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House lawmakers seek probe on poor water supply service, high rates in Bacolod City 

BW FILE PHOTO

LAWMAKERS on Thursday filed a resolution seeking to investigate the joint venture agreement between Bacolod City’s water district and a private company, questioning the poor water supply service to consumers and labor issues. 

The three-person opposition coalition filed House Resolution No. 909 urging a probe on the partnership between Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. following complaints on “poor water service” and the displacement of employees.  

The 25-year joint venture agreement — which began on June 17, 2020 — was “opposed by the residents of Bacolod City and consumers of BACIWA,” according to the resolution.  

“There were numerous complaints about water services tainted with color, mud, and sand particles, as well as the unpredictable availability of supply in some areas of Bacolod,” the lawmakers said in the resolution.   

The resolution also indicated that after the joint venture agreement, PrimeWater retained only 45 out of BACIWA’s 474 employees. “The rest were illegally separated or availed themselves of the early retirement package,” it said.   

The Commission on Audit said in its 2020 annual financial report that BACIWA ranked 6th in terms of total income and total comprehensive income among all water districts in the Philippines.  

State auditors also said that the BACIWA incurred a net income loss of P33.34 million in 2021.  

“Congress must initiate legislative measures to reverse water privatization, improve water access and services to the people, and save the public from the profiteering of big private companies,” the lawmakers said. 

The coalition is composed of Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro, Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel.   

BACIWA and PrimeWater have yet to reply to e-mails seeking comments. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

LANDBANK loans P67M to Quirino province for digital infra project 

BW FILE PHOTO

LAND Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) on Thursday said it approved a P67-million loan to the provincial government of Quirino to finance its digital infrastructure. 

This brought the total loans released for COVID-19 recovery to P113 billion, covering 408 local government units as of Feb. 28, the state-run lender said in a statement. 

Under the Restoration and Invigoration package for a Self-sufficient Economy towards UPgrowth for LGUs (RISE UP) program, the bank will finance Quirino’s procurement of an internet service provider, installation of towers, and other provisions.   

It will also cover the installation of Wifi equipment for the provincial government, which is already underway, LANDBANK said.   

LANDBANK said the Quirino LGU is prioritizing the installation of Wifi in schools, public markets, rural health units, municipal and barangay halls, and other public spaces.  

“LANDBANK’s financing facility is a big boost to the initiatives of LGUs. It provides relief to struggling LGUs while we ramp-up our efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” Quirino Governor Dakila C. Cua said.  

Once completed this year, students and residents will be able to access free internet with a speed of up to two gigabytes per second, LANDBANK said.  

The RISE UP LGUs program allows local governments to borrow from LANDBANK to finance their development projects geared to rebuild their communities and economies.  

The fund allocation for the program was increased to P150 billion, 15 times higher from P10 billion in 2020 to accommodate more LGUs, the bank said.  

The program has also been extended to be made available until July 2025, it added. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

DITO, Smart call for 120-day extension of SIM card registration

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

DITO Telecommunity Corp. called for a 120-day extension of the subscriber identity module (SIM) registration, citing low compliance so far with less than 50% of subscribers having signed on.

“Considering that more than 50% of nationwide subscribers of all telcos have yet to register, disallowing the extension may result in disenfranchisement of subscribers that may prove detrimental to the current government initiative,” the company said in a press release on Thursday.

PLDT, Inc. wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc., in a separate press release, said it has submitted a formal request letter to the government for a 120-day extension.

DITO said while it acknowledges that a percentage of the still unregistered subscribers have no clear intention to register, there are also active users “who are merely experiencing difficulty in registering.”

The company said it has already sent a position paper to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Secretary Ivan John E. Uy.

Meanwhile, Smart First Vice President and Head of Group Corporate Communications Cathy Y. Yang said on Thursday that the time provided for the over 160 million subscribers nationwide to register is significantly shorter in comparison to the time window allotted in other countries.

“Comparatively, in other countries, like Indonesia and India, public telco entities were given 1 to 2 years of a registration window,” she said.

“We don’t want to alienate or leave behind the remaining 50% who have not registered. So, we are supporting another 120 days extension from April 26,” she added in mixed English and Filipino.

As of April 11, the ICT department recorded 66.22 million registered SIMs, accounting for 39.41% of the total 168.98 million subscribers nationwide.

