Alice Guo floated 'new names' in latest executive session —Ejercito
"New names" were mentioned by dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in the last
senate executive session, according to Senator JV Ejercito.
At the Kapihan sa Senado, Ejercito said there are new pieces of information from Guo that
were tackled during the closed-door session, which lasted for more than one hour.
"Meron naman," Ejercito said when asked if there are new information that were gathered
during the executive session.
(There were new pieces of information.)
"Siguro hesitant siya minsan.... Siguro by naming names, medyo natakot din siya. Tao lang.
So,there are some names that cropped up," he said.
(She was hesitant sometimes to name names because she was scared. But there are some
names that cropped up.)
For Ejercito, the senators should be patient with Guo as he noted that the dismissed mayor is
also "scared for her life."
With the previous statement of Guo that she is just a "victim," Ejercito said Guo could be
offered to become a state witness if she points to the "real mastermind" and "most guilty" in
the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) operations in Bamban, Tarlac.
"Siguro, si Alice Guo and company just [have] to... feel secured. Kasi ang target naman natin
dito to get to the bottom of it, who are really behind. This is international crime syndicate.
Talagang network ito. That's who we want to pinpoint kung sino talaga," Ejercito said.
(Maybe Alice Guo and her company just have to feel secured. The person that we want to
identify here is the mastermind. This is an international crime syndicate which involves a big
network. We really want to pinpoint the mastermind of these operations.)
During the first executive session with Guo in late September, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who
leads the Senate investigation into the illegal POGOS, said the dismissed mayor corroborated
their theory involving a "crucial personality" in the operations of POGOs.
Guo is facing charges for graft, qualified human trafficking, money laundering, and tax
evasion for her alleged involvement in the POGO hub in her town.
She is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail.
Guo was dismissed from her post as Bamban mayor in August.
The Department of Foreign Affairs canceled Guo's Philippine passport as her biometrics match
those of Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping in the files of the National Bureau of
Investigation.
Ex-Philippine President Duterte to run as mayor despite drug killings legacy
Manila, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’s former President Rodrigo Duterte registered
Monday to run for mayor of his southern home city despite his notorious legacy over his brutal
anti-drugs crackdown that the International Criminal Court is investigating as a possible crime
against humanity.
Duterte, 79, filed his papers before the Election Commission in Davao city, where he had
served as mayor for about two decades before winning the presidency in 2016. His son –
incumbent Davao city Mayor Sebastian Duterte – would run as his vice-mayor in next year’s
mid-term elections, officials said.
More than 6,000 people, mostly poor drug suspects, were killed under a massive police-
enforced crackdown against illegal drugs that Duterte oversaw when he was president,
according to government pronouncements. But human rights groups say the death toll is
considerably higher and should include many unsolved killings by motorcycle-riding gunmen,
who may have been deployed by police.
Duterte has denied condoning extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, although he has openly
threatened suspects with death and has ordered police to shoot suspects who dangerously
resist arrest.
Despite his administration’s massive crackdown against illegal drugs, Duterte acknowledged
that drugs remained a major problem. During his presidential campaign, he vowed to
eradicate the drug problem in three to six months but said after winning the presidency that
he underestimated the enormity of the problem.
Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, in a move critics said was an attempt
to evade accountability. The ICC prosecutor said the court still has jurisdiction over alleged
crimes, while the Philippines was still a member of the court.
When Duterte’s turbulent presidential term ended in 2022, he said he would retire from
politics, but he has walked back on his public pronouncements multiple times.
His daughter, current Vice President Sara Duterte, said in June that her father and two
brothers were planning to run for seats in the 24-member Senate. But the former president
told reporters in Davao city on Saturday that his frail health could not withstand the rigors of a
campaign for any national position.
Duterte has remained popular after stepping down from the presidency, but human rights
groups and his political opponents would likely campaign hard to block his return to politics.
He and his family have also been at odds with his successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,
whom he has publicly reviled as a weak leader and a drug addict.
Marcos has laughed off Duterte’s allegations and shot back at Duterte as a user of fentanyl, a
powerful opioid.
Sara Duterte resigned from her posts of education secretary and head of an anti-insurgency
body under the Marcos administration in July. It was the latest sign her alliance with Marcos
has floundered over key differences, including the Marcos administration’s high-profile
pushback against China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea.
Marcos has strengthened his country’s treaty alliance with the U.S. as his country’s territorial
disputes with China flared alarmingly since last year.
During his presidency, Duterte nurtured cozy ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping and
Russian leader Vladimir Putin while lambasting the security policies of the United States and
other Western governments.
Taal Volcano had small phreatic eruption —PHIVOLCS
A small phreatic eruption event was reported in Taal Volcano on Wednesday, the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said on Thursday.
In its bulletin, PHIVOLCS said the phreatic eruption lasted two minutes.
Phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or
on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot rocks, or new volcanic deposits, PHIVOLCS said.
A voluminous emission of plumes of up to 3,000 meters tall were observed from Taal Volcano,
which drifted to the north-northwest and northeast directions.
The volcano emitted 2,256 tons of sulfur dioxide gas on Wednesday and an upwelling of hot
volcanic fluids were also observed in its Main Crater Lake.
A long-term deflation of the Taal Caldera and a short-term inflation of the general northern
and southeastern flanks of the Taal Volcano Island were also monitored.
Taal Volcano is still under Alert Level 1, which means the volcano is in abnormal condition and
should not be interpreted to have ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.
The possible hazards under Alert Level 1 are sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions,
volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas.
People are prohibited from entering the Taal Volcano Island, permanent danger zone or PDZ,
especially the vicinity of the Main Crater and the Daang Kastila fissure.
Philippines challenges China over South China Sea at ASEAN meet
VIENTIANE, Lao PDR — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. challenged Chinese Premier
Li Qiang over recent clashes in the South China Sea at regional summit talks on Thursday, as
fears grow that conflict could erupt in the disputed waterway.
Li met the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at their
gathering in Laos after a day of discussions dominated by the Myanmar civil war.
Recent months have seen a spate of violent clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels
in waters around disputed reefs and islands in the South China Sea.
Marcos raised the issue in the meeting with Li, arguing that "you cannot separate economic
cooperation from political security," a Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meeting
told reporters.
The Li summit was largely focused on trade, and came the same day the premier met with
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said Beijing has agreed to lift sanctions on
the lucrative lobster industry.
Mpox cases in PH rise to 15: DOH
The number of mpox or monkeypox cases in the country has risen to 15, according to the
Department of Health (DOH).
Health Undersecretary Gloria Balboa announced this during the Metro Manila Council meeting
held at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by local chief executives and representatives from various cities in
Metro Manila.
Balboa stated that the new case, confirmed by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
(RITM) on September 9, comes from the National Capital Region.
Of the fifteen cases, eleven are from Metro Manila, three from Calabarzon, and one from
Cagayan Valley.
Fourteen of the cases are male, while one is female. The reported cases range in age from
twelve to forty-one years old.
“This is not alarming unlike po COVID-19, kaso hindi naman airborne, hindi nandiyan lang sa
hangin. This one is skin to skin close intimate contact ang kanyang mode of transmission,”
Balboa explained.
(This is not as alarming as COVID-19 because it is not airborne; it doesn't spread through the
air. This one is transmitted through skin-to-skin close intimate contact.)
She also reminded the public to maintain personal hygiene to avoid mpox.
“Iyong ating universal precautionary measures, yung disinfection ng mga contaminated
surfaces, hand washing with sanitizers or even just the plain soap and water. Iyong ating
proper way of washing our hands can kill po the virus,” she said.
(Our universal precautionary measures, such as disinfecting contaminated surfaces, hand
washing with sanitizers, or even just plain soap and water, are important. Proper handwashing
can kill the virus.)
Meanwhile, San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council President Francis Zamora urged the
DOH to conduct a widespread information campaign against the disease.
“Kung puwede, madalaw ng DOH ang aming mga LGU. Patawag tayo mga mayor ng townhall
meetings kung saan nandoon ang ating mga barangay officials, kagawad, barangay health
workers at ating city health officers para lang po malaman ng ating mga mamamayan,” he
said.
Marcos says P10B used for Calabarzon dev't plan from 2023 to 2024
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Thursday that P10 billion was utilized for the
Philippine Rural Development Plan of Region IV-A from year 2023 to 2024.
“Ngunit, higit pa po sa mga tulong at serbisyong ito, kami po ay patuloy na kumikilos upang
palakasin ang ekonomiya ng Calabarzon,'' Marcos said during the distribution of presidential
assistance to farmers, fisherfolk and families in Batangas.
(Aside from the aid and services, we continue to exert efforts to strengthen the economy of
Calabarzon.)
“Mula noong 2023 hanggang 2024, nakapagbigay na po tayo ng halos sampung bilyong piso
para sa Philippine Rural Development Plan dito sa Region IV-A,” Marcos said.
(From 2023 to 2024, we gave around P10 billion for the Philippine Rural Development Plan for
Region IV-A.)
Marcos said the ongoing projects in the region include the Taal Lake Circumferential Road and
the Lobo Malabrigo - San Juan Laiya Road in Batangas and the Quipot Irrigation Project and
Macalelon Irrigation Project in Quezon.
During a program at the FPJ Arena in the Municipality of San Jose, Marcos distributed cash
assistance amounting to P10,000 each to 30 select beneficiaries from the provinces of
Batangas, Laguna and Quezon.
He also gave presidential assistance to the three provincial governments – P24,040,000 for
Batangas; P17,420,000 for Laguna; and P28,810,000 for Quezon.
