PH open to all options to address...

PAGE 1 of Beijing’s aggression to the UNGA in September.

If the issue is brought to the UNGA or the UN Security Council, he said that the most the Philippines can get is a resolution, which may still be ignored by China.

“We can bring that to the attention of the UN General Assembly, but all we can hope for is a resolution,” Bersamin said.

“But we are not ruling out anything because that is also part of our diplomatic tact, bringing this to the attention of the UNGA or the security Council. Nothing is given up there, nothing is abandoned. All these options are open to us,” he added. senate President Juan miguel Zubiri had said that the upper chamber will pass a resolution urging the government to raise the issue of Beijing’s aggression to the UNGA. sen. risa hontiveros backed this possible move. she filed senate resolution 659 in June, calling on the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of filipino vessels in the West Philippine sea. this development came after several reports on the China Coast Guard allegedly putting at risk the lives of filipinos who were in a resupply mission in Ayungin shoal this year. early this month, the Armed forces of the Philippines reported more than 50 Chinese vessels have swarmed the vicinity of Iroquois reef and sabina shoal in the West Philippine sea. In his soNA on monday, July 24, marcos remained mum on the Philippines’ claim over the West Philippine sea, but maintained that the country’s independent foreign policy has been effective. n

Congress’ HEAL Act ensures health care access...

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25% of lawfully present immigrants and more than four in 10 undocumented immigrants were uninsured compared to less than one in 10 citizens. Lack of health insurance is one of the key contributors to persistent inequities in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of health conditions.

In a statement introducing the bill, Barragan, Booker and Jayapal jointly stated: “the introduction of the heAL Act of 2023 comes just in time for the 58th anniversary of medicaid and medicare and stands at the precipice of unceasing and intensifying political attacks on immigrants and health care access across the country.”

“this includes the harshest anti-immigration laws in the country and ongoing abortion bans that disproportionately affect women and communities of color,” wrote the members of Congress. Health care is a human right

“We must finally guarantee health care to everyone as a human right — regardless of immigration status, income, employment, or anything else,” said Jayapal, in a statement announcing the bill. “As a proud immigrant who came to this country alone at the age of 16, I know that the heAL Act is an urgent, necessary, and just first step to eliminating senseless barriers to health care, making our communities healthier, and ensuring all immigrants get the care they need.” every person deserves healthcare, no matter their immigration status,” said Barragán. “healthcare is a human right, and we must remove the unnecessary barriers that prevent immigrant families from the medical care they need to live and thrive. the heAL Act will help reduce racial health inequities and ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare in their communities.”

Supporters “everyone, regardless of their immigration status, deserves access to comprehensive, quality health care,” said Booker. “By creating a more equitable health care system, we can create healthier communities and a stronger, more resilient economy.” the bill, which does not yet have a number, has 56 co-sponsors in the house and nine cosponsors in the senate. It is also supported by the National Latina Institute for reproductive Justice, and the National Asian Pacific American Women’s forum, among other organizations. the proposed legislation is already garnering backlash on social media. (Ethnic Media Services)

• Marcos claims the Malampaya project has benefited the country, providing 20% energy for Luzon.

• To push for more gas exploration in the country for energy sources.

• The Unified National Grid is said to “enable more efficient transfers and competitive pricing” of electricity. sixty-eight projects under this program, however, is “much delayed.”

Employment • Marcos said there are sufficient funds to train those without a livelihood.

• The government’s Social Pension for Indigent senior Citizens, social equity, Cashfor-Work for persons with disabilities and Integrated Livelihood Program-Kabuhayan for small businesses are among the programs marcos lauded. No relevant figures or findings on these programs were mentioned in the report.

• Increased employment rate to 95.7% as of may 2023.

• Marcos wants to “nurture the growth” of services from the Information technologyBusiness Process management and tourism industries.

Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) Pension “efforts are underway to make it fully functional and financially sustainable,” marcos said. he added that the pension reforms will have no impact on mUP. According to the proposed bill, the pension of retirees is tied to that of an active personnel of the same rank. should the latter experience an increase in salary, so will the retired personnel. marcos did not elaborate on specific plans for the mUP pension.

Education

• Nine in ten newly created teaching positions have been filled and more administrative personnel have been hired.

• Adopt blended learning permanently.

• Build more classrooms and facilities, including climate-ready schools.

• Recalibrate the K to 10 curriculum to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills.

• More higher educational institutions have been included in the World University rankings in 2023.

• Nearly 50% of the 4.1 million enrolled college students benefit from the Universal Access to Quality tertiary education program for free tuition.

• Science and technologyrelated scholarships are made available from high school all the way to graduate school, marcos said.

Science and Technology

• Forty-four Filipino scientists have returned to the Philippines under the Balik-scientist Program to produce research in various fields.

• Two additional satellites have been launched into space for meteorological, geological, risk and security assessments.

• Improved maritime education

• Expanding medical and nursing education programs

Healthcare foreign relations

• The Food Stamp Program was launched. this will provide beneficiaries who are “food poor” with P3,000 worth of food credits in the latter half of 2023.

• “As of this year, more than 80% of our eligible children have been vaccinated against measles, rubella, and polio,” marcos said.

• Marcos mentioned the “alarming rise” of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (hIV), a first in all Philippine soNAs.

• Sixty specialty centers opened to the public in 2022, while 3,400 projects to construct more public health facilities were completed.

• Marcos claimed that prices of essential medications have decreased by about 40%.

• The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s Konsulta Package has increased the number of free dialysis sessions to 156 from 90 in 2022.

• Marcos only mentioned that the government is working on addressing the shortage of nurses and doctors. he did not lay down any concrete plan.

• Marcos touted the total estimated investments from his “economic missions” abroad, which amounts to Us$71 billion or P3.9 trillion investment. It was said to have the potential to generate 175,000 jobs.

Tourism

• For the first half of 2023, the country has received three million international visitors.

Digitalization

• About 42% of total retail payments were made digitally in 2022.

• E-Government Philippines (eGov PH), the government’s super app, was launched to integrate all key government services in one mobile app. the Department of Migrant Workers

(DMW) also launched its own

DMW Mobile for Overseas filipino Workers (ofWs)

• Internet speed was said to have improved, with the country ranked 83 out of 142 countries, eight places higher than in 2022.

• Marcos urged the Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT) to establish the National Government Portal and Philippine Business Databank alongside the eGov PH app.

OFWs

• OFWs contributed US$32.5 billion or P1.8 trillion pesos through remittances in 2022.

• Seventy thousand OFWs were deployed to saudi Arabia for employment.

• The unpaid salaries of 14,000 ofWs who worked in saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic are currently being processed.

Housing

• Over 100,000 availed of a housing loan from Pag-IBIG amounting to P117 billion in total.

• Over 148,000 houses and 30,000 certificates of eligibility for lot award have been distributed across the country.

• The government launched the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino housing Program (4Ph)

Climate change

• Marcos said that the Philippines is sometimes “overprepared” for natural hazards and calamities.

• More evacuation centers are to be built, 55 have already been completed.

• Marcos only mentions reducing carbon footprint and protecting forests, with no concrete plans included.

Government

• Marcos called on Congress to enact a new Government Procurement Law and a new Government Auditing Code.

• Marcos said, “almost all of the required Devolution Transition Plans” of the local government units are complete.

Marawi

• “Former adversaries are now partners in peace,” marcos said.

• Marcos said the rehabilitation of marawi City is in the phase of providing financial support for victims of the marawi siege.

Illegal drugs

• The government will follow a community-based treatment, rehabilitation, education and reintegration.

• An additional 102 Balay silangan reformation Centers have been established. (Philstar. com)