Of the total registered SIMs, 32.93 million were from Smart, 28.33 million from Globe Telecom, Inc., and 4.95 million from DITO. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Over P1B released for rice assistance to gov’t workers

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management has released around P1.18 billion for the one-time rice assistance to qualified national government employees.

The fund was released to the National Food Authority and will benefit around 1.89 million government workers, including job order and contract of service personnel. 

“We shall ensure the welfare of our government workers by giving them assistance for their household needs and, at the same time, boosting the production of our rice farmers,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said in a statement on Thursday. 

Under Administrative Order No. 2-2022, qualified beneficiaries include those in or engaged in by government agencies as of Nov. 30, 2022, with each to receive 25 kilograms of rice. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Court issues arrest order on ex-jail chief over broadcaster’s murder 

Former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Q. Bantag gives a thumbs up sign to the media after attending the preliminary investigation on the murder of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid on December 5, 2022 at the Department of Justice in Manila. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

A TRIAL court in Muntinlupa City has ordered the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCoR) director Gerald Q. Bantag over the killing of radio broadcaster Percival C. Mabasa. 

In an arrest warrant dated April 12, Presiding Judge Gener M. Gito said the crime of murder was non-bailable.   

Mr. Bantag’s former deputy was also cited in the arrest order. 

The magistrate directed arresting officers to wear at least one body camera and another recording device during execution of the warrant following rules issued by the Supreme Court.  

Last month, government prosecutors indicted the ex-prison chief, his deputy, the self-confessed gunman and a former inmate of the national penitentiary after they found probable cause to charge them with the murder.  

Mr. Bantag had denied his involvement in the murder, saying he had nothing to gain from it.   

Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot the 63-year-old radio journalist on his way home in Las Piñas City on the evening of Oct. 3.    

Police filed a murder complaint against Mr. Bantag in November for allegedly ordering the murder of Mr. Mabasa and the supposed middleman in the incident. 

Global watchdog Reporters Without Borders has said at least 187 journalists have been killed in the past 35 years in the Philippines, including 32 killed in a single incident in 2009.  

The Philippines has accepted 200 recommendations from the United Nations Human Rights Council, including investigation on extralegal killings and protecting journalists. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Security forces on alert for retaliation in Cotabato after IS-linked group members killed  

SECURITY forces are bracing for potential retaliation by local terrorists over the deaths of five associates tagged in high-profile crimes who were killed Wednesday in Tulunan, Cotabato during a shootout with policemen serving arrest warrants.    

Local leaders, police and military intelligence officials told reporters Thursday that the criminal group’s leader known as Danny Cabakungan and his four henchmen had links with both the Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.  

Both groups, fashioned from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, have been linked to deadly bombings since 2014 in central parts of Mindanao, the southern Philippine islands.  

In a statement Thursday, Police Soccsksargen Regional Director Jimili L. Macaraeg said police units in Cotabato province had been alerted about possible attacks by sympathizers of Mr. Cabakungan, who was wanted for stockpiling of high-powered guns and explosives.  

The Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division is also monitoring potential attacks. “Tulunan is not under our jurisdiction but there are towns nearby that are covered by the 602nd Brigade,” 6th ID Commander Alex S. Rillera said.  

Local leaders had confirmed that Cabakungan’s group collected “protection money” on a monthly basis from farmers in remote villages and from owners of public transport vehicles operating in the town. — John M. Unson

House bill filed on comprehensive penalties vs illegal recruitment schemes

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A LAWMAKER has filed a bill that provides comprehensive definitions and penalties against illegal recruitment activities for overseas workers. 

“Illegal recruiters employ various deceptive schemes to prey on the need and desires of migrant workers lured by the promise of higher-paying jobs,” OFW Party-list Rep Marissa P. Magsino is quoted in House Bill No. 7865. 

“One of the identified gaps contributing to the evolving problem of illegal recruitment is the absence of a single penal law,” she added. 

Under the bill, anyone found guilty of illegal recruitment will be imprisoned for up to 20 years and pay a fine of up to P4 million.

Illegal recruitment as economic sabotage, or when a group of three or more persons conspire with each other, is punishable by up to P10 million and lifetime imprisonment. 

Those guilty of other prohibited acts like requiring an overseas Filipino worker to avail of a loan, training, or undergo health examinations from specific persons, entities, or clinics, among others, will be jailed for up to 12 years and be fined up to P2 million. 

