DOJ says BARMM powers over NIA have

By Rey E. Requejo

NOT all properties and assets of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) can be turned over to the Bangsamoro government, according to the Depart-

“After a careful review of the applicable laws and jurisprudence, we

Limits

opine that the BG’s (Bangsamoro government) authority over the irrigation system in the BARMM extends only to communal irrigation system (CIS) and thus, only properties and assets confined to CIS should be turned over to the BG,” the DOJ declared in a legal opinion issued last July 6.

The legal opinion signed by DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty was addressed to BARMM Deputy Executive

Secretary for General Administration

Naealla Bainto Aguinaldo.

The DOJ issued the opinion after NIA and BG’s Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) failed to resolve their opposing views on two provisions of the BARMM Law or Republic Act No. 11054 –the regional economy and patrimony under Section 37, Article XIII, and Bangsamoro transition authority under Section 11, Article XVI.

WELCOME HOME,

DAD. A girl beams as she hugs her homecoming father, a member of the 4th Marine Battalion which landed at the Naval Base Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite City, ending 12 years of stint at the Western Frontier, specifically Palawan province. In his message, Philippine Marine Corp. chief Maj. Gen. Arturo Rojas lauded the unit’s success in dismantling the Communist Terrorists Group’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee.

PMC photo

By Othel V. Campos

AHEAD of the 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco revealed the key contributions to the 10-point agenda for economic renewal and growth under the current administration, and the strides made towards the country’s transformation into a tourism powerhouse in Asia.

“We thank our President Marcos, Jr. for identifying tourism as a priority, which provided the impetus for the Department of Tourism’s aggressive efforts to reintroduce the Philippines on the strength of its greatest assets, and to improve the essential pillars of tourism development, laid down in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023 – 2028 crafted and approved under his administration,” Frasco said.

One of the highlights of the Tourism report was the recovery of tourism numbers. As of July 21, 2023, the DOT has recorded 3,017, 224 foreign visitor arrivals, almost 60 percent of the 4.8 million arrival target for the entire 2023.

DOE set to meet challenges of PBBM’s 2nd year in office—Lotilla

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Energy (DOE) is ready to take on the challenges of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second year in office after successfully implementing reforms in the energy sector and minimizing power outages in his first year in office.

“Immediate, medium term, long term, we’re all set for the President’s second year in office,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said during the launch of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s online platform ERC LINKod that will reduce the processing time for all services by an average of 50 percent.

Lotilla said the DOE was “able to the keep the lights on despite forecasts of massive power interruptions” upon the President’s assumption in office.

“The other one which the President says we have to ensure adequate supply for our people. While we have experi- enced power interruptions, the question actually that I was asked why didn’t we have more brownouts than what was predicted,” the Energy chief said.

“We did have some brownouts, but that’s why I’m thankful for everyone in the power industry for having cooperated,” Lotilla said.