LEGAZPI: The Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (SPDRRMC) is now on standby alert status after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported increasing volcanic activities at Mt. Bulusan.

In an interview on Wednesday, Salvador Mendoza, Sorsogon provincial information office chief, said proactive plans are already in place to ensure the safety and well-being of residents who might be affected by the volcano’s unrest.

However, Mt. Bulusan remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level unrest with an increased possibility of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

“With the current state and potential risks of Bulusan, Governor Edwin Hamor ordered our PDRRMC and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers from Casiguran, Juban, Irosin, Bulusan, Barcelona, and Gubat to prepare plans and responses to ensure the safety of the people. The plan outlines evacuation procedures, emergency shelters, medical teams, and resource mobilization for p
ossible affected areas,” Mendoza said.

He said the governor ordered firetrucks to be ready in areas that might affected by ash fall and all SPDRRMO assets to be prepared.

“The provincial government of Sorsogon is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens. The governor stressed the importance of taking a proactive approach to disaster management and called for all concerned agencies involved to collaborate effectively,” he said.

Based on SPDRRMO data, a total of 71 evacuation centers are ready outside the six-kilometer danger zone in the towns of Casiguran, Irosin, and Juban.

Phivolcs reminded the public and local government units that entry into the four-km radius permanent danger zone is prohibited.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The newly inaugurated Pasig River Urban Development (PRUD) project will revitalize the Pasig River and its surroundings by improving water quality and building concrete structures with green spaces.

In his speech at the inauguration ceremony of the showcase area of the PRUD on Wednesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting Chairman Romando Artes said the project is a priority of the Marcos administration under the guidance of First Lady Marie Louise Marcos.

The project is funded with ‘minimum financial exposure’ through assistance from the private sector.

It consists of initiatives that will rehabilitate and enhance the quality of life along the banks of the Pasig River, its tributaries and surrounding communities.

‘[The PRUD] sends a powerful message that we are committed to creating a metropolis where every resident can thrive and where nature and development can coexist harmoniously,’ Artes said.

The project began through Executive Order (EO) No. 35, series of 2023 that con
stituted the Inter-Agency Council for the PRUD (IAC-PRUD) and was signed into law on July 25, 2023.

The IAC-PRUD is led by Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jerry Acuzar, Artes as vice chair, and its members consist of Marcos’ cabinet.

Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the MMDA announced the establishment of a housing area for informal settlers and a linear park along the easement of San Juan River -one of the tributaries of Pasig River.

The housing project is expected to benefit 3,000 families while the linear park in Barangay Batis will be used to sustain solid waste management practices along the waterways.

Aside from greeneries, the park will house material recovery facilities, rain harvesting facility and a sewage treatment plant that will ensure the water from San Juan River to Pasig River is clean.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Customs officers discovered an estimated PHP5 million worth of suspected smuggled agricultural products in three warehouses in Manila, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported on Wednesday.

In a statement, Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said agents from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service at the Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) and the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) implemented letters of authority (LOAs) in three warehouses in the districts of San Nicolas and Binondo on Tuesday.

The inspection yielded hundreds of crates of vegetables and fruits.

BOC-CIIS director Verne Enciso said the composite team found fresh imported broccoli worth around PHP2 million at the San Nicolas warehouse.

Meanwhile, Customs officers also found fresh imported vegetables and fruits worth PHP2 million, which include bell pepper, garlic sprout, volcanic sweet potato, cauliflower, lotus root, corn, spinach, romaine lettuce, mushroom, ora
nges, strawberry, grapes, pear, melon, kiwi, apple, longgan, and cherry tomato, in a warehouse of WSH Trading on Sto. Cristo St. in Binondo district.

Another warehouse on Elcano St. in Binondo also yielded cauliflower, yam, water bamboo, lotus root, spinach, tomato, baby cabbage, crown daisy and apple worth PHP1 million.

‘These were just the initial assessment of the value of these goods. There will be a thorough inventory and inspection of the goods found to determine the exact value, so we can file the appropriate cases against the owners of the warehouses and the companies and people behind these smuggling activities,’ Rubio said.

Customs examiners would hold an inventory of the goods to be witnessed by agents from CIIS and the respective warehouse representatives.

He added that the owners of the warehouses will be given 15 days to present documents to prove that they are not storing smuggled commodities.

If found without proper documents, the corresponding seizure and forfeiture proceedings will be c
onducted against the subject shipments for violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration in goods declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of Republic Act 10863 known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

The anti-smuggling operations came after local traders in Benguet province complained over an influx of smuggled vegetables which resulted in low local vegetable sales in the country, even during the holiday season.

