MANILA: The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said total demand for its 28-day and 56-day debt papers increased to PHP148.55 billion.

In a statement on Friday, the central bank said it continued to lower the total volume offering for the BSP bill auction to PHP110 billion, with the allocation for the 28-day and 56-day tenors reduced to PHP80 billion from PHP90 billion and PHP30 billion from PHP65 billion, respectively.

For the 28-day debt paper, the total amount tendered reached PHP102.5 billion.

For the 56-day BSP bills, total tenders amounted to PHP46 billion.

“With the oversubscription, the BSP fully awarded its offerings for the two tenors. The resulting weighted average interest rates for the 28-day and 56-day tenors fell by 0.4128 basis point (bp) and 1.9925 bps to 6.7695 percent and 6.7591 percent, respectively,” the BSP said.

The BSP said the range of accepted yields was at 6.75 percent to 6.78 percent for the 28-day BSP bill, and 6.75 percent to 6.77 percent for the 56-day BSP bill.

“Looking ah
ead, the BSP’s monetary operations will continue to be guided by its assessment of prevailing liquidity conditions and market developments,” the BSP said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prioritize repairing the damaged roads and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) building in Caraga.

Marcos gave the directive, after he was briefed about the damage to infrastructure following the recent flooding and earthquake in the region.

In a situation briefing on the effects of the trough of the low pressure area (LPA) in the Caraga region, Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander Pimentel lamented that school buildings, roads and bridges destroyed following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake in December 2023 are still unutilized.

Pimentel raised his concern, as he reported that Surigao del Sur has so far experienced around 10,000 aftershocks since the strong quake rocked the province.

Marcos said the DPWH will take a look into the issues raised by Pimentel once the situation in the province improves.

‘Basta medyo mas maganda na ang weather at tapos
na ang pagbaha, puwede na talagang matignan nila ng mabuti kung ano ang naging damage sa kalsada, ‘yung mga erosion, ‘yung mga footing ng tulay (Once the weather improves and the flooding is over, they can really take a closer look at the damage to the road, the erosion, the bridge footings). All of these things, they will have to be assess properly tapos bibigyan tayo ng recommendation kung ano ang dapat gawin (then they will give recommendations on what to do),’ he said.

‘The Department of Public Works will look of course and we will as usual prioritize those thoroughfares that are not passable going to na-isolate na barangays,’ Marcos added.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel also told Marcos that the PAGASA building in Hinatuan town was damaged by the earthquake, affecting the agency’s Doppler radar that monitors weather disturbances.

Pimentel said he had already informed the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) but until now, ‘there is no action.’

Marcos instructed the DPWH to conduct a stru
ctural assessment on the PAGASA building which houses the Doppler radar that serves as an important instrument in weather forecasting for the region.

‘Have a look at it kasi (because it is) very important ‘yan for the forecasting. Para at least may (So we will at least have a warning when these things happen. Mayroon tayong warning na may parating na (There will be a warning if there is incoming) heavy rains, low pressure area,’ Marcos told DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was also present during the situation briefing.

‘That’s why forecasting has even become more important than it always was. That’s why tama ‘yung concern na kung mayroon talagang Doppler radar doon na ginagamit (the concern is correct that if there is really a Doppler radar used) for the forecasting, that should be operational,’ he added.

Marcos also ordered Bonoan to ensure close coordination with the local government about the issue.

Marcos visited Agusan del Sur on Friday to meet with concerned government officials and discuss the ef
fects of the trough of the LPA which caused heavy rains in Mindanao from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3, resulting in massive flooding and landslide incidents.

Continued assistance

Marcos ensured that the government will continue to provide assistance to affected families in Caraga, as he emphasized the importance of having access to medicines and potable water.

He also underscored the need to provide a ‘more extended solution’ to address the limited source of potable water to areas still submerged in flood.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa Jr. said the Department of Health has already distributed medicines to calamity victims, while Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. noted that there are still 15 remaining units of water purification machines that can be lent to Caraga as some of its units are currently deployed in the Davao Region.

Marcos told local officials to coordinate with the concerned government agencies to ensure immediate response to the affected areas.

‘I think the immediate response, we are
doing all right,’ he said. ‘What we need from the LGUs is that you must tell us what it is you need. Hangga’t maaari, dadalhin namin sa inyo (As much as possible, we will provide).”

After the situation briefing, Marcos also led the turnover of assistance from the Office of the President to local governments affected by the typhoon and earthquake.

Source: Philippines News Agency

ILOILO CITY: The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is now accepting correction of entries for national identification in its fixed registration sites in Negros Occidental and Iloilo.

PSA focal for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) in Western Visayas, Jared Barile, said the correction covers demographic information like name, date of birth, address, contact number, and marital status but not for the recapture of photos.

“The updating is limited in our PSA-based registration centers. Other provinces have submitted the requirements to update their systems so they can also accept corrections,” he said in an interview on Friday.

The Iloilo fixed center will temporarily transfer from the Midtown Annex building to the Civil Registration Services of PSA at the J. Villanueva building on Iznart Street.

Those from Negros Occidental can visit the PSA office in Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, Barile said they are exhausting all possible means to reach out to those who have not enlisted for the PhilSys since
they nearly saturated all possible areas.

