Day: June 26, 2024

MANILA: House Human Rights Committee chairperson Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. on Wednesday warned the Philippine National Police (PNP) officers that they would be held in contempt if they would not stop taking photos of the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJK) victims’ families who were invited to the ongoing congressional probe on drug war under the previous administration.

Abante told representatives of the PNP to respect the committee after learning that police personnel were taking photos of the families of the victims during the hearing.

“Meron tayo dyan mga biktima sa labas (We have [EJK] victims there outside). And I was told that there are some police people who are taking pictures [of] them,” Abante said.

He said only members of the media can take photos of the families of the EJK victims.

“I am prohibiting any police officers to take pictures of these victims. Respect this Committee,” he said.

He directed the committee to provide a holding room for the victims and their families, who testified
on Tuesday in a hearing exclusively for them.

He earlier assured the committee would take steps to ensure the safety and security of victims and their families after they initially expressed fears about testifying before Congress.

Abante told the victims that he “fully acknowledges the fears and the reluctance that many may feel about coming forward to testify. These fears are real; they have basis.”

He said House panel “is steadfast in its commitment to the protection of our witnesses.”

“The House of Representatives is here to support you, to safeguard your rights, and to ensure your safety,” he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO: Iloilo City has designated every Saturday as cleanup and garden cultivation day in the city.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said one of the objectives of the initiative is to prevent the spread of dengue in the area.

“While the cases of dengue are not alarming, we should make sure it will not go up,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.

Treñas, through Executive Order 89 signed on June 24, ordered barangay officials to clean their respective areas and encourage their constituents to do the same.

“The Iloilo City Environment and Natural Resources Office… shall ensure the cleaning of the surrounding of each barangay, ensure the proper and continued cultivation of public gardens, and also identify, assess, and designate actual areas suitable for cultivating gardens where no public gardens exist yet,” the order read.

It will be done with the assistance of the Greening and Beautification Division under the City Mayor’s Office, City Agriculture Office, departments, divisions, and other offices of the local gove
rnment.

Treñas said he is planning to hold an annual contest for the best garden because he wanted more barangays to embark on gardening projects.

City Agriculture Office head Iñigo Garingalao said the initiative will allow residents to concentrate on gardening, which he said, in addition to promoting food security, is also good for mental health.

“It will definitely boost our campaign. It will allot time for our gardening, resulting in a better environment and greening. It will result in food on our tables and nutritious food, and it will result in community work in barangays. It will allow a space where they can relax while gardening,” he said.

To date, 71 barangays are participating in the city government’s “Jerry P. Treñas edible landscaping or JPT Ediscape” urban gardening project.

Meanwhile, 20 barangays and over 200 daycare centers will be joining the second round of container gardening this year.

The city’s agriculture office also continues to promote peri-urban agriculture or agriculture in are
as surrounding large population centers.

Several private and government offices that underwent training with the City Agriculture Office in the first quarter of this year are expected to join the urban gardening program.

“Our promotion of food security is getting popular,” Garingalao said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Wednesday awarded the reissued treasury bonds in full, fetching a higher yield.

‘The Auction Committee fully awarded the reissued 20-year treasury bonds at today’s auction. With a remaining term of 19 years and 11 months, the reissued bond series 20-27 fetched an average rate of 6.860 percent,’ the BTr said in a statement.

The reissued debt paper was originally issued on May 23, 2024. Its maturity date is on May 23, 2044.

The BTr said it raised PHP30 billion from the auction, as it was oversubscribed by 1.7 times with total tenders amounting to PHP51.1 billion. It rejected PHP21.097 billion in bids.

It added that since it awarded the reissued T-bonds in full, the total outstanding volume for the series has reached PHP52.7 billion.

‘The said average auction yield is also higher versus the 6.797 percent in the previous 20-year T-bonds auction on May 21, 2024 or a little over a month ago,’ Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said.

Rica
fort said the higher yield for the T-bonds was on the back of a weaker peso, global crude prices that nearing its two-month highs, and the more conservative stance by most US Federal Reserve System officials.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The government can save thousands of indigent Filipinos suffering from kidney problems who have to undergo dialysis, through the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) Hemodialysis Center, House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said Wednesday.

