Defense Sec. Lloyd Austyin

CHINESE Defense minister Li Shangfu on Sunday warned against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict.

He issued the statement during a security dialogue in Singapore where the Pentagon also voiced concern over the Chinese military's "increasingly risky and coercive activities" in Asia.

Also in Singapore, Philippine Defense officer-in-charge Sec. Carlito Galvez called on neighboring countries to uphold the rule of law, including the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling which rejected China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, amid persisting tensions in the disputed waters.

Galvez said adhering to international law is an effective way to settle maritime disputes, calling it the "greatest equalizer among states."

"We view the 2016 arbitration award as not only setting the reason and right in the South China Sea, but also as an inspiration for how matters should be considered by states facing similar challenging circumstances," Galvez said in the dialogue attended by Li and Pentagon chief US Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin.

PAGASA: 2 LPAs may enhance ‘habagat’

By Rio N. Araja

THE state weather bureau is monitoring two low pressure areas which may enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat.

In its weather outlook for June 5 to 11, PAGASA said the weak habagat will prevail ern Luzon until Friday, and may be enhanced by the two LPAs outside of the Philippine area of responsibility. The first LPA, which is located east

AN AMERICAN political science expert said traffic gridlock in the Philippines is caused by underinvestment in mass transit systems and an over-reliance on cars as mode of transportation.

Prof. John Sidel of must enroll in the government’s jobgenerating programs.

In an interview with radio dzBB, DSWD officer-in-charge Undersecretary Eduardo Punay said the requirements would push 1 million beneficiaries to join programs from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Punay said these requirements would help end the culture of dependency on government financial assistance.

“This design for the food stamp program is multi-purpose,” he said in Filipino. “The DSWD is evolving. We’re not all just about financial assistance. We’re becoming developmental. We are making sure that our beneficiaries do not become used to merely receiving financial aid or ayuda, and all they do is take and take.”

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By Julito G. Rada

THE administration’s economic team adjusted current proposals for the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pension reform, which will now offer three options for retirees to get their benefits.

Under the new proposal, MUPs who avail of optional retirement are given the prerogative to choose among three options: a) receive all pension benefits in one lump sum upon retirement; b) 60

PH gets 1st batch of bivalent COVID vax from Lithuania

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

months advance, then the payment of monthly pension benefits will kick in after five years; and c) receive pension benefits at age 57.

The new options were proposed in consideration of varying financial situations among MUPs and will be applied on a case-to-case basis, Finance Undersecretary Maria Luwalhati Dorotan Tiuseco said.

Tiuseco presented the economic team’s latest proposal during the dialog

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He cited the case of the 4Ps conditional cash transfer where beneficiaries have become too dependent on government assistance.

“Some of our beneficiaries there do not want to leave 4Ps even though they are due for graduation. This is what we want to avoid in the new program,” Punay said.

Punay said the idea is to subsidize one meal for the beneficiaries to

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From A1

But Galvez said the Philippine victory was "not directed at any country," noting that it was a decision "favoring all nations subscribing to the rule of law."

Li warned that NATO-like alliances would "plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts."

"Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li said.

"Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques," he added.

Li's comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States' efforts to shore up alliances in the region and counter China's rise.

For his part, Pentagon spokesman

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From A1 with the AFP Health Service Command on June 2, which was attended by about 150 on-site participants and almost 100 virtual participants.

The adjustments were made after initial consultations with the AFP and the Presidential Security Group.

Finance Undersecretary Maria

Cielo Magno assured the MUPs that the economic team has been given the directive to study the current pension systems of other government branches enjoying similar pension benefits, amid pension sustainability concerns.

After four dialogues with the military, the economic team is scheduled to meet with uniformed personnel, starting with the Philippine National Police on June 7 at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The economic team said it will continue to gather sentiments of the MUPs and introduce necessary improvements to the proposal to come up with a well-balanced solution.

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants a selfregenerating pension plan for both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

“We’re working hard on making sure that we have a pension plan both for the AFP and for the po- allow them to use the money for job training and transportation as they look for jobs.

