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KUWAIT REMAINS OPEN ON VISA ROW, BUT PH MUST FIX OFW ‘VIOLATIONS’ KUWAIT KUWAIT said said itit remains remains “open” “open” to to negotiating negotiating with with the the Philippines Philippines ifif MaManila nila adheres adheres to to the the emirate’s emirate’s demands, demands, Deputy Deputy Minister Minister of of Foreign Foreign Affairs Affairs Mansour Mansour al al Otaibi Otaibi said, said, amid amid the the workworker-protection er-protectionrow rowthat thatsaw sawthe theGulf Gulfstate state impose impose aa visa visa ban ban on on Filipinos. Filipinos. But But the the conditions conditions include include the the PhilipPhilippines pines admitting admitting that that its its embassy embassy violated violated Kuwaiti Kuwaiti laws laws and and the the Vienna Vienna Convention Convention on on Diplomatic Diplomatic Relations, Relations, local local media media citcited edthe thedeputy deputyminister ministeras assaying. saying. “These “Theseviolations violationsshould shouldbe bestopped stoppedby by
the the Philippine Philippine Embassy, Embassy, and and we we hope hope to to resolve resolve them them in in the the coming coming period,” period,” the the Kuwait KuwaitTimes Timesquoted quotedal-Otaibi al-Otaibias assaying. saying. “The “The Philippines Philippines must must acknowledge acknowledge the the violations violations committed committed by by its its embasembassy, sy, pledge pledge not not to to repeat repeat them them and and hold hold perpetrators perpetrators accountable,” accountable,” he he added. added. However, However, the the Department Department of of Foreign Foreign Affairs Affairs has has said said President President Ferdinand Ferdinand Marcos Marcos Jr. Jr. has has made made his his position position clear clear on on the the issue, issue, reiterating reiterating that that the the PhilipPhilippines pines must must stand stand its its ground ground in in terms terms of of Next Nextpage page
Senate set to pass MIF bill VOL. VOL.XXXVII XXXVII••NO. NO.105 105••33SECTIONS SECTIONS12 12PAGES PAGES••P20 P20••WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,MAY MAY31, 31,2023 2023••www.manilastandard.net www.manilastandard.net••mst.daydesk@gmail.com mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Solons ban GSIS, SSS, 3 gov’t firms from investing in wealth fund By ByMaricel MaricelV. V.Cruz Cruz and andMacon MaconRamos-Araneta Ramos-Araneta
S
enators enators were were poised poised to to pass pass the the chamber’s chamber’s version version of of the the Maharlika Maharlika Investment Investment Fund Fund (MIF) (MIF) bill bill last last night, night, even even as as they they successfully successfully introduced introduced an an amendment amendment that that explicitly explicitly prohibits prohibits government government institutions institutions from from investing investing in in the the country’s country’s proposed proposed sovereign sovereign wealth wealth fund. fund.
OFW OFWPROTECTION. PROTECTION.InInthis thisscreen screengrab grabfrom fromTV TVPatrol, Patrol,Department Departmentof ofMigrant MigrantWorkers WorkersSecretary SecretarySusan SusanOple Ople(center, (center,in inred) red)joins joinsrepresentatives representativesof ofAsia-Gulf Asia-GulfCooperation CooperationCouncil Council(GCC) (GCC) member memberstates statesas asshe shecalls callsfor foraa‘bold ‘bolddiscussion’ discussion’on onthe thecollective collectiveand andshared sharedresponsibility responsibilityof ofin inpromoting promotingbetter bettermigration migrationgovernance governanceon onbehalf behalfof ofall allmigrant migrantworkers workersat atan anevent eventin in Taguig TaguigCity. City.
