Andanar lauds DOJ for resolving drugs campaign death cases Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar commended the Department of Justice (DOJ) on resolving cases of deaths related to the conduct of the anti-narcotics campaign of the administration. “We laud the Department of Justice (DOJ) for prioritizing hundreds of cases being handled by its prosecution officers, notwithstanding the challenges of the pandemic,” he said. The DOJ heads the panel that conducts a judicious review of over 5,000 anti-illegal drugs operations where deaths occurred by also engaging affected families and providing them with legal assistance in the criminal prosecution of law enforcers who have overstepped legal bounds in their operations.
‘Tabang OFW’ to benefit 30,000 college students
By Marie Angelie Villapando
A P1-billion scholarship fund to be rolled out by the government this year will benefit more than 30,000 college students who are dependents of repatriated, displaced, and deceased overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III . Dubbed “Tabang 1 PIA Bulletin Online
OFW,” the program entitles one college-level dependent of a repatriated, displaced, or deceased OFW to receive a one-time financial assistance of P30,000, thus help in augmenting their education expenses. Sec. Bello and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Unified Student Financial Assis-
PRRD affirms
arbitral ruling on
South China Sea
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte during his address at the 75th UN General Assembly said that the country remains committed to the Charter of the United Nations as amplified by the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, affirming the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) ruling in favor of the Philippine’s case against China’s claims in the South China Sea. He also emphasized that “The Philippines firmly rejects attempts to undermine it and the country welcomes the increasing number of states that have manifested support of the award and what it stands for — the triumph of reason over rashness, of law over disorder, of amity over ambition.” tance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Chairman Prospero De Vera signed the memorandum of agreement on the provision of educational assistance in a simple ceremony in Quezon City on Friday, September 26, 2020. “We hope this will go a long way in helping our OFWs and their children in these
most challenging times. “By doing this, we also hope we can partly repay our modern-day heroes,” Secretary Bello said. Under the agreement, the DOLE shall issue orders, circulars or guidelines that will spell out the effective and efficient implementation of the program, including the appropriate utilization of funds, ad-
herence to the usual government accounting and auditing rules, and submission of complete reports. The CHED, on the other hand, will release the funds amounting to P1 billion to DOLE for the implementation of the educational assistance program to the qualified college children dependents of the said OFWs.
Editorial Director Benjamin Felipe Editor-In-Chief Marie Angelie Villapando Associate Editors Melinda Quiñones, Vanessa Rodriguez Staff Writers IDPD headed by Joselito Reyes Art Department CPSD headed by Bradley de Leon Production/ Aggregation DDCU with Team Leader Kate Shiene Agna
By Melinda T Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte extended the term of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) up to June 30, 2022 for
Duterte extends term of Yolanda task force the implementation and monitoring of ongoing projects in areas hit by Super Typhoon “Yolanda.” The fresh two-year term extension would provide ample time for IATF-Yolanda for its township approach to materialize, where “resettlement sites shall be provided not only with basic necessities of water and electricity but also of social infrastructures such as daycare centers, health centers, and school buildings
within or nearby the housing project sites,” reads Administrative Order 33 signed by President Duterte on 16 September 2020. The IATF- Yolanda, established in 2017, has a three-year validity
period or until 12 August 2020 to serve as the overall and central coordinating committee for all agencies to ensure the recovery of “Yolanda”-hit areas of Eastern Samar, Eastern Visayas, the northern
9K na kaso natugunan ng ARTA
By: Marites B. Paneda - PIA/IDPD
nung nakaraang taon, lumundag sa ika 29 place ang Mahigit 9,000 kaso Pilipinas sa Ease ang naaksyunang of Doing Business ng Anti-Red Tape Global (EODB) Authority (ARTA) Ranking na ginagawa ayon kay ARTA ng World Bank Director-General taon-taon. Ito ay Jeremiah Belgica sa mula sa 124th place pagdinig ng budget na napunta sa 95th ng ahensya sa place ang Pilipinas Senado kamakailan na kung saan ito ay Ayon kay Belgica, naitala sa unang taon sa 9,000 na kaso, Source: Anti-Red Tape Authority website gn pagpapatupad ng 6,000 na mahigit kaso ay tumulong proseso sa Common RA 11032 o EODB at ang inisyuhan ng din ang ARTA sa Towers ng Telcos, ARTA. automatic approval, “streamlining” ng pagtulong sa paggawa “Ang pagpamahigit 3,000 ang mga proseso ng mga ng mga eletronic patotoong ito ay kasong naresolba at ahensya ng gobyerno Business One-Stop nabanggit ng tinulungan habang sa pagsusulong ng shop sa mga LGUs Pangulong Rodrigo 7 kaso naman ang