Tambuling Batangas Publication June 06-12, 2018 Issue | Page 8

Connecting the regions ... p. 4 The Best Choice for Design & Quality VOLUME XLI No. 24 Hunyo 06-12, 2018 P6.00 For quotation requests, please contact us at [phone] or email us at sinagprinting@ gmail.com MOA Signing regarding the VIPER Project for the Big One TO strengthen its force and take precautionary measures for the impending impact of the Big One, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 in the Richter Scale, the provincial government of Cavite thru the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) gathered PDRRM Council members, municipal/ city DRRM officers and LGu representatives, focal persons from non-government agencies and other stakeholders from private sectors on May 22-25, 2018 at the Bali Village Resort in Tagaytay City in order to enhance its contingency plans in the province. Likewise, Governor Jesus Crispin ” Boying” Remulla entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) represented by its Academy Centre Director Diosdado P. Waña and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) with its Country Director Thomas John Pignon on May 28, 2018 at the OPG Conference Room at the provincial capitol in Trece Martires City to raise the level of preparedness of the whole province since the Big One will not only affect Metro Manila but the entire province as well particularly the municipalities of General Mariano Alvarez, Carmona and Silang where the West Valley Fault system traverses. The governor emphasized the importance of being fully prepared in crisis and instructed the PDRRMO to fortify its campaign on Sundan sa pahina 6.. RDC IV-A searches for 2018 outstanding GAD implementer Bianca Veluz and PIA IVA CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, (PIA)-- The Calabarzon Regional Development Council has started its search for the 2018 Outstanding Gender and Development (GAD) Implementer. The said initiative is now in its fourth year of implementation aiming to recognize the outstanding performance of regional line agencies (RLAs), institutions, local government units (LGUs), higher education institutions (HEIs), and individuals in upholding the rights of women and mainstreaming and implementing the various GAD initiatives in the region. In view of this, the council invites all LGUs, HEIs, RLAs, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and individuals in the region to join the search. The organization category will be divided into three categories namely; 1) line agencies, GOCCs & NGOs, 2) SUCs & HEIs and; 3) LGUs. The nomination form for organization category can be accomplished through https://tinyurl. com/2018GADImplementer, while the nomination form for the individual category should be submitted to the secretariat. The forms and supporting documents should be submitted not later than August 15 (Wednesday). The technical working group shall conduct on-site validation of MOVs and selection of awardees based on the submitted nomination forms and the results of the validation. For further inquiries, applicant/nominees may reach the RGADC Secretariat, Ms. Angela Llamas or Ms. Aprille Suyat at [phone] or email at [email protected]. (Bianca. Veluz, PIA4A with reports from NEDA IV-A) 2,500 hybrid native chicken ang ipinamahagi ng libre ng Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services (OCVAS) sa may 500 katao na gustong kumita o makinabang sa pag-aalaga ng manok No surrender of WPS ruling–DFA By Concept News Central ANY joint oil exploration of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) by the Philippines and China does not mean the government is giving up the United Nations arbitration ruling favoring Filipinos’ sovereign rights over the disputed sea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told House members on Wednesday. “Just because we are not using the word arbitral award does not mean we are giving up on our rights,” said Cayetano during a briefing by the National Task Force for the WPS (NTF-WPS) for members of the House special committee on the WPS chaired by Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. Cayetano also said the administration is trying to improve a bad situation inherited from the past administration. “When President Duterte came in, like in a company you have to stop the bleeding first. We talked to China, we drew lines. They asked us not to build in uninhabited land; not to extract resources unilaterally. We told them do not build in Scarborough, don’t touch Ayungin, don’t stop resupply of troops, do not extract oil unilaterally,” said Cayetano. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. assured that the Duterte administration does not and will not abandon the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea disputes. “This is merely set aside in the meantime, in line with the efforts of government at promoting peace, stability, and cordial relations among claimant countries in the region. At the proper time, we will take full advantage of the tribunal ruling, even as China refuses to recognize this, to serve as basis for the country’s exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction over features that are in the Philippine territorial waters,” said Esperon. Arbitration ruling Cayetano explained the arbitration award was about three things. First is that each of the features covered in the award is different. Second, the arbitration award is not an award of territory. “There are two disputes namely, territory and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Sa UNCLOS, it’s economic rights. Sovereignty rights is economic rights. What are our sovereign rights? First fishery; we have a fisheries agreement. It’s not perfect but our fishermen can go,” Cayetano said. The third point of the arbitration award is Safety of Life at Sea. “Dati hindi tayo makalapit sa Scarborough. Ngayon, ‘pag may emergency, pwede,” said Cayetano. Diplomacy Cayetano said through the available tool of diplomacy, the government is protecting the gains of the past, protecting the country’s territory and sovereignty. “The Duterte approach is prudent and pragmatic and opened cooperation in various areas such as anti terror, defense, and trade for the benefit of Filipinos. Many agree with our approach, some do not,” said Cayetano. What the two countries are doing now involves many systems to increase trust and cooperation, he said. “I met (the) Chinese ambassador to propose two more systems,” said Cayetano. He also stressed that the Constitution provides the Philippines renounces war as national policy. Joint exploration Cayetano called as “deception or misinformation” a report saying a joint oil exploration would mean giving away the arbitral ruling. Cayetano said the same author of the misinformation piece had a paper in 1999, which stated, on the contrary, that joint exploration is good for simultaneously preserving peace and sovereignty. Cayetano lamented that critics are shouting against joint oil exploration without realizing the Malampaya natural gas supply in offshore Palawan is fast getting depleted. “China can afford not to have oil until 200 years, but (the oil in) Malampaya, mauubos na in a few years,” he said. Cayetano said they are now working hard for a framework for the exploration of natural resources in WPS that would not go against the Constitution. Fishing Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria asked what assurance the country got from China that it would no longer claim additional territory. Cayetano said the country’s ultimate red line is the Treaty of Paris in terms of territory and Sundan sa pahina 6..