Romualdez made the statement after leading the groundbreaking ceremony for the NKTI HD Center in Quezon City.

‘Today, we are not just building an edifice. We are laying the foundation for hope, modern health care, and better quality of life for millions of Filipinos suffering from kidney ailments,’ he said.

He noted that kidney ailments are among the top killer diseases in the country, with more than 1 million Filipinos believed to be suffering from such illnesses.

Kidney patients have to undergo dialysis until they find donors for a transplant or their condition deteriorates.

‘Malaki ang magiging epekto ng proyektong ito sa buhay ng ordinaryong Pilipino. Hindi na nila kailangang bumiyahe ng malayo o kaya’y maghanap ng malak
ing halaga para lang makapagpagamot. Dito, sila’y magkakaroon ng access sa modernong pasilidad at de-kalidad na serbisyo para maibsan ang kanilang karamdaman (This project will have a big effect on the lives of ordinary Filipinos. They will not have to travel far anymore or look for large sums to seek treatment. Here, they will have access to modern facilities and quality service to ease their ailments),’ Romualdez said.

The NKTI Hemodialysis Center, also called the HD Legacy Building, is part of the Legacy Specialty Hospital Project of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

It was among the specialty hospitals built during the first Marcos administration by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, along with the Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and Lung Center of the Philippines.

‘Sinimulan po ito ng kanyang butihing ina… noong ’70s at ngayo’y ipinagpapatuloy ng ating Pangulo para sa milyun-milyong Pilipino (This was started by his revered mother in the ’70s and is now being conti
nued by our President for millions of Filipinos),’ Romualdez said.

On Tuesday, Romualdez also led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez Cancer Center at the Ospital ng Maynila (OM) compound, which is also part of the President’s legacy health care projects.

The HD Legacy Building, a 13-story edifice with a roof deck, will be built on a 2,900-square meter portion inside the NKTI compound along the Quezon City Elliptical Road.

The new facility will house and operate 200 state-of-the-art hemodialysis machines that will cater to indigent and private patients from Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The facility will also accommodate renal patients under hemodialysis with complex medical conditions and those requiring emergency care.

It will serve as a training institution complete with such facilities as a skills laboratory, lecture rooms, and auditoriums for medical and allied health care workers, especially those coming from the provinces, capacitating them in developing their t
ransplant and dialysis programs.

The HD Legacy Building will also come with a two-level parking area and is proposed to become a one-stop shop health care facility with its own Malasakit Center, admission and business area, operating room, laboratory, pharmacy, and commercial spaces.

Romualdez assured that the House would ensure funding for the three major pillars of Marcos’ legacy projects.

Aside from Legacy Specialty Hospitals, Marcos has also launched the Legacy Food Security, which aims to help farmers and make available food products at low prices, and Legacy Housing, which would provide dwelling units to the poor at an affordable cost.

‘Magkaisa po tayo sa patuloy na pag-abot ng mas mataas na antas ng serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa bawat Pilipino. Sama-sama, kaya nating makamit ang mas maliwanag at mas malusog na kinabukasan para sa ating bansa (Let us unite for the continuing efforts to provide a higher level of health services for every Filipino. Together, we can achieve a brighter and healthier
future for the country),’ he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA: A total of 7,067 farmers and fisherfolk from Antique severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon are recipients of financial assistance during the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to this province on Thursday.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary for Television Dale De Vera said on Wednesday the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisher Folks (PAFF) is downloaded from the Office of the President to help the affected sectors with their livelihood.

‘Each farmer and fisherfolk will receive PHP10,000 assistance,’ he said during a media briefing.

In addition to the cash aid, they will receive 10 kilos of rice from House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao.

There will also be a ceremonial turnover of assistance to other provinces in Western Visayas, particularly from Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, and Guimaras.

‘Throughout Western Visayas, there will be a total of 61,171 beneficiaries,’ De Vera said.

A
ntique was the first province in Western Visayas to declare a state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño.

President Marcos is visiting Antique on Thursday for the third time. He first visited the province on Nov. 8, 2022, to check on the aftermath of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng and on Oct. 6, 2023, to distribute rice assistance to Antiqueños.

Source: Philippines News Agency