Day: July 23, 2023

Rostislav Zhuravlev, a Russian war correspondent, was killed and three other journalists suffered serious injuries on Saturday as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region of southeast Ukraine, officials said. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, these journalists were filming a documentary about the use of cluster bombs by Ukraine. “On July 22, 2023, at about 12:00, the AFU (armed forces of Ukraine) units launched an artillery strike on a group of journalists from the Izvestia News Center and the RIA Novosti news agency, who were preparing materials about the artillery shelling of the AFU with cluster munitions of settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region. “As a result of the APU strike with cluster munitions, four journalists were injured of varying severity,” the ministry said. However, Zhuravlev, who was associated with RIA Novosti, later passed away from his wounds. In a separate statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “everything points to the fact that the attack on the journalistic group was no accident.” The spokeswoman alleged that the relevant international structures “will turn a blind eye on the heinous crime, which makes them complicit in the terrorist lawlessness of Kyiv.” “The silence of such institutions does not mean that evil has been granted an indulgence for murder and the desire to drown out an inconvenient truth. Those guilty of the brutal massacre of a Russian journalist will inevitably suffer the punishment they deserve,” she stressed. She also said the responsibility for the killing also lies with those who supplied Ukraine with cluster munitions.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) here is on high alert for possible protest actions during the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday, coinciding with the kickoff of the three-day nationwide strike organized by Metro Manila-based transport groups. Col. Noel Aliño, BCPO director, said on Sunday that “Team BCPO is 100 percent ready for the SONA.” “The civil disturbance management team is on standby and ready for any untoward incident. BCPO will exercise maximum tolerance and ensure the safety and security of Bacolodnons,” he added. Aliño said that in coordination with the city government, the BCPO will also deploy vehicles to assist commuters who may be affected by the transport strike, although majority of public utility jeepney operators here have announced they are not joining the “untat byahe.” These include the Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros and the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association. The Metro Manila transport groups are protesting the Dec. 31, 2023 deadline for the consolidation phase of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, claiming they are being deprived of routes under the new local public transport route plan. City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said there is “no specific group joining the strike” on Monday. “Most of the transport leaders told us they will not participate in gratitude to the efforts of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez for helping them out in the issuance of the provisional authority (PA) from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board,” he added. In Bacolod, almost 1,300 traditional jeepneys have been granted the PA until the end of the year. Maghari said commuters who might be stranded can avail of free rides through the mobile vehicles that will be deployed by the BCPO. The Team BCPO “Libre Sakay” service will be dispatched in specific locations covered by all 10 police stations in the city. (

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Western Visayas (RDRRMC-6) on Saturday night activated the “Charlie” protocol, the highest level in emergency preparedness and response (EPR) protocols, in preparation for the possible onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Egay. In a memorandum, Office of Civil Defense-6 officer-in-charge and RDRRMC-6 chairperson Ma. Aletha Nogra directed all local DRRMCs in the region to also activate their designated EPR protocols or higher as deemed necessary. “The activation of EPR protocols shall be effective immediately,” Nogra said. These include low or Alpha for the provinces of Aklan and Guimaras as well as the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo, while moderate (Bravo) for Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces. Nogra also requested concerned agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine National Police, to deploy representatives for duty at the RDRRM Emergency Operations Center. Initial report released by the RDRRMC-6 on Sunday showed that in Negros Occidental, some 2,353 families or 7,662 persons have been affected by floods due to torrential rains in the fourth district, particularly in San Enrique and Pontevedra, as well as in Bago City. A rockslide was reported in Hinoba-an town in the south, but no casualties were recorded and a clearing operation was already conducted. As of 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in an advisory that Egay has intensified into STS while moving westward and is forecast to move slowly in the next 12 hours and accelerate west northwestward or westward until Monday morning. “Afterwards, it will turn generally northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period. Although the latest track forecast shows that ‘Egay’ will remain offshore for most of the forecast period, a close approach or landfall in the vicinity of extreme Northern Luzon is still not ruled out based on the forecast confidence cone,” the latest weather bulletin added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Transport cooperatives in Mindanao on Sunday assured the public of undisrupted services amid the planned nationwide strike coinciding with the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. During Sunday’s media briefing, Melvin Erederos, interim president of the Consortium of Mindanao Transport Cooperatives (Comtramsco), said they are not joining the strike since they are not affiliated with any transport organizations in Manila that plotted the three-day protest. “We are a group of modern PUVs (public utility vehicles) and we are not obliged to follow their call,” he said. Comtramsco is an organization of 20 transport cooperatives from five regions in Mindanao. It was organized on July 19 only in Quezon, Bukidnon. Erederos is hoping that transport cooperatives will be prioritized in the PUV Modernization Program since they were the ones who complied with the requirements. The group also called on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) not to extend the deadline for the consolidation of traditional to modern jeepneys. LTFRB has originally set the deadline on June 20, 2023. Marcos, however, extended the deadline for the PUVs to consolidate their traditional jeepneys until Dec. 31 or they lose their franchise.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Some 500,000 housing units will be built in New Clark City, Tarlac and are expected to benefit residents and workers in the former air base, families affected by government projects in the area, as well as state employees and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the construction. In a statement on Sunday, BCDA said the MOU signed by DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and BCDA chairperson Delfin Lorenzana and president/chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang, formalized the partnership under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program. ‘A city built from scratch, New Clark City is being developed with the needs of the people at the forefront of our master plan. We believe that New Clark City is one of the ideal sites for the Marcos administration’s housing program, having the potential to play a key role in addressing the housing shortage in the country,’ Lorenzana said. BCDA said that during the initial discussions, the DHSUD chief proposed the construction of 500,000 housing units inside New Clark City. Follow-up meetings between top officials of DHSUD and BCDA are set in the coming days to explore the housing plan further. New Clark City is envisioned to be the country’s first smart, green, and resilient metropolis. The 9,450-hectare greenfield development is being positioned as a world-class city that focuses on liveability and sustainability and is expected to catalyze economic growth in Central Luzon. Bingcang said that once fully developed, New Clark City will be home to roughly 1.2 million Filipinos. “With the DHSUD as our partner, the BCDA is confident that we will be able to provide future residents with integrated, people-centered, and sustainable mixed-use developments where they can live comfortably,’ Bingcang said. Acuzar said the MOU is the ‘joint answer to the call of President Marcos Jr. to assist Filipino families who continue to dream of having a house of their own.’ ‘With this MOU, the DHSUD and BCDA pool together our resources and expertise in promoting the flagship 4PH Program and help our kababayans (compatriots),’ he said. Acuzar added that the construction of housing units in New Clark City could also help decongest the surrounding highly-urbanized areas and tap the full economic potential of New Clark City. ‘There are already government facilities here, we only need to bring in population to spur economic activities. And by putting up decent yet affordable and sustainable housing units, surely, we will attract home buyers,’ Acuzar said

Source: Philippines News Agency