BORONGAN CITY– The troops of the 46th Infantry (Peacemaker) Battalion, under the operational control of the 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade, 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army discovered a food cache containing one 20-liters gallon full of rice grains and one 4-liters gallon packed with salt at the vicinity of Brgy. San Isidro, Las Navas, Northern Samar on Monday (Oct. 2).

The discovery of the food cache is a result of the ongoing operations conducted by Army troops in Samar provinces to ensure that the area is completely free from the presence of pestering communist terrorist groups.

The troops tirelessly scoured the expanse of the area in search of any tracks or signs of the presence of NPAs, their hideouts, and previous settlements.

As they probed against the ground, they stumbled upon some left-out tracks and found the aforementioned food cache that was buried to support their sustenance.
Said discovery severed the CNT’s logistical line of support hence delimiting their capacity to operate in the area.

Brigadier General Noel A. Vestuir, commander of the 802nd IB stated that “By cutting their food supplies and delimiting their capacity to operate, we have created a crisis situation among the NPA ranks because of starvation.”

“The loss of the support of the people in their former mass bases aggravates the situation since they no longer have contacts and couriers in the area that they could utilize to procure, transport and deliver the much-needed resources and logistical requirements for them to survive while evading our troops and hiding in the mountains,” he said.

“We know and understand the predicament and hardships of the remaining NPA terrorists in the area that is why we would like to reiterate our call for them to lay down their arms and join their families in the mainstream of our society. Let us put to an end, this more than five decades of local communist armed conflict that tremendously affected not only us who are directly involved in armed clashes but most especially our people,” Vestuir said.

“We in the Philippine Army value the preservation of life and support the government’s efforts in providing an inclusive-sustainable economic development. We once again call on you to go back to the folds of the society and take part in various programs that uplift the standard of living of our people, of which our Friends Rescued Engagement thru their Families (FReE Families) program advocates,” he concluded.(PR)

Manila—The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than P450 million ($8 million) in additional funding to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in vulnerable communities in the Philippines.

The new funding will primarily enhance typhoon preparedness and develop resilient livelihood strategies in the regions of Bicol, CARAGA, and Eastern Visayas. It will also fund partnerships with the private sector to help ensure the continuity of businesses and other critical services, such as energy and water, after disasters.

Additionally, USAID’s assistance will train personnel from the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other relevant government agencies in setting up post-disaster logistics, emergency shelters, and emergency telecommunications.
USAID will also work with local government units in Eastern Samar and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to set up referral systems for children’s welfare and protection during disasters.

“Strong typhoons came earlier than expected this year, and we’re reminded of how vulnerable many Philippine communities are to the impacts of natural disasters,” said USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn.

“We are proud of our partnership with the Philippine government to help the Filipino people prepare for and respond to disasters,” he added.

The United States is a key partner of the Philippine government in preparing for and responding to disasters, as well as delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Since 2010, USAID has provided approximately P17 billion ($372 million) in disaster relief and recovery aid and boosted the disaster risk reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines.(PR)

The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Philippines’ leading finance super app GCash have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to join forces in going after perpetrators involved in online fraud, e-scams, and other cybercrimes.

Under the agreement, GCash will assist and cooperate with the SEC in investigating financial fraud crimes by providing relevant information and data in accordance with prevailing laws, rules, and regulations.

As more and more Filipinos embrace the digital space for their daily transactions and investments, the country has witnessed a concerning rise in online scams, investment fraud, and various cybercrimes in recent years. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD) noted that victims of these cybercrimes typically use online money transfer services, such as e-wallets, for their transactions.

“As the country’s investor champion, we must think of ways for fintech companies like GCash to thrive. Financial services offered by GCash will further the cause for financial inclusion and bring the capital market to more Filipinos. The MOA entered into today allows efficient cooperation between EIPD and GCash. Through this MOA, the EIPD can request vital information from GCash to build better cases in its fight against fraud,” SEC chairperson and CEO Emilio Benito Aquino said.

The agreement further solidifies GCash’s commitment to secure its customers’ funds and data.

“By continuously working with the government in combating scams, fraud, and other cybercrimes, we want our users to have peace of mind and confidence to transact in the digital space. After all, at GCash, the security of our users is our utmost priority. Together with the SEC, we will continue to improve and innovate in order to protect our customers against cyber threats and other types of scams,” G-Xchange Inc. chief executive officer Ren-Ren Reyes said.

As the e-wallet with the largest user base in the country, GCash is serious in upholding its trust and security mandate by building close coordination and partnerships with law enforcement authorities, namely the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). GCash has also been leveraging the latest innovation in trust technology to build the safest digital ecosystem for its users while doubling down on empowering customers to protect their accounts through education. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is planning to expand the use of modular construction system as an alternative approach to address limited space concerns in passenger check-in and terminal areas.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Oct 3, CAAP said that they will be using the Borongan City Airport as the model for the modular construction system to offer a sustainable approach to constructing terminal facilities with passenger amenities, as it minimizes construction waste.

The system uses pre-fabricated structural steel, a sustainable and cost-effective approach that allows for flexibility in design and rapid construction.

Last December, CAAP and the city government of Borongan formally inaugurated and opened the new passenger terminal building constructed using the modular construction system.

Using the same method, the agency is set to implement another passenger terminal project at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental is set to begin construction by December 2023 and is expected to be operational after six months with a total budget of P36 million.

In addition to the expansion of the use of modular construction systems, CAAP also said that turboprop operations in its airports do not require the use of boarding bridges, and these operations can be extended to principal Class 1 airports with the same aircraft type.

“As passenger demands continue to grow, CAAP dedicates itself to ensuring that airports across the country are equipped to meet the changing demands of air travel while maintaining sustainability and innovation,” it said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)