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No halt in PhilHealth services FIVE LOCAL HOLIDAYS IN OCT. NEWS / A3
ISRAEL CONTINUES Marcos says zero subsidy should not affect healthcare operations
TO POUND HEZBOLLAH By CharlesWORLD Dantes / A6
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
PNP resurrecting probe into PCSO official's slay P
RESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to ensure that PhilHealth continues to provide uninterrupted services despite receiving zero subsidy for 2025.
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 334• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025 •
SC stops Erice DQ; Comelec Gov’t eyesreadies halting P1.48b as ballotaidprinting PAGASA
'Julian' strengthens
THE Supreme Court yesterday issued a temporary restraining order on the THE governmentofhas readied P1.48 disqualification former Caloocan Mr. Marcos underscored his adminof prevention is better than a pound of ing investments. billion worth of aid for communiRep. Edgar Erice. istration’s commitment to prioritizing cure." “PhilHealth has a lot of money, well tiesThe that TRO may be hit hardthe by Commistyphoon required social services in the 2025 budget, inHe also highlighted the importance over the reserve fund ceiling allowed ‘Julian’ PAGASA says to could sion on which Elections to respond Ercluding education, health, economic of digitizing the DOH to enhance efby law. This surplus is a result of unturn a supertyphoon. "Make sure that services of Philice’sinto petition within 10 days. services, infrastructure, and agriculture. ficiency and improve the delivery of derspending for benefits through the As 5:00 PM Comelec on Sunday, PAHealth remain unhampered … It (zero Thisofprompted to conDuring the meeting, the President healthcare services. years, which is why Filipino families GASA raised Tropical Cyclone subsidy ) should not affect the delivery vene a meeting to determine whether also urged the Health department to Herbosa earlier vowed to fix syspay high out of pocket,” Herbosa preWind No. 3 printing over Batanes of healthcare services," President Marto haltSignal the ongoing of 73 shift its focus from curative to preventems at PhilHealth, urging it to prioriviously said. and the ballots northeastern of Bacos said during a sectoral meeting at million for theportion 2025 midterm Next page tive healthcare, noting that "an ounce tize healthcare spending over protectbuyan Islands. Malacañan Palace. elections that began on January 6. “’Julian’ is forecast continue By Rio N. Araja The poll body initially to excluded Erintensifying the next 24-36 ice's name afterover upholding his disqualihours asfor it moves towards Batanes fication allegedly disseminating HE Philippine and/or Babuyan Islands. With the Next page current trend in its intensification, National Police the possibility of reaching super (PNP) is reopening typhoon category is not ruled out,” PAGASA said in its advisory. its investigation into Meanwhile, the National Disasthe 2020 murder of ter Risk Reduction and ManagePhilippine Charity ment Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 1.9 million family food Sweepstakes Office packs worth P1.48 billion, other (PCSO) board secretary food items worth P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 Wesley Barayuga. million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare On Sunday, PNP Chief Police and Development (DSWD). General Rommel Francisco MarBySome Charles Dantes P171 million in standby bil said he ordered the reopening of andisPot fund alsoChavez available for utilization the cold case after whistleblower by the DSWD, including P123 milPolice Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told PRESIDENT “Bongbong” lion which canFerdinand be allotted as Quick the House Quad Committee that he Marcos Jr. Fund remained firminin the his posiResponse (QRF) cenhelped carry out the killing at the tion office that theofimpeachment case against tral the DSWD. behest of ex-PCSO general manager theIn Vice Presidentthe willProvincial only be divisive Batanes, DiRoyina Garma. and will not benefit Filipinos. saster Risk Reduction and ManageMendoza narrated before con"The President's positionadvised on the ment Office (PDRRMO) gressmen how Garma allegedly faimpeachment move in theroofs Houseand of residents to secure their cilitated the PCSO official’s roadside Representatives has notas changed," install window shutters Typhoon assassination on July 30, 2020 by Executive SecretarytoLucas Julian is expected makeBersamin landfall providing the necessary information said when asked if the Iglesia Ni Crisabout his schedule, details about his Next page to peace rally will have a bearing on vehicle and the funding necessary to Mr. Marcos' stance. A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales and David Suarez presented this matrix during the last QUAD carry it out. "What will happen to the—if someComm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic The whistleblower also implicated body files an impeachment? It will tie adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug incumbent National Police Comtrade and extrajudicial killings. down the House, it will tie down the missioner Edilberto Leonardo in the Senate. It will just take up all our time, UNHAMPERED PHILHEALTH SERVICES. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directs Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to ensure that PhilHealth planning of the murder. for what? For nothing. None of this services are Barayuga wasnotaaffected retired despite police its zero subsidy in the 2025 national budget. PCO will help improve a single Filipino life. general and lawyer who supposedly As far as I'm concerned, it's a storm in a threatened to expose corruption withtea cup," President Marcos earlier said. in the PCSO shortly before he was Next on page THE Philippine government shot dead in Mandaluyong City. Sunday publicly called for the UnitGarma, herself an ex-police Lt. THE legal counsel of Chinese adviser of former President Rodrigo of illegal drugs and illegal activities ed Nations (UN) to give it a seat on Colonel, allegedly gained the top businessman Tony Yang sought to Duterte. associated with POGOs,” Suarez said the UN Security Council, highlightspot at the PCSO because of her indisparage lawmakers’ conclusions Fortun, a lawyer who often finds in a mixture of Filipino and English. ing the country’s strong record and Next page about his client’s supposedly himself at the center high-profile The solons explained how the dedication to upholding the rule of sketchy past and his alleged ties cases, apparently sought to mock matrix details Yang’s connections to law. with Philippine Overseas Gaming congressmen, calling their probe other individuals involved in illicit Department of Foreign Affairs Operators (POGOs) and even “unacceptable.” activities, including the operations of latest non-commissioned “Tugon ng (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in