mga proyekto na kung at pagtataguyod ng Duterte noong umabot at isinampa saan halos 7,000 na “Central Business nakarang 2020 na sa Office of the ang nakakapagsumite Portal” para sa mga SONA na “the Ombudman at Civil at tumatalima sa national agency landmark Ease of Service Commission direktiba ng ARTA na permits. Doing Business and (CSC) at 7,000 bawasan at iaayos Samantala, Efficient Government ahensya ng gobyerno ang kanilang proseso sa larangan ng Service Delivery Act ang nakapagsumite at ‘processing time’ na pagnenegosyo, of 2018 has been at tumatalina sa nakasulat sa Charter sa pangunguna at gaining momentum” direktiba ng ARTA. ng mga ahensya. pakikipagtulunagan ng paglalahad pa ni Bukod sa pagIsang halimbawa ay Department of Trade Direcro General iimbestiga at pagang pagpapaikli sa and Industry (DTI) Belgica. aksyon sa mga
part of Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and Northern Palawan. Before its effectivity date ends in August, I AT F - Yo l a n d a chairperson Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles reported 89.3% of housing units built or combined accomplishment for 129,484 houses completed construction and 49,112 units under construction; and 66% electrification rate or 241 out of the 363 permanent resettlement projects energized.
DOTr, Maritime 3 I’s undertakings By Vanesa Rodriguez – PIA/IDPD
Despite the debilitating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the maritime industry, it has never stopped to engage in game-changing initiatives, Department of Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade said during the 3rd day of the Maritime Industry Symposium held on September 25. “The country’s maritime sector took the challenge as an opportunity to undertake THREE I’s: Initiate, Innovate, and Invest,” Secretary Tugade said
turn to page 5 PIA Bulletin Online 2
More than half of gov workforce are women
256,275 compared to the 140,133 women in clerical, Did you know trades, crafts, and that 50.88% of custodial services. the 1,728,641 According to government PCW, women workers are women representation in while 49.12% are public sector labor men? force reflects that This was based on the Civil Service job opportunities for women are Commission based on merits (CSC) Inventory and fitness not on of Government Human Resources a male or female factor which is (IGHR) data as of being encouraged May 2019 shared by CSC for hiring by the Philippine and promotion. Commission on “Women’s Women (PCW) contribution to the in line with the public sector labor celebration of the force gave them 120th Philippine full employment Civil Anniversary of the Civil Service because they Commission. Data show that more women occupy second level positions, with 659,687 women and 485,796 men civil servants. Second level positions are the professional, technical, scientific, executive / managerial positions, while men dominate first level positions with a total of By Marites B. Paneda - PIA/IDPD
were given equal opportunity with men with added inclusion of social protection packages in women’s benefits” PCW added. “Ang pagkakaroon ng malaking bilang ng kababaihan lalo sa technical level ay nangangahulugan na nagkakaroon ng mas diverse na perspektibo sa pagbalangkas ng mga plano at programa ng gobyerno dahil hindi lamang ito puro kalalakihan ang kasali” PCW emphasized.
Philippines receives SafeTravel Stamp By Teresita Negrillo - PIA/IDPD
The Department of Tourism (DOT) received a SafeTravel Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council for ensuring the safety of travelers in the Philippines amid COVID-19 for its continuing support for, and adoption of “health and hygiene global standardized protocols” during the COVID-19 pandemic. SafeTravel is the stamp of approval given by the international organization to certify compliance with its global health standards to allow for safe travels. Eligible companies such as hotels, airlines, restaurants, tour operators, attractions,transportation and airports will use the stamp as a guarantee that they conform to health and safety protocols required by the WTTC. As a user of the stamp, the DOT will have the opportunity to assume the role of a SafeTravel ambassador to the stakeholders, advocating the implementation and full compliance of protocols The WTTC is an international organization representing leaders of the global travel and tourism industry, which accounts for 10 percent of the global gross domestic product and employment.
Environment health vital in the fight against infectious diseases By Marites Paneda – PIA/IDPD
Various public health emergencies such as dengue, polio, and COVID -19 are linked to environmental factors that needs to be addressed in 3 PIA Bulletin Online
the fight against emerging and infectious diseases, said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during the virtual celebration of World Environmen-
tal Health Day (WEHD) 2020 on September 25. With the theme, “Sa panahon ng pandemya, malusog na kapaligiran ang BIDA”, Duque said that water supply, sanitation, air
quality, solid waste management, chemical safety, food safety, occupational safety, and climate change are all connected to human health. These are essential com-
ponents of the National Environmental and Health Plan (NEHAP), which serves as blue print in implementing minimum health standards under the new normal.
