Investments in Bangsamoro have reached about PHP3.5 billion since the start of 2024, Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
He cited the improving peace and security situation in the region for the figure that already surpassed the BARMM target for the year by 42 percent and the total PHP3.1 billion worth of investments in 2023.
Pendatun said investors are now seeing the potentials of BARMM as an investment hub.
“What we were able to record from 2019 to 2023... if you’re going to compare that to the ARMM (Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao), triple iyong laki compared to what was generated in 20-plus years of experience or existence noong ARMM (investments grew thrice than what was generated in the 20-plus years of existence of the ARMM)” he said.
He said the region has already welcomed more than 558,000 tourists, at least 1,394 of whom were foreign nationals.
“Several years back, parang imposible pong isipin na dadalawin kami ng atin pong mga foreign tourists. But nowadays,
they’re showing iyong interest at saka iyong boost doon sa atin pong (it seemed impossible that we will be visited by foreign tourists. But nowadays, they're showing interest and it boosts our) local economy,” he said.
BARMM INVESTMENTS. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun speaks at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City on July 20, 2024. Pendatun said investments in Bangsamoro have reached about PHP3.5 billion since the start of 2024. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald Alfiler)
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and Meralco executive vice president and chief operations officer Ronnie Aperocho signed on July 17 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on developing power infrastructure to efficiently deliver electric services to 4PH project
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program gained further traction after the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) signed an agreement with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to energize its projects.
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar (File photo)
sites within the company's areas of coverage, according to a press release on Saturday.
In his message, Acuzar noted that beyond constructing affordable and quality housing,
4PH seeks to enhance the living conditions of many Filipinos, particularly the underprivileged, by providing decent shelters in sustainable communities, complete with the basic services the residents would need.
“We view our collaboration with Meralco as a significant leap toward our mission. Meralco’s commitment to provide reliable, safe, and efficient electric services to Metro Manila and nearby provinces directly contributes to the betterment of housing communities in major urban areas in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Meralco committed to
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law the New Government Procurement Act (Republic Act 12009) and the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act or AFASA (RA 12010) in a ceremony in Malacañan Palace on Saturday.
technology to defraud fellow Filipinos, causing not only personal economic loss through them but also a loss of trust in financial institutions,” Marcos said.
“It will protect our people from falling prey to perpetrators who target their banks and e-wallet accounts.”
The measure authorizes the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to investigate cases and apply for “cybercrime warrants and orders” with respect to electronic communications used in any violation of the law.
The law gives the BSP limited authority to examine and investigate bank accounts, e-wallets, and other financial accounts involved in the prohibited acts.
Moreover, it imposes responsibilities on BSP-supervised institutions to employ adequate risk and fraud management systems to ensure that their clients’ financial >>> READ MORE
The New Government Procurement Act updates RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and streamlines the procurement process from three months to 60 days.
The new law standardizes procurement forms and institutionalizes electronic procurement.
One of its salient features is the provision of 11 new modalities of procurement, which Marcos said affords greater flexibility for government agencies in choosing how to best acquire goods and services.
The law also introduces the “most economically advantageous responsive bid” concept, allowing for rated criteria in selecting a winning bidder.
“This is actually an attempt to consider not only the purely qu
economic value of any proposal as an alternative to the prevailing practice of which we now do of choosing just the cheapest product, or what we call the lowest calculated and responsive bid,” Marcos said in his speech.
“This frees us from the obligation of selecting the lowest price bid when there is a better choice. This will ensure that we get not only the best prices but the best deals for our clients – the Filipino people.”
Meanwhile, AFASA is seen to combat surges in crimes, involving online scams.
This new law prohibits and punishes financial crimes, such as acting as money mules, performing social engineering schemes, and committing economic sabotage.
“This is essential in this time as cybercriminals use
NEW EDUCATION SECRETARY. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (left) administers the oath of office to newly appointed Education Secretary Sonny Angara at Malacañan Palace on Friday evening (July 19, 2024). The President appointed Angara to lead the Department of Education after Vice President Sara Duterte tendered her resignation from the Cabinet post in June. (Photo courtesy of PCO)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administered the oath of office to newly appointed Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara at Malacañan Palace on Friday evening, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Saturday.
“Welcome to the Cabinet,” Marcos told Angara after his oath-taking, according to the PCO.
The President said Angara’s oath-taking formalizes his position in the Cabinet.
He expressed confidence and optimism regarding the new leadership in the Department of Education (DepEd).
