U.S. grants P65m for Cagayan, Isabela as EDCA sites

THE United States government has allocated P65 million in grants to the Philippines to boost energy security and support conservation efforts in Cagayan and Isabela, two provinces eyed as future sites of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

In a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said the grants will support local energy planning and the installation of renewable energy technologies, such as solar roofing and nano generators, in the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan.

“With greater energy access, Cagayan and Isabela’s remote communities can better prepare for and recover from natural disasters,” the embassy said.

“Communities surrounding the EDCA sites in Lal-lo and Santa Ana will also benefit from the grants,” it added.

The grants were awarded during the recent visit to the Philippines of USAID) assistant administrator for Asia Michael Schiffer from

June 15 to 18.

In supporting the provinces’ efforts for energy security, Schiffer said the US government “understands that energy is the foundation for systems such as banking, telecommunications, digital platforms, health, education, and transport, among other services.”

“We look forward to partnering with the Philippines to provide greater access to sustainable energy in remote communities, increasing prosperity for families across the country,” he added. Rey E. Requejo and was declared tapped out at 1:57 a.m. on Tuesday. According to Villanueva, around 100 families had to be evacuated, but soon returned home after the authorities assured them of their safety.

Villanueva also said authorities are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the ammonia leak and fire.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco told CNN Philippines that the facility will be closed until deemed safe. Local officials will also tap experts to set better standards in operating a cold storage facility and prevent similar incidents in the future, he noted.

A similar fare hike was also impending at the Metro Rail Transit-Line 3. “I didn’t expect our transport officials to foist a fare hike upon our train riders in Metro Manila who, along with the rest of the Filipino mass, continue to reel from the stubborn elevated inflation that continues to erode their purchasing power and makes it far more difficult for them to make both ends meet,” Villafuerte said.

“The DOTr, LRTA and MRTC should not spring this surprise upon commuters in the metropolis just two months after President Marcos himself ordered them to put back the planned fare adjustments,” he said.

The approved fare increase for both the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) and Line 2 (LRT-2) will lighten the government’s burden in subsidizing the commuters’ fares by around three percent, the DOTr said.

In a Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, DOTr Assistant Secretary for railways sector Jorjette Aquino said the actual cost per passenger of a single end-to-end trip at the LRT-2 is about P178 while only charging P30 to passengers. Rio N. Araja

NWRB advises water conservation to ensure supply in summer of ‘24

THE National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said water from Angat Dam must be conserved to ensure sufficient supply for the summer of 2024.

The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has predicted that the El Nino dry spell might last until 2024.

Nonetheless, the PAGASA allayed fears on the declining water level of the Angat Dam, which provides 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water demand.

This means that the water allocation of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and its concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water could change by July and the succeeding months.

NWRB executive director Dr. Sevillo

David said they allowed for the last time the extension of the 52 cubic meters per second allocation from June 16 to 30 this year.

If the expected rains don’t come in to replenish the Angat and Ipo reservoirs, there could be water service interruptions for 630,000 Maynilad customers from nighttime until early morning, according to estimates, the NWRB said. However, the interruptions might be averted if the rains could fill the dams to capacity.

The MWSS has urged ordinary consumers to conserve and harvest rainwater if possible, in order to lessen dependence and consumption from concessionaires.

If each household could fill a regularsized drum with rainwater, that translates into the daily consumption of a regular family, David said.

TRUCK VS. LRT POST. An eight-wheeler truck runs smack into a monolithic LRT-2 post on Marcos Highway in Antipolo City, but caused no injury to any person except damage to the vehicle itself. The driver claims he tried to avoid hitting a car, but lost control of the wheels and hit the elevated rail’s post instead. Manny Palmero