Category: General

LIPA CITY: The Department of Agriculture in Calabarzon (DA-4A) is ramping up its urban gardening campaign to help address food insecurity and malnutrition.

DA agriculturists have conducted urban gardening demonstrations before farmers and local government representatives from the cities of San Pablo, Calamba and San Pedro in Laguna, as well as the cities of Batangas, Lipa, and Santo Tomas in Batangas.

Maricris Ite, regional focal person of National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP), said they encourage urban dwellers to plant fruits and vegetables in their yards or any other plot of land available in the city and suburban areas.

She said the DA and local government units are taking advantage of the renewed interest in home gardening to get more people residing in developed communities to start growing food at home.

‘By promoting urban and peri-urban agriculture, NUPAP provides communities with opportunities to grow their own food, even in limited spaces. This not only enhances local food pr
oduction but also contributes to improved nutrition, community engagement, and sustainable urban development,’ she told the Philippine News Agency in an interview on Saturday.

The DA urban farming initiative extends beyond meeting daily nutritional needs as it also seeks to foster entrepreneurship, add value for alternative livelihoods, and advocate for a healthy lifestyle by ensuring the availability of nutritious food.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines peri-urban areas as “zones of transition from rural to urban land uses located between the outer limits of urban and regional centers and the rural environment.”

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Far Eastern University (FEU) pulled off a come-from-behind 28-26, 21-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12 win over University of Santo Tomas to stay unbeaten and keep the lead in the UAAP Season 86 men’s volleyball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Sunday.

The Tamaraws, powered by rookie Andre Delicana’s 18 points and two blocks, now sport a 4-0 slate.

The Tigers lost their second straight and tied the Adamson University Falcons and Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles for fifth at 2-2.

Earlier, Adamson kept University of the East (UE) winless with a 25-16, 25-20, 25-23 victory.

The Red Warriors tried to extend the match after back to back-to-back hits by Steve Aligayon and Joshua Pozas tied the score at 23-all.

But the Falcons countered with a powerful spike by Jude Christian Aguilar and a solid block by Francis Casas to wrap up the match in 79 minutes.

Aguilar delivered 14 points, four blocks and five digs while Casas also had 14 points to go with three blocks for Adamson.

Rookie Joel Menor contri
buted 11 spikes, one ace, seven excellent receptions, and five digs.

‘We learned from our previous losses against La Salle and NU so that was our motivation to improve more, which materialized in this game,” Adamson coach George Pascua said.

Joshua Pozas made six spikes and four blocks for the Red Warriors, who have yet to win after four matches.

John Steve Aligaynon scored all his six points in the first set, while skipper John Paul Mangahis added five points and 13 excellent receptions.

UE will meet De La Salle University on Wednesday while FEU and Adamson collide on Saturday.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will reiterate the country’s position on regional and international issues during the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.

President Marcos was invited by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the Special Summit in Melbourne, commemorating the 50 years of ASEAN-Australia Relations.

He thanked the Australian government for its support for the rule of law.

‘As the first ASEAN Leaders’ level engagement for the year, the Summit presents an opportunity to reiterate the Philippines’ national positions on regional and international issues and set the tone for ASEAN’s Dialogue Partner Summits later in the year,’ Marcos said in his departure speech at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sunday.

‘The Summit will be an opportunity for the Philippines to thank Australia, ASEAN’s oldest Dialogue Partner, for its unwavering support for the rule of law, for the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, through timely statements of support as well as through capacity-building an
d academic initiatives to mainstream appreciation of international law,’ he added.

Marcos said there will be two main engagements in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, including the Leaders’ Plenary and the ‘Leaders’ Retreat.

He said the Philippines will take stock of ASEAN-Australia cooperation and cooperation and propose ways to further bolster relations during the Leaders’ Plenary.

The country will exchange candid views on key issues affecting the region, and the world during the Leaders’ Retreat.

The President said he will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers Samdech Hun Manet of Cambodia and Christopher Mark Luxon of New Zealand.

He will likewise meet with the Filipino community in Melbourne and promote investments through the Philippine Business Forum led by the Department of Trade and Industry.

The President is similarly looking forward to the launching of the expansion of the Victoria International Container Terminal, Australia’s first fully automated container terminal.

He wi
ll deliver a keynote speech at the Lowy Institute where he will highlight the Philippines’ role as an active participant in world affairs and a contributor to the rules-based regional security architecture.

The President assured that the government will continue to ensure that the Philippines’ constructive engagements with ASEAN and stakeholders will best serve the country’s national interest, promote region’s peace, stability, security and prosperity for the well-being of the Filipino people and the region.

The Philippines and Australia established formal diplomatic relations on July 4, 1946.

Australia is home to around 408,000 Filipinos and Australians of Filipino descent.

Last year, overseas Filipino workers’ remittances from Australia reached USD301.2 million.

The ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has highlighted the need for better oil spill response aside from sterner measures and regulations against water pollution.

