“Two joint venture companies pre-qualified are still undergoing post-qualification evaluation by technical working group,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said Comelec is still doing post-qualification evaluation and has yet to award contract for online voting and counting system (OVCS) for overseas voting in May 2025 midterm elections.
Garcia issued statement in reaction to criticisms over public bidding of P465-million OVCS project of the commission.
One of the bidders, was previously declared “ineligible” by Comelec, questioned what it considered “low bid” of another bidder.
Joint venture of AMA Group Holdings Corp., Dasan Network Solutions Inc. and Kevoting Inc. twice sought reconsideration of its bid that was declared “ineligible” first on April 4 before special bid and awards committee automated election system (SBAC-AES) and second, on April 12 before Comelec en banc.
According to joint venture, they were flatly rejected twice without opening bid.
“Comelec en banc did not reconsider second motion because joint refused to pay P2.3 million non-refundable protest fee, 5 percent of project cost,” it said in statement.
Garcia said protest fee is mandatory requirement of procurement law.
In its motions for reconsideration, AMA-Dasan-Kevoting joint venture argued SBAC has refused to look into low bid of P112 million by SMSGT Technologies and Sequent Technologies Joint Venture.
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“Its bid represented only 25 percent of estimated project cost, raising questions on its capacity to handle 2025 overseas voting system,” AMA-Dasan-Kevoting claimed.
AMA-Dasan-Kevoting said there were deficiencies like failure of SMSGT-Sequent joint venture to submit 14001 ISO Certification (Environmental Management System) or its equivalent. It also does not have sufficient credentials to prove their internet voting system was successfully used in electoral exercise.
In its second motion for reconsideration, AMA-Dasan-Kevoting joint venture raised question if SMSGT-Sequent has submitted any written certification from election authority that it was indeed successful in previous electoral exercise it handled.
It mentioned that one of its executives admitted in its post-bid evaluation that the only electoral exercise it did was referendum in Madrid involved 1.2 million voters.
It said: “SMSGT-Sequent should not be allowed to participate in the first place for failure to prove that ultimately their internet/online voting system has proven track record of being successfully implemented in at least one election year here or abroad; and proposed internet voting system has been successfully used in prior electoral exercise.”
200,000-MT sugar importation needed to sustain shortage
By J.Lo
“This El Niño is different… I have been engaged in farming for so long and this is the first time I have experienced this…when you go out, you cannot endure heat… I never experienced this…as early as 7 in the morning, I returned inside house because of heat,” United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) president Manuel Lamata added producers’ group underscored need to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar to prevent shortage in supply as it confirmed sugarcane plantations in Negros have been severely damaged by El Niño.
Lamata said local sugar production would be affected as many sugarcane farms would not be able to recover.
Former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor has said damage caused by current El Niño episode to agriculture sector is underreported, adding that former Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Rafael Coscolluela had warned sugar production in Negros is expected to drop by 30 percent amid impact of drought on sugarcane plantations.
“Sugar plantations did not only dry up, even cows will not eat charred sugarcanes,” Lamata said.
He added that local milling would be delayed as farmers need to plant sugarcane again.
“Once rains start coming in, we will plant again… what will happen vis-à-vis supply, local supply will be delayed…there will be gap… where imported sugar will come in. ..we need to import,” Lamata said.
He added importation of 185,000 MT to 200,000 MT of sugar is necessary to prevent possible shortage in supply.
“We need to import to bridge gap. ..volume of 185,000 metric tons to 200,000 metric tons is just enough… should not be more than that so that once milling season starts, we can protect mill gate prices of farmers,” Lamata added.
UNIFED head asked provincial government to procure its own airplane that can be used for cloud seeding operations.
“I am pushing for local government units especially provincial government as sugar producers are here in Negros, it should prepare for clouding seeding plane in province as income of province comes from agriculture,” he said.
“Philippines welcomes good news that one of four Filipino seamen at MSC Aries has been released and is arriving home later today,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said one of the four Filipino seafarers being held by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has been released.
