Taguig RTC’s San Pedro new PJA president

By Rey E. Requejo

TAGUIG City Regional Trial Court keep rice prices low after the onslaught of typhoons “Egay” and “Falcon”, which flattened thousands of hectares of rice and corn.

Judge Byron San Pedro is the new president of the Philippine Judges Association after he was sworn in recently by Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez.

Judge San Pedro, who was PJA’s executive vice president, took over the top post from Judge Danilo Cruz who served as PJA president until his compulsory retirement last July 28.

Justice Marquez administered the oath of office to Judge San Pedro at the SC’s dignitary lounge last July 31.

System (MWSS) and its concessionaires, which was maintained at 48 cubic meters per second for August.

David said the level of Angat Dam should reach 210 to 212 meters by yearend to ensure that water needs for the summer are going to be met.

At a Palace briefing, Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operation Arnel de Mesa said they were following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to take a “whole-of-government approach” to lessen the impact of drought on the country.

“The preparations of the DA when it comes to El Niño and, all the necessary interventions are, again, coordinated with our regional field offices to ensure that we are responsive to the possible effects of El Niño,” he said.

“We need to coordinate very closely with the National Irrigation Administration for the planting of rice,” he added.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said El Niño might last until the first quarter of 2024.

Meanwhile, a total of 108 areas in six regions in Luzon have been placed under a state of calamity due to the combined effects of Typhoon Egay and the southwest monsoon or habagat, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

These cities and municipalities were in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

In Pampanga, which declared a state of calamity recently, 3rd District board member Jun Canlas said that almost half a million people, or 100,000 families in 232 barangays were affected by the bad weather.

Agriculture officials acknowledged the difficulties brought about by India’s rice export ban, Vietnam’s move to halve its exports of the crop, and the damage brought about by recent typhoons.

“The President is very much worried. We really have to discuss ways by which we could really mitigate the further effect of these events that are now unfolding,” said Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which Marcos heads.

Sombilla said the government is ready to mitigate the possible impact of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, India’s export ban on non-basmati white rice, and the El Niño phenomenon.

“You know, we are prepared. The production for up to the second quarter, we have something like 39 days of stocks,” she said, adding that the DA has already put measures in place to increase production.

She said the biggest rice production is expected either by the end of September or October.

“In the event that our fuel subsidy is not sufficient, we may resort to granting their request, but not as high as one peso,” Guadiz said in a press briefing. “This will be subject to a study which we are doing right now, with results out in about two weeks.”

Obet Martin, president of the group Pasang Masda, said jeepney drivers and operators were losing P150 in takehome earnings per day with the P3.50 increase in diesel, which put its price near the P60-per-liter level anew.

Sombilla said Russia and India’s recent moves would have a minimal impact on global food prices.

But HSBC economist for the ASEAN region Aris Dacanay said the Thai Rice Exporters Association expected rice prices to go up by as high as 10 percent due to India’s recent ban on rice exports. Recto also noted that flooding caused by typhoons “Egay” and “Falcon” would damage rice and corn supply as the three regions affected -- Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon -account for 44 percent of national rice production and 79 percent of corn.

“These are agricultural powerhouses that not only serve as our grain granary but a major supplier of poultry, pork, and other livestock,” Recto said. However, the easy solution of importation when local production dips “is not as straightforward anymore due to convulsions in the world market.” the Philippines. But the environment is much better and this is important for us that there’s improvement in the steps forward,” she added.

“It’s not easy to order rice in the world. A country will only export its surplus production. Their priority will be local demand. And this is where grains nationalism comes in because if there’s no rice on the table, the masses will rise up,” he said.

India, the number one rice exporter with a 40-percent world market share, has imposed a ban on the export of nonBasmati rice.

“Using our computations, that P150 means our drivers would have money for bread and coffee for breakfast, plus some for rice and eggs to take home to their families. That’s what they lost with this price increase,” Martin said in an ABS-CBN interview.

As for the “rush hour rate,” Primo Morillo, convenor of The Passenger Forum, said the changing fares may only lead to confusion for the public and may cause unnecessary friction with jeepney and PUV drivers.

“You don’t need a Nobel to sagely predict that it will have a ripple effect on all grain prices, considering the big hole it will cause,” Recto said.

But what could hit the country “directly and painfully,” Recto warned, is Vietnam’s decision to slash its rice exports a year to 4 million tons by 2030 from 7.1 million tons in 2022.

The Philippines, he said, sourced 2.5 million metric tons, or 85 percent of its rice imports, from Vietnam in 2021.

Even the failure to free embargoed Ukraine wheat, after Russia bombed grain stores in Ukraine and pulled out of a deal that would have allowed safe passage of food exports through the Black Sea, “will shrink Pinoy pan de sal sizes while boosting its price.”

At the moment, the country is 81 percent rice self-sufficient, Recto said.

But he said rice consumption was also on the rise. “If you look at 2022, rice utilization data, it was 135 kilos per capita for that year, from 118 kilos per Pinoy prepandemic,” the lawmaker said.

In his video message, President Marcos said he met with the DA officials to discuss the looming effects of Egay on the production of rice.

Last weekend, the President flew to different parts of Northern Luzon to assist displaced families and assess the damage wrought by the super typhoon.

Excellency and myself, which started in Brussels last year, is a testament to our joint desire to bring our bilateral relationship to greater heights,” the President added.

Justice Marquez also administered the oath of office to Pasay City RTC Judge Divina Gracia L. Peliño as the new PJA executive vice president.

