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August 10-16, 2023
T h e F i l i p i n o A m e r i ca n C o m mu n i t y N e ws pa p e r
Volume 34 - No. 32 • 12 Pages
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Marcos to make another trip to US in November DATELINE USA from the AJPress NEWS TEAM across America
by Jean Mangaluz Inquirer.net
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, August 9 said he is headed to the United States this November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). This would be his third trip to the U.S. as the Philippines’ chief executive. Marcos assumed the presidency on June 30, 2022. The APEC is a regional economic forum of 21 countries, including the U.S. and the Philippines.
“The Philippines is actively participating in Indo-Pacific economic framework, and APEC leaders meeting in San Francisco in November, I look forward joining fellow APEC leaders in California, later this year. This will be my third trip in U.S. since I assumed office,” Marcos said during a courtesy call with members of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council. According to Marcos, he will advance the country’s energy interests, saying that the Philippines is interested in sustainable land, water, and ocean solutions that align with climate goals. “All efforts to increase the number of power
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US stresses PH right to resupply grounded ship
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. reminds Filipino citizens that the Overseas Voters Registration in connection with the 2025 Philippine National and Local Elections is still ongoing. SFPCG photo
Register for overseas Filipino voting until Sept. 30, 2024 – PH Embassy
Don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard from abroad. Ensure your participation in shaping the Filipino future – register now and let your vote transcend borders. The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. reminds Filipino citizens that the Overseas Voters Registration in connection with the 2025 Philippine National and Local Elections is still ongoing. Applications for Registration/Certification, transfer of registration records, correction of entries in the Voter’s Registration Record, reactivation, and change of address may be filed at the Philippine Embassy or your nearest Philippine Consulate General until September 30, 2024. For more information, visit https:// philippineembassy-dc.org/overseasabsentee-voting/ (Inquirer.net)
sources lean towards clean energy. That being the case, I am interested in the potential of nuclear energy, especially in light of new technologies and innovations that allow the use of smaller scale, modular, nuclear reactors, and other advanced [reactors] technologies that we see as being safer and more efficient than the more traditional designs of nuclear power production,” said Marcos. President Marcos first went to the U.S. in September 2022 for the 77th United Nations General Assembly. This was followed last May, highlighted
by Pia Lee-Brago, Elijah Felice Rosales Philstar.com
INT’L DAY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. A woman chooses from a variety of handwoven bags at a shop in Farmers Plaza, Quezon City on Wednesday, August 9 in support of the indigenous peoples’ groups promoting their products. Every August 9 marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. In the Philippines, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples celebrates the day by recognizing the indigenous youth’s important role in shaping the lives of IPs and their respective communities. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Jordan Clarkson, now Marcos to new Army chief: Boost in Manila, upbeat ahead of Gilas’ Fiba engagement with foreign counterparts World Cup bid
MANILA — The Philippines has the “right to be able to supply/resupply” its ship in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and has not asked for assistance after China’s attack on its vessels on a resupply mission, the U.S. Department of Defense said on Tuesday, August 8. “We stand with our Philippine allies in terms of their right to be able to supply/resupply the ship on the Second Thomas Shoal, and that will continue to be our position,” Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press briefing. The U.S. highlighted China’s dangerous actions after the China Coast Guard (CCG) blocked and fired water cannons on a Philippine resupply mission near Ayungin Shoal on Saturday, August 5. The U.S. said the act directly threatened regional peace and stability. The boats were delivering food, water, fuel and other supplies to Philippine military troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. “I don’t have anything to announce right now in terms of sending any type of additional assistance. To my knowledge, the Philippines has not asked for additional assistance,” Ryder added. The U.S. reaffirmed that an armed attack on Philipu PAGE 2
your institution’s engagements with its foreign counterparts. I urge the entirety of our Army to enhance your interoperability MANILA — President Ferdinand and communications, as well as to learn “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, August best practices through training and joint 7 instructed newly installed Philippine Army exercises, which we intend to further chief Lt. General Roy M. Galido to enhance expand,” said the president during the PA the agency’s cooperation with the Philippine Change of Command Ceremony. While the president did allude to a Army’s (PA) foreign counterparts. Galido took over from General Romeo specific situation, this statement from Brawner Jr., who was designated as the Marcos comes shortly after a China Coast President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with former President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacañan Palace. Photo from PCO Chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Guard vessel fired a water cannon at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel and another Philippines (AFP) in July. “We challenge you to lead and boost u PAGE 2 by Jean Mangaluz Inquirer.net
MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas’ naturalized ace Jordan Clarkson arrived in Manila on Tuesday, August 8, feeling optimistic about what lies ahead with the Fiba World Cup just around the corner. “I think we got a good chance to do some things—hopefully, we’d win some games,” Clarkson told reporters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City following a 15-hour trip from Los Angeles
Details of meeting with Vice President Sara received P300K, President Marcos zero for Cabinet posts Duterte ‘confidential’ u PAGE 4
by Elizabeth Marcelo Philstar.com
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte was paid a total of P300,000 last year as the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), while President Marcos received zero pay as concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture, a Commission on Audit (COA) report showed. Based on the COA’s “2022 Report on Salaries and Allowances” or ROSA uploaded on its website last Thursday, August 3, Duterte received P168,000 in allowances and P132,000 in discretionary and
extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses (EME) for a net pay of P300,000. This was for her six months as DepEd secretary from June 30 to Dec. 31, 2022. Included in the ROSA as the secretary of agriculture, Marcos did not receive any salary, allowances or other pay for the post which he has been occupying since assuming the presidency on June 30, 2022, COA’s breakdown showed. Duterte’s take-home pay as education secretary, meanwhile, appeared to be the lowest compared to the amounts received by other members of Marcos’ Cabinet. The 2022 ROSA showed that
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno got the heftiest paycheck among Marcos’ Cabinet members – a net pay of P28.781 million. Diokno’s net pay included P6 million in basic salary as the governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for six months from January to June 2022, prior to his appointment as finance secretary for which he received P1.640 million in basic salary for July to December 2022. Diokno’s net pay also included P7.278 million in allowances; P11.555 million in bonus, incentives and benefits; P2.195 million in discretionary and EME, P24,000 in additional compensation and honorarium
and P89,067 classified as “others.” The second highest paid member of Marcos’ Cabinet was Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan with a net pay of P6.947 million. Balisacan’s net pay included P3.128 million in basic salary as chairman of the Philippine Competition Commission from January to June 2022 until his appointment as socioeconomic planning secretary, which entitled him to P1.646 million in basic salary for July to December 2022. His take-home pay also included P1.182 million in bonus, incentives and benefits; u PAGE 2
by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, August 7 declined to give details regarding his recent meeting with former President Rodrigo Duterte, insisting that matters they discussed were "confidential." Marcos met with Duterte in Malacañang last week. The latter reported about his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China last month and "also discussed other issues." "There are other things that we discussed which I think need to remain confidential; that's between President Digong and myself," the president
told reporters during a chance interview in Bulacan after conducting an inspection of typhoon-hit areas in the province. "Again, these are operational aspects of our military, of our Navy, of our Coast Guard, that's why it is difficult to talk about it openly. I hope you will indulge me there," he added. Duterte and Xi met several days after the Philippines commemorated the seventh anniversary of the arbitral ruling that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The Chinese leader reportedly urged Duterte to continue exerting efforts to promote promotion between the two countries. n