Efforts to have remaining three freed continue with help of Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other nations providing assistance.
“We appreciate Iran’s gesture and intercession of India in this matter,” it added in social media post on X.
“We send thanks to Department of Foreign Affairs who spared no efforts to secure release of our brave seafarer,” said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
He added DMW will remain in constant communication with DFA to check on condition of remaining members of the crew still being held by Iranian authorities.
DMW’s attached agency, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is coordinating with families of all crewmen, assuring them of government’s full support and assistance during this difficult time.
“DMW, OWWA and DFA, in coordination with ship agent and licensed manning agency, are now working to bring Filipino crew member home to reunite him with his family,” said Cacdac.
He expressed optimism that three Filipino seafarers will be released soon.
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Released Filipino seafarer arrived back in the country yesterday, and was welcomed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 by Cacdac and OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio.
Four Filipinos were among 25 crew members of MSC Aries seized and held by Iranian naval authorities on April 13, as it was passing through Strait of Hormuz.
MSC Aries, though registered in Portugal, is said to have links to Israel. Tensions between Iran and Israel in the region continue.
“Problem is that our PAOCC only has 40 members in their team…that’s why they have difficulties in monitoring and conducting raids,” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, referring to Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission that led raid in Tarlac warned against possible emergence of “POGO-politics” following recent raid on Philippine offshore gaming operator in Bamban, Tarlac.
Gatchalian revealed Philippine law enforcement agencies are currently conducting surveillance and monitoring of similar activities in other parts of the country.
Hundreds of workers, mostly Chinese, were rescued during raid at POGO’s premises at Baofu compound in Bamban on March 13.
Senate committee on ways and means, Gatchalian chairs, is investigating such POGO operations, including alleged involvement of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.
Guo denied her involvement in POGO operations during Senate hearing on May 7. But her evasive answers about her childhood, including where she was born and her education, raised suspicions both from Gatchalian and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who attended hearing.
“We’re giving her benefit of the doubt, so we asked her for documents to know who she really is,” Gatchalian said in interview.
Similar to “narcopolitics” experienced in other countries, senator warned of emergence of possible “POGO-politics” in the Philippines, noting that syndicates behind POGO operations have links to people in power.
“Because of their influence, they pay politicians or enforcers or support someone to run for office,” he said.
10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Footnotes
Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Proverbs 31:27-28
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
‘Bloodsicles’, baths keep Mla Zoo animals cool as heatwave hits
By J.Lo
“Bloodsicles” made from frozen ground beef or chicken, animal blood and vitamins are given to big cats to lick.
Manila Zoo is giving tigers frozen treats made of animal blood and preventing lions from mating during hottest time of the day as heatwave scorches the country.
Unusually hot weather has sent temperatures in capital Manila to record high in recent days and forced schools across archipelago nation to suspend in-person classes.
As people flock to air-conditioned shopping malls and swimming pools for relief from extreme heat, animals at Manila Zoo are also trying to cool off.
Preventing heat stroke, particularly among big cats, was “main priority”, zoo veterinarian Dave Vinas told media when mercury hit 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in the city.
Water is splashed on walls and ground of concrete enclosures throughout the day to help lower temperature inside.
Tigers and lions are also regularly sprayed with water and take dips in pools inside their pens.
Wendell, five-year-old Bengal tiger weighing almost 400 kilograms (882 pounds), pants non-stop as he soaks for hours in shallow pool.
“Like tiny cats we have at home, they need to sleep at least 12-16 hours a day…but at this time since it’s really hot they are swimming to relieve heat from the body,” Vinas said.
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Gab, lioness, looks bored as she sits on elevated concrete platform after zoo keepers locked her male companion Diego in another pen to prevent them from mating at the hottest part of the day.
“We don’t want to expose them to mating part in this heat, we don’t want to trigger any heat stroke ,” Vinas said.
