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News
˜ The Manila Times FRIDAY March 15, 2019
w w w.manilatimes.net Q ALLEGATIONS FROM A1
Poe, Villar top Magdalo poll Probe Go jumps to No. 6
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BY JAVIER JOE ISMAEL
EELECTIONIST Senators Grace Poe and Cynthia Villar remained the leading candidates for the Senate as shown by the latest Magdalo survey RELEASED ON 4HURSDAY BY THE OFkCE OF 3EN Antonio Trillanes 4th.
!CCORDING TO THE SURVEY CON- 0OE GARNERED PERDUCTED FROM -ARCH TO CENT WITH 6ILLAR AT SECOND WITH
PERCENT 4HEY WERE FOLLOWED BY ,ITO ,APID WITH PERCENT 0IA #AYETANO WITH PERCENT 2AMON g"ONGu 2EVILLA *R WITH PERCENT AND "ONG 'O WITH PERCENT 'O WAS NUMBER IN THE -AGDALO SURVEY CONDUCTED IN *ANUARY /THER CANDIDATES WHO MADE IT TO THE TOP WERE .ANCY "INAY *OSE g*INGGOYu %STRADA "ENIGNO 0AOLO g"AMu !QUINO TH )MEE -ARCOS -ANUEL g-ARu 2OXAS ND !QUILINO g+OKOu 0IMENTEL RD *UAN %DGARDO g3ONNYu !N-
GARA 2ONALD g"ATOu DELA 2OSA &RANCIS 4OLENTINO AND *OSEPH 6ICTOR g*6u %JERCITO !CCORDING TO 4RILLANES -AGDALO CHAIRMAN THE SIX /TSO $IRETSO OPPOSITION CANDIDATES STARTED TO GAIN MOMENTUM AFTER ONLY A MONTH OF CAMPAIGNING g4HE /TSO $IRETSO CANDIDATES ARE ABOUT TO BREAK INTO THE TOP 'ARY !LEJANO IS NOW AT NUMBER FROM NUMBER IN THE *ANUARY SURVEY 3AMIRA 'UTOC IS NOW AT NUMBER FROM #HEL $IOKNO IS AT NUMBER
%RIN 4AÄADA IS AT NUMBER WHILE 2OMULO g2OMYu -ACALINTAL IS AT NUMBER AND &LORIN g0ILOu (ILBAY ALTHOUGH HIS RATING IMPROVED STILL HAS SOME CATCHING UP TO DO AT NUMBER u HE SAID 4HE -AGDALO SURVEY EMPLOYED A MULTI STAGE PROBABILITY SAMPLING DESIGN WITH FACE TO FACE INTERVIEWS OF RESPONDENTS EQUITABLY REPRESENTING THE VOTING POPULATION ACROSS DIFFERENT REGIONS AND HAS A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PERCENT
4HE 0ALACE OFkCIAL SAID THE INVESTIGATION WOULD COVER "ALUTAN BUT IF OTHER PEOPLE ARE LINKED TO THE ALLEGATIONS THEN THEY WOULD BE INVESTIGATED TOO -ALACAÄANG HAD ADMITTED THAT "ALUTAN RESIGNED CORRECTING ITS EARLIER ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WAS kRED "ALUTAN WAS ACCUSED BY 0#3/ $IRECTOR 3ANDRA #AM OF SPENDING 0 MILLION FOR A #HRISTMAS PARTY IN A kVE STAR HOTEL IN $ECEMBER "ALUTAN HAD SOUGHT AN IMPARTIAL PROBE OF THE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION THROWN AT HIM /VER THE WEEKEND HIS SPOKESMAN &LORANTE 3OLMERIN ASKED THOSE ACCUSING HIM OF CORRUPTION TO PRESENT EVIDENCE
RALPH U. VILLANUEVA
Duterte signs Simulated Birth Rectification Act PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has SIGNED INTO LAW SIMPLIFYING THE ADOPTION PROCESS IN THE COUNTRY $UTERTE SIGNED 2EPUBLIC !CT 2! OR THE g3IMULATED "IRTH 2ECTIkCATION !CT u ON &EBRUARY 4HE MEASURE WILL GRANT AMNESTY AND ALLOW THE RECTIkCATION FOR THE SIMULATED BIRTH OF A CHILD WHERE THE SIMULATION WAS gMADE FOR THE
BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD AND THAT SUCH CHILD HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY CONSIDERED AND TREATED BY THE PERSON OR PERSONS WHO SIMULATED SUCH BIRTH AS HER HIS OR THEIR OWN DAUGHTER OR SON u )T WILL ALSO kX THE STATUS AND kLIATION OF A CHILD WHOSE BIRTH WAS SIMULATED BY GIVING ALL BENEkTS OF ADOPTION AND ENSURING THE CHILD S
entitlement to all rights provided BY THE LAW TO LEGALLY ADOPTED CHILDREN WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION OF ANY KIND 4HOSE WHO SIMULATED THE BIRTH RECORD OF A CHILD WILL BE EXEMPTED FROM CRIMINAL CIVIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LIABILITY AS LONG AS A PETITION FOR ADOPTION WITH AN APPLICATION FOR THE RECTIkCATION OF THE SIMULATED BIRTH
RECORD IS kLED WITHIN YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF 2! )T WILL ALSO ALLOW A SIMPLER AND LESS COSTLY ADMINISTRATIVE ADOPTION PROCEEDING WHERE THE CHILD HAS BEEN LIVING WITH THE PERSONS WHO SIMULATED HER OR HIS BIRTH RECORD FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS BEFORE THE ACT S EFFECTIVITY 4HE $EPARTMENT OF 3OCIAL 7EL-
FARE AND $EVELOPMENT WITH THE 0HILIPPINE 3TATISTICS !UTHORITY THE Department of the Interior and ,OCAL 'OVERNMENT THE $EPARTMENT OF *USTICE AND THE #OUNCIL FOR THE 7ELFARE OF #HILDREN ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE !SSOCIATION OF ,OCAL #IVIL REGISTRARS CHILD CARING AND CHILD PLACING AGENCIES AND CHILD S RIGHTS CIVIL
SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WILL ISSUE the implementing rules and reguLATIONS FOR THE LAW WITHIN DAYS FROM ITS EFFECTIVITY 4HE MEASURE IS A CONSOLIDATION OF (OUSE "ILL AND 3ENATE "ILL PASSED BY THE RESPECTIVE CHAMBERS ON $ECEMBER AND LAST YEAR RALPH U. VILLANUEVA
Q PROBE FROM A1
Water probe under way – Palace IN WATER DISTRIBUTION g7E ARE INVESTIGATING TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING OR WHAT S THE CAUSE OF THE LACK OF WATER SUPPLY u 0ANELO TOLD REPORTERS “Kung totoo na ang !NGAT $AM is punong-puno at lahat naman NANGGAGALING DOON OH DI HINDI nga totoo )F !NGAT $AM IS FULL THEN THE WATER SHORTAGE MIGHT NOT BE TRUE 3O SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE EFkCIENCY IN DISTRIBUTING AS WELL AS THE QUOTAS OR THE SHARES u HE ADDED 0ANELO WONDERED WHY -AYNILAD WAS NOT HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS -ANILA 7ATER “Eh ‘di ARTIFICIAL LANG IYON KUNG GANOON 3O IT S ONLY AN ARTIFICIAL SHORTAGE "ECAUSE IF THE SOURCE IS FULL AND ANOTHER CONCESSIONAIRE IS ALSO FULL Eh BAKIT NAMAN IYONG ISA HINDI 7HY IS THE OTHER ONE NOT HAVING PROBLEMS u HE ADDED 4HE 0ALACE OFkCIAL SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THOSE INVOLVED FOR MISMANAGEMENT g!S SOON AS WE HAVE THE kNDINGS WE WILL KNOW )NVESTIGATION IS UNDER WAY u HE SAID