Keeping online PPA launches learning safe TRAZE contact
By Melinda T. Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
With the home-based learning for the school year to start this October 5, concerns have been raised on the threat to the privacy, security and safety of learners while online. The Department of Education (DepEd) said it will issue a supplemental policy to prevent, detect, report, and handle child protection issues in home-based learning as it upholds the Child Protection Policy under DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, which promotes the right of the child against all forms of violence and abuse. The policy will strengthen the existing mechanisms on child protection and include the recommendations of the Department of Justice-Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OC) on the use of video conferencing in online classes. Meanwhile, the ( DOJ-OC) advises school administrators to: (1) never share meeting room credentials, both the ID and the password to the public; (2) always set meeting configurations as follows: accept meeting participants’ request to join individually, provide a standard naming instruction for the participants, start meeting with participants’ video off, require a password from the participants, mute participants upon entry and disable desktops and screen share for participants who are not assigned in the virtual meeting room as hosts; (3) not allow participants to join before the host, rename themselves, send messages to other participants, allow participants to access the file transfer and share their screens, allow participants to use annotation tools to add information to shared screens and share whiteboard during the meeting, and allow users to change their background with any selected image; (4) never leave students alone in the virtual classroom; and (5) always update the application you downloaded to its latest version. DOJ-OC also advises parents to promote and implement proper netiquettes to be observed by children under their supervision as well as teach children to discern information online.
Source: Department of Education Facebook page
tracing app
By Marites B. Paneda - PIA/IDPD
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) recently launched its mobile app contact tracing system called “TRAZE” to facilitate the movement of people inside the ports while maintaining the highest health protocols amid the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. TRAZE has the capability to trace the movement of individuals inside PPA facilities without connecting to the internet and can be downloaded by user via Apple Store and Google Play. According to PPA General Manger Jay Daniel R. Santiago the app is a major breakthrough that it can add up to 5 people or establishments in a single profile, making the system tracks their movement
even without any mobile electronic device as well as establishments and vehicles registered with the system can likewise be monitored, making contact tracing at the port in cases of COVID-19 infection manageable and effective. After completing and verifying the app registration, a unique Trazer identification number and printable QR Code will be issued while those with mobile electronic devices capable of reading QR codes can simply scan other QR codes for establishments and individuals. The provided QR Code can be used by the passenger at any Trazeregistered port or establishment in their subsequent travels. The system
also automatically notifies Trazeregistered person if they come in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual as all Traze-registered individuals and establishments can review their movement using the history button on the app itself. “With this, all PPA personnel as well as those individuals, establishments, port workers, concessioners, and other port stakeholders nationwide are mandated to download and use the app as a precondition to entry in PPA facilities and as those passengers without access to the app can drop-by the port MALASAKIT Helpdesk in order to register in the system” Gen. Manager Santiago added. PIA Bulletin Online 4
How to dispose used face masks properly?
By Melinda T. Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
To avoid infection from and further spread of COVID-19, proper disposal of used face masks should be observed. Used masks from hospitals, Barangay Health Centers, and clinics are considered hazardous (infectious) waste. The handling, transport, and disposal of such shall be carried out by Transport, Storage and Disposal (TSD) Facility. As a precautionary measure, used masks from households with Person/s Under Investigation(PUI), and Person/s Under Monitoring (PUM) should be treated as hazardous wastes as well and must be segregated into a separate bin or trash can prior to collection by TSD Facility
DOST-PNRI Balik Scientist for nuclear medicine By Vanessa Q. Rodriguez - PIA/IDPD
personnel or crew. Furthermore, used masks from offices, work places, and homes without PUIs and PUMs may be treated as residual waste. To dispose, remove mask from behind and cut it in half; place inside a plastic and discard immediately in a closed bin; and
wash hand with soap or use disinfectant. Face masks must be stored separately, collected by eco-aides or garbage collectors equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and be disposed into Category 3 or 4 Sanitary Landfill accordingly.