Also present during the oath-taking ceremony were other PJA National Officers: Judge Gener M. Gito, vice president-Administration; Judge Maria Paz R. Yson, VP-external affairs; Judge Ma. Teresa E. De Guzman-Alvarez, VP-finance; Judge Elisa R. Sarmiento-Flores, secretary general; and Judge Cynara Hannah L. Clayton, corporate treasurer.

The SC’s public information office (PIO) said the PJA was organized “to unite all judges of the RTCs, FCs (family courts), Shari’ah District Courts, and all such other courts of equal or similar jurisdictions; preserve and maintain the integrity and independence of the Judiciary by ensuring an efficient and speedy dispensation of justice under the rule of law; and foster a more fraternal relationship among its members by promoting cooperation and mutual understanding among them.”

5 Agri...

From A1 and conduct prejudicial, they were not covered by the suspension order.

‘’It appears that the evidence of guilt [against] respondents Evangelista, Biblanias, Jamela, Trinidad III, and Lualhati is strong, and the charges against them involve grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty, which may warrant their removal from office,’’ Martires said in his order.

“Considering further that the respondents’ continued stay in the office may influence potential witnesses and may prejudice the case filed against them due to their continued access to documentary evidence relative thereto, this office exercises its power to place respondents under preventive suspension,” the Ombudsman added.

The complaints stemmed from the allegedly questionable procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena MultiPurpose Cooperative.

The Negros representative is compelled to return to work after Speaker Martin Romualdez ordered the House to return to full face-to-face operations, following the lifting of the state of national emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government now is much more cooperative with the United Nations and other international organizations. This is very important.

Therefore, we see progress,” she said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

“As I said, there’s much improvement – [there are] still topics that we have to discuss, issues that are raised in the constant dialogue that we have with

Mr. Marcos, in his bilateral meeting with Von der Leyen, described the Philippines and the European Union as “like-minded partners.”

“The Philippines and EU are like-minded partners through our shared values of democracy, sustainable and inclusive prosperity, the rule of law, peace and stability, and human rights,” Mr. Marcos said on Monday.

“The continued exchanges between Her been added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List for its role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea,” she said. in regular discussions with the Philippine government about the matter.

“We are also concerned that the projects have ties to the China Communications Construction Co., which has gopadhyay added.

Von der Leyen is the first European Commission president to visit the Philippines.

In February, visiting European Parliament members had a “constructive and fruitful” discussion with Philippine senators on various human rights issues, especially the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

Martires said the DA, through Panganiban, entered into a memorandum of agreement with FTI for the Kadiwa Food Hub project.

The FTI, on the other hand, signed a letter of agreement with Bonena for the delivery of 8,845 bags (approximately 28 kilograms/bag) of onions as part of the said Kadiwa Food Hub.

- Subject to necessity and prudence, filing a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the

The terrorist tag also allows the AntiMoney Laundering Council to freeze Teves’ assets, the House panel said. But Teves said since he is being tried, he should be able to personally present his case to Congress, not just his lawyers led by Ferdinand Topacio.

In a resolution dated July 26, the ATC labeled Teves and his armed group as terrorists after finding “probable cause” for alleged violations of some provi-

“The company has also been cited by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for engaging in fraudulent business practices,” Gan -

Philippines’ established rights in the WPS; and - Pursuing such other diplomatic modes as the Department of Foreign Affairs may deem appropriate and necessary.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the adopted resolution was not a “watered down” version of the original sponsored by Senator Risa Hontiveros sions of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. The ATC resolution, signed by its chairman Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, was released to the media on Tuesday. The resolution identified the other alleged members of “Teves Terrorist Group” as follows: Pryde Henry A. Teves, Winrich B. Isturis, John Louie Gonyon, Dahniel Lora, Eulogio Gonyon, Jr., Tomasino Aledro, Nigel Electona, Jomarie Catubay, Hannah

The US Embassy said it will “continue to support high quality, sustainable, and transparent investments to benefit the Filipino people and will continue to engage with the appropriate authorities on this matter.” which called for the filing of a resolution before the UNGA.

The Chinese firm has yet to issue a statement on the issue as of press time.

Zubiri said the final resolution expanded the options for the government as the senators reached a consensus after a dialogue with AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Vills -

Mae Sumero Oray, Marvin H. Miranda, Rogelio C. Antipolo, and Rommel Pattaguan.

Pryde Henry is the brother of the suspended congressman, who has been implicated as the mastermind behind the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo. They have denied involvement in the killings in the province.

The resolution tagged Teves’ brother nueva said regardless of political leanings, all senators were in unison in strongly condemning Chinese incursions in the WPS. as a terrorist for allegedly providing material support to his armed group.

“Documents further show that violations of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) in relation to Republic Act No. 9184 or the Procurement Law were allegedly committed by the respondents in relation to the said Kadiwa Food Hub Project, i.e. lack of parameters in the selection of cooperative that will supply and deliver the onions; questionable advance payment of 50% of the contract price; non-compliance of the MOA; partial implementation of the contract; and doubtful deliveries by Bonena,” Martires said in his order.

Hontiveros said the bipartisan effort reflects the belief that when it comes to matters of national sovereignty, Filipinos will never be bullied into submission.

It also said the management of operational funds for the killings was tasked to Oray, while Miranda served as the organizer and recruiter of personnel for attacks.

ATC said such designations were formalized following a “thorough examination” of “compelling evidence and factual incidents.”

By Maricel V. Cruz