A law enforcement officer or internet intermediary and service provider who fails to provide data needed to investigate cases of illegal recruits will also face imprisonment of up to six years and pay up to P500,000. 

If the person illegally recruited is younger than 18 years, maximum penalties will be imposed. An offender who is not a Filipino citizen will be deported.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) last month rescued six Filipinos from crypto-scam syndicates who offered jobs supposedly in e-gaming companies and business process outsourcing firms. They were promised a monthly salary of $800 to $1,000 on the condition that they leave the country disguised as tourists. 

According to an investigation by Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, syndicates pay BI agents as much as P100,000 for every trafficked Filipino. 

“This bill seeks to consolidate all existing laws on illegal recruitment into a single penal law to facilitate a more effective and efficient enforcement and implementation to combat the inimical practice,” Ms. Magsino said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

  

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CSB Lady Blazers gun for second title sweep against Lady Pirates

COLLEGE OF SAINT BENILDE LADY BLAZERS — NCAA/SYNERGY-GMA NETWORK

Games Today
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
10 a.m. — Awarding ceremony
12 p.m. — San Beda vs UPHSD (men)
2 p.m. — LPU vs CSB (women)

COLLEGE of St. Benilde (CSB) will try to accomplish what hasn’t been done in a long while in the NCAA as it shoots for a second straight title sweep against Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) today (April 14) in the Season 98 Volleyball at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The fabulous Lady Blazers were nothing short of exceptional when they manhandled the Lady Pirates, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19, in last Tuesday’s opener that positioned them closer from sweeping their way to the crown for the second straight season.

CSB coach Jerry Yee said there was no special formula when his charges dominated Game One except that they just needed to stay calm.

“My job was just to calm them down,” said Mr. Yee, who is one triumph closer to handing the school its third league championship.

Game time is at 2 p.m.

A decider, assuming LPU’s prayer for a miracle happens in Game Two, is on Sunday.

But just by looking at how Mr. Yee was farseeing, it may just not reach that far.

“We expect them to make adjustments so we just have to be ready to adjust on our own during the game,” said Mr. Yee.

Mr. Yee also went deep with his rotation as he utilized 12 players, including Jhasmin Gayle Pascual who fired a match-high 15 points, with 10 of them chipping in at least a point. It included Ma. Camill Avila and Weilyn Estoque, who scored late in the decisive third set in sealing the deal.

In men’s action, University of Perpetual Help (UPHSD) shoots for a title sweep of its own as it tangles with San Beda College at 12 p.m. — Joey Villar

Ginebra Gin Kings, TNT Tropang Giga battle for control of PBA Governors’ Cup Finals

RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON — PHILIPPINE STAR/JUN MENDOZA

Game Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:45 p.m. — Ginebra vs TNT
*Series tied, 1-1

THE CHESS match between Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone and TNT counterpart Jojo Lastimosa continues.

In a stalemate after two games, Mr. Cone’s Gin Kings and Mr. Lastimosa’s Tropang Giga ready their next moves and counter-moves as they battle for control of the PBA Governors’ Cup today (April 14) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Game 3 tiebreaker is set at 5:45 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the protagonists looking for more stability after a blow-hot, blow-cold — or vice versa — type of opening.

Defending champion Ginebra, outgunning their blanks-firing challengers, took Game 1, 102-90, last Easter Sunday. And in a swift reversal Wednesday, the Tropang Giga summoned both their shooting touch and defensive spunk back for a retaliatory 95-82 equalizer versus a low-scoring Ginebra side.

“They flipped the switch on us and they did everything they wanted to do and we didn’t get anything done (in Game 2). So now it’s 1-1 and we’ll see what happens in Game 3,” said Mr. Cone.

“We got to play with a little more discipline and a little more fire than we did (last time). It was actually disappointing but it’s a series and it’s not one game so we got to move on to the next one at this point.”

Mr. Cone braces for a “back-and-forth” against the team of Mr. Lastimosa, his former player and assistant coach. “We’ll see what we can do coming back,” he said.

Mr. Lastimosa’s do-it-all import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has been spearheading the fight against the three-peat-seeking Gin Kings. In Game 2, he put the cuffs on the usually efficient Justin Brownlee (12 points on a horrible three-of-16 field goal) while flirting with a triple-double (23-19-9).

“Rondae is giving it his everything but I know there’s a lot left in his tank,” said Mr. Lastimosa.

Though primed for a possible long-drawn battle, Mr. Hollis-Jefferson is taking it one at a time.