Nationwide measles campaign to start on October 26 By Josephine L. Babaran - PIA/IDPD The Department of Health (DOH) with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) will conduct the nationwide measles and polio supplemental immunization campaign starting October 26 this year. The nationwide Measles RubellaOral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization campaign will be rolled out in two phases. Phase 1 will be conducted from 5 PIA Bulletin Online
October 26 to November 25, 2020 in Mindanao Regions, CAR, I, II, IV-B and V. Phase 2 will be conducted in February 2021 in Visayas Regions, NCR, III and IV-A. DOH is conducting the campaign for children under five years old— around 9.4M children for the measles-rubella vaccine and 6.9M
children for the oral polio vaccine. WHO and UNICEF are fully committed to supporting the Philippine government in the fight against measles. For more information, contact: Carlos Joshua Lazaro, Media Relations Unit, DOH, mrudoh2020@ gmail.com, +63 905 763 1184.
The Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) organized a contract signing event to welcome Dr. Thomas Neil Pascual on September 17 under the Balik Scientist Program. The Balik Scientist Program is an initiative of the DOST since 1975. It aims to encourage Filipinos, experts, scientists and researchers who based in foreign countries to return to the Philippines and contribute, through their expertise, to the improvement of various fields and sectors. Among the ongoing projects resulting from his collaboration with PNRI is the establishment of a cyclotron and PET-CT facility which will help make early diagnosis of diseases more accessible to Filipinos. Dr. Pascual formerly works with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He was in charge of pioneering capacity building projects for nuclear medicine in Africa as well as in Asia and the Pacific region.
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DOTr, Maritime 3 I’s undertakings
They activated crew changes hubs in the country to address the global need to support seafarers, amid restrictions during the pandemic. These crew changes hubs are located in Manila, Bataan and Subic. Soon to be activated also will be in the ports of Batangas, Cebu, and Davao. Initiatives such as the unified
electronic ticketing system was launched by the PPA to speed-up reservation and payment of tickets. DOTr has already invested in the maritime sector to provide mobility and connectivity long-deserved by the Filipino people. The agency focused in infrastructure projects to lay the foundation for enhanced mobility and connectivity.
DENR discourages enthusiasts against collecting wild plants
By Melinda T. Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
The imposition of community quarantine has seen a growing number of Filipinos engaging in buying and selling plants. In fact, the government is actively supporting this at it pushes for urban gardening not only to provide a healthier environment, but also to boost food security. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), however, there are limits to what ‘plantitos’ and ‘plantitas’ can plant and collect.
In a statement, DENR “highly discourages the collection of the plants that are naturally sprouting in the wild or in its rainforest environment, specially within the protected areas.” Along with animals, the country’s flora species are also protected by RA 9147 or the
“Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” making it illegal to remove, possess, trade or transport them most especially the threatened ones as it means that these plants may be the remaining few of its kind. The tiger orchid, which is endemic to the Philippines, is considered one of the critically endangered plants along with lady slipper orchid and giant staghorn fern. While bantigi, Sander’s phalaenopsis, and sandaoua are endangered plants from the wild. DENR warns that “the loss of these plants in its natural habitat due to illegal harvesting may harm our fragile ecosystem.” Whoever will be caught trading wild plants from and within the country will face imprisonment of 10 days to one (1) month or four (4) years and a fine of not more than Php300,000. Additionally, those who will be caught transporting wild plants will face imprisonment of not more than one (1) year and a fine of not more than Php100,000. The complete list of plants that are prohibited for collection can be found in DENR Administrative Order No. 2017-11 or https://cutt. ly/DENRThreatenedPHPlants.
Source: DENR Zamboanga Peninsula Facebook page
National Sci&Tech Week virtual exhibit to showcase PH latest innovations By Alexa M. Tinsay - PIA/IDPD
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is set to stage the 2020 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) celebration on November 23-29 through a virtual exhibit of the latest innovative products and services that would be useful and relevant to every Filipino. With the theme “Agham at Teknolohiya: Sandigan ng Kalusugan, Kabuhayan, Kaayusan, at Kinabukasan, NSTW will showcase efforts and initiatives of DOST and the entire scientific community in the area of research
and development; practical technologies; innovation in agriculture, industry, and health. The virtual celebration will also feature technical services and trainings; as well as financial assistance to entrepreneurs to help every Filipino adapt to COVID-19 under the new normal. For more information and updates regarding the 2020 NSTW celebration, please visit the www. nstw.dost.gov.ph and its Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/2020nstw.
The 2020 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) banner signifies the thrust of the DOST and the entire science community to adapt to the new normal by harnessing the power of innovation in the four thematic areas, namely: Kalusugan, Kabuhayan, Kaayusan and Kinabukasan. (Photo from DOST-TAPI) PIA Bulletin Online 6