IN BRIEF

Risa asks Senate to pay tribute to Del Rosario serted that they “often” receive money from overseas, 17 percent said they “sometimes” receive remittances, five percent claims “seldom”, while three percent sadly admitted that they never received support from their OFW family members. The pollsters interviewed 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide with a margin of error of ± 2.8 percent.

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution asking her colleagues to honor the legacy and memory of the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for “defending our national interest.”

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his condolences and sympathies on the passing of Del Rosario whom he considered as a “good friend.”

In her Senate Resolution No. 572 filed on Wednesday, Hontiveros described Del Rosario as a “consummate and hands-on diplomat” who represented the Philippines with “utmost grace, honor, and dignity.” Del Rosario died on Tuesday at 83, according to his family.

It was under his watch at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the Philippines elevated to an international court its complaint against China for violating the national rights over the disputed West Philippine Sea.

“Del Rosario was known for defending the national interest, whether it be the interest of scores of overseas Filipino workers finding themselves in situations of distress in other countries or the country’s security interests vis a vis a foreign aggression,” Hontiveros said. Rey E. Requejo

Solon hits Panganiban’s appointment as DA OIC

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros on Thursday strongly criticized the appointment of Department of Agriculture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban as the Department’s OIC. “Domingo arrogated unto himself the powers of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and now, instead of being punished, he is being rewarded by being appointed as its OIC?” noted Hontiveros.

For Malacanang and Panganiban, Hontiveros said it appears that “crime really does pay - it even rewards.”

In any other government, she said Panganiban would already be suspended and the subject of multiple criminal and administrative investigations for his issuances on the sugar importation.

The opposition senator, said this act, openly violated existing laws and enable the formation of a government sponsored sugar cartel in the country.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

LTO runs out of plastic license cards

By Rio N. Araja

THE Land Transportation Office has admitted a nationwide shortage of plastic driver’s license, citing a special order of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) disallowing the procurement of 5.2 million plastic cards worth P249 million.

At a news conference, LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said “as of today (Thursday), there are offices that could no longer issue a plastic license.”

“Earlier, we had a briefing with the deputized agencies and the new chief of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group to tackle various issues, and one of these was the issuance of a temporary driver’s license for renewal and new applications,” he said.

Tugade also said some LTO branches were still unable to issue plastic cards.

“We continue allocating cards,” he said.

“For those that could no longer issue plastic cards, we are doing measures to address the issue,” he added.

The LTO chief gave the assurance that the agency’s official receipt as a temporary driver’s license has a “unique QR code for our law enforcers to verify.”

“We can print out an official receipt for those applying for license renewal,” he said. Asked about the magnitude of the plastic license shortage, Tugade said “it is a nationwide problem. But there are offices in the National Capital (Region) that still have the plastic cards. Based on our forecast, these plastic cards can only last until the end of April.”

Upon his assumption as LTO chief on Nov. 15, 2022, Tugade ordered an inventory not only of plastic driver’s license cards, but also of license plates, he said.

“By that time, I am already aware of the critical level of inventory of plastic cards,” he said, adding that he immediately coordinated with the concerned committees to procure.

LTO GETS NEW OFFICE. Land Transportation Office executive director Giovani Lopez (2nd from left) and Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Sotto (3rd from left) lead the inauguration of a new LTO office at the 2nd floor of Centris Station Eton Centris on E. de los Santos Avenue corner Quezon Avenue Quezon City. Manny Palmero