Water is also poured over enclosures housing snakes and turtles to help regulate their body temperature.
While icicles and baths were normal during hotter months of March, April and May, Vinas said this year’s heat was most intense he had experienced.
“Even if they get good ventilation, temperature every year gets worse and worse,” he told media.
“We just find ways to make it better for animals.”
Tech-voc trng to be part of all sr high school strands
By Creselda Canda-Lopez
“Scope is either too specific or too broad. ..some interagency committees have very narrow focus, such as Interagency Committee on Economic and Financial Literacy, convened in line with RA 10922…this does not foster systems perspective needed to orchestrate sector as a whole,” Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II) said Technical-vocational skills training will soon be given to all senior high school students regardless of strand or area of study after government’s three education agencies agreed to streamline their policies to produce more employable graduates.
Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed joint memorandum circular embeds Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in all senior high school tracks. Department of Labor and Employment is also co-signatory.
An earlier TESDA press release said its purpose is to “equip high school graduates with industry-relevant skills and knowledge” by including at least one training regulation (a set of competencies for certain industry or sector) in every grade level in SHS. By the time student graduates from senior high school, they would have earned two National Certificates (NCs).
DepEd and TESDA also signed another joint memorandum circular requires senior high school students taking technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) track to undergo assessments to receive National Certificate (NC) from TESDA. NC serves as official proof of person’s mastery of skill or competency when applying for jobs locally and abroad.
It’s currently optional for Grade 12 students on TVL track to undergo assessments, needed to be issued NC for their skills. Due to apparent cost of applying for an assessment (average cost being P1,000 per individual) based on TESDA data, only quarter of senior high school graduates received certificates for School Year 2019-2020.
2024 General Appropriations Act has funding for mandatory assessment of Grade 12 TVL learners, as well as “capability building program” for more DepEd teachers to become accredited competency assessors, TESDA said in its press release.
Finalization of curriculum guides and pilot implementation in select schools and regions will be conducted in 2025 to assess effectiveness of program before launch of revised SHS curriculum, according to TESDA.
DepEd’s senior high school program differentiates those taking academic track from technical-vocational track. Academic track consists of three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (ABM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HUMSS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).
Academic strands do not have technical-vocational skills training as part of their curriculum. Students instead gain some measure of work experience through 80 hours of work immersion, private sector group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) said may be inadequate for employers to consider students as work-ready.
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In 2017 study by PBEd, out of 70 leading companies across all sectors in the Philippines, only 20% were willing to accept senior high school graduates.
While technical vocational courses remain popular among Filipinos looking to upskill, latest available data shows graduates of technical vocational programs mostly end up in minimum-wage jobs.
From 2010 to 2014, TESDA graduates earned only around P10,000 per month on average, according to National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan (NTESDP) 2018 to 2022.
Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II) identified absence of cooperation among country’s three education agencies as an obstacle to enhancing current policies related to students’ learning.
Finding, as detailed in Edcom II’s Year One report, said historial context behind “trifocalization” of the Philippines’ education system, led then-sole education agency to split into three different bodies, exposed “lack of effective coordination among education agencies.”
While several laws and executive orders require three education agencies to work together, Edcom II found that these have not always been followed effectively.
Edcom II also pointed out some interagency bodies have “weak institutional arrangements and capacity.”
“Irregularity of meetings and lack of continuity were commonly cited issues in coordinating DepEd, CHED, and TESDA,” Edcom II added.
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
“2023 Report on Salaries and Allowances” or ROSA Commission on Audit (COA)’uploaded on its website on Thursday, executives of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas have dominated anew annual list of highest paid government officials.
BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. topped COA list with net pay of P35.48 million.
Remolona’s net pay grew by P29.3 million or 474 percent from P6.18 million net pay he received in 2022 where he was not even in top 20 but at 132nd.
