PRESIDENT LAUDS ZAMPELAN FORCES FOR KEEPING PEACE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday commended the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division (1ID) and the Joint Task Force (JTF) - Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao (ZamPeLan) for their relentless efforts to maintain peace and order in Mindanao.

During his visit to Camp Major Cesar Sang-an in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, Marcos congratulated the 1ID and the JTF ZamPeLan for their good work, saying they must be “very proud” of their dedication to fighting for peace.

“Because of your good performance,

‘Entrenched...

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Salceda said he sees many benefits of the bill once enacted.

On the conversion of agricultural lands for housing and other uses, Salceda said the basis of conversion should be “optimal economic use.”

“We have a housing deficiency of at least four million units. So, I will not participate in the prejudice against land conversion towards housing. Same goes for land conversion for renewable energy.”

A national land use plan, Salceda added, “will enable us to protect the ecology, use our farms in the most efficient way possible, and reserve adequate space for our growing needs for energy, housing, irrigation, and infrastructure.”

Local governments’ failure?

Salceda, and other proponents of the bill, want a specific National Land Use Act, saying the current land use implementation have been decentralized but the local governments have failed to issue guidelines as to how land we always expect that you willalways perform well. But you have never failed the country,” he said.

“You have never failed to answer the call of duty with honor, with pride, and with the passion and the love for the Republic of the Philippines.”

The President told the troops that they are now tasked to transform themselves from warfighters to peacemakers as the country pursues the peace process.

He emphasized the importance of unity and bringing lasting peace to the country.

Charles Dantes

should be utilized.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas, chair the House special committee on land use, earlier said the measure would be a “game-changer” as it would attract more businesses and foreign investments.

“This bill being passed into law will be a sure-fire game-changer in terms of foreign investment for the Philippines,” Matugas said. “One of the objectives is for our friends from all parts of the world — who carry with them the right resources and good intentions for our country — to immediately see an organized, prepared and detailoriented Philippines ripe and ready for their investments,” he added.

‘Land misuse bill’, critics charge The Makabayan Bloc opposed the bill, with one if its members, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas feared that it would only be a tool to convert lands for farming and peoples’ residence to commercial spaces. Brosas termed the bill as a “land misuse bill.” The measure she said “will enable widespread conversion of lands for subdivision and commercial housing, when these lands could be used for food production.”

He noted that the ADB projection is well within the range of our economic managers’ 6 0 to 7.0 percent growth assumptions for 2023 and 6.5 to 8.0 percent for 2024 to 2028, taking into account both domestic and external risks.

The Speaker also cited the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) economic growth forecast for the Philippines this year at 6 percent, with this year’s gross domestic product expansion projected to come in between 5.5 percent and 6 percent.

“With President Marcos’ steady hand at the helm and everyone pulling together, I am confident that we can reach our goal and overcome any rough waters that we may encounter on our journey,” Romualdez said.

The country’s sustained economic growth can also be attributed to

President Marcos’ clarion call for unity as it harnesses our nation’s collective strength and effort to rebuild our economy, according to Romualdez.

“It is a testament to the resilience of our people, the ingenuity of our businesses, and the strong partnerships forged between the government and private sector,” he pointed out.

Romualdez said the House of Representatives remains committed to the task of enacting laws to sustain our economic momentum, foster an enabling business environment, and ensure that all the benefits of growth reach all segments of society.

“Likewise, in the exercise of our power of the purse, we will prioritize allocations to strengthen social safety nets and invest in crucial sectors that will fuel inclusive growth and development,” Romualdez said.

Victor

A silver-plated 60-meter statue named ‘The Victor’ is installed at the Bridgetowne Robinsons Land Corp. in Pasig. The statue is designed by FilipinoAmerican artist Jefre ManuelFigueras, whose goal is to have ‘The Victor’ as the tallest lighting projection art installation in the world.

Manny Palmero

THE Customs Bureau’s intensified campaign against smuggling resulted in the seizure of more than P23 billion worth of contraband and other illegally imported goods in the first half of the year.

At least 603 seizures were made from January to June 2023 and most of these shipments were smuggled counterfeit products, agricultural products, tobacco products, illegal drugs, and general merchandise.