OCD administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, made this call a year after MT Princess Empress sank off Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro province on Feb. 28, 2023, causing a massive oil spill that also reached the waters of Antique, Batangas and Palawan provinces.

“It has been a year since the oil spill incident happened in Mindoro. Though it took us time, still we were able to surmount all the challenges that we encountered because of inter-agency and multisector action and though we hope that it will not happen again, the incident calls on us to strengthen our preparedness and response so that we can minimize the negative impacts of such incident,’ Nepomuceno said in a statement Saturday night.

A regional task force was created on March 3, 2023 to address the oil spill from the sunken tanker loaded with 800,000 liters of industrial fuel
oil.

In the same month, a national task force was also established to ramp up the government’s response operations.

‘We are pleased that it is done now, however, we cannot set aside the huge cost of damage, the environmental and health impacts that the incident caused. By acknowledging these, better preparedness and response are needed both from the government side and the companies,’ Nepomuceno added.

Nepomuceno on Friday joined the commemoration activity on the first year of the oil spill incident at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Calapan City.

Nepomuceno said the agency learned a lot from the oil spill incident response operations.

The event was organized by the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro to recognize the efforts and contributions of various government agencies, organizations, communities, and individuals to response operations.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yul
o-Loyzaga, Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Julius Yano, OCD Mimaropa Regional Director Eugene Cabrera, Philippine Coast Guard Vice Admiral Rolando Lizor Punzalan, and Incident Commander Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla also attended the event.

Last Feb. 26, the local government unit (LGU) of Pola, Oriental Mindoro under Mayor Jennifer “Ina Alegre” Cruz lifted its state of calamity.

Despite the lifting of the state of calamity, the DSWD said it will continue to extend assistance and support to the affected areas, including Pola, one of the hardest hit towns in Oriental Mindoro.

Gatchalian had maintained a constant coordination policy with the LGUs ever since they were affected by the oil spill based on the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has lauded the Metro Manila Council (MMC) for granting a three-year moratorium on amusement taxes, saying it is big step to revive the Filipino film industry.

‘I am glad that the MMC responded affirmatively to our call. Malaking bagay po na kami po ay inyong pinakinggan dahil ito ay isang malaking hakbang para makatulong sa ating pelikulang Pilipino (It is a welcome development that you listened to us because this is a big step to help our Filipino film industry),’ Abalos said in a statement on Saturday.

According to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chairperson Don Artes, the National Capital Region (NCR) local government units (LGUs) will ratify their ordinances in support of the resolution passed by the MMC to waive amusement tax for Filipino movies screened in Metro Manila from Jan. 8 to Dec. 24 in the next three years.

The move was in accordance with Section 140 of the Local Government Code of 1991 st
ating, among others, that the province may levy an amusement tax to be collected from the proprietors, lessees, or operators of theaters, cinemas and concert halls.

They also include circuses, boxing stadia, and other places of amusement at a rate of not more than 10 percent of the gross receipts from the admission fees.

Abalos described the resolution as a timely response to the appeal of local filmmakers, and a critical step to boost the film industry and ensure the production of quality films in the country.

He likewise urged other LGUs around the country to follow suit.

‘Sana hindi sa Metro Manila lamang. Sana pati sa ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas ay ma-lift ang amusement tax (Hopefully not only in Metro Manila. I hope the amusement tax will be lifted in other parts of the country as well),’ Abalos said.

Last January, Abalos gathered some of the biggest movie producers in the local movie industry together with Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Tirso Cruz
III to discuss the lingering issues of local film producers.

During the said meeting, Abalos urged LGUs to grant a tax holiday for the next three years waiving the amusement tax of local movies in aid of struggling Filipino movie producers.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Intramuros Administration (IA) is waiving the entrance fee to all its sites for women and girls on March 8 to mark the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD).

On top of the popular Fort Santiago, visitors will have free access to Casa Manila Museum, Baluarte de San Diego, and the Museo de Intramuros.

The initiative is in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women as the country celebrates the 2024 National Women’s Month, with the theme ‘Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas: Kakayahan ng Kababaihan Patutunayan!’ (Equal Society in the New Philippines: Recognize Women’s Capabilities!).

The IA will also host the Weave Your Way mini weaving workshop by Hibla on March 16 and 17 at Museo de Intramuros and the cultural show “Dalaw at Sayaw” (Visit and Dance) at Fort Santiago on March 3, 10, 17 and 24.

March is observed as National Women’s Month based on the annual United Nation-designated IWD every March 8.

In the Philippines, it has become a celebration of women’s accomplishments and a platform
to promote gender equallity through activities that align with local and international accords, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals, among others.

Apart from Intramuros, the National Museum of the Philippines, also in Manila, is dedicating a special lane for women thrice this month:

– Girls and teens aged 7-19 (March 13)

– Senior citizens (March 20)

– Mothers, solo-parents, and women aged 20-59 (March 27)

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is likewise waiving its hazard assessment report processing fee for all women stakeholders throughout March.

Meanwhile, all commuters will get free bus rides from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Cubao, Quezon City, and vice versa on March 6, 13 and 20.