COA’s breakdown showed Remolona’s net pay for 2023 included P5.97 million in basic salary as BSP governor for six months (July to December) and P3.3 million in basic salary as BSP Monetary Board member for six months (January to June); P11.7 million in allowances; P10.01 million in bonus, incentives and benefits; P2 million in discretionary and extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses (EME); P24,000 in additional compensation and honorarium; and additional P2.47 million from “prior years’ adjustment.”
Remolona took top spot from his predecessor, former BSP governor Felipe Medalla, who was relegated to second spot with net pay of P28.05 million from P34.17 million in 2022.
Medalla ended his term as BSP governor on July 2, 2023 and was immediately replaced by Remolona who is set to serve six-year term until July 2029.
COA’s breakdown showed in just six months, Medalla took home P6.06 million in basic salary as BSP governor; P6.93 million in allowances; P14.36 million in bonus, incentives and benefits; P684,390.09 in discretionary and EME; and P12,129.03 in additional compensation and honorarium.
Total of 9,513 officials from 1,007 national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, state universities and colleges and water districts were included in COA’s 2022 ROSA.
Excluded in the COA report were elected government officials such as the President, senators and congressmen.
Just like in previous years, COA’s list for 2023 was dominated by BSP officials.
In third spot was BSP deputy governor Chuchi Fonacier with net pay of P26 million from P25.16 million in 2022 when she was at fifth spot.
Fonacier took third spot from BSP Monetary Board member Anita Linda Aquino who landed in fourth with net pay of P25.05 million from P26.36 million in 2022.
Aquino was followed by fellow Monetary Board member Victor Bruce Tolentino with net pay of P24.75 million from P25.68 million in 2022.
In sixth place was BSP senior assistant governor Edna Villa with net pay of P23.52 million, followed by deputy governor Francisco Dakila Jr. (P23.32 million), senior assistant governor and general counsel Elmore Capule (P22.34 million) and senior assistant governors Johnny Noe Ravalo (P21.60 million) and Iluminada Sicat (P21.12 million).
Landing in 11th and 12th spots, respectively, were BSP deputy governor Eduardo Bobier (P21.01 million) and senior assistant governor Ma. Ramona Gertrudes Santiago (P20.77 million).
Two other BSP executives were also in the top 20 , deputy governors Mamerto Tangonan (P16.89 million) and Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (P16.07 million) at 16th and 20th spots, respectively.
Meanwhile, three magistrates of Supreme Court also made it to list, with Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa at 13th place with net pay of P19.65 million, Chief Justices Alexander Gesmundo at 18th (P16.32 million) and Associate Justice Antonio Kho Jr. at 19th (P16.08 million).
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra landed 14th on the list with net pay of P17.81 million, followed by Development Bank of the Philippines president and chief executive officer Michael de Jesus at 15th (P17.04 million) and Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso at 17th (P16.63 million).
“We know when ICC investigators came into the Philippines, already violation of our sovereignty…we know they were not prevented from investigating,” , former presidential spokesman Harry Roque said prospect of being ordered arrested this year by International Criminal Court doesn’t worry former president Rodrigo Duterte, as any arrest warrant UN-backed ICC might issue would be “worthless and useless.”
In separate text messages former Duterte officials , executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, Roque, and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said reports on impending issuance of arrest warrants by ICC should not be taken seriously as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself had ruled out cooperating with court.
Roque has credible information that Marcos administration did not stop ICC investigators from entering the country.
He also found it disturbing that administration has refused to put in writing its commitment not to cooperate with ICC.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV , staunch Duterte critic said ICC is expected to issue arrest warrants by midyear against Duterte and later in batches for his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and several other individuals.
ICC is investigating deaths of thousands of suspected drug offenders in conduct of former president’s war on drugs.
Panelo said assuming Trillanes’ pronouncements were true, such arrest orders were worthless and should be ignored considering that Marcos had already reaffirmed his predecessor’s position that ICC has no jurisdiction over Philippines.
“Discredited renegade just wants publicity for himself…he has become totally irrelevant,” Panelo said, referring to Trillanes.