“We are looking forward to many good things to come from his appointment. We have had some discussions before he took his oath to give ourselves a good >>> READ MORE
NO TO DIVORCE. A tarpaulin is displayed outside the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City in this file photo. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said in a press conference on Saturday (July 20, 2024) that parish churches in the Archdiocese of Cebu have so far gathered 122,000 signatures from Cebuanos opposed to the passage of the divorce bill. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)
he Archdiocese of Cebu has so far gathered 122,000 signatures from those opposed to the passage of the divorce bill.
In a press conference on Saturday, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the Roman Catholic Church here was elated to learn that more people are affixing their signatures to the “Yes I Do To Marriage, Yes To Family, No Divorce” signature campaign in 170 parish churches in the province.
“Many other countries admire the Philippines [where] love is reciprocated with love and that Filipinos commit to a relationship for life,” the prelate said.
Msgr. Raul Go, head of the Cebu Archdiocesan Matrimonial Tribunal, echoed Palma’s statement, saying Filipinos “still hold on to what marriage is designed for.”
“It is something to be proud of and not to be ashamed of,” Go said, citing anecdotes from foreigners wanting to have Filipino wives because they stick to marriage until death.
Priest activist Carmelo Diola said that the archdiocese expected only 100,000 to sign the manifesto but thousand more showed up in churches to sign.
Cebu has over four million Catholics and 170 Catholic churches.
Palma also invited Cebuanos to join the prayer rally in the afternoon of July 26, beginning with a testimonial walk from Fuente Osmeña Rotunda to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
Talks and prayers will be held before a Holy Mass for the Filipino family.
The House of Representatives approved on May 22 House Bill 9349 or the proposed Absolute Divorce Act with 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes and 20 abstentions.
The bill is pending in the Senate.
Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, author of the House bill, said the passage signifies a significant shift in societal attitudes towards marriage and relationships.
By legalizing divorce, Lagman
author of the House bill, said the passage signifies a significant shift in societal attitudes towards
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is now preparing for the upcoming first parliamentary elections scheduled in 2025, a BARMM official said on Saturday.
“Iyon pong BARMM sa ngayon, we are preparing for the first parliamentary elections in 2025,” Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun told the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
CABSEC Pendatun said the anticipation and participation are high in BARMM.
As of Saturday, 16 political parties have registered under the Bangsamoro Commission on Elections (Comelec), Pendatun said. “We expect they will have a significant participation sa darating na parliamentary elections.”
Pendatun said voter’s education
and information campaigns are in full swing to raise public awareness on the upcoming first parliamentary elections.
“Dahil admittedly, our public ay hindi pa po ganoon kataas iyong level of understanding doon po sa changes from the regular elections before at sa ganito pong first parliamentary elections,” he said.
Almost PHP10 million in government aid was extended to indigent families and farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in 15 municipalities in Sorsogon province during the “Lab for All” caravan led by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos early this week.
In a report on Saturday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 5 (Bicol) turned over PHP7.8 million worth of interventions while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) granted PHP1.8 million in financial assistance to individuals in Sorsogon.
The DA-5 distributed 500 grafted pili seedlings, 3,000 packets of vegetable seeds, 100 bamboo planting materials, and 2,500 copies of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to 10 FCA
They also received a “Lab for All” Livelihood Package, which includes 48 ready-to-lay pullets, 1 egg machine cage to house 48 pullets, 8 bags of poultry express feeds, 1 disinfectant, 1 liter of multi-vitamins, and 100 grams of antibiotics.
The beneficiaries of the livelihood package are the Gimagaan Indigenous People’s Farmers Association of Donsol; Barangay Gogon Farmers Association of Donsol; Pangpang Farmers Association of Pilar; Minanticaan Farmers Association of Castilla;
Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay Kuwatro (SAMBAK) of Sta. Magdalena; Barangay Fabrica Livestock Poultry and High-Value Crops Farmers Association of Barcelona; Porog Rural Fisherfolks Association of Bulusan; Alyansa kan mga Parasira sa Sorsogon of Bulan; Cabiguhan Poultry Farmers Association of Gubat; and Green Thumb Catanagan Community Farmers of Juban.
Fifteen local government units, on the other hand, were granted 200 mallard ducks worth PHP1.5 million, 45 heads of swine, PHP22,500 worth of feeds, PHP21,000 worth of piglets, and PHP6,500 animal drugs, all for distribution to qualified FCAs.
Also, eight LGUs – Bulan, Gubat, Sorsogon City, Castilla, Prieto Diaz, Barcelona, Irosin, and Sta. Magdalena – received PHP6 million worth of projects under the swine-calibrated repopulation.
Meanwhile, the DSWD, through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), released PHP2,000 each to 939 indigent individuals – 297 from Sorsogon City, 424 from Gubat town, and 218 from Casiguran town.
Apart from the cash assistance, >>> READ MORE