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DENR, POWER FIRMS BACK VERDE ISLAND
Household inflation edges higher in April—PSA
BUSINESS / B2
KATHDEN FOR 'QUEEN OF TEARS' PH REMAKE? SHOWBIZ / C2
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 82• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024 •
Marcos orders measures to ensure water security DENR rules out water rationing but urges conservation By Charles Dantes, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Othel Campos and Rio Araja
U
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#ANONGBALITA?
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212 meters above sea level (normal water level)
NDERSCORING the plight of some 40 million Filipinos who lack formal water supply, President Marcos on Tuesday ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and related agencies to develop an integrated water resource masterplan. Mr. Marcos directed the DENR to implement effective water management strategies, especially in addressing El Niño-induced water scarcity and La Niña-related flooding, DENR Undersecretary Carlos David said. "The directive of the President this morning was very clear—40 million of our residents, of Filipinos, do not have access to a formal water supply. They still access water from springs, from creeks, some even rainwater—they rely on rainwater for drinking water purposes," said David, who heads the department's National Water Resource Board. "We have to focus on the 40 million underserved population and there are a few strategies that we have in mind in order for us to provide water to these communities," the DENR official added. While the majority of the 40 million Filipinos who have issues with water supply reside in Mindanao, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), dams in parts of Luzon are also drying up amid the El Niño phenomenon.
THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday that the country’s inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households increased to 5.2 percent in April 2024 from 4.6 percent in March. This brings the average inflation for this income group from January to April 2024 to 4.4 percent, lower than what the nation posted in the same period last year at 7.4 percent. PSA said the main driver of the upward trend for the overall inflation for the said income group was the high year-onyear growth rate of the heavilyweighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 8.1 percent from 7.1 percent in the previous month. “The slower annual decline in the housing, water, electricity,
185.65 meters above sea level (as of May 6, 2024) NEARING DANGER LEVEL. Angat Dam’s water level, as of yesterday, has dropped from 212 meters to 185.65 meters, close to its minimum operating level of 180
meters. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ruled out water rationing in Metro Manila but said that they have reduced water pressure for households. Manny Palmero
NSC mulls aerial supply drops to Ayungin troops By Rey E. Requejo THE Philippines will “adjust” its resupply efforts in the West Philippine Sea and explore the possibility of deploying aerial supply missions to troops at Ayungin Shoal, the National Security Council said yesterday.
President Marcos ordered for “certain adjustments” to be implemented in the resupply missions to troops stationed at the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said. "There is an operational mix that is available to us. We can do other types
of resupply other than a naval resupply. We can do an airdrop, we can do other just to be able to resupply our troops and keep BRP Sierra Madre in working condition," Malaya said in an interview with ANC. "Those adjustments, of course, are there so that we are no longer placed in a difficult position when
we do our resupply missions," he added. The move came days after China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels water cannoned ships Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ships headed to Bajo de Masinloc. Next page
Trillanes cries House panel okays changes in rice tariffication law destab anew; By Maricel V. Cruz PNP sees none Hummingbirds, hooves take over annual Met Gala NEWS / A2
Star dog Messi to interview stars on Cannes fest NEWS / A2
FORMER Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday pointed an accusing finger at both retired and high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as those behind the alleged ouster plot against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. These same officials were also said to be actively recruiting members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Trillanes said, “Some active and retired PNP officials have been identified as behind the destabilization efforts. Based on our information, the said officials have already been identified, making it hard for them to move.” However, Trillanes reiterated, no one from the AFP had joined the ranks of destabilizers. Trillanes refused to directly name his sources for the ouster plot, revealing only that he has friends in the Army. Asked whether his sources are in active duty or in the right position to gather and hold such information, the former senator said. “Yes”. However, the PNP spokesperson, Police Colonel Jean Fajardo, denied that any member of the police force is actively participating in the ouster plot. According to Fajardo, “We have not monitored any active police officer that is involved in the alleged destabilization Next page
THE House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday approved the proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) that aim to bring down rice prices.
The committee’s approval came after President Marcos announced that he was prepared to certify the amendment proposals as urgent. Speaker Martin Romualdez thanked the committee for approving the measure as quickly as possible,
saying, “It is important that we provide our people, especially the poor, access to rice that is much cheaper than market prices.” Romualdez said such access would be provided by returning the mandate of Next page
MEDIA ICON.
Emil Jurado, Manila Standard’s Chairman Emeritus, is honored for being one of the pioneers of advertising selfregulation in the country by the Ad Standards Council of the Philippines. Jurado was also recognized as one of the founders and first president of the Kapisan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas. Manny Palmero
PH could face ICC sanctions, warns Manila solon By Maricel V. Cruz A LAWMAKER warned on Monday that the Philippines could incur sanctions if it fails to cooperate with the In-
ternational Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the controversial drug war that unfolded during the term of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Manila Rep. Joel Chua said the
Philippines cannot afford to risk its relationship with the United Nations, given the cooperation agreement between the United Nations (UN) and the ICC. Next page