Source: Philippines News Agency

CEBU: Grand prize winners, both for the free interpretation and Sinulog-based dance categories, of the Sinulog ritual showdown on Festival Sunday will win PHP3 million, Mayor Michael Rama said Wednesday.

During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, Rama said 20 contingents will also vie for the PHP2 million prize for the second placers, PHP1.5 million for the third placers, PHP1 million for the fourth prize winners, and PHP750,000 for the fifth placers.

Rama also urged devotees and visitors in Cebu City during the Sinulog Day to observe health protocols and avoid mixing with the crowd if they are sick.

He also advised people who will join local revelers to bring a survival kit, especially those who will witness the grand parade at the South Road Properties.

‘What is important, really, is that you must have water, umbrella (and) sunblock because we don’t know the heat index that day. You may also have power drinks to hydrate yourself and a battery-powered electric fan,’ he said, but warned the public again
st wearing jewelries.

The Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard will deploy over 3,000 personnel to secure the Sinulog.

Rama said the city government has been continuously plotting measures to avoid a repeat of traffic jams in city streets during last year’s Sinulog day, when the ritual showdown and grand parade venue was transferred from the Cebu City Sports Center to the South Road Properties (SRP).

Clamping operations of the Cebu City Traffic Office and public road pay parking managed by a private firm have been suspended after receiving backlash last week when the traffic crew clamped hundreds of vehicles parked near the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nin~o, he said.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nin~o, the police and the military conducted on Wednesday a dry run for the Traslacion of the miraculous image of the Holy Child Jesus scheduled on Friday.

The Traslacion will be held prior to the fluvial proc
ession crossing the Mactan Channel and the Solemn Foot Procession on Saturday, and the vespers of the Fiesta Sen~or on Sunday.

Source: Philippines News Agency

CEBU: Grand prize winners, both for the free interpretation and Sinulog-based dance categories, of the Sinulog ritual showdown on Festival Sunday will win PHP3 million, Mayor Michael Rama said Wednesday.

During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, Rama said 20 contingents will also vie for the PHP2 million prize for the second placers, PHP1.5 million for the third placers, PHP1 million for the fourth prize winners, and PHP750,000 for the fifth placers.

Rama also urged devotees and visitors in Cebu City during the Sinulog Day to observe health protocols and avoid mixing with the crowd if they are sick.

He also advised people who will join local revelers to bring a survival kit, especially those who will witness the grand parade at the South Road Properties.

‘What is important, really, is that you must have water, umbrella (and) sunblock because we don’t know the heat index that day. You may also have power drinks to hydrate yourself and a battery-powered electric fan,’ he said, but warned the public again
st wearing jewelries.

The Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard will deploy over 3,000 personnel to secure the Sinulog.

Rama said the city government has been continuously plotting measures to avoid a repeat of traffic jams in city streets during last year’s Sinulog day, when the ritual showdown and grand parade venue was transferred from the Cebu City Sports Center to the South Road Properties (SRP).

Clamping operations of the Cebu City Traffic Office and public road pay parking managed by a private firm have been suspended after receiving backlash last week when the traffic crew clamped hundreds of vehicles parked near the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nin~o, he said.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nin~o, the police and the military conducted on Wednesday a dry run for the Traslacion of the miraculous image of the Holy Child Jesus scheduled on Friday.

The Traslacion will be held prior to the fluvial proc
ession crossing the Mactan Channel and the Solemn Foot Procession on Saturday, and the vespers of the Fiesta Sen~or on Sunday.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: In line with providing safe, convenient, and accessible digital banking services, the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) continues to waive fees for fund transfers to other banks via InstaPay and PESONet for transactions worth PHP1,000 and below.

Landbank customers can enjoy free online fund transfers for the first three transactions facilitated in a day through the Landbank Mobile Banking App (MBA), and the Bank’s online retail banking channel, the iAccess.

For interbank fund transfers amounting to more than PHP1,000, a lowered fixed transaction fee of PHP15 from the previous rate of PHP25 will be applied. Meanwhile, fund transfers between Landbank and Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) accounts, regardless of the amount, remain free-of-charge.

‘We are extending our waiving of fees for small-value online fund transfers to encourage more clients to embrace cashless transactions, in support of the National Government’s thrust of building a cash-lite economy. Beyond the convenience of free fund tr
ansfers, customers can also use Landbank’s digital platforms for bills payment, cardless withdrawal, and opening of additional deposit accounts,’ Landbank president and CEO Lynette Ortiz said in a news release.

For seamless and convenient online fund transfers and bills payment, the Landbank MBA can be downloaded for free on Google Play, Apple App Store, and Huawei App Gallery. Landbank customers can easily enroll their account in the MBA to conduct online financial transactions, by providing their deposit account details.

Source: Philippines News Agency