DOTr favors 15-year concession deal on refurbished, modernized NAIA IN BRIEF

Herbosa: Get your anti-TB treatment

THE Department of Health (DOH) has called on Filipinos who have tested positive for tuberculosis to dismiss social stigma and continue treatment in specialty facilities all over the country.

The DOH raised the call following reports that around one million Filipinos were afflicted with tuberculosis.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has announced that treatment period for the disease has been drastically reduced to the usual six to nine months to just four months are recommended by the World Health Organization.

“People fall out of this TB program, because after they feel good - there are no more symptoms, they don’t complete the courses,” Herbosa said. explained in Filipino.

He added that upon his appointment, President Marcos had urged a directive to address the problem of Tuberculosis in the country – with the Philippines ranking fourth among other countries which hold a high burden of the disease.

The Health secretary stated that most Filipinos who were being treated for the disease chose to discontinue from participating in treatment programs once they began to lose any of its symptoms.Gabriellea B. Pariño

Task force says NPA presses armed attacks

THE New People’s Army (NPA) continues to stage attacks, targeting various development projects of the government aimed at improving the quality of life in formerly rebel-controlled barangays, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said on Monday.

In an online press briefing, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) director Rene Valera, who heads the agency’s Project Development Services, said military and police units have foiled at least 10 NPA attacks targeting various development projects.

“So, disruptions did not last long, based on the information we gathered the NPAs were just making their presence felt, and then they will flee,” he added in a statement Monday night.

Based on DILG records, government forces repelled the NPA rebels’ attack on Nov. 26, 2022 against a development project being implemented in Sitio Ibayasaya, Barangay Tigbanaba, Igbaras, Iloilo. Vince Lopez

OCD eyes national unity vs. disasters

THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has called for sustained cooperation among the various government agencies, private sector and the public to boost the country’s disaster resilience.

OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno made this remark in observance of this year’s National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM).

He said a whole-of-nation approach is important in building disaster resilience.

“NDRM 2023 is a call for us to continue working to make the Signature Filipino Smile of Resilience clearly stand for our ability to mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover from disasters. The time is now for us to scale up our strategies and work in surmounting the impacts of disaster through foresight and preparedness,” Usec. Nepomuceno, who is also executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said in a statement.

With the theme: “BIDAng Pilipino: Building a stronger Filipino well-being towards disaster resilience,” the agency is advocating for a collective effort to ensure the safety of communities against disaster by promoting well-being holistically. Vince Lopez

By Darwin G. Amojelar and Maricel V. Cruz

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday said a 15-year concession period is a “more appropriate” term for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Meanwhile, a party-list legislator representing the migrant workers sector sought a congressional inquiry on the poor service being provided by budget airlines that are mostly patronized by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“In DOTr, we believe 15 (years) is more appropriate term that gives us flexibility,” Roberto Lim, Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports of the DOTr told reporters.

“But you know we have also incorporating in our proposal an option to extend it by another 10 years in the event cir- cumstances warrant. That’s how we are approaching. So, 15 years with an option to extend it to 10 years,” he said.

Lim said the 10-year extension will depend on the passenger demand and if the completion of the Bulacan and Sangley airports are delayed.

The DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority earlier submitted a joint proposal for the P141-billion NAIA solicited PPP project for approval by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), giving the private concessionaire 15 years to operate the airport and recover its investments.

Lim said the government was looking at bidding out the NAIA rehabilitation project by September this year.

“Right now, with respect to the unsolicited proposal it is under evaluation by DOTr. We met with them several times and in fact we are meeting with them this week,” Lim said.

“There are still clarifications that have been raised by both sides. Issues like real property taxes and other issues,” he added.

The Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC) earlier said its P267 billion unsolicited offer is the “fastest route” to rehabilitate and modernize the NAIA.

MIAC, whose members included six of the Philippines’ largest conglomerates, namely Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Alliance Global – Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corp. and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corp. said its unsolicited proposal (USP) already completed its technical, economic, financial, value-formoney, and ESG studies.

The consortium has proposed a 25year concession period for the project.

MIAC’s P267 billion bid included

By Joel E. Zurbano

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Romando

Artes on Tuesday acknowledged the delay in the implementation of flood management projects flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The COA scored the MMDA for failure to fully implement 33 out of its 47 projects and programs amounting to P825.318 million as of Dec. 31, 2022.

The state auditors cited delays in documentary requirements and procurement activities and poor strategies in the monitoring and implementation of the projects and programs.

According to Artes, the projects under the Metro Manila Flood Management Project (MMFMP) Phase 1 which were not yet fully implemented as of December 2022 were funded by the World Bank

P211 billion of capital investments, P57 billion of which will be rolled out over the first five years with the remaining P154 billion to be invested over the remainder of the proposed 25-year concession period.

The proposal also included an unprecedented P57-billion concession payment to the government—the largest ever upfront concession payment offered for a transportation PPP project in the country, whether solicited or unsolicited.

Beyond the P267 billion of upfront payment and capital investments, the government was also projected to receive an additional P280 billion OFW Rep. Marissa Magsino filed House Resolution 1105 to address the concerns repeatedly raised by airline passengers, notably by the OFWs on the lousy service of domestic airlines, particularly the so-called budget carriers.

(WB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

He noted that since the projects were foreign-assisted, the procurement process was different from the usual early procurement process under Republic Act 9184.

“The projects underwent a tedious process and discussions with the World Bank before they were approved and implemented,” Artes said.

“The WB reviews the bidding process done by the MMDA. Sometimes, they recommend continuation of the project rejected by our agency which in turn results in contract cost and duration revision,” he added.

As for the site relocation or project redesign, Artes said it was approved by the World Bank. “It is the World Bank that recommends and decides whether a contract shall be extended and coverage widened.”

A SOCIO-civic advocate has spearheaded a medical mission in a town in Laguna province, offering free circumcision for adolescents as a rite of passage to manhood. The organizer, Kono Salinas, in a press statement said the medical mission will be held in Binan, Laguna.

Last Sunday, June 25, Kono Salinas coorganized a Medical Mission at the Town Hall and Country Southville multi-purpose basketball court, known as “Operation Binata,” the statement read.

“This medical mission focused on pro- viding free circumcisions to qualified males residing in Barangay Sto. Tomas and nearby areas. In collaboration with the Tau Gamma Phi Triskelion Grand Fraternity Sto. Tomas Chapter’s Grand Triskelion, Larry Marco Sabado, the event was a resounding success,” it added.

“Operation Binata” epitomizes Kono’s hands-on approach to realizing his visionary pursuit. By offering free circumcisions, the event addressed a common health concern among young males while promoting overall well-being and hygiene practices.

“By fostering an environment that encourages entrepreneurship, Kono aims to provide opportunities for individuals to unleash their potential, create jobs, and build sustainable livelihoods. He recognizes the transformative power of empowering individuals to shape their own destinies and make meaningful contributions to the community.

“Kono Salinas’ visionary pursuit is centered around his belief that even the smallest actions can make a significant difference in improving Laguna. By championing the importance of small businesses and organizing events like “Operation Binata,” Kono demonstrates his commitment to creating a prosperous and vibrant region,” the statement said.