Duterte eyes law granting 20% discount for needy PUV drivers

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

DAVAO City Rep. Paolo Duterte on Saturday pushed for the enactment of a bill that grants an across-the-board 20-percent discount for indigent public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers on pertinent fees and other requirements needed in securing a professional driver’s license.

Duterte, principal author of House Bill (HB) 8070, Duterte, cited the need for the government to prioritize the welfare of PUV drivers.

Duterte’s bill, co-authored by Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Edvic Yap, states that the discount applies to, among others, examination fees,

BI flags rise in outbound-passengers with fake papers

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has expressed concern over the alarming increase in cases of counterfeit documents being used by overseas-bound travelers.

The BI said during the past week, it has encountered several cases of fake documents presented by outbound passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Just recently, a male passenger bound for Bangkok, Thailand, was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 3 for alleged possession of dubious travel papers.

The man initially claimed that he was a tourist, but a thorough examination of his passport revealed a valid Malta Visa stamped “CANCEL.”

Officers doubted the annotation on his visa, and interviews revealed that he had been instructed to pose as a tourist bound for Malta where he was recruited with the help of a relative.

Also this week, two female victims of apparent illegal recruitment were interviewed at the NAIA Terminal 1 while attempting to travel to Dubai.

They presented counterfeit Saudi Arabia re-entry visas, despite their actual intention to seek employment in Dubai.

One of the victims disclosed that she had met a recruiter on Facebook, who provided them with the forged documents just outside the airport shortly before their departure.

On May 23, the BI intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 1 two women bound for Poland. They allegedly presenting fake overseas employment certificates (OECs), which acquired through Facebook. The women admitted they paid P500 online for the spurious documents.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said he was concerned and frustrated by the proliferation of fake documents, saying, “these syndicates are issuing fake doc ments and sweet-talk our kababayans into agreeing to their illegal schemes.” certificates, clearances and enrollment in accredited driving schools.

On top of the implementation of the PUV Modernization Program, Duterte said the numerous requirements imposed by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in applying for a professional drivers’ license would add to the financial burden of PUV drivers, especially those living in poverty, Duterte said.

Under LTO Memorandum Circular 2021-2284, applying for a professional driver’s license would require an applicant to be at least 18 years old, a non-professional driver’s license holder for at least one year, and able to pass a written exam and practical driving test.

The Palarong BARMMAA started with a late Thursday afternoon parade from the city plaza to the Cotabato State University (CSU) grounds here.

By weekend, everyone was praying for fine weather even as super typhoon Betty that was threatening to dump heavy rains into the country.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim welcomed the athletes and their 11-division delegations from five provinces, three cities and the 63-barangay Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the BARMM.

Some 7,000 athletes are competing in the Palarong BARMAA events that also include Arnis, Sirat Karambit and Sepak Takraw.

The athletes have come all the way from Basilan, Lamitan City, Cotabato City, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Nash B. Maulana

DSWD, SM join hands to boost social services

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sealed a partnership with SM Supermalls to make social welfare programs and services more accessible to the people nationwide.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA), allowing the use of the shopping mall chain’s facilities of SM for the agency’s social protection initiatives and other activities.

“SM and DSWD have been partners for a long time. We share that same core value of empowering our citizens, especially the most vulnerable ones, in trying to fish for themselves,” Gatchalian said.

Through this MOA, Gatchalian said the DSWD will be able to open satellite offices in SM Malls’ Government Service Express Centers in 21 SM branches across 15 regions in the country and the Department is authorized to use SM event places and spaces for free.

“Today we sign the Memorandum of Agreement with the DSWD that will expand our Government Services Express nationwide to make DSWD programs and services more accessible to Filipinos through satellite offices in our malls, starting with 21 locations,” Tan said.

The agreement will also provide a venue for the operations of DSWD, including prepositioning of goods for disaster response as well as facilitating clearances and issuances.

Maricel V. Cruz

Group cites LRT 1’s QR ticketing system

THE Transport advocacy group’s The Passenger Forum (TPF) has welcomed Light Rail Transit 1’s adoption of QR technology as an additional payment option for its passengers.

TPF convener Primo Morillo in a statement said the LRT 1 management decision “is a good development and it will provide a new cashless option for LRT 1 riders especially now that stored value cards are scarce.”

Morillo added that the QR option is also helpful for commuters who forgot their Beep cards, and when the line for single journey tickets are too long.

“Due to the unavailability of stored value cards, people before have no choice but to endure the long lines just to get a ticket,” he noted.

Given this he said “We hope that the MRT, LRT-2, and PNR follow suit and provide a QR payment option for their train lines.”

“We also encourage the DOTr to study how we can maximize this for other transport modes such as buses and modern jeeps,” Morillo said, Maricel V. Cruz

PRE-STORM ACTION. Workers unload sacks of relief goods from a truck at a Pasay City warehouse of the Department of Social Welfare Development, ahead of the landfall of super typhoon Betty. Norman Cruz

Chinese aircraft carrier passes through Taiwan Strait —Taipei

THREE Chinese ships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, passed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the island’s Ministry of National Defense said.

China claims self-ruled democratic Taiwan as its territory, and in recent years has ramped up air and sea incursions around the island.

“A (People’s Liberation Army Navy) flotilla of 3 ships, led by the Shangdong aircraft carrier, passed through the Taiwan Strait around noon today,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to China’s navy.

The flotilla went “to the west of the median line, heading northward,” it added, referring to the unofficial border in the middle of the strait.

While the presence of Chinese warships is constantly monitored and announced near-daily by Taipei, the passage of the Shandong through the 180-kilometer(110-mile-) wide Taiwan Strait – which separates the island from continental Asia – is unusual.

Taiwan’s armed forces “have monitored the situation and tasked (civil air patrol) aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” the ministry said. AFP