CONGRESS LEADERS’ SATISFACTION RATINGS UP, VP SARA’S DOWN By Maricel V. Cruz THE top leaders of Congress saw their satisfaction ratings go up while that of Vice President Sara Duterte went down by 19 points, the latest survey of Social Weather Stations showed. Senate President Francis Escudero’s net satisfaction rating stood at +47, with 64 percent of the respondents saying they were satisfied with
his performance as head of the Upper Chamber while 17 percent said they were dissatisfied. Speaker Martin Romualdez’s satisfaction rating also rose by 16 points from +13 in March to +29 in July, with 53 percent of the respondents satisfied with his performance while 24 percent were dissatisfied. “I am deeply humbled and encouraged by the latest Social Weather Stations survey, which shows a
significant rise in public satisfaction with my performance as Speaker of the House of Representatives,” Romualdez said in a statement. “This progress reflects not just my leadership but the exemplary efforts of our members in driving the legislative reforms our country urgently needs. Their unwavering commitment to passing meaningful legislation in support of the Marcos administration has been crucial in
addressing the pressing issues our nation faces. From economic reforms to social justice initiatives, the work of the House has been pivotal in advancing the progress that our people are beginning to experience,” he added. SWS released a week earlier the ratings of President Marcos, who earned a net satisfaction rating of +27 -- seven points higher than in March.
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PBBM TO LEAD NATION IN HONORING PH OLYMPIANS By Riera Mallari
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TEMPORARY BORDER CONTROL. The local government of Calatagan in Batangas sets up a checkpoint amid the ASF spread in the province. Facebook page of Brgy. Encarnacion, Calatagan
DA SETS UP CHECKPOINTS IN LUZON AMID ASF SPREAD
PARIS (Via PLDT Home) – President Marcos will honor 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Carlos Yulo along with other Filipino Olympians at the Palace on Tuesday, August 13. Yulo, who won two gold medals in the artistic gymnastics competition in Paris, will arrive Tuesday afternoon together with the other Filipino Olympians at the Villamor Airbase. They will proceed to the Philippine International Convention Center for a welcome ceremony before going on a heroes’ parade traversing key areas in Manila and culminating at the Malacañan Palace. The President will personally honor the athletes and present them with their incentives in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to Philippine sports. The Philippines has already surpassed its Tokyo Olympics performance with its two golds and two bronze medals in the 2024 Paris Olympiad. Aside from Yulo’s two gold medals, Filipina boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas delivered two bronze medals in Paris, Meanwhile, mental health issues brought about by a “toxic environment” led to the poor performance of weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, whose Olympic debut came to a screeching halt as she failed to register a single successful lift in the snatch portion of the women’s 71kg division at the Paris Olympic Games early Saturday (Philippine time). The 20-year-old Sarno, who was being hailed as Hidilyn Diaz’s heir apparent, had three chances to lift 100kg in the snatch, but failed in all, leading to her early ouster in the competition where she was expected to finish in the podium.
BORDER CONTROL TEMPORARY WHILE WAITING FOR VAX ARRIVAL
By Othel V. Campos
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the viral disease started in 2019 to an estimated 9.9 million by the end of 2023. DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said the agency allocated 10,000 vaccines for emergency procurement and is distributing test kits to identify potential ASF cases. Additionally, industrial lime will be used in depopulation efforts to manage ASF-affected pig populations and prevent further spread of the virus. The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines reported that pigs in areas near Batangas are being sold at lower prices due to concerns over infection. The federation warned that if the outbreak is not contained swiftly, pork prices could significantly increase come the Christmas season. “One month ago, the farmgate price was at P220 per kilo. But in areas where there is an outbreak, the going price is P2,000 per head – or about P10 per kilo for a 20-kilo sow,” ProPork chairperson Ni-canor Briones said.
HE Department of Agriculture is setting up multiple livestock checkpoints across Luzon in a bid to curb the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Batangas.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the checkpoints are a temporary measure while the government awaits the arrival of ASF vaccines, which could take several weeks. He also raised concerns over unscrupulous hog traders selling diseased pigs, which he said worsened the outbreak. “We have the funds to procure the vaccines and the emergency funds to indemnify hog raisers adversely affected by the resurgence of the ASF virus,” Tiu Laurel said. Agriculture assistant secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica said the additional border controls aim to prevent the movement of diseased hogs, a major contributing factor to the rapid spread of ASF in Batangas. “We have set up additional livestock quarantines and will keep them in place at least until December 31. Policemen, along with
the Bureau of Animal Industry and other DA personnel, will staff the checkpoints,” Palabrica said. Palabrica, a veterinary medicine expert, also noted that the border controls will help prevent the transport of other diseased animals, including birds. The DA earlier announced that eight towns in Batangas are now affected by ASF, namely Lobo and Calatagan, which are under a state of calamity, as well as Lian, Rosario, Talisay, Lipa, Tui, and San Juan. According to the Bureau of Animal Industry, ASF has spread across all 17 regions of the Philippines and affected 74 provinces. As of August 8, at least 64 municipalities in 22 provinces have reported active ASF cases. The ASF outbreak had a devastating effect on the national hog population, which significantly dropped from 12.7 million when
MARCOS VOWS TO CUT POVERTY RATE TO 9% BY 2028 By Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Marcos vowed to lower the country’s poverty rate to nine percent in 2028 by investing in job-generating infrastructure and social protection programs. This as the Philippines posted its highest-ever employment and historic low unemployment rates in June. Mr. Marcos said the goal of reducing the poverty rate is already “within its reach” given that in 2023, the country’s poverty significantly dropped to 15.5 percent from 18.1 percent in 2021, translating to a
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decrease of 2.45 million Filipinos living in poverty. “[That] means we have lifted two and a half million Filipinos out of poverty and only 10.9 percent of Filipino families remain poor. Our goal is to further reduce this rate to nine percent by 2028 and improve the lives of eight million Filipinos,” he said. “More and more of our compatriots have decent and formal jobs and have become part of the middle class. All of this is towards our goal of lifting every Filipino out of poverty and it is within our reach,” the President added.
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Mr. Marcos also touted the 6.3-per6.3-per cent economic growth in the second quarter, higher than the 4.3 percent durdur ing the same period last year and the 5.8 percent in the first quarter of this year. He said the government is doing everything to give Filipinos “decent and formal” jobs to elevate them to middle class. “While these numbers are rosy, these mean nothing if our countrymen will not feel its effects. We will not rest on our laurels but use them to propel us forward into social and economic transformation,” he said.
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PRECIOUS PRODUCE.
Farmers carry a heavy load of around 60 kilos of freshly harvested cabbage in bamboo baskets along the steep terrain of Mt. Santo Tomas, with an elevation 2,260 meters above sea level, in Tuba, Benguet. Dave Leprozo
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