PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Thursday that his goals for agriculture go beyond achieving self-sufficiency, and extend to making the Philippines a global leader in food production. “The work to improve our agricultural sector and improve the plight of our farmers and fisherfolk has only just begun. We need to continue to open […]
Tag: government
Gov’t signals slowdown on devolution, LGUs to take over health, welfare first
THE National Government said the functions it will immediately devolve to local government units (LGUs) are local infrastructure projects, basic healthcare, social welfare, and agricultural extension. The so-called “small-ticket” items to be shed by the National Government point to a prioritization of activities to be handed over to LGUs rather than a full-scale devolution by […]
Low NEDA review threshold seen deterring investment in local projects
INVESTORS seeking to build local government transport infrastructure are deterred by the low threshold for triggering mandatory National Government review, a feature of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law, a Senate committee hearing heard. “No foreign investor would endeavor to enter because there seems to be a legal obstacle here… While (local government units) have autonomy, in reality […]
Solon calls for national ID contract termination if delay continues
A CONGRESSMAN on Wednesday asked the administration to set a deadline and terminate the contract for national ID cards if the supplier fails to meet the target date. Northern Samar Rep. Paul R. Daza said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should order a contract review that would be made public as well as look for […]
Capitol recovers Centcom lots; 5,000 families face loss of homes
CLOSE to 5,000 households living in 10 sitios in Barangay Apas, Cebu City could lose their homes after officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) turned over the titles of 17.5 hectares of land currently occupied by the AFP’s Visayas Command headquarters in Camp Lapu-Lapu to […]
Cebu City wants P20B budget for 2023
THE Cebu City Government will push for a P20 billion budget for 2023 to strengthen the campaign of Mayor Michael Rama’s Singapore-like vision for the city, which means smart, globally competitive and disaster-resilient.With a 2022 budget of only around P10 billion, doubling the amount will require the City to improve first its revenue collection by […]
Editorial: Oplan Disiplina: Will it last?
At the height of the pandemic in Cebu City in 2020, armed police and military officers guarded areas that were placed on lockdown. The images of uniformed personnel, some of them in full battle gear, gave an impression that the enemy (which was obviously the invisible-to-the-eye coronavirus) could be killed by bullets. Or was it […]
Philippines eyeing ‘green investments’ despite tight fiscal space, Diokno says
THE government can pursue green investments despite the limited fiscal space, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno told an Asian Development Bank (ADB) conference, adding that such investments were factored in when the Philippines started drafting its medium-term goals. “All these programs are embedded in our medium-term development plan that we are designing at the moment,” […]
Philippines insists on probing its own drug war
By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter THE PHILIPPINES will pursue all legal remedies to block an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of the government’s deadly war on drugs, and ensure any suspects are tried by the local courts, the country’s chief lawyer said on Wednesday. Philippine Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra on Wednesday […]
Bangsamoro gov’t submits P85.3-B proposed budget for 2023
THE BANGSAMORO government has submitted an P85.3 billion proposed budget for 2023, up 6.8% from this year’s P79.86 billion expenditure fund for the autonomous region in southern Philippines. “This plan will hopefully transform the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region to become a better environment for our people who shall enjoy the benefits of a better economy,” Bangsamoro […]
Consolacion to assess real estate properties
THE joint inspection team of the local government of Consolacion will conduct reassessment of its real estate properties.The local government announced through its social media post that its joint inspection team, composed of the Mayor’s Office, Municipal Assessor’s Office and Municipal Engineering’s Office, will conduct reassessment after Governor Gwendolyn Garcia ordered all municipal assessors in […]
Cebu City Government to acquire 3 e-buses from Barcelona, Spain
THE Cebu City Government will acquire three electric buses from Barcelona, Spain to test the efficiency of using modern vehicles compared to traditional petroleum-powered vehicles.Councilor James Cuenco, chairman of the committee on transportation, told SunStar Cebu on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, that the e-buses will arrive in Cebu City before Christmas day.This move came after […]
India free food program for poor to cost $10 billion if extended
NEW DELHI — India is likely to extend its free food program for the poor by three to six months, CNBC TV18 reported, a move that could cost the government $10 billion more and make it challenging for it to meet its fiscal deficit target. India has spent nearly $43 billion since April 2020 on […]
Conservation NGO calls for crackdown on illegal fishing, suspension of fish imports
THE government needs to crack down on illegal fishing in municipal waters and reduce fish imports if it expects fisherfolk and marine resources to thrive, a conservation group said. “We are already feeling the pinch of a global food crisis, including decreasing national fish stock. The country’s aquaculture and marine resources should be prioritized as […]
Mayor to help resolve Eversley land problems
MANDAUE City Mayor Jonas Cortes has assured the stakeholders of the Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital and the other occupants of a 25-hectare property in Barangay Jagobiao facing dispossession that the city government will endeavor to resolve the issue on ownership of the land.Cortes made the statement Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, after the Cebu […]
Absence of port, dock construction budget reflects devolution — DBM
LOCAL government units (LGUs) are now on the hook for the construction of 36 new ports and docks in the wake of devolution, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said, in noting the absence of such funding in the 2023 budget. “Per Section 17 B item 8 of the Local Government Code of the […]
To control Butuanon, Cebu City to check haulers, quarry operators
FOLLOWING the floods that hit Mandaue last Friday, the cities of Cebu and Mandaue are working together to address the flow of water in the Butuanon River, with Mandaue looking to clear the banks of dwellers and build mega dikes, and Cebu looking to put quarry operators under greater scrutiny.Butuanon River starts in Cebu City, […]
Gov’t urged to vaccinate preschoolers
A LAWMAKER has filed a resolution asking the National Government to allow preschoolers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Iloilo Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor in House Resolution 270, she urged the government and Department of Health (DoH) to include children aged 3 to 5 in the national vaccination program. He noted that with Filipinos now […]
2022 budget 96.5% released as of end of August
THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) said Friday that P4.85 trillion, or 96.5% of the 2022 budget has been released to national agencies and local government units (LGUs) as of the end of August. The DBM’s Allotment Releases data indicate that P177.73 billion has yet to be distributed. The release rate is running ahead […]
Bill to double subsidies to state workers
A BILL doubling the monthly subsidy given to government employees, military and uniformed personnel to P4,000 has been filed at the Senate. “With the worsening inflation rate or the increasing costs of some common services and products purchased by consumers, the amount of personnel economic relief allowance received by government workers is no longer significant,” […]