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HIGHEST HONORS. Pall bearers carry the remains of Maj. Jude Salang-Oy and 1st Lt. April John Dadulla who died in a crash during a tactical mission in Bukidnon province. The two FA-50 fighter jet pilots were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Aviation Cross, the highest honors for the Air Force, at the Villamor Air Base on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Revoli Cortez
IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 26 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES MARCH 9, 2025
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GROUP TO HUNT DOWN AGRI CARTELS, HOARDERS GOV’T TO ENFORCE STRICT PRICE MONITORING, ANTI-SMUGGLING MEASURES
By Othel V. Campos
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HE Marcos administration is intensifying efforts to combat large-scale agricultural smugglers, hoarders, profiteers, and cartel operators who disrupt supply chains, threaten farmers’ and fisherfolk’s livelihoods, and undermine food security. The Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AAES) Council, in its inaugural meeting at the Palace this week, formed specialized working groups, including an Enforcement Group composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and Finance and Justice departments officials. “With both the law and enforcement teams in place, we are ready to go after economic saboteurs.
This will protect our farmers, fisherfolk, and consumers while ensuring a stable food supply,” Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic AfAf fairs and AAES council chairperson Frederick Go said. The AAES Council was formed to strictly enforce the Anti-AgriAnti-Agri cultural Economic Sabotage Act that imposes harsher penalties on those guilty of agricultural ecoeco nomic sabotage.
Other key initiatives discussed were the Daily Price Index with the Agriculture department’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance (AMAS) monitoring agricultural prices and the National Single Window, to be led by the Finance and Trade departments, to curb illegal imports. “We are sending a strong mes message—economic saboteurs will face swift and decisive action,” Go said. The Council will meet quarterly, he said, and on special sessions as needed to sustain momentum in protecting the country’s food supply. The new law expands the coverage of illegal activities classified as acts of economic sabotage involving agricultural products not previously covered under the Anti-Agricultural Smug-
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QUIET NIGHT FOR POPE AMID COMPLEX CLINICAL CONDITION WORLD | A4
gling Act of 2016. Under the law, the term agricultural products shall now cover livestock, aquatic products, and tobacco. Perpetrators now face a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of agricultural and fishery products subject to the crime.
COMELEC TO GET INT’L CERTIFICATE FOR POLL SYSTEM THIS MONTH By Rachelle Tonelada THE Commission on Elections said it will receive the international certification for its Automated Election System before the end of the month. Comelec chairman George Garcia said the certification, which would cover trans transmission, voting ma machines, and internet voting, would serve as proof the elec election processes are operating “prop “properly, securely and accurately.” Earlier, SenaSena tor Risa Hontiveros flagged Comelec’s lack of international certification more than two months before the May 12 midterm elections. Hontiveros called on the Joint Con Congressional Oversight Committee on the AES to look into the issue. “Under the law, the certification should have been isis sued ‘not l a t e r t h a n three months before the date of the electoral exercises.’ This means internathat Pro V & V Inc., the interna contional certification entity con tracted by Comelec, should have already issued a certification on or before February 12, 2025,” the senator said.
MARCOS: PROTECT, FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS By Charles Dantes, Rachelle Tonelada and Ram Superable PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday vowed to protect women’s rights and stand against any threat that could hamper their progress. Mr. Marcos made the vow as he joined the entire nation in celebrating InternaInterna tional Women’s Day and National Women’s Month. “Dynamic and ever-evolving, similar to our Inang Bayan (motherland), being a woman requires resilience and strength. Many of the developments we witness today can be attributed to the innumerable contributions of women across generagenera tions who fought, struggled, and advocated for various noble causes,” he said in his message. “The Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) we are building will always advocate for women’s rights and vigorously oppose anything threatening their progress.” Earlier, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that women’s rights are under attack and “we must fight back.” “Digital tools, while brimming with promise, are also often silencing women’s voices, amplifying bias, and fuelling harassment. Women’s bodies have bebe come political battlegrounds.” “And online violence is escalating into real-life violence. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we are witnessing the mainstreaming of chauvinism and misogyny,” Guterres said. He said gender equality was not just about fairness. “It is about power – who gets a seat at the table, and who is locked out. It is about dismantling systems that allow inequalities to fester. And it is about ensuring a better world for all,” Guterres added. For her part, Vice President Sara Duterte said ensuring that every woman and child is protected, heard, and empowered to thrive lies at the core of the fight for women’s rights. “The fight for women’s rights is not just about closing economic and political gaps,” Duterte said in a statement. “Every sector of society—government, private institutions, civil society, and individuals—must work together to break the cycle of abuse and exploitation. Together, let us build a future where no woman fears for her safety, where every girl can pursue her dreams without fear of violence, and where equality is not just a goal, but a lived reality,” she added.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.
Various progressive organizations and multi-sectoral groups led by the Gabriela Women’s Party gather at Liwasang Bonifacio on Saturday, March 8, 2025 to commemorate International Women’s Day. Gabriela Facebook page
PH LACKS 27.5K PHARMACISTS; ACCESS TO MEDICINES SUFFERS—PSAC
STRONGER TIES. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomes United Kingdom Foreign Minister David Lammy during a courtesy call at the Palace on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
PH, UK COMMIT TO STRENGTHEN TRADE, MARITIME COOPERATION NEWS | A2
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THE country’s healthcare system is suffering from a shortage of some 27,500 registered pharmacists, the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) reported Saturday. This as PSAC held its 8th healthcare sec tor meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Palace on Thursday, March 6, 2025. “Data from the meeting revealed a shortage of
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27,500 registered pharmacists alongside geographical disparity in terms of distribution of existing pharmacies, prompting the need for innovative solutions to improve medicine availability,” the council said. PSAC likewise supported the expansion of community pharmacies, particularly in underserved regions, to improve access to essential medicines.
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It also emphasized the need for improved accessibility, expanded facilities and strengthened PhilHealth benefits. “ The PSAC Healthcare Sector, in collaboration with industr y leaders and the government, is driving key healthcare reforms aimed at expanding healthcare facilities and pharmacies, improving access to medicines, and strengthening Phil-
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Health’s support value to curb out-of-pocket healthcare spending,” the council said. It also proposed a shift to outcome-based regulations to streamline hospital renewals and promote network-based healthcare models for better resource distribution. “This reform is crucial as the country faces a hospital bed deficit amid increasing demand,” it said.
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