DBM releases P15.1b for construction of nearly 5,000 classrooms nationwide

By Julito Rada

BUDGET Secretary

Amenah Pangandaman has approved the release of P15.1 billion for the construction of 4,912 classrooms in 1,194 sites in the country.

In a statement, Pangandaman said the “timely” release of the fund showed that the Marcos administration does not hold back on investing in education.

The fund was a joint request of the

Department of Public Works and Highway and the Department of Education.

Pangandaman said the government needs to build and repair classrooms to cope with increasing enrollment in public schools nationwide.

Early on, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte cited classroom shortage as the most urgent education issue and has committed to addressing the backlog in school infrastructure. Pangandaman underscored that schoolchildren need to be in an environment conducive to fun and learning.

“They need safe and clean classrooms so that they can study very well. They are our best investment,” the secretary said, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his budget message earlier, vowed to prioritize the construction of new classrooms under DepEd’s Basic Education Facilities (BEF) as face-toface classes resumed.

The allocation included the construction, replacement and completion of kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools, as well as technical vocational laboratories, installation or replacement of disability access facilities, construction of water and sanitation facilities; and site improvement.

On the other hand, P131.4 million will be used for engineering and administrative overhead expenses.

This includes the hiring of workers, conduct of preliminary and detailed engineering activities, preconstruction preparations, construction management; testing and quality control; acquisition, rehabilitation and repair of related equipment and parts; training, communication, per diem, and transportation expenses; and contingencies related to pre-construction activities.

Prosecute public officials, workers in cahoots with agri smugglers–Risa

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros eyes the prosecution of government officials and employees in cahoots with smugglers of agricultural products, resulting in substantial revenue losses for the government.

.“There has been no prosecution of government officials for facilitating and abetting acts of agricultural smuggling that amount to large-scale economic sabotage,” Hontiveros stressed As a result, she said smuggling activities continued unabated, inflicting billions of pesos in losses for the government.

To address the problem, Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 2205 to amend certain provisions of Republic Act No. 10845, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, to criminalize government and employees officials who are found conniving with large-scale agricultural smugglers.

“Since the law’s passage in 2016, even if there have been many reports of the seizure of smuggled products, there has been no prosecution of individuals, groups, or corporations under the law,” the opposition senator lamented.

Under SB 2205, any act by a public employee or official that allows the importation into the country without the needed import permit shall be declared as economic sabotage.

“In the sugar fiasco that is still unfolding, for example, documented accounts show that tens of thousands of metric tons of sugar – a regulated commodity – were allowed into the country without a sugar order,” Hontiveros said.

The approval or issuance by a public employee or official of any license, declaration, clearance, or permit, knowing that it is manifestly unlawful, inequitable, or irregular, will also be considered economic sabotage.

Any person who violates the measure will face life imprisonment and a fine of twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product, including taxes, duties, and other charges avoided, plus interest at the legal rate.

The prescription period or the time within which charges can be filed is 20 years.

The smuggling of regulated agricultural commodities has also led to high prices for consumers, the violation of our competition laws, and most importantly, the further decline of our domestic agricultural sector,” Hontiveros noted.

“It is time to hold to account government officials who allow smuggling to persist unfettered,” she stressed.

By Nash B. Maulana

COTABATO City — The Bangsamoro

BTA opens 2nd regular session on high note LTO expands online registration renewal to include PUVs

IN an attempt to get rid of illegal fixers, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) eyes the expansion of its online renewal of registration for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade said they were coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regarding the online renewal registration through the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal.

“May initial meetings na po tayo sa LTFRB para magkaroon ng interconnectivity at maaccess ang mga certificate of public convenience o CPC nang sa gayon ay iyong mga may-ari ng mga PUV ay puwede na rin makapag-renew online (We had initial meetings with LTFRB so that there is interconnectivity and we can access the certificate of public convenience or CPC. This way, the owners of the PUVs could also renew online),” Tugade disclosed.

Last February, the LTO rolled out the same online renewal registration for private vehicles, also through the LTMS portal.

Apart from the convenience enjoyed by the PUV operators, the online renewal of registration for the mass transport sector, the scheme was also seen to weed out fixers in LTO premises.

“The LTO and LTFRB must assure that the PUVs plying our roads are roadworthy units. We want to ease the burden of PUV operators when it comes to the renewal of the registration of their units,” Tugade said. Rio N. Araja

Transition Authority Parliament (BTA) opened its second regular session with more urgent legislative tasks ahead, including the passage of three remaining priority bills specifically provided by Republic Act 11054.

The BTA started its new legislative season, following the approval of a resolution on Monday, designating Member of the Parliament Said Salendab as the acting Wali of the Bangsamoro government to open the session. Salendab beat the gong at 2:12 p.m., signaling the opening of the sessions which will from May 15 to February 15, 2024.

In his address to the Parliament, BTA