MANILA: – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Thursday said it welcomes dialogues and other exchanges between international and local civil society groups, stressing that this helps in fostering change.

“At NTF-ELCAC, we wholeheartedly embrace dynamic conversations and fruitful exchanges among international organizations, civil society groups, and the government. We believe that fostering an environment of open dialogue is crucial for the flourishing of our democracy here in the Philippines,” NTF-ELCAC National Secretariat executive director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in an online press briefing.

He added that the “transformative power of vibrant discussions” cannot be overstated as it serves as a catalyst for positive change and ignites government reforms.

Torres also said the visit of United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan to the country is a testament to the government’s commitment to transparency ope
n dialogue, and the protection of civic space.

“The welcome dinner and the subsequent meeting at Camp Crame (Quezon City) exemplify our government’s dedication to openness and collaboration. These events have not only provided a platform for showcasing the sincerity of the PBBM administration but have also allowed us to comprehensively explain the laws, policies, and mechanisms in place within our organizations,” the NTF-ELCAC chief emphasized.

Torres also said Khan’s visit offers an exceptional opportunity for the international community to gain a nuanced understanding of the policies that govern the Philippines.

He said the task force, together with the Anti-Terrorism Council-Project Management Center (ATC-PMC), in a meeting on Wednesday, had the privilege of presenting their accomplishments, acknowledging challenges, and outlining future strategies.

He noted that this also highlights the country’s commitment to fostering a climate of openness and transparency.

“In our interactions, UNSR Ms. Khan highl
ighted the need for a delicate balance in addressing challenges while considering broader implications for societal and individual interests. The Spectrum Between Truth and Falsehood, as eloquently described by Ms. Khan, encapsulates the complexities of subjective interpretations and viewpoints within the realm of opinions. It is encouraging to note that, as Asians, we share common ground, valuing communal well-being over individual pursuits,” the NTF-ELCAC chief noted.

Torres also emphasized that the Philippine government supports initiatives that foster a culture of healthy skepticism, encouraging cognitive biases, fact-checking information, and supporting organizations that promote media literacy.

Torres also expressed confidence that Khan’s visit will help enhance efforts by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in solidifying the gains from the protection and defense of freedom of expression and opinion.

The NTF-ELCAC official also said he is anticipating that Khan will face considerable challenges as she
engages with diverse perspectives and narratives from different government agencies, civil society groups, non-government organizations, especially entities, and other groups aligned with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

‘Evaluating the conflicting stories presented by both sides will pose a considerable challenge for her. Nonetheless, the government expresses confidence that the veracity of our narratives will prevail,’ he said.

On Tuesday, Khan also met with top security officials, including National Security Council Assistant Deputy Director Jonathan Malaya, where she was briefed by the ATC about the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the mandate of the NTF-ELCAC.

‘She was just absorbing all the presentations. Toward the end of the meeting, there are some points that she would like to make a follow-up on. For instance, on the NTF-ELCAC concern, she would like to get further information about the red-tagging issue because alam nating lahat na e
ven sa (we all know that even) abroad, the NTF-ELCAC is being equated unfairly to red-tagging,’ Torres said.

He explained that the red-tagging issue is not a policy of the Philippine government but rather an invention of the CPP-NPA-NDF that it used as a tool to vilify authorities and state forces.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Quezon City government, in partnership with the Globe Group, on Thursday offered learning sessions on digital skills for senior citizens to help them transition to a digital life and enjoy the benefits of modern technology.

On Thursday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte led the “Teach Me How To Digi #SeniorDigizen Learning Session’ event at a mall, participated in by about 400 senior citizens from the city, whom she said should stay productive even at their age.

Senior citizens were given lessons on digital skills, such as Gmail registration, a 101 course on using smartphones, and sessions on using the financial technology platform GCash and how to access the telehealth service KonsultaMD.

‘In QC, we give our seniors top priority in terms of public services to help them live their sunset years as active and productive members of society,’ Belmonte said.

‘Malaki ang maitutulong ng mga kaalamang ito sa ating mga senior QCitizens para makasabay sa mga nakababatang henerasyon pagdating sa makabagong
teknolohiya (This will be a big help to our senior QCitizens so they would be able to keep up with the younger generations in terms of modern technology).’

The National Commission of Senior Citizens also participated in the event and helped the senior citizens register in its database.

Meanwhile, Globe Group president and CEO Ernest Cu cited the importance of learning digital technology, adding that most services are seen to become fully digitized soon.

‘We have to help the seniors overcome their fear, and I guarantee you that once you try it, it’s going to be as easy or much easier than the old manual way,’ Cu said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said PHP717,500 worth of agricultural losses due to El Niño phenomenon have been recorded during the start of planting season, particularly in Zamboanga del Norte.

In its first El Niño advisory, the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Center (DRRM) said the damage and losses were incurred at vegetative stages of rice affecting 22 farmers and 22.25 hectares of rice areas, based on the initial assessment of the Zamboanga Peninsula regional field office.

Apart from the weather condition and actual ground situation monitoring, the DA-DRRM disseminates advisories and agro-meteorological information regularly via municipal and city agriculturists and report officers through Facebook or Messenger.

A strong and mature El Niño is ongoing and is expected to continue through January-February 2024, the DA said.

Hence, the agency validates the vulnerable areas and identifies interventions for farmers who will be affected.

Majority of global climate m
odels suggest that El Niño will likely persist until the March-April-May 2024 season with a transition to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral in the April-May-June 2024 season.

ENSO-neutral refers to the periods when neither El Niño nor La Niña is happening. They often coincide with the transition between El Niño and La Niña.

