BLACKOUT BONDING.
Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com
B4
MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019
President joins Maranaos in June 12 rites
COTABATO CITY—When ceremonial flag-raisings were simultaneously flashed on TV for the 121st Philippine Independence Day, the Filipinos were looking for the most important person to have led the rites in at least one of the familiar historical landmarks. But President Rodrigo Roa Duterte instead chose to celebrate the country’s Freedom Day in Malabang, Lanao del Sur where he was warmly welcomed by security officials, and local executives led by Vice Governor Mamintal Bombit Alonto Adiong Jr. In his speech, Mr. Duterte said his heart will always be with the Moros, as he himself is a Maranao by blood. He promised to be fair and will always protect the welfare of the Bangsamoro. “Exploit your natural resources as those are yours,” Duterte told the crowd as he was joined by Ludovico Badoy, chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, who also grew up in Malabang. The President paid tribute to soldiers who fought and those who died fighting against local Maute terrorists inspired by the self-styled Daesh, widely known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis). “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte chose to celebrate the birth of our freedom with the Bangsamoro, here in Mindanao, the Land of Promise, and the final frontier of freedom,” said Adiong. “I believe that Mindanao is now the most important focus of human freedom in the country: Freedom from fear, freedom from want, freedom from injustice. We shall continue the fight against terrorism and poverty until peace, security and prosperity take root in this part of the country.” Speaking for his mother Governor Bejoria Alonto-Adiong, the vice governor expressed “utmost appreciation and sheer optimism” by President Duterte’s gesture in joining Lanao del Sur in celebrating the Philippines Independence Day on June 12. Nash B. Maulana
Residents of Barangay Malasila in Makilala, North Cotabato use their mobile device to watch a video while waiting for the electricity to return on Sunday, as the Cotabato Electric Company experienced a blackout for 30 minutes following strong winds and rain in its service area. Geonarri Solmerano
LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS
Murad leads big BARMM gab By Nash B. Maulana
C
OTABATO CITY—Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ibrahim met with elected officials of provinces and towns comprising the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on a weekend training and orientation here, hosted by the region’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Governments. “Today (Saturday) is a big event for us in the ministry (MILG). We will commence this afternoon the first ever simultaneous training cum orientation of all elected governors and mayors of the BARMM,” MILG Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said. All 116 municipal mayors and five provincial governors of the region con-
verged at the Al-Nor Convention Center here for the forum from June 15-17. Sources said Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Frances Guiani-Sayadi, who had campaigned against ratifying the new region in the recent referendum, was also invited to the forum, seen to serve as a venue for local chief executives and BARMM officials to interface
and engage for greater welfare. During the forum, organizers said Murad engaged with newly elected local officials to help him lay the principles of and generate support to developing and establishing “moral governance” as the norms of the Bangsamoro Government. Sinarimbo, a lawyer, said the gathering is designed to “orient and prepare newly-elected local chief executives (LCEs) on their roles and responsibilities when they assume office on June 30.” Following the creation of the BARMM, Murad said that the “more difficult jihad (struggle)” is ahead of the Bangsamoro leadership.
SSS uncovers 2k delinquent firms in Pampanga raid
48 inmates get training ‘gift’ from TESDA COTABATO CITY—Forty-eight inmates of the North Cotabato provincial jail are now certified appliance repair technicians after they completed the training provided by the Technical Education and Skills Training Authority. “They are now equipped with skills when they rejoin the mainstream,” TESDA-North Cotabato provincial director El Cid Castillo said. The graduation on Saturday came as early “Father’s Day” treat as most of the graduates are fathers. In partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of North Cotabato, the one-month training was conducted inside the jail facility in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City, through TESDA North Cotabato’s Mobile Training Laboratory. “With this training, the notion that once an inmate you are already hopeless is now erased because there is TESDA that will help you become better and productive persons once you step out of here,” Castillo said. Two of the enrollees in the training failed to graduate since they were freed before the assessment was conducted. The 48 inmates are now National Certificate II holders for appliance repair works. PNA
JV MERGER.