Earlier, the DSWD said the food stamp program, dubbed "Walang Gutom Program 2027: Food Stamp Program," will aid 1 million households that have been categorized as "food poor" or those who earn less than P8,000 a month and those who cannot afford to eat more than one meal a day.

Beneficiaries will receive P3,000 a month or a total of P36,000 a year worth of government assistance that will be distributed through electronic

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, who is with Austin in Singapore, turned the tables on China, raising concern over “the PLA's increasingly risky and coercive activities in the region, including in recent days.”

The United States is a member of AUKUS, which groups it with Australia and Britain.

Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan.

Li sought to paint the United States as the trigger of regional instability, and China as seeking to ease tensions.

"It cannot be denied that if a fierce conflict or confrontation occurs between China and the United States, it would bring unbearable pain for the world," he said.

On Saturday, Austin called for toplevel defense talks with Beijing to prevent miscalculations.

"The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis lice,” Mr. Marcos said. benefit transfer (EBT) cards provided by the DSWD. Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda urged the DSWD to integrate its food stamps program with efforts by the Department of Agriculture to buy and market domestic farm produce, saying that “the poorest communities remain the rural poor of this country.”

The President said he wanted both the AFP and the PNP to have a self-sustaining pension plan to avoid a scenario where there will be no more funds intended for their benefits.

Mr. Marcos said these funds could start to shrink in five to six years as the government continues to re-evaluate the pension system for the military and police to avert a possible fiscal collapse.

“So even before that happens, we are taking preemptive steps. We are designing a better system,” he said.

Earlier, Defense officer-incharge Carlito Galvez Jr. appealed to senators to consider the morale and welfare of the troops in tackling the proposed new pension system for MUP retirees.

"In fact, the President also gave an instruction that he is very much concerned about the impact of this on the morale and welfare of the army personnel and policemen, and he wanted that there should be a continuous discussion to have a common ground," Galvez said.

Galvez said 70 to 80 percent of the enlisted personnel were eyeing early retirement to avail themselves of the current pension system.

"We should really look at the middle ground so that we can see that the morale and welfare of our people will be taken care of," Galvez said.

“Food stamps, as envisioned and implemented in other countries, are agricultural programs. They aim to bridge rural surpluses with food-poor urban communities. That way, we address both urban poverty and rural or conflict," Austin said.

Also on Saturday, the United States deployed a destroyer from its 7th Fleet along with a Canadian naval vessel through the Taiwan Strait.

China responded by sending one of its naval ships close to the US destroyer, the USS Chung-Hoon, according to the Pentagon.

The strait is one of the world's most tense potential military flashpoints.

China claims Taiwan as its territory —vowing to take it one day, by force if necessary—and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the self-governing island.

Austin on Sunday described the incident as "extremely dangerous", saying the Chinese vessel crossed "probably 150 feet (46 meters)" in front of the Chung-Hoon.

"I call upon the (Chinese) leadership to really do the right things to rein in that kind of conduct, because I think

PH...

From A1 the Lithuanian government and our sincerest gratitude to our partner agencies for being one with the DOH in seeing that within our reach is a bountiful future, one that is most achievable starting with ensuring that we have sufficient protection against the COVID-19 virus,” Vergerie said.

“To every eligible Juan and Juana, we urge everyone to get the opportunity to gain longer and stronger protection by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Together, let us move towards a healthier Pilipinas,” she added.

On Sunday, the Department of Health logged 1,272 new COVID-19 cases – the lowest tally in five days.

Active cases stood at 13,808, while total recoveries increased by 1,862 cases.

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From A1 of Visayas, may develop into a tropical cyclone by the middle of the week but is not expected to make landfall, PAGASA said. The second LPA is in the West Philippine Sea and will head towards Southern China mid-week.

The state weather bureau on Friday officially declared the start of the rainy season.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is still closely monitoring the activity in Taal poverty,” he said. accidents can happen that could cause things to spiral out of control," Austin told reporters in Singapore.

