Speaker beams with Tagalog at Harvard U

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G.

Romualdez on Thursday said the introduction of a Tagalog course in Harvard University’s academic offerings “is a source of great national pride."

Romualdez expressed his support to the premier university’s Filipino language program.

“Our language is our pride! And learning about Harvard’s new Tagalog language course, I am expressing my full support for the program. I hope and pray that the Harvard Tagalog course will flourish and grow in the future to include many aspects of Filipino culture!” Romualdez told Harvard University’s students during a gathering of Filipino community in Massachusetts.

“The intention is to institutionalize the existing programs especially those that have been proven to work so that we don’t have to restart all over again when

"So, we want to ensure that... these children are protected from those shocks so that the society as a whole can progress,” he added. Marcos...

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Their rates, however, will still be higher or at par with ASEAN plus 1 rates.

"There is really not one going below the ASEAN plus 1 rates to which the Philippines is already committed," he said.

These tariff lines will include agricultural products "not really being produced very much" in the country, he said.

RCEP is the largest regional free trade agreement in the world, accounting for 30 percent of the world's population, 29 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), 29 percent of trade and 33 percent of global inward investments in 2020.

It includes the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its five free-trade agreement partners: Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.

The Senate approved the ratification of the country's membership in RCEP on Feb. 21.

During the NEDA board meeting, the President said the government willneed to help the public understand the benefits of the trade agreement.

Teves...

From A1 return to the Philippines, saying he fears for his life.

In an interview with ANC’s Headstart, Teves refused to name names for fear of libel. But he said “verified intelligence reports” said these two government officials were out to kill him. He said the instructions were to raid his house, plant evidence, then have him shot “for fighting back.”

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla dismissed Teves’ claim as “nonsense.”

Teves, who was suspended for 60 days from the House for his refusal to return to the chamber, said he was ready to return to the Philippines until he got hold of the information regarding the threat to his life.

He also slammed the Senate inquiry into Degamo’s death, saying it was full of “hearsay.”

CPP...

From A1 illegal detention of military officers in 1988. A manhunt was later ordered for their capture.

In a press statement, CPP said Benito and Wilma were killed alongside eight others on August 21, 2022, in Samar.

Later on Twitter, CPP spokesman Marco Valbuena said: “Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria, key leaders of the CPP Central Committee, with eight others were severely tortured and subsequently murdered by their military captors, on August 21, 2022.”

Retired Major General Eduardo de Leon, who commanded the 8th Infantry Division in its operation involving unnamed “high-ranking” rebels in Samar that time, maintained it was not clear if the Tiam -

Bantag...

From A1 ago but stopped short of identifying his fellow member of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s official family.

“He spoke to one of my colleagues in the Cabinet to say that he may wish to surrender,” Remulla said in an interview. According to him, Bantag is in the

“There is an opportunity here and it’s up to us on how to take full advantage of it,” he said. “So as the government, we must explain it deeper to small businesses, to large businesses.”

The President instructed agencies to “make it very clear” to the people that the RCEP can benefit the country’s agriculture sector.

“Basically, we now have access to a two billion population market,” he said, adding that the Philippines should strengthen its manufacturing and production to make it more competitive regionally.

At the same time, he said, the trade bloc could create new assets for the country, and give it access to supply lines that it did not have.

In a separate briefing, Pascual described RCEP as a “beneficial economic partnership agreement which provides opportunities for market access on trade, services and investments.”

"The agreement also establishes clear, stable and predictable rules on trade and investments in our region which makes it more convenient and competitive for Philippine businesses and stores to be integrated into the global economy,” Pascual said.

Vince Lopez

He added the Senate panel invited a resource person who turned out to be a drug addict.

“They're painting a picture of a lawless Negros Oriental where everyone is afraid of us,” he said.

In an interview on GMA, Teves also confirmed that one of those taggedas a mastermind in the Degamo killing was his former bodyguard.

He said, however, that he had not talked with the man, Marvin Miranda, since he left his service some time ago.

Teves has denied any involvement in Degamo's killing.

Degamo and eight others were killed while several others were injured after gunmen shot up the governor's home in Negros Oriental on March 4, during a ceremony to distribute aid.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, said the complaints for illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against Teves were enough to designate him a terrorist. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) zons were among the casualties.

“How can they say the Tiamzon couple died in that operation? I do not know if they were included in that operation because I myself, as the commander at that time, could not confirm if the Tiamzons were there in the encounter with troops in the waters of Samar ,” De Leon told CNN Philippines’ News Night.

The National Security Council welcomed the confirmation of the Tiamzon couple's deaths but maintained that it stands by the official reports of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“As is their practice, the terrorists’ propaganda machinery has concocted and fabricated an elaborate story which even implicates the United States in their deaths in order to squeeze whatever propaganda value they can muster from their deaths,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) country and did not give conditions for his surrender.

“I will talk with my colleague again to ask him if that offer was followed up by another gesture,” the Justice Secretary said. With the possibility of surrender, Remulla said: “we are not pushing for law enforcement to hurry up the process.”

Replying to questions, Remulla said:

“You know it is very difficult to hide from the law.”

Agencies...

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These documents included paperwork from the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Special Action Force Operations Management Division, Civil Service Commission, and others as well as biometric records such as fingerprints and signatures.

However, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) National Computer Emergency Response Team has informed the Civil Service Commission Integrated Records Management Office that the CSC system and database were not breached or attacked.

Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. also assured the public the alleged breach did not happen in the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The PNP said they were still verifying the alleged data leak. PNP Anti-Cyber Crime Group Director Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia said they were still conducting assessment on the incident.

