‘NO NEED TO EXPLAIN SIGNATURE WITHDRAWAL’
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IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 7 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES FEBRUARY 18, 2024
By Maricel V. Cruz THE Commission on Elections said Filipinos are not required to explain their decision to withdraw from the People’s Initiative petition to amend the 1987 Constitution, the Commission on Elections said. While the poll body included a line in its withdrawal form for people to list their reasons for taking back their signature, it said leaving it blank will not invalidate the withdrawal. it is “natural” to ask why a signature is being retracted, adding the reasons given will not be taken against voters withdrawing their signatures. “It is natural to ask why they are withdrawing their signature. But it is not mandatory for them to list their reasons,” Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said. He said answers in the withdrawal form can help Comelec substantiate accusations hounding the people’s initiative, including bribery. Aside from the reason for taking back their signature to the PI petition, other details asked for in the withdrawal form are the person’s name, address, and precinct number. Last month, the Comelec suspended all proceedings concerning the people’s initiative for Charter change to avoid “problems, chaos and misunderstandings.” The people’s initiative proposes that the two chambers of Congress should vote jointly, not separately, on any Charter change proposal. In a separate interview, Noel Oñate of the PIRMA group pushing for the people’s initiative said they will continue to gather signatures for safekeeping until the Comelec issues a new resolution to revive the process.
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‘CHINA FISHERS USED CYANIDE TO DESTROY BAJO DE MASINLOC’ PH ACCUSES CHINESE BOATS OF ‘DANGEROUS’ ACTIONS By Charles Dantes
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HINESE fishers have been using cyanide in Bajo de Masinloc to intentionally destroy the traditional fishing grounds of Filipinos, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources chief information officer Nazario Briguera said. Briguera said parts of the resource-rich area has been destroyed. The Philippines also accused Chinese coast guard ships of “dangerous” maneuvers after they repeatedly blocked a Filipino vessel delivering supplies to fishermen at Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, on Thursday and Friday. Bajo de Masinloc has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila said harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from reaching a lagoon where fish are more plentiful. In the latest incidents, a Chinese navy ship, China Coast Guard vessels and other Chinese boats shadowed the BFAR vessel Datu Tamblot that was bringing food and fuel to Filipino fishermen, allowing them to spend more time at sea and pursue a larger catch. The Datu Tamblot and the China Coast Guard vessels issued repeated radio challenges to each other, with each side accusing the other of encroaching into their territorial waters. On four occasions, Chinese coast guard vessels briefly blocked the Datu Tamblot by crossing its bow and stopping in its path as it neared the shoal. “It’s not permitted for any vessel to cross the bow of another vessel because it is very dangerous,” PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela said. Tarriela, who is the coast guard’s spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said such actions could “cause a collision.” AFP
DANGEROUS MOVES. This photo taken on Feb. 15, 2024 shows an aerial view of a China Coast Guard vessel (upper) and China Coast Guard personnel on a rubber boat at Bajo de Masinloc. AFP
MERALCO TO REFUND CUSTOMERS IN MARCH POWER distributor Manila Electric Company would refund its customers for generation charges on the back of recent adjustments in Malampaya gas prices. Meralco senior vice president Ronald Valles said it has received guidance from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on the refund. “Based on ERC’s guidance, we are ready to implement a refund in generation charges corresponding to the increase in the Malampaya gas price of First Gas plants for January supply month,” Valles said. The ERC earlier asked Meralco to validate the costs from its power suppliers before passing these to consumers. This developed as ERC renewed its
call on distribution utilities to remain diligent in validating costs being imposed by generation companies. The regulator said it has not been provided with the results of Meralco’s validation even while the power distributor admitted that a validation of the impact of the use of liquefied natural gas and the new gas supply contracts is necessary in light of the terms of its power purchase agreements (PPAs). “On the basis of the foregoing, we are constrained from giving any clearance for the recovery of such costs if Meralco itself has not completed its vali-dation or provided the
results of such validation to the Commission. Pending Meralco’s validation of the basis of such charges, passing on such costs to the consumers may be premature,” ERC chairperson and chief executive Monalisa Dimalanta said. “In recent decisions issued by the ERC involving pass-through generation charges, the ERC reminds all distribu distribution utilities that their duty does not end when electric power is supplied, and the charges have been collected,” Dimalanta added.
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DAVAO DE ORO DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 98, MISSING: 18 NEWS | A2
TASK FORCE EL NIÑO FOCUS: FOOD, WATER, POWER SUPPLY NEWS | A2
MOST PINOYS OK WITH GOV’T INFRA PROJECTS MAJORITY of adult Filipinos were highly satisfied with government projects on infrastructure, disaster response, protection of overseas Filipino workers, and quality education but were least satisfied in the way inflation and reducing poverty issues were addressed, results of a recent OCTA Research survey showed. OCTA’s December 2023 Tugon ng Masa nationwide survey showed state efforts on public infrastructure received an 81 percent satisfaction rating; followed by disaster response and protecting OFWs at 77 percent each, respectively; providing healthcare and quality educatwitter.com/ MlaStandard
tion both at 75 percent; and improving foreign relations at 72 percent. Majority of the respondents were least satisfied with the government’s performance in managing inflation (six percent) and reducing poverty (14 percent). Dissatisfaction, on the other hand, was highest in the following issues: managing inflation at 75 percent; reducing poverty (46 percent); ensuring food security or access to affordable food (32 percent); creating more jobs (31 percent) and fighting graft and corruption (26 percent). facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH
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AERIAL SHOW. Colorful balloons soar into the sky on the second day of the 24th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta at the New Clark City in Tarlac on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danny Pata
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