“Around 30 percent of farmers are poor. So, if you want to make this program sustainable, you link it with boosting farmer incomes,” he added, noting that the administration’s economic managers have balked at the program’s price tag.

“As it was originally implemented in the United States, where the food stamp program is most prevalent and arguably most successful, you can have a specific amount for general food items, and you can have a special stamp or voucher for surplus produce,” he said.

Saturday's Taiwan Strait encounter followed what the US military said was an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" by one of Beijing's fighters near a US surveillance plane in the South China Sea last week.

Li told the Singapore audience on Sunday that the onus was on the United States to pull its military presence away from areas near China.

"Our Chinese military aircraft and warships won't ever go near the airspace and territorial waters of other countries to engage in so-called navigational hegemony," Li said.

"The best thing would be if all countries, and especially their warplanes and warships, refrained from wandering through other country’s territorial airspace and waters. What are you hanging around here for?"

The regions with the highest number of fresh infections in the last 14 days are the National Capital Region with 6,279, followed by Calabarzon with 4,316; Central Luzon with 2,419; Western Visayas with 1,551; and Cagayan Valley with 926.

For her part, Vergerie said the DOH is in constant contact with the COVAX Facility in order to get additional doses of bivalent vaccines for the public.

Based on the DOH guidelines, health workers and senior citizens will get priority access to the bivalent vaccines.

An individual may be vaccinated with the bivalent vaccines at least four to six months after receiving the second booster dose.

Bivalent vaccines provide protection against the original COVID-19 strain and Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

DOH’s latest data showed that over 179 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered as of March.

Volcano in Batangas, A low level activity was detected in the volcano last Friday, where weak and shallow but continuous tremors were detected. There was also an increase in the average emission of sulfur dioxide.

Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, Phivolcs director, said there were reports of volcanic smog yesterday morning due to the increased emission of SO2.

He advised residents living near the volcano to stay at home, or to wear protective masks when going out. Alert Level 1, which cites abnormal conditions, is still raised over Taal Volcano.

LOCAL DELICACY.

Residents of Barangay Aurelio sell ‘patupat’ for the ‘MAY-KAN: Discovering flavors of the North through Gastronomic Experience’ in Pangasinan The ‘patupat’ is a local delicacy made with sticky rice sweetened with fresh tuba juice and wrapped in woven buri leaves.

“What the farmers can get for surplus produce are food stamps for the general program. So, you help solve their food insecurity issues. You take out the surplus, helping manage prices. And you provide free surplus food to those who need it. It’s a great synergy,” he said.

“So, I think the DSWD should really team up with the DA on this program,” Salceda said.

He also said the government should consider using revenues from the sweetened beverage tax to fund the food stamp program.

Austin and Li shook hands and spoke briefly at the Singapore event's opening dinner on Friday, but there was no substantive exchange.

The United States had invited Li to meet with Austin on the sidelines of the conference, but China declined.

A senior US defense official told journalists Sunday that the US had also offered lower level meetings but that China didn’t respond.

A member of China's delegation said the removal of US sanctions on Li was a precondition for talks.

However, there have been some signs of improved dialogue between the two nations.

CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month, a US official announced on Friday.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will also travel to China on Sunday for a rare visit. AFP

‘Too...

From A1 his paper, "Crisis at Catalyst: Introducing Urban Transport Reforms in the Philippines Amidst the Global Pandemic," in a forum hosted by the Move as One Coalition over the weekend.

Sidel said the need for reforms in the transportation system, including the promotion of active transport such as dedicated bike lanes and bus rapid transit systems, have become more stark amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic and the economic, logistical, and social problems it generated produced unprecedented — and hitherto unanticipated — opportunities to bring these reforms to fruition,” he said in his paper.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, for his part, acknowledged the role of the Move as One Coalition in achieving safe and inclusive public transport in the country.

"We achieved significant strides for a safe and inclusive public transit board because of the support of partners like NGOs today," Bautista said.

The Move as One Coalition, which has over 140 organizations and 77,000 individuals as members, has been advocating for a safer, more humane, and more inclusive public transportation system that is not designed with a car-centric approach.