News Roundup 04 August 2023
Aug 04, 2023 • 4 min Read
Solon slams proposed rush hour rate: Why pass burden to commuters? | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Minority lawmaker Rep. Arlene Brosas on Friday lambasted the proposed rush hour rate that seeks to charge commuters extra during peak travel hours.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is reviewing a petition for the rush hour rate in light of rising gas prices. Brosas, representing the Gabriela Women’s Party, questioned why the burden is being passed on to commuters while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office requested higher travel funds.
“Ipapasa ang dagdag pamasahe sa mga komyuter habang ang Presidente, nanghihingi ng dagdag na badyet sa kaniyang mga byahe. Pag-aawayin pa ang mga drayber at mananakay, sa halip na pokusan ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno ang mga aktwal na problema ng jeepney phaseout at muling pagsipa ng presyo ng petrolyo,” said Brosas in a statement.
(The added fare will be put on to commuters while the President asks for more budget for his travels. Drivers and commuters are pitted against one another instead of the government focusing on the actual problem of jeepney phaseouts and repeated petroleum price hikes.)
“Why would commuters pay more for hours of inconvenience even as transport officials and the Marcos Jr. administration continue to sit idly over the worsening public transport mess? Surge pricing in PUVs [public utility vehicles] will further reduce the already low take-home pay of workers,” she questioned.
Full Story at: Solon slams proposed rush hour rate: Why pass burden to commuters? | Inquirer News
Sara Duterte seeks P2.3B OVP budget for 2024, including P500M intel fund | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s office is seeking a budget of P2,374,019,000 for its second year, based on the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the budget agency to Congress.
This amount includes the P500 million allocation for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential and intelligence fund (CIF) and is P30,000 higher than its 2023 approved budget of P2,343,891,00.
If the proposed 2024 budget of the OVP under Duterte would be approved as is, it would be more than four times what was given during former Vice President Leni Robredo’s second year in office which was P543,946,000, according to records of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Full Story at: Sara Duterte seeks P2.3B OVP budget for 2024, including P500M intel fund | Inquirer News
Legality of confidential funds does not justify its huge allocation — lawmaker | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The public should not be kept in the dark about how government agencies plan to spend their huge allocation of confidential and intelligence funds despite government rules allowing its use for classified purposes, an opposition lawmaker said Friday.
Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) argued against the “secret” nature of the CIF and criticized its huge allocations in the proposed budget for 2024.
“The existence of “rules” in the availment and utilization of intelligence and confidential funds does not justify the enormity and widespread allocations of these secret funds,” Lagman said.
Around P10.14 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) are in the proposed P5.768-trillion budget for 2024, according to a copy of the 2024 NEP and the Department of Budget and Management.
Broken down, P4.5 billion will go to the Office of the President — the largest chunk — while around P1.7 billion will be allocated to the Department of National Defense.
Vice President Sara Duterte also stands to get P650 million through both the Office of the Vice President (P500 million) and the Department of Education (?150 million). Compared to 2023, this marks at least a 500% increase in the CIFs allocated to the education department.
Full Story at: Legality of confidential funds does not justify its huge allocation — lawmaker | Philstar.com
Teachers’ group: Typhoon-damaged schools should be repaired before school opening | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A group of teachers has called on the government to speed up school repairs following the damage wrought by Typhoon Egay less than a month before classes start next school year.
There are about 169 schools across nine regions that were damaged by the combined effects of Typhoon Egay and the southwest monsoon, based on data from the education department.
“The immediate repair of damaged facilities must be addressed to ensure that teachers and students have safe and adequate facilities for the upcoming school year. The impact of conducive learning spaces on teaching and learning is significant,” said Raymond Basilio of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the country’s largest group of educators.
Based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council report on August 2, there are at least 559 damaged classrooms in affected regions and 38 municipalities with destroyed educational materials, computers, and armchairs due to recent typhoons.
Reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged classrooms will cost about P810 million, according to the Department of Education.
Full Story at: Teachers’ group: Typhoon-damaged schools should be repaired before school opening | Philstar.com