“We may have the mindset of it will be a long series but Nick Saban, the Alabama football coach, always talks about breaking the game in increments. So next game is Game 3, we’re going to break that down, taking it quarter by quarter. That’s our focus,” he said.

Mr. Brownlee owned up to his “subpar” play and vowed to bounce back.

“I feel like I kinda let my team down as the import. I had good moments in other areas (10 rebounds, eight assists) but three-of-16, I got to be better in that field,” said the resident reinforcement, while also giving due credit to TNT and Mr. Hollis-Jefferson for their defensive schemes against him.

“We’re going to look at the video and try to figure out how to get Justin open and we’ll go from there. But we’re not worried about Justin at all. He’s had tough nights before and he’s always responded really well,” said Mr. Cone.

Meanwhile, TNT is expecting big man Kelly Williams back after getting sidelined by calf strain for most of the tournament. Williams’ return is a welcome development with frontliner Justin Chua already out for the season after sustaining an ACL tear in Game 1. — Olmin Leyba

Women’s volleyball team flies to Japan for training camp

PHILIPPINE women’s volleyball team for Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games — PHILIPPINE STAR/JOEY VILLAR

IN a mad rush to prepare for next month’s Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine women’s volleyball team flew to Osaka, Japan yesterday for a training camp that will last until April 28.

Skippered by Alyssa Valdez and coached by Brazilian Jorge Souza de Brito, the 14-strong squad will have practically three weeks left to prepare for the event that is scheduled to start on May 3 at the Indoor Main Hall of the Olympic Complex located in the Cambodian capital.

The team will feature Jia de Guzman, Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, Ced Domingo and Kyla Atienza from reigning PVL All-Filipino Conference champion Creamline, Gel Cayuna and Glaudine Troncoso of Cignal, Kat Tolentino and Cherry Nunag of Choco Mucho, Dell Palomata of PLDT and Mylene Paat of Chery Tiggo.

Libero Bang Pineda of Akari was a late addition as she replaced Kath Arado of PLDT, who begged off in the last-minute due to injury.

Also joining the squad to Osaka were triumphant Creamline mentor Sherwin Meneses, who was tapped as a Mr. De Brito assistant, and Tonyboy Liao, the national team commission chair.

The squad is eyeing nothing less than a podium finish after failing to make it that far in last year’s Hanoi Games.

The men’s team, for its part, left the country a few days back also for Japan while the beach volley squads are headed for Brazil to likewise undergo rigid training for the rest of the month. — Joey Villar

Benzema strikes again as Real Madrid beats 10-man Chelsea 2-0

MADRID — A tap-in by Karim Benzema and a powerful strike by substitute Marco Asensio earned European champions Real Madrid a 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

Mr. Benzema, the scourge of Chelsea at the same stage of the competition last season, converted from point blank range in the 21st minute when Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Vinicius Junior but could only touch the ball in the direction of the Frenchman.

It was Mr. Benzema’s 90th Champions League goal with the last 11 all coming against English clubs.

Chelsea — under caretaker coach Frank Lampard after a dismal season so far — went close to scoring in the first half but Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling were thwarted by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois playing against his former club.

The Londoners’ chances of getting back into the game suffered a major setback in the 59th minute when Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card for bringing down Rodrygo with a tug of the Brazilian’s shirt when he was bearing down on goal.

Asensio had been on the field for just three minutes when he was fed by Mr. Vinicius on the edge of the box and the Spain international drilled in a low shot that went through the legs of Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and beyond Mr. Kepa’s dive.

The win at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium puts the 14-time European champions in the driver’s seat ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge on April 18.

Mr. Benzema, who scored a hat-trick in London last year before getting another in Madrid in a 5-4 aggregate thriller, could have effectively seen off Chelsea in added time at the end of the second half when he headed over with the goal at his mercy after Mr. Kepa could only punch the ball as far as him.

Chelsea substitute Mason Mount then came close to a crucial goal for the Blues when he turned and shot in the penalty area but former team mate Antonio Rudiger, also on off the bench, raced in to block.

In the end, the Londoners failed to scored for a fourth match in a row — three of them in the Premier League — their longest barren run since 1993.

Lampard — Chelsea’s top goalscorer who returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell as coach until the end of the season after Graham Potter was fired this month — embraced Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, himself an ex-Chelsea manager, at the final whistle. — Reuters

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