News Roundup 23 July 2024
Jul 23, 2024 • 4 min Read
Escudero appeals to national gov’t not to meddle with BARMM polls | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Chiz Escudero called on the national government to refrain from meddling with elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Escudero made the pronouncement in a press conference on Tuesday after political leaders from BARMM, headed by Governor Abdusakur Mahail Tan, paid a courtesy visit in his office.
“[Ito ay] kortesiyang pagbisita at nais kong gamitin ang pagkakataong ito para pumosisyon at manawagan hindi lamang sa akin – ako na ang magiging unang halimbawa. Sana huwag nang panghimasukan ng nasyonal na pamahalaan o sinumang hindi taga-BARMM ang pagpili ng ating mga kababayan sa BARMM ng kanilang mga magiging lider dito,” said Escudero.
(This is a courtesy visit and I want to use this opportunity to position myself and make a call – I will be the first example. I hope that the national government or anyone who is not from BARMM will not interfere in the choice of our countrymen in BARMM as to who their future leaders will be.)
The Senate president repeatedly clarified that his meeting with Tan and other political leaders from BARMM is not an endorsement.
Full Story at: Escudero appeals to nat’l gov’t not to meddle with BARMM polls (inquirer.net)
DOJ, PNP probe people behind ‘fabricated’ Marcos video | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Investigation is ongoing to identify the people behind the spread of a video allegedly that of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres said on Tuesday.
“We cannot identify the individual or individuals that may be involved in perpetrating the fabricated and malicious video that put the President in a bad light,” Andres told reporters in a press conference.
“But definitely, we are going to the bottom of this,” he added.
The video was played during a rally abroad while Marcos was delivering his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
Both the cybercrime offices of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted digital analysis of the video and concluded that the man in the video was different from that of the President.
“The PNP and NBI are working together towards this solution to this problem,” NBI Director Jaime Santiago said.
Santiago added the video is “the work of disgruntled people who underestimate the intelligence of our fellow citizens. They think very little of us Filipinos.”
Story at: DOJ, PNP probe people behind ‘fabricated’ Marcos video (inquirer.net)
Tulfo to seek suspension of PUVMP | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo is set to file a resolution seeking to suspend the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
During the Senate Committee on Public Services on Tuesday, Senate President Francis Escudero urged Tulfo to submit a resolution after the latter expressed concern over the allegedly failed implementation of the PUVMP.
Escudero said that he had long opposed the PUVMP, saying that it was hastily implemented. He also pointed out that no matter how much PUVMP drivers worked, they would not be able to afford the required models of jeepney.
Tulfo said he would file the resolution so that the Senate could immediately pass it.
“Ako po ay maghahain ng resolusyon para suspendihin po itong PUVMP and susuportahan naman po ako ng mga kasamahan ko sa Senado, majority, minority, and even the Senate President – then so be it,” said Tulfo.
(I will pass a resolution to suspend the PUVMP and my colleagues in the Senate support me, majority, minority, and even the Senate President – then so be it.)
The Senate President said he would help Tulfo get the required signatures
The PUVMP, a carryover program of the previous administration, is a long-delayed plan to modernize the country’s jeepney systems. However, many transport groups have opposed the measure, arguing that they could not afford it and thousands would lose livelihoods following its implementation.
Story at: Tulfo to seek suspension of PUVMP | Philstar.com
PhilHealth’s transfer of P89.9 billion legal, Congress approved – DOF | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — It was a mandate from Congress that pushed the Department of Finance to order state health insurer PhilHealth to remit its unused budget of P89.9 billion back to the treasury.
This was Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said on Tuesday, defending the agency’s order to PhilHealth.
“We are following Congress’ order. The Congress said in the 2024 budget that the DOF should be the one to issue a circular so that it could use funds that are possibly hibernating, sleeping or unused by other GOCCs. (a government-owned and controlled corporations),” Recto said in Filipino at a post-State of the Nation Address discussion.
According to Recto, at least two government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) had a combined P200 billion in unused funds, with approximately P89.9 billion belonging to PhilHealth and the remaining amount held by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).
The sleeping funds, Recto said, could also benefit the country’s growth rate by less than 0.8%, which could translate to 6,000 jobs.
He added that the DOF also checked the measure’s legality with the Governance Commission for GOCCs, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and the Commission on Audit. All three agencies said that the memorandum was legal.
Full Story at: PhilHealth’s transfer of P89.9 billion legal, Congress approved –DOF | Philstar.com
