Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Slain Los Baños mayor Caesar Perez laid to rest, as family calls for justice
Slain Los Baños town, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez was laid to rest on Saturday, more than a week after he was gunned down in front of municipal hall on December 3.
His youngest son, Aldous Perez, said the family was still waiting for updates from the PNP and the NBI regarding his father's case.
Perez said he wanted to clarify with authorities whether his father was on the government's so-called narcolist at the time he was killed.
He said his family was offering more than P1 million for information that could help solve the case.
He called on government to help his family find the mayor's killers and clear the elder Perez's name.
"Sa atin pong mahal na Pangulo, ako ay taos pusong humihingi ng tulong sa inyo upang masolusyonan ito. Malaki ang tiwala ko sa ating Pangulo, sana po ay personal niyang pakialaman ito," he said.
Caesar Perez's remains were displayed at the municipal hall, where people paid their respectsm
At municipal hall, Perez's family and close associates spoke about him, emphasizing his kind nature and his good work as the town's mayor.
A theme throughout the day was repeated calls for justice, and demands from Perez's loved ones that the case be solved immediately.
As the day drew to a close, the remains were escorted to the cemetery where Perez was laid to rest.
Friday, December 11, 2020
LRT-1 Cavite extension now 50% complete: DOTr
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
The Cavite extension project of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) is about halfway complete according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“As of November 30, this long-awaited and highly-anticipated rail extension of LRT-1 is now halfway, with 50.54% overall progress rate,” the DOTr said in a Facebook post on Friday.
The project was 38.70 percent complete as of April 30.
In a message, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said that by December 2021, the first station of the Cavite Extension, Redemptorist Station in Baclaran, will be partially operational.
“And we’ve instructed the concessionaire, the Light Rail Manila Corporation, to target operationalizing additional stations up to MIA Station or PITX Station soonest,” Batan said.
In total, the LRT-1's Cavite extension will span 11.7 kilometers from Baclaran Station southward and will traverse eight more stations — Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station, Las Piñas Station, Zapote Station, and Niog Station.
Once complete, it will extend the existing 20-kilometer LRT-1 to 32 kilometers and boost its passenger capacity from 500,000 passengers to 800,000 passengers per day.
The extension project is expected to cut the travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor City, Cavite from the current one to two hours to only 25 minutes.
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
LGUs hinimok na magmatyag sa mass gathering sa Pasko
Taon-taon masayang sinasalubong ng pamilya ni Josefina Argoso ang Pasko at Bagong Taon.
Pero malaking pagbabago ang mangyayaring pagdiriwang ngayong 2020 hindi lang sa kanilang tahanan kundi sa marami pang mga pamilya.
Ipinagbawal kasi ng gobyerno ang mass gathering at reunion sa pangambang kumalat ang COVID-19.
"Kung 'yon ang talagang nararapat na gawin ngayong pandemic, respetuhin natin kung ano ang kautusan... para maging ligtas tayong lahat at bumalik na tayo sa normal," ani Argoso.
Naniniwala naman si Cloud Espino na posible pa ring maging masaya ang kapaskuhan.
"Isang bote kahit sa loob ng bahay muna," ani Espino.
Ayon sa Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), pinakiusapan nila ang mga lokal na pamahalaan na mag-issue ng executive order kaugnay sa pagmamatyag sa mga lalabag sa mass gathering.
"Kung may magre-report na nagkakaroon ng mass gathering sa mga bahay-bahay, baka puntahan kayo ng mga tanod or kapulisan para i-disassemble, or worse case, maari po kayong (ma-)penalize," ani DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing.
Pagdating aniya sa pagsunod sa health standards, malaking porsiyento naman ng mga Pilipino ang sumusunod, pero balewala ito kung itutuloy ang mga pagtitipon.
Ayon kay Densing, maraming hakbang para malaman kung may mga pumupuslit para makipagtipon.
"Bibigay ng directive sa mga LGU at PNP (Philippine National Police) na mag-set aside ng hotline where [the] public can report 'yung mga nagma-mass gathering, mga nagvi-videoke para mapuntahan ng mga tanod," ani Densing.
Base sa report ng OCTA Research Group, nasa tamang numero ang COVID-19 reproduction number ng bansa at positivity rate sa National Capital Region (NCR).
Pero ang ilang lalawigan gaya ng Benguet, Isabela, Bataan, Leyte, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, at Cagayan ang nakitaan ng mataas na bilang ng kaso kada araw.
Mataas din umano ang positivity rate sa Quezon province, Benguet, Isabela, at Cagayan.
Inaasahan ng OCTA ang muling pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kaso sa mga susunod na linggo, lalo na sa mga matataong lugar tulad ng NCR.
Ganoon din kasi umano ang nangyari sa ibang bansa, partikular sa Amerika at Canada, na tumaas ang kaso matapos ang Thanksgiving.
Panawagan ng grupo maging ng ibang eksperto na sana'y matuto ang mga Pilipino sa nangyari sa ibang bansa.
Sa tala ngayong Miyerkoles, umakyat sa 444,164 ang kabuuang bilang ng kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas. Pero sa bilang na iyon, 26,545 ang active cases o hindi pa gumagaling.
Inirekomenda na rin ng OCTA sa gobyerno na maaairing huwag na munang payagan ang mga conference at seminar sa mga general community quarantine area. -- Ulat ni Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/09/20/lgus-hinimok-na-magmatyag-sa-mass-gathering-sa-pasko
Ratification next step after Duterte proclaims San Jose del Monte in Bulacan a highly-urbanized city
PRESIDENT Duterte has recently proclaimed the city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan as a highly-urbanized city.
San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes said that the President, through Proclamation No. 1057, declared San Jose Del Monte as highly-urbanized city subject to ratification in a plebiscite by qualified voters in the city.
President Duterte, under Proclamation 1057 stated that under Section 453 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, the President shall declare a city a highly-urbanized city within 30 days after it has achieved a minimum population of 200,000 as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority and an income of at least P50 million as certified by the City Treasurer.
“Whereas, the population and income of the City of San Jose Del Monte have been verified and attested to by the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Finance – Bureau of Local Government Finance, respectively,” Duterte said.
“Now therefore I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby proclaim the City of San Jose Del Monte as a highly-urbanized city, provided that this proclamation shall take effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters therein, as provided for in Section 453 of RA 7160,” the President stated in the proclamation.
President Duterte’s proclamation came after the Sangguniang Panglungsod of San Jose Del Monte, through Resolution No. 2019-059-09, requested the President to declare the city as a highly-urbanized city.
“Whereas, it is a declared policy of the government to support the initiatives of local governments to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities, and make them effective partners in the attainment of national goals,” the President stated in the proclamation.
BBB program
Meanwhile, Robes with San Jose Del Monte Mayor Arthur Robes, also led the inauguration of the CSJDM Convention Center, the first convention center in the city, which is part of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
“It is expected to encourage entrepreneurship and 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,” said Robes during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center (CSJDM) in Barangay Sapang Palay last Saturday
Robes said that CSJDM Convention Center is expected to spur investments by providing the required infrastructure to encourage business, create jobs and hasten economic growth.
Located at the Activity Center in Barangay Sapang Palay, the convention center has a 1,300-capacity main ballroom, two big function rooms and four conference rooms.
Robes added the convention center “is a dream come true” as it will encourage tourism, culture and education not just for the people of San Jose Del Monte but the whole of Bulacan.
“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.
Sunday, December 6, 2020
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
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.