Metro Manila Council says no public gatherings for New Year; fireworks displays to be regulated

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Filipinos in the National Capital Region will not be allowed to hold street parties or other public gatherings that are a staple of New Year’s celebrations, Parañaque Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman Edwin Olivarez has said.

According to a “24 Oras Weekend” report by Chino Gaston on Sunday, the MMC stressed the need for social distancing in New Year’s celebrations, and said that fireworks displays will be regulated.

“Meron po kaming bawa't isang LGU na kanya-kanyang firecracker ordinance, ‘yung firework display, ‘yun po ang ire-regulate po natin at titingnan po na tama ang paglalagyan at wala pong gathering,” Olivarez said.

The Philippine National Police also vowed to ensure that the public would not forget to observe health protocols against COVID-19.

Since 2017, powerful fireworks like pla-pla and piccolo have been banned.

The Department of Health said this led to a decrease in fireworks-related injuries.

The number of such injuries dropped to 164 in 2020 from a yearly average of 403 from 2014 to 2018, and 251 in 2019.

Metro Manila mayors earlier rejected the holding of Christmas parties.  — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/766985/metro-manila-council-says-no-public-gatherings-for-new-year-fireworks-displays-to-be-regulated/story/

San Jose del Monte now a highly urbanized city

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared San Jose del Monte in Bulacan as a highly urbanized city, subject to ratification in a plebiscite.

San Jose del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes announced the presidential declaration during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center on Saturday.

“We have long waited for this and we will work more to make us truly deserving of this proclamation for the people of San Jose del Monte,” Robes said.

The President’s Proclamation 1057 provides that cities with a minimum population of 200,000 inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority, and with the latest annual income of at least P50 million shall be classified as highly urbanized cities.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/12/06/news/latest-stories/san-jose-del-monte-now-a-highly-urbanized-city/805998/

Regional Updates (12/06/20)

San Jose Del Monte now a ‘highly urbanized city’

THE city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan has been proclaimed as a highly urbanized city, its congressional representative said over the weekend. Rep. Florida  P. Robes said the upgrade will “give full play to the development of more micro, small and medium enterprises in the city and at the same time attract more investments in commerce and industry to create more jobs.” The city’s new level, made through Proclamation No. 1057, will be subject to ratification through a yet to be scheduled plebiscite. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Over 300 illegal aliens arrested in Tarlac

MORE than 300 aliens working in the country without appropriate visas were arrested last week, Immigration Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said on Sunday. Mr. Morente said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) received information about a worksite in Bamban, Tarlac allegedly employing at least 200 undocumented aliens. “Upon investigation and verification with our agents, we immediately issued a mission order to effect their arrest,” Mr. Morente said. The operation rounded up 323 Chinese, eight Malaysians, and one Indonesian who were reportedly involved in online gamlbing, internet fraud, and cybercrime operations. All 332 are now under NBI custody pending the filing of appropriate charges and deportation. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

All Antique towns lift ban on homecomers as regular PAL flights resume, Starlite ferry service eyed

ANTIQUE province, which has one of the lowest coronavirus cases in the country at 79 with just two active and 76 recoveries as of Dec. 5, is celebrating its annual Binirayan Festival this month and all towns have lifted the moratorium on returning residents. Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao, during Friday’s opening ceremony of the month-long celebration, said Christmas “remains to be a time for family and love despite the challenges faced by the province” as she thanked the municipal governments for agreeing to open their borders for homecomers. One of the festival highlights is a bazaar and various markets at the capitol grounds in San Jose de Buenavista town featuring local entrepreneurs. “All I ask is for us to follow the health protocols as we will still be together to celebrate the entirety of this festival,” Ms. Cadiao said.

TRANSPORT

Also on Friday, the governor met with officials of Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. and its subsidiary Starlite Ferries, Inc. for the possible opening of trips to the Lipata Port in Culasi town. Starlite General Manager Shane Arante said most of their customers on existing routes from Batangas to the Western Visayas Region are from Antique, who then take additional transport to their hometowns. “Majority of passengers of Starlite are from Antique, so it’s really part of our agenda to serve Antique. After this meeting with Governor Cadiao, we are proceeding to the port in Culasi to evaluate the technical aspects of the port if the vessel we intend to deploy is safe to birth the Culasi port,” Ms. Arante is quoted in a statement from the provincial government. Chelsea Logistics President and Chief Executive Officer Chryss V. Damuy, for his part, said the planned route will also be able to serve cargo demand. “There are other businesses that also intend to expand in Antique which also need support of logistics,” Mr. Damuy said. The routes being considered are Batangas-Caticlan-Culasi or Batangas-Iloilo-Bacolod. For air services, Philippine Airlines resumed on Dec. 2 twice-a-week commercial flights between Manila and Antique. — MSJ

https://www.bworldonline.com/regional-updates-12-06-20/

Lady San Jose del Monte City solon cites HUC tag

San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan Rep. Florida Robes is savoring her district’s new highly urbanized city (HUC) tag which practically brings the city shoulder-to-shoulder with the heavyweights in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“I am very honored to announce that President Rodrigo Duterte has declared our beloved city a highly-urbanized city. We have long waited for this and we will work more to make us truly deserving of this proclamation for the people of San Jose del Monte,” Robes said during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center (CSJDM) in Barangay Sapang Palay Saturday.

“Our end-goal, of course, is to improve the quality of life of the people of San Jose del Monte. We have laid the groundwork for that and we are seeing the fruits of our hard work,” added the solon, chairwoman of the Committee on People’s Participation in the House of Representatives.

Duterte declared SJDM a highly-urbanized city thru Proclamation No. 1057. Under Section 453 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the President shall declare a city an HUC within 30 days after it has achieved a minimum population of 200,000 as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and an income of at least P50 million as certified by the City Treasurer.

The Palace declaration is subject to ratification in a plebiscite by qualified voters of the city. Of the more than 30 HUCs in the country, 16 are located in NCR or Metro Manila.

“We are now a city on the rise and I believe that we can push our city further forward through the help and support of our beloved San Joseno,” Robes said.

The CSJDM Convention Center – the first such facility in the city – is part of  Duterte’s flagship “Build, Build, Build” program. It is expected to further encourage entrepreneurship and spur the development of more micro, small,  and medium enterprises in the city.

The new convention center – which boasts a 1,300-capacity main ballroom, as well as two big function rooms, and four conference rooms – is seen to attract more investments, which would then translate to more jobs for local folk.

“We are very proud of this convention center because it will showcase who we are and what have achieved so far. We expect it to further boost economic activity in our city and bring our city to new heights of development,” Robes said, calling the structure a “dream come true.”

SJDM Mayor Arthur Robes, the lady solon’s husband, was also present during the inauguration.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/12/06/lady-san-jose-del-monte-city-solon-cites-huc-tag/