MARCOS APPROVES PAY HIKE, UP TO P7K MEDICAL SUBSIDY FOR GOV’T WORKERS By Charles Dantes
retain, and engage high-performing civil servants.” “Given the prevailing economic circumstances, including the erosion of purchasing power due to inflation, there is a need to update the salaries and benefits of government workers, thereby promoting social justice, integrity, efficiency, accountability, and excellence, and ultimately translating to increased productivity and higher quality public services,” he said in the EO. On top of the salary increase, qualified government personnel will also receive an an-
PRESIDENT Marcos issued an executive order granting a four-tranche salary increase and annual medical allowance of as much as P7,000 to qualified government workers. EO 64 covers all civilian government personnel in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, constitutional commissions, and other constitutional offices. Mr. Marcos said he ordered the increase in salaries of government personnel to “attract,
nual medical allowance not exceeding P7,000 starting in 2025, as a subsidy for HMO-type benefits. Government officials and employees with HMO-based health care services under special laws, as well as officials and employees in the legislative and judicial branches and other offices vested with fiscal autonomy, are excluded from the grant of the medical allowance. There will also be a pay hike among those who are working in government-owned or -controlled corporations not covered by the
GOCC Governance Act of 2011, as well as all personnel of local government units, regardless of their appointment status. The salary increases, however, do not apply to individuals working in government through job orders, contracts of service, consultancy, or service contracts with no employer-employee relations, and GOCCs covered by a separate Compensation and Position Classification System established by the Governance Commission for GOCCs and approved by the President.
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VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 170 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES « AUGUST 4, 2024
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GOLD!
LEAPING TO THE FINALS. The
Philippines’ Ernest John Obiena makes it to the finals of the men’s pole vault at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. AFP
YULO 1ST PINOY GYMNAST TO BAG TOP OLYMPIC PRIZE By Riera U. Mallari
P
ARIS (Via PLDT Home) -- Carlos Edriel Yulo buried the heartbreak of his past Olympic show with a performance that dazzled the entire Bercy Arena and uplifted the spirits of his weary nation as he captured the gold medal in the men’s floor exercise on Saturday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The 24-year-old Filipino gymnast, who placed 11th in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, where everyone expected him to win, delivered a flawless routine this time, culminating in a perfectly executed three-and-ahalf twist dismount that earned him a score of 15.000 --and the gold. “We are a really small country. A portion of our athletes are not that rich, not the same as the US or UK, so to be able to get a gold medal is really big and huge for us,” said Yulo. After his flawless display that got him 6.600 from difficulty and 8.400 from execution, Yulo pumped both his fists, saluted the fans and touched his heart as a gesture of thanks to an adoring crowd that included his girlfriend Chloe San Jose. Right there and then, he knew he delivered his best ever performance. He added: “I dedicate this to the Filipino people, who have supported me and are having a hard time as well. I just want to say thank you for watching me, praying for me throughout the competition.” Overcoming past inconsistencies, Yulo’s triumph marked a watershed moment for Philip-
pine gymnastics. Tomorrow, he shoots for his second gold in the Olympic Games where the country has VICTORIOUS. Carlos Edriel Yulo reacts after winning the gold medal in the artistic never won in 97 years, until Hidilyn Diaz delivdeliv gymnastics men’s floor exercise final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena ered one in the pandemic-hit Tokyo games in in Paris on August 3, 2024. AFP 2021. Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat, the Tokyo 2020 champion, claimed the silver with a score of 14.966, while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman, a Filapproval of three judges against two. British expected to crowd Yulo for the gold, seHowever, the 5’10” Senior, making his debut in this cured the bronze at 14.933. competition, turned the tide in the second round. He Paalam narrowly defeated by Senior in quarleveraged his natural power and size advantage, relentterfinal bout lessly attacking Paalam, a Tokyo silver medalist in the Meanwhile, boxer Carlo Paalam was unable lower 52kg division. to replicate his medal-winning performance Senior’s aggressiveness continued into from Tokyo four years ago, sufthe third round, and although Paalam fering a narrow 3-2 decision See www.manilastandard.net managed to land a few clean punches loss to Australia’s Charlie Senior for updates on Aira Villegas’ bout while backtracking, the judges ultimately in their 57kg quarterfinal bout inthewomen’s50kgquarterfinals. awarded the win to Senior. at the North Paris Arena on SatIn the semifinals, Senior is set to face By Riera Mallari urday night (Manila time). Abdumalik Khalolov of Uzbekistan, Despite the six-inch height disadvantage, who had previously defeated Paalam in the Asian PARIS (Via PLDT Home) — Without the 5’4” Paalam found some success in the Games. a hitch, Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, first round. Employing a defensive strategy, he Khalolov advanced by winning his quarterfinal match hoisted himself in the air, clearlured his taller opponent into creating openagainst Spain’s Jose Quiles via unanimous decision. ing 5.75 meters in one attempt on ings, landing counterpunches that earned the With Randy Caluag Saturday at the Stade de France to earn a seat in the men’s pole vault finals of the Paris Olympic Games. Eleven others who jumped the same height joined the 28-yearold Obiena in the championship round slated on Aug. 6. Obiena’s liftoff went smoothly. When he landed, he quickly picked himself from the mat as he continued his hunt for a medal which eluded him in the Tokyo Olympics. The world no. 2 pole vaulter let out a loud roar after landing and later gave a friend, Emmanouil Karalis a fist-bump when he strutted his way out of the field. He joined world champion Armand Duplantis in the final round, after the Swede first jumped 5.6 meters in one try and 5.8 meters in the second. Obiena’s performance allowed him to go past the 5.70-meter jump, which gave him an 11th place performance back in the Tokyo games. Also qualifying in Group B with Obiena and Duplantis, after clearing the same height were Sondre Guttormsen of Norway, Karalis, Turkish Ersu Sasma, Menno Vloon of the Netherlands, Sam Kendricks of the United States and Bo Baehre of Germany. LOST INCOME. Residents sit along the coast in Noveleta, Cavite. The government imposed a fishing ban in Oleg Zernickel of Germany and coastal communities affected by the contaminated water due to the oil spill from the sunken tanker MT Terra China’s Huang Bokal also made it Nova. According to the Office of Civil Defense, a total of 352,179 people in coastal barangays in Cavite have been affected, with lost income amounting to nearly P18 million each day. AFP to the finals.
OBIENA LEAPS TO PARIS POLE VAULT FINALS
CONSPIRACY, OIL SMUGGLING EYED IN CASE OF 3 SUNKEN VESSELS By Charles Dantes, Rachelle Tonelada, Othel Campos and Dennis Abrina THE Department of Justice said it was looking at “interconnected” red flags that point to a possible “conspiracy” in the sinking of three vessels off the coast of Bataan, including the tanker MT Terra Nova that was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel. The Department of Interior and Local Government, on the other hand, said it was determining if MT Terra Nova was carrying smuggled oil. Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said “every angle” will be explored in ensuring accountability for the oil spill. “That (possible conspiracy) is part of the factfinding, and whatever interconnection there is... because that’s a red flag, right? They’re all close to each other – one came from Limay, another from Mariveles, and one ran aground. They’re pretty close, probably within 3 to 5 nautical miles or kilometers of each other,” DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said on Saturday. “You can draw a lot of conclusions there,” he added. Vasquez said while the DOJ is operating under the presumption of evidence, it is eyeing the filing of a class suit against those responsible for the oil spill. “We will sue them because we believe a crime has been committed,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said, adding that the sinking of the three vessels was “interconnected” but did not elaborate.
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