The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United States on Friday praised the Philippines for opening its doors to refugees fleeing Afghanistan to escape the Taliban rule. In a statement, the UN refugee agency said it would extend assistance to the Philippines and work with civil society partners to ensure the protection of the displaced individuals. “The UNHCR deeply appreciates the Philippine Government’s continued commitment to upholding its humanitarian tradition of extending international protection to those who have been forced to flee,” it said in a statement. “UNHCR will work with the Philippine government and civil society
The crime volume in Negros Oriental has dropped as of August this year compared to last year despite the lesser quarantine restrictions amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Maj. Don Richmon Conag, acting provincial police operations officer of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, in an interview Friday, said the total crime volume from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 this year is at 4,087. This is less than 604 crime incidents compared to last year for the same period at 4,691, he said. Conag attributed the decline to increased police visibility, interventions, and other operations, as well as people’s
Stricter community quarantine restrictions imposed in August has pulled down auto sales downward. The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported Friday that vehicle sales in August 2021 declined by 11.5 percent year-on-year and 26.3 percent month-on-month. Combined sales of the industry groups last month reached 15,847 units, lower than the 17,906 units sold in August last year and 21,498 units sold in July this year. “The message of this bleak performance is worth noting: stricter lockdown strategy in response to curbing the Covid-19 pandemic affects the auto industry’s recovery this year,”
Five suspects were arrested while some PHP510,000 in suspected shabu were seized by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Western Visayas (PDEA-6) Special Enforcement Team (SET) in three separate buy-busts here. At past 1 p.m. on Friday, operatives collared high-value target Kim Khubchand, a resident of Barangay 2, after he sold PHP12,500 worth of the prohibited substance to a poseur-buyer at the downtown area along Luzuriaga Street. A PDEA-6 agent, who led the operation, said the transaction was carried out in “drive-through” as the suspect on a motorcycle was supposed to just hand over the item to the undercover operative
The 45-meter Meycauayan bridge in Meycauayan City and 64-meter Bigaa bridge in Balagtas, both in this province, are now open to motorists as the NLEX Corporation has completed the rehabilitation of these structures ahead of completion schedules. “We are happy to announce that works in Meycauayan and Bigaa bridges are now completed ahead of schedule to provide motorists with safer and smoother travel, despite some restrictions caused by the ongoing pandemic and the challenges brought by inclement weather conditions and doing works in live traffic,” said J. Luigi L. Bautista, president and general manager of NLEX Corporation, in a statement
Recognizing the importance of basic first aid skills, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is set to conduct a webinar in celebration of World First Aid Day (WFAD) on September 11, with the theme “Be a First Aid Hero at School and in Your Community.” “Basic first aid skills are really very important and making it accessible to all is an important humanitarian act and is, therefore, a crucial must. The PRC is finding ways to reach more people and to fulfill the goal of having one first aider per household. We are encouraging everyone to be that first aid hero