"We cannot categorically say at this time that there was leaked applicants’ data,” said Hernia.

"We are still conducting vulnerability assessment and penetrationtesting. We also requested complete access logs from PRSS (PNP Recruitment and Selection Service) to evaluate those logs."

In reaction to the leak, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said the country should consider doing away with the requirement of a Police or National

PH...

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In an advisory, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma reminded employers to be guided on how to compensate their workers on Friday, declared by Malacanang as a regular holiday, and employees are entitled to 200 percent pay if they report for work.

Those who will render work during a regular holiday will be paid atotal of 200 percent of the employee's wage for that day for the first eight hours (Basic wage times 200 percent).

For work done over eight hours, the worker will receive an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on that day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 200 percent × 130 percent x number of hours worked).

Should the worker report for work on his rest day, the employer shall pay the worker an additional 30 percent of the basic wage of 200 percent (Basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent).

For work done more than eight hours during a regular holiday that also falls on the worker’s rest day, the employer shall pay the employee an additional 30 percent of

Stargazers...

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An annular solar eclipse forms when the moon crosses the path of the sun and appears as a dark disk on top of a larger bright disk creating an image of a ring around the moon.

A total solar eclipse, on the other hand, is when the light from the sun is completely obscured by the moon.

Bureau of Investigation clearance for employment and other engagements.

“Frankly, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies should not be in the business of storing the personal data of law-abiding citizens. And besides, that distracts from their law enforcement functions,” said Salceda, chair of the House committee on ways and means.

“If you are involved in some crime, we can probably get your data easily anyway. Rather than putting ordinary law-abiding citizens through the hassle and expense of clearances, as well as the risk of data breach, why don’t we normalize due diligence among employers?” the hourly rate on such day (Hourly rate of the basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked).

At the same time, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro echoed Salceda's concern even as he denounced the massive data leak that exposed 1,279,437 records belonging to law enforcement agencies as revealed by cybersecurity research company VPNmentor.

"This has to be investigated by Congress because the very privacy and safety of our people are at stake here," added Castro.

According to Fowler, also found in the database, were characterrecommendations, in the form of letters from courts and municipal mayors' offices certifying that those individuals applying to work, and a selection of documents containing tax Identification numbers were also found.

Papers pertaining to internal communications also surfaced including documents and directives addressing law enforcement officers, which may or may not be confidential.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation No. 201 declaring April 21 as a regular holiday in the entire country in observance of Eid'l Fitr.

Mr. Marcos signed Proclamation No. 201 after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommended to declare the date a national holiday.

“In order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, and to allow the entire Filipino nation to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony in the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr, it is necessary to declare Friday, 21 April 2023, a regular holiday throughout the country,” the proclamation read.

Eid'l Fitr, one of the two most important Islamic celebrations, is observed by the Muslim community three days after the month-long Ramadan fasting.

The other important celebration, Eid al-Adha of The Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated on the 10th day of the last month of the Islamic calendar and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son to God.

Vince Lopez

State weather bureau PAGASA said both types of eclipses were observed in Western Australia, Timor-Leste, West Papua, and Papua New Guinea.

The Philippines is higher than the path where obscuration is highest, which is why only a partial solar eclipse was observed. The partial eclipse was observed in Southeast Asia, East Indies, Australia, Solomon Island, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

The Speaker delivered a policy speech at the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Thursday morning before university officials, faculty members and students in Boston, Massachusetts about the future of the Philippines and United States alliance. This was moderated by Mr. Eric Rosenbach, Co-Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

“The university is one of the top academic institutions in the world, if not the best. Its programs are emulated or duplicated in other institutions of higher learning. That’s why we are truly proud with this development,” Romualdez declared. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Calamity...

From A1 the matter. The Palace has yet to release a statement as of press time.

Officials said they make do with only four hours per day of electricity supply— that is, 20 hours without electricity every day in the province.

Vice Governor Diana Apigo Tayag said the calamity fund can also be used to purchase crude oil to use for electricity in hospitals.

“It’s just too much. For us, our economy is on life support. We’re so down. Almost no businesses are running here," said Tayag in Filipino over ABS-CBN Teleradyo.

"One of the biggest things we need here is ice. We have a lot of fish products, but all our ice comes from other places," she added.

According to Celso Garcia, General Manager of Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO), only 12 megawatts are supplied by the Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corporation (OMCPC), their sole power supplier. The province needs around 30 megawatts.

The root of the problem, according to reports, is the nearly P1 billion subsidy charged by OMCPC from the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) that would have sold diesel to run the power plant.

Romualdez...

From A1 build a stronger partnership between the Philippines and the United States.

He made the commitment in a wide-ranging speech at the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government before university officials, faculty members and students in Boston, Massachusetts about the future of the Philippines and United States alliance.

The event was moderated by Eric Rosenbach, Co-Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

“Philippine-US relations remain strong. Our security alliance underthe 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad. Our economic partnership is robust. And the friendship between our two peoples is solid,” he stressed after meeting McCarthy.

It was the first interaction between the House Speakers of the two countries in recent years.

Romualdez said they agreed on improving linkages and communication, synergy, coordination, and sharing of best practices between their institutions.

“We were thankful that the (US) Speaker shared our ideals and agreed to continue similar discussions in the future,” he said.

The House leader invited his counterpart, the third highest-ranking US official, to visit the Philippines soon and attend the country’s hosting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

The two leaders met at the US Capitol on late Wednesday night Manila time, shortly before Romualdez flew to Boston to honor an invitation to speak before Harvard University officials, faculty members and students on Philippine-US security cooperation, and regional and domestic peace, stability, and economic issues. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)