Some of the notable seizures were P86 million worth of misdeclared sugar from Hong Kong in Port of Subic on March 15; P1.4 billion worth of imported cigarettes in a Sulu warehouse on March 2; and P3.8 million worth of shabu at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport - DHL Express Warehouse on May 8.

Early this month, the Port of Subic also intercepted P240 million worth of counterfeit products smuggled from Bangladesh.

Those seizures were among the achievements made by the Bureau of Customs under the leadership of Commissioner Bien Rubio for the first six months, demonstrating its commitment to its 5-Point Priority Program for the calendar year 2023 pursuant to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Joel E. Zurbano

Ph Roller Skiers Win In Thailand Tourney

FILIPINO roller skiers bagged two silver medals and four bronze medals in this year’s Thailand National Rollerski Championship in Chiang Mai City.

The teenage athletes from San Guillermo, Morong, Rizal went head tohead with skiers all around the globe for the rollerski championship, calling the experience a very teachable moment.

“We were all surprised by our performance. The competition was a big help because we became aware of things we needed to improve and we developed a standard performance which will be the basis for more developments in future competitions,” The team’s head coach Carl Nicole Nery said in an interview.

Fifteen-year-old Paul Mckhenzie Medina Orca bagged two silver medals and a bronze medal in the 12,000-meter mass start, 3,000m meter team relay, and the 12,000-meter interval start respectively.

His teammate Menard James Francisco received two bronze medals for the 800-meter sprint classic and 3,000-meter mixed team relay, while twelve-year-old Dimitri Santiago also scored a bronze medal in the latter competition.

Gabriellea Pariño

She also warned that the bill could result in more evictions of informal settlers without providing them alternative options.

Under HB 8162, the National Land Use Commission (NLUC) is created under the Office of the President (OP). It shall exercise the powers and responsibilities of the current National Land Use Committee, which is hereby abolished.

Among the powers and functions of the Commission is to advise the President of the Philippines on all matters concerning land use and physical planning; Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines, and policies relevant to land use and physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive national land use framework. It would also prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework for physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial development directions for the entire country and subnational levels The NLUC serves as the heart of the legislation and acts as the highest policymaking body on land use and resolves land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government.

The NLUC commissioner will have the rank of Cabinet Secretary, while the two deputy NLUC commissioners will be given the titles of undersecretary.

The National Land Use Office (NLUO), which shall serve as the technical secretariat to the NLUC, shall also be created under the OP.

“All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated,” the bill said.

“Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the State to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and development of the country’s land to ensure their optimum use to promote sustainable socio-economic development and ecological protection,” it added. Through HB 8162, the State institutionalizes land use and physical planning as mechanisms for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and allocation patterns that promote and ensure, among others, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources; disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency; and protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic commodities with an emphasis on self sufficiency in rice and corn.

Iron-clad protection for PH natural resources

They likewise seek the perpetual protection of permanent forests and watershed and ecosystem services for the attainment of food, water, and energy sufficiency; and the protection, preservation, and development of the country’s historical, cultural, archaeological, and built heritage resources for the deeper understanding of our history and culture as a people.

The bill also provides mandatory consultations from the regional, provincial, city, and municipal levels, as well as harmonizes existing rules and regulations governing the allocation, utilization, development, and management of land resources.

In Brief

Tales Of Horror As Thousands Flee Ethnic Violence In Northeast India

FATHER-OF-FIVE S. Mamang Vaiphei hid in the jungle for three nights after a mob attacked his village in Manipur, the remote Indian state where ethnic violence has reportedly killed at least 54 people.

Around 23,000 people have fled the unrest which erupted last week in the hilly northeast state bordering Myanmar.

“The Meitei people first burnt down 26 or 27 houses,” Mamang, now sleeping out in the open in an army camp with around 900 others bringing similar horror stories, told AFP.

“Then they came again and finished all 92 houses (in the village), ransacked the church, the school and whatever was left,” the 54-yearold said, surrounded by exhausted and traumatized men, women and children.

The far-flung states of northeast India sandwiched between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar have long been a tinder box of tensions between different ethnic groups as well as a hotbed of separatism. AFP