INSPECTION. Enforcement personnel of Bacolod City Legal Office inspect earlier this week a water refilling station and issued a notice of violation and temporary closure.The city government has been inspecting water-refilling stations without permits since last year amid the continued cases of water-borne diseases in the city. (Contributed photo) BACOLOD CITY - The city government here has been inspecting water-refilling stations without permits since last year and will soon enforce closures if they still fail to comply amid the continued cases of water-borne diseases in the city. As of Friday, more than a hundred businesses selling drinking water had been issued final notices of violation and temporary closure in October 2022, based on the records of the City Legal Office (CLO). "If they have no requirements, they will be closed down," Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday. City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said personnel have been assigned to check the comp
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. (Screengrab from PRO 3 Facebook live video) MANILA - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the peace and order situation in the country is stable as he allayed public fear amid the reported abductions and killings in the past few weeks. Speaking at the Police Service anniversary celebration at the Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon) headquarters in Pampanga on Thursday, Azurin said the PNP's crime data has shown a steady decline in crime trends over 12 years since 2010. He said the Peace and Order Indicator or the sum of both index and non-index crime cases has been decreasing since the start of the administration of the late president Benigno Aquino III. "A decrease of 5.85 percent is noted comparing President PNoy and President (Rodrigo) Duterte's administration. Likewise, a decrease of 45.24 percent is recorded in PBBM's (President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s) administration as
(Contributed photo) MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has acknowledged that there may be a need to import sugar to stabilize domestic prices of the commodity but noted that the Philippines may only need 150,000 metric tons (MT), half of the 300,000 MT earlier proposed by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). In his weekly vlog uploaded on Sunday night, Marcos said the government may import up to 150,000 MT of sugar if the supply is depleted by October. "Maari bandang Oktubre, baka 'yung supply na nandito sa Pilipinas ay pa-ubos na. Baka sakali ay kailangan natin mag-import pero kakaunti lang. Hindi kasing dami ng kanilang sinasabi dati na 300,000 [metric] tons. Eh siguro malaki na 'yung 150,000[metric] tons para sa buong taon na ito (There is a possibility that by October, our supply in the Philippines will be depleted. We might need to import, but only a few, not as much as the[metric] 300,000 tons they said before. Perhaps 150,000[metric] tons would be good fo
INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS. Sugar Regulatory Administration board member Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. (2nd from right) with Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (center) and Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc. executives Jose Ma. Montinola, Bernard Trebol, and Francis de la Rama at the Bacolod Government Center on August 6, 2022. On that day, Benitez administered the oath of Valderrama, who was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as the planters' representative to the SRA Board.(Photo courtesy of Archie Rey Alipalo) BACOLOD CITY - Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board member Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. has thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for allowing him to serve the sugar industry. In a statement on Wednesday, Valderrama, a Negrense who openly supported former vice president Leni Robredo's candidacy in the presidential polls, said he accepted the call to become part of the SRA to help unite the industry amid the difficult times. "
(File photo) MANILA - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Thursday Republic Act (RA) 11709 will allow continuity in all campaigns and programs implemented by the military. "We can expect that there will be continuity in the campaigns that we are implementing. The AFP supports it because it will support the professionalization of the Armed Forces, further professionalization, we can prevent (the) revolving door scheme and therefore we can also retain who is the best among us in the service," AFP acting spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in a press briefing. RA 11709 which took effect on July 1 is formally known as "An Act Strengthening Professionalism and Promoting the Continuity of Policies and Modernization Initiatives in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, by Prescribing Fixed Terms For Key Officers Thereof, Increasing the Mandatory Retirement Age of Generals/Flag Officers, Providing for a More Effective Attrition System, And Promoting Funds Therefor&q