Sen. Sen. Raffy Raffy Tulfo Tulfo proposed proposed the the amendment amendment that that explicitly explicitly prohibits prohibits agencies agencies such such as as the the Government Government SerService vice Insurance Insurance System, System, Social Social SecuSecurity rity System, System, Pag-IBIG Pag-IBIG Fund, Fund, Overseas Overseas Workers Workers Welfare Welfare Administration, Administration, and and Philippine Philippine Veterans Veterans Affairs Affairs Office Office from from investing investing in in the the proposed proposed MahaMaharlika rlika fund. fund. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, the the House House of of RepresentRepresentatives atives isis “very “very eager” eager” to to adopt adopt the the SenSenate ate version version of of the the MIF MIF bill bill –– certified certified urgent urgent by by President President Ferdinand Ferdinand Marcos Marcos Jr. Jr. ---- once once approved approved at at the the upper upper chamchamber, ber, Majority Majority Leader Leader and and Zamboanga Zamboanga City City Rep. Rep. Mannix Mannix Dalipe Dalipe said. said. Next Nextpage page
NTF-ELCAC eyes Saudi opens up 1m jobs for Pinoys, special hiring starts next month Red-backed poll bets for charges SAUDI SAUDI Arabia Arabia will will be be offering offering at at least least one onemillion millionjobs jobsto toFilipino Filipinoworkers workersas asitit competes competeswith withits itsMiddle MiddleEastern Easternneighneighbors bors for for skilled skilled manpower, manpower, the the DepartDepartment ment of of Migrant Migrant Workers Workers (DMW) (DMW) said said Tuesday Tuesday ---- and and as as neighboring neighboring Kuwait Kuwait
CHARGES CHARGES will will be be filed filed against against cancandidates didates running running in in the the October October 2023 2023 Barangay Barangay and and Sangguniang Sangguniang Kabataan Kabataan Elections Elections (BSKE) (BSKE) who who will will be be supsupported ported by by communist communist terrorist terrorist groups groups (CTGs) (CTGs) and and their their front front organizations, organizations, aa government government task task force force warned. warned. Prosecutor Prosecutor Flosemer Flosemer Gonzales, Gonzales, Region Region 66 spokesman spokesman of of the the National National Task Task Force Force to to End End Local Local Communist Communist Armed Armed Conflict Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), (NTF-ELCAC), said said this this during during the the weekly weekly press press conferconference ence dubbed dubbed “TAGGED “TAGGED Reloaded: Reloaded: Debunking DebunkingLies LiesBy ByTelling TellingThe TheTruth” Truth” aired aired on on government government TV TV on on Monday. Monday. Specifically, Specifically, the the National National Youth Youth Commission’s Commission’s regional regional offices offices have have been been coordinating coordinating with with the the Office Office of of Vice Vice President President and and concurrent concurrent DeDepartment partment of of Education Education Secretary Secretary Sara Sara Duterte Duterte to to closely closely monitor monitor schools, schools, especially especially those those that that are are vulnerable vulnerable to to recruitment recruitment activities activities by by CTG CTG front front organizations. organizations. Duterte Duterte was was earlier earlier designated designated cocovice vice chairperson chairperson of of NTF-ELCAC NTF-ELCAC along along with with National National Security Security Adviser Adviser Eduardo Eduardo Año. Año. The The NTF-ELCAC NTF-ELCAC isis led led by by President President Next Nextpage page
EX-DSWD CHIEF TULFO TAKES OATH AS PARTY-LIST REP NEWS NEWS//A4 A4
shuts shuts its its doors doors to to Manila. Manila. DMW DMW Secretary Secretary Susan Susan Ople Ople said said there there will will be be aa special special hiring hiring program program for forFilipino Filipinoworkers workerswith withSaudi SaudiArabian Arabian labor labor officials officials set set to to visit visit Manila Manila next next month month to to get get itit rolling. rolling.
NEW NEWMUSEUMS. MUSEUMS.PresiPresident dentFerdinand FerdinandR. R.Marcos Marcos Jr., Jr.,First FirstLady LadyLiza LizaAranetaAranetaMarcos Marcosand andtheir theirson, son, Simon, Simon,lead leadthe theopening openingof of two twoMalacañang Malacañangmuseums, museums, Bahay BahayUgnayan Ugnayanand andTeus Teus Mansion, Mansion,on onTuesday. Tuesday.Bahay Bahay Ugnayan Ugnayanfeatures featuresMarcos’ Marcos’ “Road “Roadto toMalacañang, Malacañang,””while while the theTeus TeusMansion Mansionshowcasshowcases esthe thevibrant vibrantand anddiverse diverse history historyof ofPhilippine Philippinepresipresidents, dents,housing housingan anextensive extensive collection collectionof ofpriceless priceless memorabilia. memorabilia.Vince VinceLopez Lopez and andJoey JoeyRazon Razon
NDRRMC: Worst seems over for ‘Betty’ in PH
By ByCharles CharlesDantes, Dantes,Rio RioN. N.Araja Araja and andJoel JoelE. E.Zurbano Zurbano
Rafaelito Rafaelito Alejandro Alejandro IV IV said said the the latest latest bulletin bulletin from from the the state state weather weather bureau bureau said said Betty Betty had had already already passed passed Batanes. Batanes. He Headded addedthat thatthere therewere wereno noreports reportsof ofmajor majordamdamTHE THE worst worst seems seems to to be be over over as as Typhoon Typhoon “Betty” “Betty” age as as aa result result of of Betty. Betty. moves moves away away from from the the Philippine Philippine Area Area of of ResponsiResponsi- age “Based “Based on on the the report report we we received, received, the the effect effect was was bility, bility, aa disaster disaster official official said said Tuesday. Tuesday. minimal compared compared to to what what we we were were projecting,” projecting,” he he National National Disaster Disaster Risk Risk Reduction Reduction and and ManageManage- minimal ment ment Council Council (NDRRMC) (NDRRMC) spokesperson spokesperson Bernardo Bernardo Next Nextpage page
DOF: IMF study to help gov’t boost, max VAT base, collect up to P539b By ByJulito JulitoRada Radaand andVince VinceLopez Lopez THE THE Marcos Marcosadministration administrationisisworking working with with the the International International Monetary Monetary Fund Fund (IMF) (IMF) on on aa study study aimed aimed at at addressing addressing the thelow lowvalue-added value-addedtax tax(VAT) (VAT)efficienefficiency cy in in the the country, country, the the Finance Finance DepartDepartment ment said said on on Tuesday. Tuesday.