The Philippine Competition Commission has approved US-based Johnsonville, LLC to form a joint venture with local firm Frabelle Fishing Corp.. The venture will be called Frabelle Corporation (FBC), which will house the Bossing, Pinoy, Yummy, Cheezydog and Premium meat brands of Frabelle and manage Johnsonville’s business in the Philippines. In photo during the announcement of the JV in Makati City are (from left) Nick Merriggioli, CEO, Johnsonville; Fay Bernardo, President, Frabelle Corp.; Michael Stayer-Suprick, President, Johnsonville; and Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., President, Frabelle Group of Companies. Manny Palmero
For instance, he said, the Bangsamoro government must be transparent about its remittances and contributions to the regional and national coffers. In its first 100 days, the new region’s Ministry of Environment Natural Resources and Energy has remitted P206,710,832.00 to the Office of the Regional Treasury under Minister of Finance Edward Uy Guerra. BARMM-MENRE Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua said these regional revenues were generated from taxes on regional wealth and fees from regulated exploitation of natural resources, of which BARMM is granted autonomy to manage under its charter, Republic Act 11054.
FREEDOM DANCE. Wearing colorful costumes, students from San Jose National High School in Antipolo City perform famous native dances at SM City Masinag during the mall’s 121st Independence Day celebration on Wednesday. Manny Palmero
Navotas Institute pampers dads on Father’s Day NAVOTEÑO fathers received some pampering from the Navotas City Government in celebration of Father’s Day on Sunday. The NAvotas VOcational and ASsessment Institute gave spa treatments to fathers who were nominated by their respective families. The nominees received free haircuts, facial massages, foot spas, pedicure,
and food and refreshments. Mayor-elect Toby Tiangco congratulated the participants and thanked them for their sacrifices for their families. The NAVOTAAS Institute offers free technical-vocational courses to Navoteños including beauty care, massage therapy, bread and pastry production and others. Applicants may enroll at the NAVO-
TAAS Institute-Main Building at the Navotas City Hall Compound. Aside from tech-voc courses, the institute also provides NavoHusay soft skills training, including values formation seminar, basic English proficiency seminar, employability skills training, entrepreneurship seminar, and Labor Education for Graduating Students (LEGS) Seminar. Jun David
SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—To improve the collection of members contributions in Central Luzon, the Social Security System raided various private offices and companies that are listed as delinquent employers. The operation, dubbed Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE), is a nationwide project of the government insurer to go after private companies and businesses that do not comply with the Social Security Act of 2018, said lawyer Voltaire Agas, chief of the SSS Legal Division. Agas said a total of 2,281 delinquent employers have been accounted in Pampanga, including 815 in this city that were summoned and sent show-cause orders for violating the SSS rules and regulations. Delinquent employers, Agas said, were given 15 days to comply with the law or face sanctions as mandated in the Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018. “Failure to comply will be subject to prosecution,” said Agas shortly after he inspected an establishment at the downtown here. Violators of the SSS law will be meted penalties and imprisonment of not less than six years and one day to 12 years. SSS account officers discovered a big number of delinquent employers during a visit to the City of San Fernando government and checked with the business licenses office before they conducted on-site inspections, said SSS Luzon Central 2 Division Vice President Gloria Corazon Andrada. Jess Malabanan
#ShareMovement Donate-A-Book begins SHOPPERS may now share the joy and value of reading to thousands of children nationwide through The SM Store‘s #ShareMovement Donate-A-Book project. Books help shape a child’s imagination and creative mind. Books are also powerful tools to fight poverty and inspire young minds to dream big and become young achievers. This is because books are like manuals of life- they lead us to a future filled with confidence and fortitude, the mall giant said in a statement. Through The SM Store’s #ShareMovement, the official umbrella campaign of The SM Store Corporate Social Responsibility chain’s Donate-a-Book project, shoppers and customers can now have the chance to donate new books, pre-loved books and brand new school supplies from until July 7, 2019. In this joint project of The SM Store and SM
Stationery, booths have been set up in all The SM Store branches nationwide where customers can drop their donations and share the gift of reading to the less fortunate. Each donation entitles a customer with a P50 discount coupon which can be redeemed for every minimum P500 single-receipt purchase on regular-priced items from the SM Stationery section at The SM Store. Coupons are valid from May 20, 2019- July 8, 2020. Drop at The SM Store in SM City San Jose del Monte, SM City Marilao, and SM City Baliwag and share your love for books to those who need them most. Donate-A-Book is one of the ways The SM Store and its customers work together to do their share for the less fortunate. Other upcoming #ShareMovement projects include: Share Your Extras, Gamot Para Sa Kapwa and Share-A-Toy. Jun David