US, PH marines undergo training in Okinawa
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Philippine Marines
from Assault Armor Battalion and United States (US) Marines from Combat Assault
Battalion, 3rd Marine Division worked together to become familiar with
amphibious assault vehicles and how to best utilize their capabilities during a
16-day training held recently in Okinawa, Japan.
This is the first time that members of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines have trained on a U.S. military base.
During the training, Philippine Marines learned
different amphibious skills such as hand signaling, egress training, and water
operations. They also familiarized
themselves with maintenance procedures, logistical planning, and facility
capabilities.
The training benefits both forces moving forward as
they continue to work together during exercises such as Kamandag this October
to bolster Philippine amphibious capability and combined security operations.
(U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)
DOE pushes for widening of energy base at the Asia
cooperation dialogue
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - Department of Energy
(DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi called for the widening of the energy base with
efficient and reliable power sources at the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
event held recently in Panglao, Bohol.
In his keynote address at the opening of the
three-day ACD, Cusi said the strategy can help nations secure their energy
needs while addressing the challenges of climate change and energy
affordability.
“We have a diversified energy mix, with nearly 24
percent of our power being sourced from renewable sources. And this diversified mix has proven to be
competitive and sustainable,” Cusi said.
To achieve security and sustainability requires a
three-pronged approach driven by three “Is” - incentives, investments and
innovation, according to Cusi.
“Governments must be willing to provide the
necessary support for players who want to bring fresh energy solutions and
thus, make electricity rates affordable to consumers," Cusi said.
He also said that “all players must be willing to
invest in new technologies that not only increases reliability, but reduces
emissions.”
“Innovation is the key driver that we need in order
to achieve security and sustainability. Governments must develop a regulatory
environment that supports our innovators and researchers,” he added.
With the three “Is” approach, Asia can produce its
own visionary problem solvers. “We must be resilient and stay the course,” Cusi
said.
Meanwhile, the energy chief shared the country's
solution to the hurdles faced by energy investors in Asia in the form of red
tape and long waiting times.
As a solution, President Rodrigo Duterte signed
Executive Order 30 that classifies energy projects amounting to at least $70
million as projects of national significance, according to Cusi. EO 30 also
streamlines permitting process of all government agencies under the Energy
Investment Coordinating Council (EICC).
Under the EO, concerned government agencies must
act on a proposal within 30 days. Otherwise, the proposal is deemed approved.
“Speed is of the essence here and we are determined
to see that we pull in the best investments and build our projects on time to
deliver on our domestic plan,” Cusi said.
“But it is not just enough to focus internally. It
is also important to promote closer cooperation among our countries. Our
diversity is our strength,” he added
The ACD will encourage member countries to develop
the mechanisms to move forward with an Energy Plan of Action to pave way for
initiatives on the nexus of critical resources, such as food, energy and water.
“To be more resilient, I believe that future
initiatives should be focused on technological advancement and improved
management practices must also be implemented. We need future-proof policies
that would allow us to cope with natural and human-induced disasters,” Cusi
said.
The secretary concluded by showcasing the DOE’s
consumer-focused energy campaign E-Power Mo! or the consumers’ “Power of
Choice”.
Providing information on the fast-evolving
developments in the energy sector, E-Power Mo! is a campaign that seeks to empower and educate consumers by giving them the power of choice
and allowing them to better manage their energy consumption patterns.
(DOE/PIA-Caraga)
DOE, NREB caps off public consultation series for
RPS draft guidelines
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Department of
Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB), in cooperation
with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Building Low
Emission Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability
(B-LEADERS), conducted the last public consultation for the finalization of the
draft rules and guidelines of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) held on
recently at the DOE’s headquarters in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
The Luzon leg of the pub-con is the culminating
consultation after the Visayas leg in Cebu City and Mindanao leg in Davao City
held respectively last 6 July and 26 July.
The RPS is a policy mechanism under Republic Act
9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 that requires electric power industry
participants, particularly the distribution utilities, to source or produce a
specified fraction of their power supply from eligible RE resources.
The main objective of RPS is to increase the
utilization of RE by enhancing national and local capabilities on using RE.
“Once the RPS is rolled out, energy consumers have
more options on what type of energy they want to consume, particularly the
clean and sustainable ones. It empowers them to formulate the right energy
strategies for them,” energy cecretary Alfonso Cusi said.
Cusi said that “the pub-con is a necessary tool in
engaging RE stakeholders in the policy-making by gathering their insights and
suggestions to ensure a comprehensive RPS rules and guideline before
finalization and endorsement by NREB to the DOE”.
The pub-con was led by NREB Chair Atty. Jose Layug,
Jr. as the keynote speaker, together with Electric Power Industry Management
Bureau (EPIMB) OIC-Director Mario Marasigan, and NREB co-chairman and RPS
chairman Mr. Juan Antonio Bernad.