By Vito Barcelo, organized crime. However, House members argued illegal POGOs. Masa” survey showed. a speech delivered at the UN GenLawyer Raymond Fortun they did not come by their suspicions Among the companies implicated Maricel V. Cruz and Released on eral Assembly in New York said the questioned theTuesday, Housethe fourth Quad about Yang recklessly. are Brickhartz Technology Inc. Rachelle Tonelada quarter 2024 TNM Survey indicated Philippines continues to emphasize Committee’s impartiality and its On Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker and Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., that 65 percent of adult Filipinos trust the “importance of upholding the ability to pin Chinese national Yang Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga which are being linked to alleged Marcos, Duterte’s trust rule of law and the integrity of the PRESIDENT Marcos continued to down forwhile ay wrongdoing in arating real and Deputy Speaker David Suarez of kidnapping. trailed behind at 49 percent. multilateral system in the face of toenjoy high trust and approval ratings By Rexpresented Espiritu criminal court. Quezon a matrix showing The two firms supposedly Mr. Marcos obtained a trust rating day’s global challenges.” from the majority of Filipinos while “I am very interested in how they Yang’s first appearance and his have connections with the Baofu of 65 percent, a modest decrease of 4 Quoted by reports, Manalo also Vice President Sara Duterte’s support THE Armed Forces of the Philippines [Quad Comm members] can prove subsequent activities at the Quad Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, percent from 69 percentinrecorded in said: “The Philippines has consisdipped 10 percentage points—the said it hearing. has “concrete” contingency this criminal network court. In Comm which, in turn, can be directly traced the 3rd quarter survey last tently pursued peace, the sovereign highest decline among the top four plans Chinaandattempts to Congress, lawmakers actyear. as both “We in sawcase a pattern, we tracked to disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo. Next page equality of states, the rights and digelected officials—OCTA Research’s efforts prosecutor and judge,” he said. itundertake to the top ofreclamation these corporations... During Friday’s Quad Comm nity of all persons.” inside established Philippine territory, Yang, who already admitted we stripped it of its layers , to get to hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang Heanadded thatcommand the country also CLEANUP incident postisduring Nexthave page having a fake Philippine birth the top and through it all, we in contempt forOPERATION. “lying” to aboutAfter his serving as recognized as the “first Asian Rethe Iglesia Ni Cristo's 'national rally for peace,' personnel of the Manila Disaster Risk certificate, is the brother of Michael discovered and identified at least two businesses and business partners. Reduction Management OfficeNext clean up the Kartilya ng Katipunan on Tuesday, January Yang, a presidential economic main actors or players in the issue page Next page
Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm
T
Marcos’ stance on impeach VP remains–Palace
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry VP Sara logs 10-point decline Contingency in trust ratings—OCTA survey plans in place DOTr’s Bautista vs. Scarborough says online news reclamation
PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat
report‘unfounded'
14, 2025.
Navy spokes debunks China claim ‘Rody’s drug war a catastrophic failure’ of military exercises in Scarborough shoal By Maricel V. Cruz
BAUTISTA
By Rex Espiritu
By Darwin Amojelar TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime Bautista denied an online news report claiming that Malacañang was angry with the increase in airport fees without the approval of the Cabinet members. “The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said in a Viber message, referring to the website that published the said story. “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. Bilyonaryo reported online that “Bautista and his long-time protege in Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are at the center of the storm after it was Next page
cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor any such activity, adding that Beijing’s statement was meant only for its internal audience. “Our troops did not observe any exercise, we have to understand that sometimes, China is doing this for their internal audience, right? For them not to look weak and embarrassed,” Trinidad said. Two Chinese warships were monitored at a distance ranging from eight to 14 nautical miles. One of these went up to 1,000 yards at the MMCA site but eventually went away. “It was not threatening, just normal,” accord-
THE Philippine Navy debunked on Sunday the recent announcement by China that it conducted military exercises off Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). China reportedly made the announcement coinciding with the fourth Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the regional waters over the weekend. Philippine Navy Spokesperson survey. for WPS Rear AdmiralData Roysourced Vin- from OCTA Research's 'Tugon ng Masa' Next page
and Pot Chavez
SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, lead chairman of the House Quad Committee, on Tuesday said that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs was a “catastrophic failure” that entrenched
corruption within the Philippine National Police, promoted impunity, and led to widespread human rights abuses. Barbers backed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s claim of a “grand conspiracy” within the police force to hide criminal activities. Next page
NGCP maintains rules compliance AWARD. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings,
THE NationalbyGrid Corporation of Association revenue from the Energy was honored the Philippine Retailers (PRA)scheme with its Outstanding Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail development. theFilipino Philippines said it complied with Regulatory Commission to ensure the (From left to right): PRA and Director of SM Retail of Jorge Mendiola, PRA existing regulations amidDirector a regulatory continuity its T. operations. Vicedelay. President and President and COO of Golden,“During ABC, Inc.the (Theperiod Penshoppe reset whenGroup) the NGCP Alice T. Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy, Without an approved regulatory continued its operations T.despite the PRA President Quorum Sports)reset Roberto reset process, and theChairman NGCP ofsaid it International, absence Inc. of (Toby’s a regulatory process, S. Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and adhered to the regulations in place we adhered to the most recent approved proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua at the time by requesting an interim Next page