He maintained Marcos had “emphatically declared government will not cooperate, in whatever form or shape, with ICC.”
Medialdea, meanwhile, said ICC has become “recurring” issue “every time issue as big as PDEA agent’s revelation would come out.” He was referring to testimony before Senate by former agent of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency linking Marcos to illegal drugs. PDEA has already denied allegation.
“It’s as if this administration is seeking retribution…targeting FPRRD in this kind of scenario will not work FMJ is facing huge leadership problem including alleged use of drugs,” Medialdea said, referring to the former president and to Marcos by their initials.
“Marcos image might even worsen if they continue doing it this way…they must face this squarely and responsibility to recoup its image,” he said.
According to Medialdea, Duterte would feel “numb” every time he hears ICC, “Deadma nya yan.”
He also said Trillanes “is just kibitzer craving for attention…let’s not take him seriously.”
Roque said ICC investigators were allowed into the country by Bureau of Immigration even without hiding their identities.
“Investigators were able to enter Philippines and we know immigration bureau is under executive… investigators did not hide their identities, that’s why we have record when they entered and left the country,” he added.
Roque did not disclose when ICC investigators supposedly entered Philippines, but said it was shortly after House of Representatives passed resolution encouraging Marcos to cooperate with ICC last November.
Citing information he received, Roque also said “high-level government officials met with investigators” during their visit.
He did not identify officials, but said one is “ second highest government salaried classification…one notch lower than salary grade of the President.”
Government officials who receive salary grade one notch lower than the President are Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker and Chief Justice.
On reports that arrest warrants may soon be issued against former president, Roque stressed matter is “not as simple as putting him in private plane and bringing him to The Hague.”
“Legally, court has no jurisdiction, and we will exhaust all legal remedies, including of course the fact that it is mandatory to face Philippine courts first before they can actually bring accused to ICC,” he added.
Roque confirmed split in UniTeam and that it was Marcos’ flip-flopping on ICC issue that dealt alliance fatal blow. UniTeam is campaign tandem of the two highest officials of the land.
He noted Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s making 360 degree turn in November when he said ICC cooperation needs further study.
“After 360-degree turn, they refused now to reduce in writing non-cooperation with ICC, further worsened relationship,” he added.
Roque also described Trillanes as “full of hot air” for claiming he was serving as “facilitator” between ICC and some witnesses. “I’m not aware of position of facilitator,” he added.
The former senator has been in touch with ICC representatives since its preliminary examination, during conduct of investigation, and up to junking of Duterte’s appeal.
“Warrant will be released late second quarter, so we can say middle of the year, maybe June or July, that will actually happen…so it is waiting game at this point,” Trillanes said.
Apart from Duterte and his daughter, among other personalities reportedly investigated by ICC in connection with controversial drug war are his “tokhang” enforcer Sen. Ronald de la Rosa and former aide Sen. Bong Go.
More than 6,000 drug suspects had been killed in previous administration’s drug war based on government data. However, human rights groups said number of dead could be several times higher.
At forum organized by Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines last month, Marcos said Philippine government would not hand over Duterte should ICC issue arrest warrant against him.
“We don’t recognize warrant, warrant that they will send to us,” Marcos said, asserting ICC has no jurisdiction over Philippines since country’s judicial system is working.
In February, he even called ICC investigation on Duterte’s drug war “threat” to country’s sovereignty.
In 2019, Philippines officially cut ties with international court after it launched preliminary probe on thousands of drug-related deaths during Duterte’s term.
Marcos was not inclined to rejoin ICC.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) said it’s still premature to comment on the matter.
“We’d rather not comment on that issue because these are not official information reaching the office of the chief PNP or any office of PNP for that matter,” police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said at press conference at Camp Crame.
She maintained country has working judicial system that can hear cases against police officers linked to abuses in implementation of Duterte’s crackdown against illegal drugs.
ISKUP! 