global supply chain.

The three companies — On Semiconductor Corp., Corning Inc., and Pacifico Energy — confirmed their investment plan during a visit by Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun to Washington, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

“The investment proves global firms’ unwavering confidence in South Korea’s potential in cutting-edge industries and the energy sector,” Ahn said in a statement.

“The government will spare no effort to support follow-up measures so that the investment can lead to cooperation in the cutting-edge supply chain and energy security between South Korea and the U.S.,” Ahn added.

In detail, On Semiconductor, which has global carmakers as key clients, plans to expand its production line launched in South Korea in October that produces silicon carb
ide (SiC) wafers with the investment.

Corning, a specialty glass maker, also plans to upgrade its production facility in Asan, 107 kilometers south of Seoul, to adopt next-generation processing technologies.

Pacifico Energy will seek to establish a major offshore windmill complex with a capacity of 3.2GW near the southwest coast, which would mark a symbol of bilateral ties in clean energy when completed, the ministry added.

Ahn was visiting Washington to participate in a trilateral ministerial meeting with the U.S. and Japan to discuss ways of strengthening three-way cooperation on supply chains and economic security.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

Cebu: The Department of Tourism (DOT) is crafting a national gastronomy tourism roadmap that will position unique Filipino dishes in each of the Philippine regions as a main motivation for local and foreign tourists when choosing where to travel.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco bared the proposed plan during the inaugural UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific in Cebu on Wednesday.

‘We view the time now as being ripe for Filipino food to be at the forefront of the top-of-mind destinations in the world for food tourism,’ she said, recognizing its potential not only in increasing arrivals but also in creating employment.

‘But we understand that this also requires a whole-of-nation approach as well as a whole-of-government approach, which is why we are now in the process of drafting a Filipino gastronomy sustainable tourism roadmap,’ she said.

Frasco said the roadmap will institutionalize government support for Philippine gastronomy and would cover efforts until 2029 once
launched.

The plan aims to protect the integrity of Filipino dishes and ensure that the government would also be able to provide support in terms of availability and quality of ingredients.

Frasco, meanwhile, assured the public that the roadmap would be ‘as inclusive as possible’ by featuring both popular and lesser-known Filipino dishes from all regions.

‘A very specific example is the Mindanaoan cuisine which reflects our heritage in the pre-colonial Spanish times, and that has been carried out from generation to generation because of the efforts of our young chefs to ensure that it is not forgotten,’ she said.

‘In the same way, if you go to the hinterlands of Northern Luzon in the Cordilleras, you will find the food of our indigenous peoples that is also very well reflected in central Philippines, as well as in other parts of the country,’ she added.

At the forum, the DOT treated over 500 local and foreign delegates from more than 40 countries to a feast of local dishes from all over the Philippines.

O
ne of the regions featured there was Caraga that showcased the mudfish bacalao and chicharon pijanga, a native white goby that can only be found in the region’s Lake Mainit.

In a separate interview, DOT Caraga Region Director Ivonnie Dumadag said food tourism allows the region to showcase what it can offer other than its famed surfers-haven, Siargao Island.

‘Caraga is popularly known for Siargao but this time we want to showcase that Caraga has more to offer beyond its waves,’ she told the Philippine News Agency.

‘The advantage of Caraga region is we are very rich in marine resources, and for foreigners, that really is their buy in. They would love to visit Caraga region because of the fresh marine products that we have not just in Siargao Island but also in the lesser-known destinations of Dinagat Island for example — it’s enjoying the place and at the same time enjoying the food,’ she added.

Source: Philippines News Agency