“We must ensure that the targets we have set for
the RPS should not remain simply as statistics, not even as final destinations,
but as milestones upon which new targets will evolve,” said Layug.
Some issues raised during the consultation were the
impact of RPS to consumers regarding electricity prices, the implication of RPS
to existing power plants, social and environmental impression of the RPS and
possible updates on the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) rules among others.
Around 300 participants from representatives of
government agencies, NREB, international financial institutions, distribution
utilities and renewable energy stakeholders attended the consultation.
(DOE/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Mahigit 50 illegal gambling machines
na nakumpisa ng Butuan City Police Office sinira
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Agosto 22 (PIA) - Sinira isa-isa
ng mga personahe ng Butuan City Police Office (BCPO) sa pangunguna ni city
director Police Senior Superintendent Percival Agustus Placer ang may 56 na mga
illegal gambling machines na nakumpiska ng ibat-ibang police stations sa
lungsod ng Butuan, kamakailan.
Ayon kay PSSupt. Placer, sa nakumpiskang 56 illegal
gambling machines, 22 nito ay video karera at 34 ang fruit game machines.
Ayon sa kanya, mahigpit nilang pinapatupad ang
marching order ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte laban sa mga ilegal na gawain sa
ibat-ibang barangay. Patuloy umano nilang minomonitor ang mga barangay sa
lungsod ng Butuan at hindi umano sila mag-aatubiling hulihin ang mga sumusuway
sa batas.
Samantala, sumuporta rin ang ilang city councilors
sa kampanya laban illegal gambling machines at sumali sa pagsira sa mga
nakumpiskang machines ng BCPO. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Ikalawang opisina ng SSS sa Canada,
bukas na
LUNGSOD NG SURIGAO, Agosto 22 (PIA) - Handa ng
pagsilbihan ng Social Security System (SSS) ang mahigit sa 250,000 Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFWs) na naninirahan sa kanlurang bahagi ng Canada sa bagong
bukas na extension office nito na nasa opisina ng Philippine Consulate General
(PCG) sa Calgary.
Maaaring mag-inquire, mag-sumite ng mga aplikasyon
at mag-avail ng mga serbisyo ng SSS sa Calgary extension office na binuksan
noong Hunyo kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas.
Ayon kay SSS President at Chief Executive Officer
Emmanuel F. Dooc, ang bagong bukas na extension office, na pangalawa na sa
Canada, ay magsisilbi sa halos 270,000 Pilipino na nakatira sa Alberta, British
Columbia at iba pang probinsya sa kanlurang bahagi ng Canada.
“Inaasahan po naming mas marami pang Pilipino ang
mapagserbisyuhan upang masiguro ang kanilang tuloy-tuloy na proteksyon sa
ilalim ng ating mga programa sa SSS.
Tinatayang aabot sa mahigit 660,000 ang mga Pilpino na nasa Canada
ngayon. Halos 40 porsyento nila ay matutulungan ng bagong bukas na opisina sa
Calgary. Nagpapasalamat din po tayo sa Konsulada sa pagpapahiram sa atin ng
espasyo para sa ating operasyon,” ani ni Dooc.
Ang natitirang 60 porsyento ng Pilipino naman na
naninirahan sa silangang bahagi ng Canada ay patuloy na magpalilingkuran ng SSS
Toronto foreign representative office.
Pinirmahan din ng SSS at PCG ang isang kasunduan
kung saan nakapaloob na maaaring mag-opisina at tumanggap ng mga miyembo sa
loob ng nasasakupan ng opisina ng PCG Calagary.
“Nagsimula ang operasyon ng SSS Calgary office
noong nakaraang buwan, na sa simula ay
isang extension office lamang sa ilalim ng pamunuan ng representative office sa
SSS Toronto. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon nang 23 SSS foreign office sa mga tampok
na bansa, kung saan ang mga opisina ay nasa loob ng Embassy/Consulate
General/Overseas Labor Office,” ani ni Dooc.
Pinangunahan nina Social Security Commissioners
Gonzalo Duque at Anita Quitain ang isang ribbon-cutting ceremony kasama sina
SSS Account Management Group Senior Vice President at International Operations
Group Concurrent OIC Judy Frances See at PCG Consul General Julius Torres.
Nagsagawa rin ng program briefing at onsite
services para sa mga Pilipino sa Alberta at British Columbia sa pangunguna ng
SSS management team sa pagbisita nila sa Canada upang makahikayat ng mas marami
pang miyembro sa SSS.
Ang mga serbisyong inihahandog ng SSS ay para sa
mga mga migrant workers, mga OFWs, kasama na ang mga Pinoy na Canadian citizens
na, maging mayroong dual-citizenship. (SSS/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
