‘Immigration will take into custody POGO workers’

By Rey E. Requejo

DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Sec- retary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will take into custody the foreigners rescued during the June 27, 2023 raid of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility in Las Pinas City.

Remulla said the BI custody of the foreigners was agreed upon during a meeting between the DOJ and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) which conducted the raid that led to the filing of human trafficking complaints against five Chinese nationals.

In a press briefing, Remulla said the foreigners are under “legal custody because they under investigation for violation of their visas or the conditions of their visas,” los David said the proposal will help the country sustain the supply of clean and potable water which is finite and dwindling.

“We’ve been talking to NIA (National Irrigation Authority) and the DPWH if we can, perhaps, repurpose some of the (flood control) projects so they can longer be dikes alone but actually impounding projects, small hydro dams and reservoirs for water supply of communities and irrigation,” he said at the Water for Life forum organized

Las Piñas City kicks off Ms. Waterlily Pageant

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar kicked off the 16th Ms. Waterlily Pageant and presented to the public the candidates who came from the 20 barangays in Las Piñas City.

“The Waterlily Festival in 2020 and 2021 were temporarily halted due to COVID pandemic, but we were given the chance to resume and revitalize it in 2022 last year. So for 2023, we are here again for a happy celebration of our 16th Ms. Waterlily Pageant,” Villar said.

The senator is elated that just like the previous years, all the city’s 20 barangays participated in the Pageant.

In the pre-pageant, the Ms. Waterlily candidates who wore costumes made from water lily, were introduced.

She noted that the Waterlily Festival is a great way to show Las Piñeros’ capacity for friendship and camaraderie with the other barangays in Las Piñas.

“Looking back, it was in 2005 when we started our Waterlily Festival, our goal was to raise awareness on an environmental challenge we were experiencing –the clogging of two rivers- the Las Piñas, ang Zapote River at Las Piñas River due to overgrowth of waterlilies and other trash thrown in the river and esteros,” by Stratbase ADR Monday. He mentioned projects such the P744 million San Cristobal River in Calamba, Laguna, can be repurposed into building many small water impounding systems. This year, one side of the river has been fitted with dikes and the other side by next year. From the same budget, the government can initiate the rehabilitation of a small dam upstream of the river that can provide irrigation to nearby towns, he said.

Villar added.

Together with the Villar SIPAG, the senator said they exerted efforts to remove the waterlilies that clogged the two rivers.

“The licenses of these POGOs were canceled by PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) which gives rise to the fact that these are already illegal,” Remulla said.

Once the BI takes legal custody of these foreigners, Remulla stressed that this will “clarify a lot of issues about the habeas corpus petitions being filed because they are being held for cause by the Bureau of Immigration.”

Metro Manila’s wage board earlier approved a P40 wage increase which was affirmed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

The senator has consistently filed legislative measures which intend to raise the daily wage of laborers as early as his first term as a senator during the 14th Congress, and subsequently during 15th, 16th, 18th, and 19th Congress.

In the 16th and 18th Congress, Revilla was the only legislator in the upper chamber to file measures to such effect. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Solon seeks more

Specialized Cancer Centers

REP. Ray T. Reyes of Anakalusugan on Monday called for more specialized centers in provinces after a recent study showed that the Philippines has one of the lowest screening rates for breast and cervical cancer.

“Many of our people in the provinces do not have access to specialized medical services to treat illnesses like cancer,” he said.

Reyes, vice chair of the House Committee on Health, filed House Bill 3134 of the “Regional Specialty Hospitals Act” to give people access to hospitals providing specialized healthcare services including cancer care. Maricel V. Cruz

LTO rushes to deliver licenses as SONA nears

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) is rushing to deliver physical license cards and vehicle plates days before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The LTO further said the department was assured by a private contractor that there is “proof of capacity” to deliver the cards.

The P219-million project was awarded to Banner Plastic Card Inc., the contractor behind LandBank’s Visa debit cards.

“Five thousand is the sample cards. It will just be good faith offer that they can do it. I’ve seen the factory here in Pasig. They can do 15-30k copies every day. It’s proof that they can deliver,” LTO Officerin-Charge Hector Villacorta, in an ABS-CBN News report, said.