“We “Weactually actuallytalked talkedwith withthe theIMF IMFand andwe we asked askedthem themto toconduct conductaastudy studyon onwhere wherewe we can can improve improve on on broadening broadening the the tax tax base,” base,” Finance FinanceSecretary SecretaryBenjamin BenjaminDiokno Dioknosaid saidin in aapress pressbriefing briefingin inMalacañang Malacañangwhen whenasked asked about about government government measures measures to to tackle tackle low low VAT VATefficiency. efficiency. Next Nextpage page
SWS: 29% of Pinoys say life got better over 1 year TWENTY-NINE TWENTY-NINE percent percent of of Filipino Filipino adults adults believed believed their their quality quality of of life life imimproved proved compared compared to to aa year year ago, ago, results results of of aa recent recent Social Social Weather Weather Stations Stations (SWS) (SWS) survey survey showed. showed.
Curiously, Curiously, no no Kuwaiti Kuwaiti representative representative related related story story –– Editors). Editors). was But was present present in in the the Asia-Gulf Asia-Gulf CooperaCooperaButthe theDMW DMWsaid saidaaKuwaiti Kuwaitiminister minister tion tion Council Council Senior Senior Officials Officials Dialogue Dialogue would would try try to to catch catch up up for for the the meeting’s meeting’s hosted hosted by by the the Philippines Philippines at at the the BoniBoni- last last two two days. days. facio Ople facio Global Global City City amid amid Manila Manila and and KuKuOple earlier earlier said said the the possibility possibility of of wait’s wait’s row row over over visas visas for for workers workers (see (see Next Nextpage page
“The But But 25 25 percent, percent, of of those those surveyed surveyed “The March March 2023 2023 Net Net Gainer Gainer score score said was just just 33 points points below below the the high high +8 +8 in in said their their quality quality of of life life got got worse, worse, was while while 46% 46% said said itit was was the the same, same, resultresult- December December 2022. 2022. However, However, itit isis still still 13 13 ing points below below the the pre-pandemic pre-pandemic level level ing in in aa net net gainers gainers score score of of +5, +5, which which points Next Nextpage page the the SWS SWS classified classified as as “high.” “high.”
AID AIDFOR FORBALAYAN. BALAYAN.Speaker SpeakerFerdinand FerdinandMartin MartinG. G.Romualdez Romualdezleads leadsthe thedistribution distribution of ofcash cashassistance assistanceto tofarmers farmersand andfarm farmworkers workersin inBalayan, Balayan,Batangas Batangaswho whowere wereaffected affectedby by the theclosure closureof ofthe thebiggest biggestsugar sugarmill millin inthe theprovince. province.Joining Joiningthe theaid aiddistribution distributionunder underthe the DSWD’s DSWD’sAssistance Assistanceto toIndividuals Individualsin inCrisis CrisisSituation Situationprogram programare are(from (fromleft, left,2nd 2ndrow) row)TGP TGP Party PartyList ListRep. Rep.Rep. Rep.Jose Jose“Bong” “Bong”Teves TevesJr., Jr.,AKO AKOBICOL BICOLParty PartyList ListRep. Rep.Elizaldy ElizaldyCo, Co,Batangas Batangas1st 1st District DistrictRep. Rep.Eric EricBuhain, Buhain,Gabriela GabrielaParty PartyList ListRep. Rep.Arlene ArleneBrosas, Brosas,and andKabataan KabataanParty PartyList ListRep. Rep. Raoul RaoulManuel. Manuel.Roy RoyPelovello Pelovello