Seek other sources Former Senate president Juan 0ONCE %NRILE ECHOED 0ANELO S QUERY AND URGED THE .ATIONAL 7ATER 2ESOURCES "OARD .72" TO SEEK MORE WATER SOURCES FOR THE GROWING POPULATION IN -ETRO -ANILA g.GAYON NA RAMDAM NA RAMdam na natin ang El Niño at DAPAT NAGHAHANDA NA RIN TAYO SA MGA POSIBLENG EPEKTO NG CLIMATE CHANGE HINDI NA DAPAT TAYO UMAASA SA IISANG SUPLAY NG TUBIG lamang .OW THAT WE ARE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF %L .IÄO AND WHILE WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WE SHOULD no longer be dependent on one SOURCE OF WATER u HE SAID %NRILE WHO IS SEEKING A kFTH TERM IN THE 3ENATE RAISED THE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE WATER SHORTAGE 4HE (OUSE OF 2EPREsentatives and Senate are set TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY INTO THE WATER CRISIS ON -ARCH AND RESPECTIVELY g"AKIT SA CONCESSION AREA lamang ng -ANILA 7ATER ANG KRISIS 7HY IS IT THAT THE CRISIS IS BEING FELT ONLY IN THE CONCESSION AREA OF -ANILA 7ATER u HE ASKED
“What is being done to ease the DIFkCULTIES BEING EXPERIENCED BY ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE WATER TANKS OR OTHER SOURCES OF WATER u %NRILE ASKED IN &ILIPINO (E RAISED THESE ISSUES AT THE SIDELINES OF HIS CAMPAIGN SORTIES IN !NTIPOLO 2IZAL WHERE HE WAS DELUGED WITH COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE WATER SHORTAGE !NTIPOLO IS PART OF -ANILA 7ATER S CONCESSION AREA 3ENATE 0RESIDENT 6ICENTE 3OTTO RD ON 7EDNESDAY kLED 2ESOLUTION DIRECTING THE 3ENATE #OMMITTEE ON 0UBLIC 3ERVICES CHAIRED BY 3EN 'RACE 0OE TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION ON THE CURRENT WATER CRISIS IN -ETRO -ANILA AND NEARBY AREAS (E NOTED THAT THE gLOW TO ZERO WATER SUPPLYu WAS DUE TO THE OPerational adjustments being done BY WATER SERVICE CONCESSIONAIRES -ANILA 7ATER AND -AYNILAD 7HILE SOME ATTRIBUTED THE CRISIS TO THE %L .IÄO PHENOMENON OTHERS BLAMED THE WATER SERVICE CONCESSIONAIRES gHENCE THE NEED TO REVIEW THE CONCESSION AGREEMENTS WITH THEM u 3OTTO SAID g)F LEFT UNRESOLVED THE WATER CRISIS MAY BRING MORE SERIOUS PROBlems to the people and businesses IN THE AFFECTED AREAS AND MAY IMPACT THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE u HE ADDED 0OE BLAMED CONCESSIONAIRES FOR THE WATER SHORTAGE AND VOWED TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE PROBLEM WHEN THE 3ENATE STARTS ITS PROBE g(INDI BA RESPONSIBILIDAD ng mga CONCESSIONAIRES na MASIGURO NA MERON TAYONG SAPAT NA SUPPLY NG TUBIG "AKIT parang isang linggo lang ang NAKAKALIPAS OKAY TAYO PERO PAGGISING NATIN BIGLANG WALA NG TUBIG 0WEDE BANG HINDI NILA NAKITA ANG PROBLEMA NA YAN #ONCESSIONAIRES HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE SUPPLY OF WATER ,AST WEEK WE WERE OKAY THEN SUDDENLY OUR TAPS RAN DRY 7HY DIDN T THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM u THE SENATOR SAID 3HE SAID EXECUTIVES OF -AYNILAD AND -ANILA 7ATER WOULD BE INVITED TO ATTEND THE INQUIRY SO THAT THEY CAN EXPLAIN AND PRESENT SOLUTIONS TO THE WATER PROBLEM CATHERINE S. VALENTE, BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO
