News Roundup 03 April 2023
Apr 03, 2023 • 5 min Read
Tolentino cautions DFA about reviving WPS oil search talks | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should take caution in reviving the government’s scuttled joint agreement with China to search for oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), amid continued intrusions of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters, Sen. Francis Tolentino said on Sunday.
“For me, [the DFA] must slow down and be prudent because this could be a trap,” Tolentino, the vice chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, said in a radio interview.
“This could be abused and result in their bigger presence [in the West Philippine Sea],” he warned, referring to the Chinese ships making unlawful incursions in the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
He said China may send more ships and personnel to the West Philippine Sea to fortify its presence in the area “under the guise” of conducting scientific marine research.
“On issues such as this, I think the Senate should be involved because this is an extension of foreign policy,” said the senator, who has a master’s degree in public international law.
Tolentino made the remarks after Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo disclosed last week that the Philippines and China had agreed to return to the negotiating table to discuss the possibility of pursuing joint oil and gas exploration.
Full Story at: Tolentino cautions DFA about reviving WPS oil search talks | Inquirer News
Manila Water sustains 24/7 water supply through contingency, augmentation projects | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) officially announced the beginning of summer, Manila Water assures its 7.4 million customers in the East Zone of Metro Manila and Rizal of a sustained 24/7 water service even throughout the Holy Week.
In conjunction with the rollout of the P181-billion Service Improvement Plan being implemented this year until 2027, the water company is simultaneously executing contingency and augmentation projects to secure uninterrupted water service to its growing customer base.
Additional sources and operational adjustments
In the months leading to summer, Manila Water has implemented measures to anticipate the spike in demand for water from customers. As an alternative source to Angat Dam, the company’s Cardona Treatment Plant in Rizal, which draws water from Laguna Lake, is currently maximizing its operations to accommodate treatment of up to 110 million liters per day (MLD), supplying clean and potable water to several towns in Rizal.
The company also tapped other auxiliary sources, such as the Marikina River through the 15 to 20-MLD Marikina Water Portable Treatment Plant and the 20-MLD Wawa-Calawis Water Supply System in Antipolo. At Laguna Lake, the East Bay Water Supply System Project Phase 1 is expected to contribute 50 MLD to the municipalities of Baras, Binangonan, Cardona, Jalajala, and Morong in Rizal.
Full Story at: Manila Water sustains 24/7 water supply through contingency, augmentation projects | Inquirer News
‘NBI barred me from seeing Degamo slay suspect’ | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The legal counsel of one of the suspects tagged in the assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo has claimed that he was barred entry by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to the agency’s compound in Ermita, Manila last Saturday supposedly to speak with his client.
Former Department of Justice (DOJ) undersecretary Reynante Orceo said the NBI did not allow him to see and talk to his client, Marvin Miranda, and was told the case investigation was “under process.”
“I asked what ‘under process’ means, they said ‘secret.’ I said is there a secret in an investigation?” Orceo said in English and Filipino in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
The lawyer added that he was passed on to other agents in attempts to reach his client and waited for two and a half hours.
Orceo learned that Miranda was brought to the NBI compound along Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila at around 1 a.m. last Saturday, but claimed that the arrest was unclear.
Although uncertain, Orceo expressed belief that his client is in the NBI compound.
“There was a name mentioned by the arresting officer, but I need to confirm that,” the former DOJ official said.
He added that Miranda has no warrant of arrest because there is no complaint yet against the latter.
Orceo asserted that since the arrest is warrantless, it is a ground for illegal detention.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the NBI had arrested one of the Degamo slay brains tagged as the main player in the killing, thereby claiming that the case is “99-percent solved.”
Remulla, however, did not reveal the suspect’s identity, but said he was arrested within the country, but outside Negros Oriental.
CHED to work with MARINA, maritime schools to raise training standards | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education said that it is ready to work with other agencies to improve the education and skills training of Filipino seafarers to better meet international standards.
This comes after the European Commission ruled it will continue recognizing seafarer certificates issued by the Philippines to masters and officers after the country “made serious efforts to comply with requirements.” The announcement effectively saved the jobs of around 50,000 Filipinos working on EU-flag vessels.
“CHED is ready to work with Marina and the maritime [higher educational institutions] to fully implement the needed reforms based on the areas identified by the EU in its letter to guarantee that our graduates continue to be hired in international vessels,” CHED Chairman Popoy de Vera said in a statement on Monday.
Full Story at: CHED to work with MARINA, maritime schools to raise training standards | Philstar.com
