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DTI orders price freeze in Albay; Mayon spurs 20k to leave homes By Charles Dantes and Rio N. Araja
Commodities (BNPCs) after the local government declared a state of calamity amid Mayon Volcano's ongoing unrest. "Through DTI's provincial office in THE Department of Trade and Industry Albay, I have ordered a price freeze for has ordered a price freeze within Albay BNPCs today," Trade Secretary Alfredo province for Basic Necessities and Prime Pascual said Friday. Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 122• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
PBBM stays put as DA chief Jokes no ‘volunteers’ to take over job, vows to pursue structural reforms
P
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Friday there are no takers for the job of leading the Department of Agriculture, and the people he asked to assume the post don’t want him to give up the reins. Mr. Marcos, who has been sitting concurrently as Agriculture secretary since he assumed the presidency last year, joked that he has already asked people to volunteer for the post, but they said they did not want him to leave the department. In receiving a sizable donation of urea fertilizer from China, the President repeated his promise of not stepping down from the DA until key structural changes are in place to ensure food security. Next page
GENEROUS DONATION. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. gestures toward 2,000 tons of urea fertilizers donated by China during the ceremonial turnover at the National Food Authority warehouse in Malanday, Valenzuela City. Mr. Marcos also receives the certificate of donation from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian as other government officials watch on (inset). Joey Razon and Rey Baniquet
Marcos: China urea donation Gov’t mulls rice, corn ‘hub and spoke’ tack testament to improving ties By Vince Lopez
By Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday expressed gratitude to China for its “generous” donation of some 20,000 metric tons of urea fertilizers to the Philippines, saying the act is a testament to the two nations’ improving ties. During the turnover ceremony at
the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Malanday, Valenzuela City, Marcos inspected the donated urea fertilizers from China. Marcos also received the certificate of handover on fertilizer donation from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian who represented the Chinese government. Next page
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to study the feasibility of a private sector proposal to set up storage facilities for rice and corn across the country to ensure a 30-day buffer stock for these commodities. During a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council on agriculture
‘Sleepers’ worry Imee, intel community Chinese navy
By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo
worried about “sleepers” or terrorist agents who may be among the refugees from Afghanistan that the United States is asking the Philippines to temporarily SENATOR Imee Marcos and the shelter in the country. leaders of the National Intelligence In a Senate hearing, Sen. Marcos Coordinating Agency (NICA) and first asked NBI Deputy Director Jose National Bureau of Investigation are Next page
FATHER’S DAY AT SM. Dads across the country
can celebrate Father’s Day this weekend with their families at the nearest SM Supermall where installations -- from interactive retro-futuristic and arcade designs to astounding larger-than-life vintage cars and big bike setups (inset) – can give them another photo to remember.
ship tails BFAR vessel in WPS
in Malacañan Palace on Thursday, the President ordered DA Undersecretary Drusila Bayate and National Food Authority Administrator Roderico Bioco to look into the feasibility and efficiency of building rice and corn stations modules using a mother-daughter or "Hub and Spoke" system. Such a system is an avenue for farmers to diversify their income streams and expand revenue in a financially
sustainable way, requiring minimal investment of their time, subverting the traditional upfront costs, and reducing risk by providing a guaranteed market and fair wages, the advisers told Mr. Marcos. “We should really look into it because it’s a successful program,” the Chief Executive—the concurrent Agriculture Secretary—said, noting that such rice stations and modules have been a Next page
PH, US, Japan stress peace in Taiwan Strait THE Philippines, Japan, and the United States on Friday stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait following the first three-way talks in Tokyo among the countries' security advisors. The three countries also pledged to deepen their trilateral cooperation
A CHINESE Navy ship tailed a Philippine government vessel in the disputed West Philippine Sea on Thursday, GMA News and several eyewitness reporters said. Next page The rare encounter with China’s "gray" or military ship took place six nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa Island, an area well within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Journalists from several media organizations witnessed the incident while on board BRP Francisco Dagohoy, a multi-mission vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The Dagohoy was just two hours into its journey from Pag-asa Island SHADOWED. In this video grab, the Chinese Navy ship with bow number 549 tails to Puerto Princesa, Palawan after the civilian ship BRP Francisco Dagohoy (inset, file photo) as it completes an aid mission to
Next page Pag-Asa Island in the West Philippine Sea before sailing back to Puerto Princesa in Palawan.
DBM: P871b share for LGUs from nat’l taxes next year By Julito G. Rada
year, the Department of Budget and getting P201.22 billion, provinces Management said. P200.42 billion, and barangays The DBM memo said that P174.28 billion. LOCAL government units will receive The 2024 NTA level is P51.11 billion P871.38 billion as their share of the municipalities are entitled to an NTA Next page national tax allotment (NTA) next share of P295.47 billion, with cities