President urges LGUs to support economic plans

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday called on local government officials to support his administration’s socioeconomic agenda and legislative priorities.

Mr. Marcos made the call during the oath-taking of the new set of national officers of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP).

“So, I take this opportunity to rally your support behind our socio-economic plan and the administration’s legislative priorities. To this day, our vice mayors are important instruments in our bureaucracy and our delivery of services to the public,” he said in a speech delivered before the vice mayors.

“It is now upon us to solidify the groundwork upon which this transformation is based, and to make sure that it gains traction, especially at the local level,” he added.

The President stressed the importance to ensure the full implementation of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, an economic recovery roadmap that outlines the strategies to attain economic and social transformation for a “prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society.”

In Brief

passed before it adjourned sine die. He had earlier cited, for instance, the different terms and prescriptive periods found in Sections 50 and 51 of MIF, saying that it could be that the intention might really be two different things –for which only the plenary can clarify.

By returning it to Congress, there will be more opportunities to fine-tune the measure and clarify ambiguities surrounding the “hastily-enacted” MIF, according to Pimentel.

Pimentel said, however, that the bill is unsalvageable and reiterated his opposition to the measure.

Earlier, Pimentel said that the secretariat of both houses of Congress are not allowed to change the words embedded into the measure by elected officials of Congress.

Pimentel had earlier warned of potential legal cases such as “falsification of legislative documents” if the text of the bill--which both houses of Congress had already passed on third reading-was changed.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri meanwhile said those who will steal more than P50 million from the fund will be slapped with plunder, a nonbailable offense that carries a penalty of 20 years to a lifetime jail term and other multiple charges.

Zubiri said provisions of the law on plunder were among the safeguards included in the controversial MIF bill which was certified as “urgent” by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. He urged the public to forego their worries about the misuse of investment funds to the reiteration of the different laws under the penal code. The penal provisions, he said, are part of the law.

Canada

selects PH as agri-food hub in Pacific

CANADA has picked the Philippines as its new agriculture and agri-food office in the Indo-Pacific region after considering Manila as an “important partner” to build more economic relationships and peopleto-people ties.

Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Thursday announced that Manila will be the intended home base for the new Indo-Pacific Agriculture and AgriFood Office after discussing the Canadian strategy in the region with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA).

The new office is a joint venture between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which will consist of a mobile team working directly with Canadian diplomatic missions, Canadian stakeholders, foreign interlocutors, and decision-makers in the region to advance mutual trade objectives for the sector. Rey E. Requejo

DOJ: More convictions vs. erring policemen

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said it expects more convictions of unscrupulous policemen involved in illegal drugs after another policeman has been found guilty by a lower court for the death of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

“We expect more of that (conviction of policemen) because many of the men in uniform did not do their jobs properly and probably even went to the other side. So, if they are caught doing their thing, the law will not choose who to convict. If it is the cops or the other violators of the law, so be it,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in an interview.

Remulla made the statement after SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel was convicted for the death Jee Ick Joo. Rey E. Requejo

Israel envoy vows to address OFW concerns

ISRAEL has reaffirmed its interest in hiring more caregivers from the Philippines and also assured that it will discuss with Filipino officials labor concerns related to Filipino domestic workers.

Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said made the statement due to the Philippine government decision to put hold since October 2022 the deployment of Filipino caregivers there due to challenges in Israeli legislation and the Philippine regulations.

Fluss did not mention which particular Israeli and Philippine laws and regulations are in conflict with one another, but among concerns for Filipino caregivers he cited was the “basket of services,” or the salary and benefit package, they ought to receive in Israel. Rey E. Requejo