HOT AND MAD
A group of workers hold a noise barrage using pails and buckets at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to denounce the water shortage. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA
Q WATER FROM A1
1.2M households without water 0LANNING AND 4ACTICAL $EVELOPMENT -ANAGER $ITTIE 'ALANG SAID IN A PHONE INTERVIEW g7ITH THIS NEW SCHEME WE ARE EXPECTING NA HINDI NA NAMIN KAIlangan pang mag-DEPLOY ng TANKERS DAHIL LAHAT NAMAN AY MAGKAKAROON NG TUBIG SA MGA BAHAY NILA for limITED HOURS THAT WE WOULD NO LONGER NEED TO DEPLOY TANKERS BECAUSE EVERYONE WILL HAVE WATER IN THEIR HOMES FOR LIMITED HOURS u 'ALANG told 4HE -ANILA 4IMES -ANILA 7ATER SERVICES THE CITIES OF -ANDALUYONG -ARIKINA 0ASIG 0ATEROS 3AN *UAN 4AGUIG -AKATI AND PARTS OF 1UEZON #ITY AND -ANILA )T ALSO SERVES !NTIPOLO #ITY AND THE 2IZAL TOWNS OF !NGONO "ARAS "INAGONAN #AINTA #ARDONA *ALA *ALA -ORONG 0ILILLA 2ODRIQUEZ 4ANAY 4AYTAY AND 3AN -ATEO
4HE COMPANY ANNOUNCED ON 7EDNESDAY THAT CUSTOMERS WOULD EXPERIENCE SIX TO HOURS OF WATER SERVICE INTERRUPTION UNDER ITS REVISED WATER INTERRUPTION SCHEME WHICH TOOK EFFECT ON 4HURSDAY 5NDER THE NEW SCHEME WHICH WILL LAST FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS OR UNTIL THE RAINY SEASON SETS IN VALVES WILL BE CLOSED MEANING WATER SUPPLY WOULD BE CUT (OWEVER WHEN WATER IS AVAILABLE IN TAPS PRESSURE WOULD BE LOWER THAN USUAL ,AST WEEK THE COMPANY SAID PORTIONS OF -ETRO -ANILA AND 2IZAL WOULD EXPERIENCE LITTLE TO NO WATER SUPPLY STARTING -ARCH BECAUSE OF THE DECLINING WATER LEVEL AT ,A -ESA $AM !LTHOUGH THE SUPPLY CRUNCH
WAS AGGRAVATED BY THE %L .IÄO PHENOMENON -ANILA 7ATER SAID IT GOT WORSE WHEN CUSTOMERS WHOSE WATER SUPPLY REMAINED NORMAL STARTED STORING WATER 4HIS CAUSED reservoir volume in several areas to DECLINE BELOW MINIMUM PREVENTING WATER SUPPLY TO REACH ELEVATED COMMUNITIES -ANILA 7ATER SAID DEMAND HAD BEEN PUSHED TO AN AVERAGE OF MILLION LITERS PER DAY -,$ HIGHER THAN ITS ALLOCATION OF -,$ -ANILA 7ATER #HIEF /PERATING /FFICER 'EODINO #ARPIO EARLIER SAID DEMAND HAD BEEN INCREASING ANNUALLY BUT IN DEMAND SURPASSED ITS ALLOCATION FROM !NGAT $AM !NGAT $AM IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF WATER FOR -ETRO -ANILA RESIDENTS 7ATER FROM !NGAT $AM
lOWS TO THE )PO $AM AND EVENTUALLY TO ,A -ESA $AM 4HE .ATIONAL 7ATER 2ESOURCES "OARD PROVIDES CUBIC METERS PER SECOND OF WATER FROM !NGAT $AM TO THE -ETROPOLITAN 7ATERWORKS AND 3EWERAGE 3YSTEM -733 4HIS IS SHARED BY -AYNILAD PERCENT AND -ANILA 7ATER PERCENT !LTHOUGH !NGAT $AM S WATER LEVEL REMAINS NORMAL THE WATER from the dam passes through sevERAL TUNNELS AND AQUEDUCTS INTO ,A -ESA $AM BEFORE IT REACHES THE COMPANY S "ALARA 4REATMENT 0LANTS AND THE %AST ,A -ESA 4REATMENT 0LANT #ARPIO SAID -ANILA 7ATER HOPES TO START OPERATING THE 2IZAL 0ROVINCE 7ATER 3UPPLY )MPROVEMENT 0ROJECT WHICH WOULD PROVIDE -,$ BY THE END OF THE MONTH