Several government agencies also provided various aid such as farm machineries, equipment,
fiber boats, seeds, fishing cages, etc. under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Rice
Program, Corn Program, High Value Crops Development Program, National Urban and Peri-
Urban Agriculture Program, Livestock Program and Organic Agriculture Program.
Meanwhile, in Cavite, Marcos mentioned that the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project is
nearing its completion.
''Ito po ay magbibigay ng kaginhawaan sa ating mga pasahero. Kasalukuyan na rin pong
ginagawa ang Cavite-Laguna Expressway-Cavite Segment at South Luzon Expressway Toll
Road 4 para maging mabilis at maginhawa ang paglalakbay ng ating mga kababayan,''
Marcos said.
(This will bring comfort to our commuters. The Cavite-Laguna Expressway-Cavite Segment
and the South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 4 are also under construction to give the public a
smoother travel experience.)
He also mentioned the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project, which will
mitigate flood problems in the province.
Marcos handed over financial aid to the provincial governments of Cavite and Rizal amounting
to P12,360,00 and P14,510,000, respectively, as well as P10,000 in cash assistance to ten
selected beneficiaries from each of the two provinces.
Calabarzon workers to get P35-P50 minimum wage hike —DOLE
Private sector workers in Region IV-A or Calabarzon should expect higher pay later this month
after the region’s wage board approved an increase in minimum wages, the Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Friday.
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In a statement, the DOLE said Calabarzon’s Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board
issued Wage Order No. IV-A-20 on September 1, 2023, which provides an increase ranging P35
to P50 for minimum wages in the region.
Calabarzon comprises the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
With the wage order, the new minimum rates in Region IV-A will now range between P385 and
P520 in non-agriculture sector, P385 to P479 in the agriculture sector, and P385 for retail and
service establishments employing not more than 10 workers.
Meanwhile, the DOLE said agriculture sector workers in the cities of Calaca, Batangas and
Carmona, Cavite shall receive an increase of P89.00 “due to their reclassification from first
class municipalities to component cities by virtue of Republic Act Nos. 11544 and 11938,
respectively.”
The latest rates translate to a 9% to 11% increase from the prevailing daily minimum wage
rates in the region and would also result in a comparable 23% increase in wage-related
benefits covering 13th-month pay, service incentive leave (SIL), and social security benefits
such as SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, according to the Labor Department.
Moreover, the wage order is expected to directly benefit 719,704 minimum wage earners in
Region IV-A, while about 1.6 million full-time wage and salary workers earning above the
minimum wage may also indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise
level arising from the correction of wage distortion, the DOLE said.
The Labor Department said the wage order was submitted for affirmation to the National
Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) on September 4, and was subsequently affirmed
on September 5.
The wage order is set to be published on September 8, and shall take effect after 15 days
from its publication, or on September 24, 2023.
This is the second wage order issued by a regional wage board, following the P40 minimum
wage hike approved by the National Capital Region’s Regional Tripartite Wages and
Productivity Board in June.
In Region IV-A, the last wage order was issued on May 30, 2022 and became effective on June
30, 2022.
The minimum wage hike in Calabarzon, the DOLE said, “considered the various wage
determination criteria provided under Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act,
resulted from several petitions filed by various labor groups seeking an increase in the daily
minimum wage due to escalating prices of basic goods and commodities.:
The region’s wage board —comprised of representatives from the government, management
and labor sectors— conducted a series of public hearings on August 7 in Batangas, August 9
in Cavite, and August 11 in Laguna as well as wage deliberations on August 16, 18, 23, and
September 1.
The DOLE noted that retail or service establishments regularly employing not more than 10
workers and enterprises affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters may
apply for exemption from the wage increase.
Likewise, Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) are not covered by the minimum
wage law pursuant to Republic Act No. 9178 of 2002.
In a separate statement, the Kapatiran ng mga Unyon at Samahang Manggagawa or
Kapatiran hit the P30 to P50 minimum wage increase for workers in Calabarzon as it “failed to
meet the principal demands for wage recovery and living wage of the wage petitioners in the
region which amount ranges from P100 to P750 per day.”
“Kulang ang umentong ito kahit para sa isang kilong bigas sa isang araw at ni hindi
makababawi sa nawala na at patuloy pang nawawalang halaga ng sahod ng manggagawa sa
rehiyon. Sa kabila ng increase, ang tunay na halaga (real wage value) ng minimum wage
ngayon sa Region IV-A ay P428.80 lamang,” said Kapatiran chairman Rey Almendras.
(This wage hike is not enough even for one kilo of rice in a day and won't even compensate
for the decrease in the value of wages in the region. Despite the increase, the real wage value
in Region IV-A is only at P428.80.)
Almendras said the NCR and Calabarzon wage orders will become the template for other
regions, thus, the need to shift to battle for a legislated wage hike and reforms in the wage-
setting mechanisms in the country.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
