Day: September 19, 2024

Manila: The Marcos administration’s anti-drug campaign has so far netted a total of PHP47.94 billion worth of narcotics, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported on Thursday. In its latest report, PDEA said this includes 6,231.13 kg. of shabu, 74.72 kg. of cocaine, 109,169 ecstasy tablets and 5,398.35 kg. of marijuana seized from July 2022 to Aug. 31 this year. Meanwhile, 29,032 out of 42,000 barangays (villages) in the country have been declared “drug-cleared” in the same period while 6,484 are still being cleared by authorities. These barangays have reached drug-cleared status after the issuance of a certification by members

Manila: There is no request from the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to increase its budget for the implementation of its rehabilitation projects, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday. The DBM issued the statement, after Senator Ronald dela Rosa on Monday called on the agency to release in full the nearly PHP127-million fund to the DDB for the establishment and maintenance of treatment and rehabilitation facilities nationwide. ‘At the onset, we would like to set the record straight. The DBM has transmitted in full the funds of the DDB for the establishment and maintenance of treatment and rehabilitation

Manila: Foreign workers of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) have until Oct. 15 to voluntarily repatriate, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday. This was agreed upon by the “Task Force POGO Closure” composed of the DOJ, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) during a high-level meeting, according to a news release. ‘Consequently, starting on October 16, 2024, all 9G visas of affected foreign POGO workers would be downgraded to tourist visas and they would have to leave the Philippines within 60 days

Manila: The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) has expanded its Education-on-Wheels (EOW) program to persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Manila City Jail Male Dormitory through its Open University System. In a statement Thursday, PUP Institute of Open and Distance Education director Rudolf Anthony Lacerna said they will maximize technology for a blended learning setup for 72 PDLs inside the facility. ‘I-implement pa rin natin yung kapangyarihan ng teknolohiya. So, andun sila sa isang klase kasi may magandang pasilidad sa piitan pero ang mga guro ay nasa PUP pa (We are implementing the power of technology. So, they

Manila: The Philippine Mind Sports Association will send a team to the Asia Open Memory Championship held at the Singapore Polytechnic on Sept. 28-29. Siblings Chloe Andrea and Charles Andrei, and Chelsea Anne Galamgam, Venir Manzalay III, Jessica Raine Rellora, and Angel Mikhail Sanchez are ready for the tough challenge ahead in the tournament supported by the Asia Memory Sports Alliance (AMSA) and Global Alliance of Memory Athletics (GAMA). ‘We are confident that the Philippine Team will be bringing medals from the competition. But our main target is the Grandmaster (GM) title for 14-year-old Charles Andrei in the junior division.