The challenge, however, is those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where PSA teams have to stay overnight to maximize their stay.

In the first quarter of 2024, PSA targets to register 209,875 from Western Visayas. As of Feb.14, it has enlisted 51,402.

He said they hoped to increase their accomplishment through the family development session (FDS) equivalency for members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Under the equivalency, the registration with the program with PhilSys is incentivized and counted as part of their participation in the FDS.

The PSA also brings registration to mass weddings, especially this Civil Registration Month, where couples are encouraged to register.

It likewise intends to have a night shift to cater to workers in call centers.

“Since we already co-locate with establishments, what if we try contact centers at nighttime? We will adjust to their schedule because probably that is their available time since they al
so rest in the morning,” he added.

At the central office, Barile said they have an agreement with the Commission on Elections to co-locate in voting centers.

PhilSys on Wheels is also available in the community, while registration centers are available in selected malls.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stands by its earlier remark that giving out cash grants is more practical and efficient compared to giving actual bags of rice worth PHP600 per month to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

‘After discussion with the Department of Agriculture (DA), we made it clear to them that this is not feasible because of the logistical requirements which may not be convenient with the beneficiaries,’ DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said in the DSWD Weekend Report which he is co-hosting with Director Aldrine Fermin of the Traditional Media Service.

DA officials have proposed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to convert the PHP600 rice subsidy given to 4Ps beneficiaries into actual rice to be supplied by the National Food Authority (NFA) as ‘this will ease the price pressures of the market in terms of buying high-price rice.’

Lopez said the PHP600 monthly rice subsidy is given to qualified 4Ps members on top of their education a
nd health grants upon compliance with specific behavioral conditions like sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for regular check-ups, and attending the Family Development Sessions.

‘There is also no provision in the General Appropriations Act for the purchase of rice, thus, there is no legal cover to begin with,’ he said.

‘With no legal cover, there is no need for discussion with the National Advisory Council (NAC),’ he added.

The NAC is composed of members from different government agencies that include the DSWD, DA, Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Trade and Industry, among others.

The 4Ps, a flagship program of the DSWD, currently has 4.4 million household-beneficiaries nationwide.

Source: Philippines News Agency

COTABATO CITY: The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) seized PHP18.3 million worth of shabu drugs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14, an official here said Friday.

Agent Jocelyn Mary, PDEA-BARMM spokesperson, said about a dozen drug peddlers were also nabbed in intensified drug buy-busts in Cotabato City, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Sulu.

Seven entrapment operations across the region resulted in the recovery of over 2.7 kilograms of shabu amounting to PHP18,360,000 in street value.

‘This is the big challenge for PDEA because it appears that drug peddlers have resumed their illegal activities in the region,’ Mary said in a radio interview.

In this city alone, some PHP7 million worth of shabu were confiscated in separate entrapment operations during the period.

Several unlicensed firearms were seized during anti-drug operations.

Meanwhile, PDEA-13 (Caraga Region) reported the arrest of two non-regular employees of the Agusan d
el Sur provincial government and dismantling of a drug den early morning Friday in Barangay Patin-ay, Prosperidad town.

PDEA-13 said the male suspect is assigned with the Provincial Engineering Office, while the female suspect is with the Provincial General Services Office.

The alleged owner of the drug den, aged 41, was also arrested.

Seized from the suspects were three heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing 10 grams of shabu worth PHP80,000 and one sachet containing .05 gram of shabu worth PHP1,000.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday said it is speeding up the review of the Makati City government’s request to retain supervision over three public schools in the EMBO (enlisted men’s barrio) villages.

“Pina-fast track naman ng ating legal service yung pag-review ng request ng Makati (Our legal service is fast-tracking the review of Makati’s request),’ DepEd Assistant Secretary and deputy spokesperson Francis Bringas said in a radio interview.

These are the Makati Science High School in Barangay Cembo, Fort Bonifacio Elementary School and Fort Bonifacio High School in Barangay West Rembo, which are now under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

Bringas said the DepEd is looking into all “legal implications” before coming up with a response to their request.

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay earlier requested the DepEd to allow them to keep three EMBO public schools so they may implement enhanced programs and services.

Among their plans include its integration into the University of Makati as an
education laboratory school for teachers.

Yellow duck hair pins

Bringas, meanwhile, said there is no problem with learners joining the trend of wearing yellow duck hair clips even inside public school premises.

“Iyong mga (Those) hair accessories that are not distracting to classroom instructions are okay, no problem tayo. The bibe (yellow duck) is a hair accessory, so it’s okay. It’s no different from a hair ribbon or hairband,’ he said.

Bringas added that learners joining the trend in schools will not make it bothersome for many.

“It’s a hair accessory, siguro it won’t hurt the class naman kung meron tayong extra accessory sa ulo (maybe it won’t hurt the class if we have extra head accessory).,” he said.

He also said teachers can also wear these hair clips inside the classroom.

“If he or she finds it appropriate to motivate the learners to pay attention, so be it,’ he said.

Since the celebration of the Lunar New Year holiday, many Filipinos have joined the use of yellow duck hair clips, which were i
nitially observed sold and worn in Binondo, Manila.

Source: Philippines News Agency