Gov’t reactivates special task force ahead of El Niño period

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

MALACANANG announced on Saturday that the Marcos administration has reactivated a task force mandated to take measures to cushion the impact of the anticipated El Niño phenomenon.

Meanwhile, Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles urged the people to continue planting trees to help mitigate the harsh effects of El Niño.

The multi-agency task force will be led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Presidential spokesperson Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

“The team is tasked to implement mea-

NAIA’s April air traffic highest in post-COVID era

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

THE Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) posted last month its highest passenger volume and flight movement in a single month since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) disclosed on Saturday.

MIAA acting general manager Bryan Co said the NAIA recorded 1,677,779 international passengers and 9,089 international flights in April, more than double compared to the 663,824 international passengers and 4,494 international flights in April last year.

“Summer is indeed a popular time for vacation and international travel, not only for Filipinos taking advantage of airlines’ promotional fares or using travel funds for flights they couldn't use due to the pandemic, but also for our international visitors wanting to see the Philippines,” Co said.

“After more than two years of closed borders, we expect the momentum of recovery to continue for tourism and the aviation industry," he added.

NAIA handled a total of 1,178,461 passengers overall in the first 10 days of April as air travelers took advantage of the long Holy Week break.

Combined with domestic travel figures, NAIA registered a total of 3,666,503 passengers and 22,816 flights in April 2023. This represents a 50-percent rise from the 2,447,795 passengers in April 2022, and accounts for 86 percent of the 4,261,352 passengers in April 2019, the last full year before the pandemic.

Flight movement has also increased by 28 percent compared to the 17,774 flights in the same month last year, and is equivalent to 98 percent of the 23,327 flights in April 2019.

sures to mitigate the impact of El Niño on the country’s economy, natural resources, environment, climate change, disaster response, and peace and order,” Garafil said. The reconstitution of the task force, along with the revival of El Niño were in compliance with a presidential directive for a “whole-of-government” and approach to overcome the challenges of El Niño.

Concerned government agencies, in a report to the President, have agreed to continue the existing structure of the El Niño Task Force as stated under Executive Order (EO) No. 16 issued in 2001. Under EO 16, the task force was mandated to formulate a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan for El Niño, monitor the implementation of the plan, and conduct a massive public information campaign.

The order also directed all government agencies and local government units to extend full support to the El Niño task force. Garafil said the current Expanded Roadmap for Addressing the Impact of El Niño (E-RAIN) would also be updated and enhanced.

Inbrief

BOC undergoes key personnel reshuffle

CUSTOMS Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio has ordered the revamp of district collectors in major ports and other key officers to “further improve the agency’s collection performance.”

“An issuance of a resolution indicating the adoption of the existing E-RAIN framework is recommended, and if needed, a creation of a Technical Working Group is also suggested,” she said.

To address the 2015-2016 El Niño episode, the administration of then president Benigno Aquino III crafted RAIN, which focused on ensuring food security, health, energy security, and safety in 67 impacted provinces, plus Metro Manila.

Acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, in his report, emphasized that the reconstituted El Niño team will further improve the E-RAIN, specifically in such critical areas as food security, water security, energy security, health, and public safety.

Included in the reshuffle, based on Rubio’s Customs Personnel Order (CPO) dated May 10, 2023, were collectors of the so-called “billionaires ports’ - Port of Manila (PoM), Manila International Container Port (MICP) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Maritess Martin of Port of Subic replaced Manila port collector Michael Angelo Vargas who was transferred as deputy collector for administration in the MICP.

NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan, who was transferred to Subic, was replaced by Maria Yasmin Obillos-Mapa while MICP collector Arnoldo Famor, who was designated as chief of Paircargo Assessment Composite Unit in NAIA, was replaced by Romeo Allan Rosales from the Office of the Commissioner (Ocom).

Iloilo bettor pockets P225m Mega lotto pot

AN Iloilo resident is now P225 million richer, having won the jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) Mega Lotto 6/45 draw on Friday.

PCSO general manager Melquiades Robles said the lucky bettor’s 14-05-44-25-01-36 combination earned for him the top prize of P225,248,638.

The ticket was bought in Pavia, Iloilo.

The PCSO advised winners that they have one year from the date of the draw to claim their prizes, as specified in Republic Act 1169, the law on PCSO lotteries.

All jackpot prizes must be claimed at the PCSO main office in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City.

IT’S WORTH ONE’S SALT. Salt makers in Barangay Banog Norte, Bani, Pangasinan stand their ground as the Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, launches Oplan Asin in the province to save the industry from eventual decline.