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VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 303 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES DECEMBER 15, 2024
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MARCOS ORDERS ALL-OUT WAR VS. AGRI SMUGGLERS DA, CUSTOMS TOLD TO BREAK CHAIN OF ILLEGAL IMPORTERS By Charles Dantes
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RESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday directed the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs to intensify their crackdown against agricultural smugglers. The President’s order came as he inspected P178.5 million worth of smuggled frozen mackerel at the Manila International Container Terminal in Tondo, Manila.
“This is the entire so-called chain (of agricultural smuggling) that we need to dismantle,” Mr. Marcos said. “I hope this is the first of many operations such as this because this is very, very important. We
need to control and supervise our food supply,” he added. The seizure of the smuggled mackerel marked the first case filed under RA 12022 or the AntiAgricultural Economic Sabotage Act. Mr. Marcos inspected the 21 containers of frozen mackerel shipment imported from China that were confiscated for lack of necessary import clearance. The shipment arrived in late September without the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the
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Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). “They are smuggling agricultural goods. They are destroying the market here in the Philippines, profiting from the people. Nothing goes back to the government, and what should be paid to the government is just pocketed,” Mr. Marcos said. The President donated the 21 containers of seized frozen mackerel to support 150,000 families across Metro Manila and select areas in Regions 3 and 4-A.
CRACKING THE WHIP ON AGRI SMUGGLERS.
President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos inspects an estimated PhP178.5 million worth of confiscated frozen mackerel imported from China at the Manila International Container Terminal on December 14, 2024. Joining him are Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., and Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio. PCO
CHINA VOWS ‘STRONGER COUNTERMEASURES’ IN SCS By Rachelle Tonelada CHINA said it will implement “stronger countermeasures” in the South China Sea as it accused the Philippines of provoking trouble, allegedly with the backing of the United States. “From Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) to Xianbin Jiao (Sabina Shoal) and from Houteng Jiao (Rozul Reef) to Huangyan Dao (Panatag Shoal), such repeated provocations have allowed the international community to see clearly who is undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea and who is fabricating and spreading lies,” said
Wu Quan, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense. “More provocations lead to stronger countermeasures. Should the Philippine side stubbornly follow the wrong path, China will never back down,” he added. Ray Powell, a maritime security analyst and former US military, earlier said China’s actions in the disputed West Philippine Sea should already be classified as “occupation.” Powell also urged the Philippines to adopt a new strategy to prevent further encroachment of its territories. “Realistically looking at the data, looking at the way China is increasing its presence
around Scarborough, denying the Philippines access to places like Sabina shoal, all of these lead me to the conclusion that China is trying to control a very, very large heart of the West Philippine Sea,” Powell told ANC’s Headstart. Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ruled out deploying Navy warships in response to China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
PHILHEALTH: ANNIV BUDGET FOLLOWS GOV’T GUIDELINES NEWS | A2
DSWD SOLE IMPLEMENTER OF AKAP, SAYS GATCHALIAN NEWS | A3
DSWD: P2B IN EMERGENCY AID FOR KANLAON ERUPTION VICTIMS By Charles Dantes A TOTAL of P2 billion in emergency aid is on standby for communities severely affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Saturday. More than 42,000 people have been displaced by the eruption, with thousands seeking shelter in evacuation centers, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said. The eruption has affected over 10,000 families across 25 barangays in Western and Central Visayas, disrupting lives and forcing residents to flee their homes. “DSWD is working closely with local government units to ensure the timely delivery of aid and protection for displaced families,” Dumlao said. “We are focused on camp coordination and management, especially to provide safe spaces for women and children in evacuation centers,” she added. Of the P2 billion funding, at least P92.2 million are standby funds that are available at the DSWD central and field offices, P1.1 billion are for family food packs, and P891 million for other food and non-food items. The DSWD and its partners have so far delivered more than P14.7 million worth of humanitarian aid in the immediate aftermath of the eruption. In addition to immediate aid, Dumlao said the DSWD is conducting a rapid damage assessment to deter determine other interventions and possible livelihood assistance for the af affected, especially farmers. “Once we get the data, that would be the basis of the department in determining what appropriate intervention. We can deliver cash for work, assistance to individuals in crisis situations or emer emergency cash transfer,” she said.
BARRIDO WINS PH’S 6TH MISS INT’L TOURISM CROWN By Eton Concepcion LIANA Rose Barrido, the last of three Mutya ng Pilipinas queens to compete in succession, made sure to save the best for last and end the year on top by winning the Miss International Tourism 2024/25 title during the world final gala show held at the Sunway Resort Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Barrido emerged victorious over 39 candidates from around the world and became the sixth Filipina to wear the MIT
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crown since 2000. Barrido, wearing an elegant blue Morpho Louis Pangilinan evening gown, earned the judges’ nods with a final round Q&A interview answer to the question: How would you define success and what would motivate you to achieve it? “As someone who finds her purpose through her weakness, I would define success as overcoming limitations. I was a silent girl before, but this limitation made me an empowered woman with a purpose,” the 26-year-old Barrido said.
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Cory Quirino, president of Mutya ng Pilipinas Organization, wrote on Instagram: “Philippines, we made it! Our very own Mutya Queen Liana Barrido has been crowned Miss Tourism International 2024! Her elegance, charm, and advocacy have brought pride to the nation, showcasing (once more) the beauty and values of the Filipino people on the global stage.” Before becoming Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International 2024, Barrido was Miss Batangas-World 2023 and Bb. Lungsod ng Batangas 2017.
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LIANA BARRIDO
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