Accordingly, the DA consolidates and analyzes data such as planting and harvesting, source and status of irrigation systems and provides information to farmers on proper crop management during El Niño, including adjusting planting schedules and optimizing fertilizer use.

As for cloud seeding operations, the DA conducts joint area assessment before their commencement.

It also promotes drought-resistant crop varieties that are better adapted to the anticipated weather conditions during El Niño.

Source: Philippines News Agency

TACLOBAN: A digital shared infrastructure provider will build over 100 common cell sites in Northern Samar this year to boost connectivity in the province, the local government announced Thursday.

Officials from the PhilTower Consortium Inc. (PhilTower), the country’s leading digital shared infrastructure provider, met with Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan on Wednesday to discuss planned collaboration on the construction of cell sites for the use of multiple mobile operators.

‘We are grateful to PhilTower for considering an investment in Northern Samar, and we acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the Board of Investments in facilitating the venture,’ Ongchuan said in a statement.

Under its common tower policy, PhilTower said passive infrastructure, such as cell site towers, could host equipment from different operators that significantly reduces capital expenditure while it expedites network rollout, and ensures more efficient and accessible services for more people.

Kalvin Laurence Antonio Parp
an, director for external affairs at PhilTower, underscored the company’s unwavering dedication to the government’s vision of establishing a world-class digital infrastructure nationwide.

In March, a team from PhilTower will conduct an ocular inspection in the province, collaborating with local planning and development coordinators to identify suitable tower locations aligned with land use plans.

PhilTower has already built towers throughout Luzon. These towers range from 30 to 50 meters in height, encompassing ground-based, rooftop and street furniture microcell pole solutions that blend seamlessly into residential areas and minimize physical footprints, according to the company.

As a registered common tower provider in the Philippines, PhilTower focuses on building shared telecommunications structures and facilities. Their digital infrastructure is forward-thinking, relying on cutting-edge innovation and energy efficiency.

The firm aims to construct 8,023 tailor-made towers in underserved and unserved l
ocations across the Philippines.

‘Establishing digital infrastructure in these areas will improve telecommunications services, create better livelihood opportunities, enhance access to government online services, and contribute to poverty eradication, ultimately addressing the root causes of insurgency,’ Ongchuan added.

Northern Samar is one of the three Samar provinces, with 24 towns and a population of 639,186.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Philippine automotive vehicle sector may cross the 500,000-unit sales in 2024, a target set back in 2017.

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturer of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) president Rommel Gutierrez said in a recent interview that reaching the 500,000 units sales this year is possible after combined CAMPI and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) sales alone grew 22-percent to 429,807 units in 2023. The number does not include sales of independent industry players.

This will be the first time for the industry to hit the 500,000-mark.

Gutierrez said new model introduction of car companies, the rosy outlook on Philippine gross domestic product (GDP), tempered inflation, easing of lending rates and growth in remittances will support industry sales this year.

He said Chinese vehicle brands have also applied for membership with CAMPI, which is expected to improve the official industry sales figures for 2024.

‘With their membership, we can already capture more accurate data from Chinese brands, u
nlike before, we were just estimating,’ he added.

To reach the 500,000 units sales this year, the industry has to grow by at least 16 percent.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initially forecasted that vehicle sales in the Philippines would reach the 500,000-mark in 2017 and the 1 million units sales by 2025.

In order for the local vehicle assemblers to take a larger share of the pie, the government rolled out the six-year Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program from 2015 to 2021.

A PHP27 billion in fiscal incentives were earmarked for the program to stimulate the local production of automotive vehicles.

The government gives tax perks to participating carmakers for the sales of the locally manufactured vehicles as long as they reached the 200,000 units per enrolled model. Two out of the three slots were filled –Toyota Vios and Mitsubishi Mirage.

But due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, auto sales were drastically affected, with the industry missing its
targets.

Gutierrez also recalled that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law which took effect in January 2018 slowed down the performance of the industry due to higher excise taxes on automobiles and fuel.

Official numbers from CAMPI and TMA showed that the industry was growing at 18 percent before the TRAIN law.

One year of the TRAIN implementation, the industry recorded a 15-percent decline in sales. It slightly grew by 3.5 percent in 2019 before the pandemic struck in 2020, when sales plummeted by 40 percent.

The industry started to recover in 2021, growing between 20 to 30 percent until last year.

Source: Philippines News Agency

BUENAVISTA: The Belison Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) is a recipient of PHP10 million aid under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) program of the Department of Agriculture.

Salvador Estaris, Belison MPC chief executive officer, said they would use the fund to construct a breeding facility with artificial insemination (AI) laboratory and to procure the initial 30 sows and one boar for breeding in Barangay Tamayok, Patnongon.

The project will support the hog repopulation program in Antique after its swine inventory suffered due to African swine fever (ASF).

Available data at the Antique Provincial Veterinarian (ProVet) showed 8,481 swine mortalities in the province due to ASF as of Jan. 15.

‘We hope to be able to start the construction of the breeding facility with AI laboratory by next month,’ he said in an interview.

Antique ProVet Public Health Division chief Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil said the Belison MPC is one of the two cooperatives in the prov
ince identified as beneficiaries of the INSPIRE program in 2023.

‘Under DA’s INSPIRE program, the cooperative will have to disperse 30 percent of its piglet produced within a year for free to the community,’ he said.

The remaining 70 percent is up for dispersal to the market, with its members getting an income through their dividends at the end of the year.

The project will use the large white or landrace breeds that could produce more than 20 piglets in a year.

‘Semen produced through the AI will also be sold to interested breeders,’ Ardamil said.

AI, he said, is a more efficient way of producing semen from the boar, and it no longer entails swine transport.,

The cooperative with around 6,800 members, as its counterpart, provided the site for the project.

Source: Philippines News Agency