Day: April 9, 2024

MANILA: As the nation commemorates the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla on Tuesday hailed the Department of Justice (DOJ) personnel as modern day heroes for working hard in the interest of public service.

‘Today, we commemorate the lives of unsung heroes who stood up against the Japanese forces during World War II. We are reminded of our forebears who fought for this country’s victory. You are likened to them. Each of you is a hero on your own,’ Remulla said in a statement.

‘You face the toughest battles each day not only at work but perhaps even within the solitude of your homes, struggling every moment to make each day better than yesterday for ourselves and loved ones. You have sacrificed so much of your time and your family in the interest of public service,’ he added.

Remulla said the DOJ lawyers ‘may have even defied the lure of lucrative practice to prosecute people who continue to abuse our country and people.’

He urged fellow workers of the DOJ t
o fulfill their mandates as public servants with all courage and decency.

‘Ang Araw ng Kagitingan ay para sa bawat kawani ng ating departamento na nagsusumikap na umangat sa buhay sa pamamagitan nang tapat na paglilingkod sa kapwa nang walang hinihintay na anu mangkapalit (The Day of Valor is for every staff member of our department who strives to rise in life by honestly serving others without expecting anything in return),’ Remulla said.

‘Let this day inspire us to become heroes in our own little way, the ‘modern day heroes’ of the department – steadfast to the rule of law,’ he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The primary service providers for the May 2025 midterm elections are expected to perform their best and not be lured by any attempt to taint the polls.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) awarded the Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count (FASTrAC) and the Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) projects worth PHP17 billion and PHP1.6 billion, respectively, to Miru Co. Ltd. and joint venture iOne Resources Inc.-Ardent Networks (iOne-Ardent).

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia, said Tuesday that the notice of award would be signed on Thursday.

‘Sana mapadali katulad nung sa Miru na wala na silang objections kahit period, kahit comma (Hopefully, just like in the case of Miru, there would be no objections, even a period or comma),’ Garcia said in an online briefing.

Garcia said they expect that once the contract is finalized, the service firms would provide quality services so they can join future biddings even in other government agencies.

Meanwhile, the Comelec is also
holding pre-bid conferences for the supply and delivery of indelible stain ink for 2025.

The procurement project has an approved budget of PHP89.9 million for 438,248 bottles of ink.

Prospective bids can be submitted on or before April 24.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday it has implemented cybersecurity measures following a hacking attempt on its systems over the weekend.

“Upon discovering the incident, we immediately initiated security protocols to contain and address the situation by locking all compromised accounts and servers. The IT (information technology) team is working diligently to enhance our security measures and prevent future breaches,’ the bureau said in an advisory.

The BOC said it is now determining the extent of the April 7 incident, where some of its external cloud-based online applications were breached using compromised user login credentials.

Based on its initial investigation, the agency said the following information may have been affected by the April 7 incident –name, e-mail address, company name, contact details and tax identification number.

The BOC said the incident has been reported to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinat
ing Center (CICC).

It also sought the expertise of both departments in thoroughly investigating the incident.

At the same time, the BOC advised the transacting public to take necessary precautions, such as changing the passwords of their login credentials and reporting any suspicious activity on their accounts.

‘For further information regarding this incident or any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated support team at BOC-CERT@customs.gov.ph,’ it added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to the Philippines together with a senior business delegation next week, his office has announced.

The New Zealand government said Luxon would meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and scope more opportunities for Kiwi businesses while in the country.

His Manila visit is part of his three Southeast Asian-nation tour from April 14 to 20. Luxon will be coming from Singapore and Thailand.

‘The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the region and expected to be a top 20 global economy by 2050. I am looking forward to reconnecting with President Marcos, to advancing our countries’ relationship of nearly 60 years, and to scoping more opportunities for New Zealand businesses,’ he said in a statement dated April 8.

‘Continuing to foster our global relationships can only benefit the New Zealand economy and I intend to pursue these relationships in South East Asia and around the world,’ he added.

The New Zealand Foreign Affairs
and Trade Ministry earlier identified renewable energy, environmental and social deliverables, and back office support and skilled labor as ‘areas of significant potential’ for New Zealand businesses in the country.

Apart from a business delegation, New Zealand Minister of Climate Change and Revenue Simon Watts and Paulo Garcia, New Zealand’s first Filipino Member of Parliament, will accompany Luxon to Manila.

This will be the first dedicated visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister to the Philippines in the past 14 years, according to his office.

Source: Philippines News Agency