Nation

KALINGA (May 30)—Mayor Karl Bugao Baac of Rizal in Kalinga province received P20 million to fund projects in Barangay Babalag East under the anti-insurgency program of the national government.  According to Baac, the fund came from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).  "This village with 500 families is only receiving an internal revenue allotment, ranging from P1 million to P2 million, and that we are thankful that the village was included in the NTF-Elcac development program," he said.  Baac added that P15 million will be used for the rehabilitation of the Barroga-Baggas farm-to-market road, P3 million for the improvement of the water system and P2 million for the rehabilitation of the health center building. LCD

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO’ NUEVA ECIJA (May 27)—A SCIENCE City of Muñoz-based state university in Central Luzon received the 1st Philippine Higher Education Internalization Award together with 17 other higher education institutions (HEIs) during a virtual awarding ceremony on May 19 via Zoom and Facebook page of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd). Central Luzon State University is one of 18 higher education institutions recognized by the Commission on Higher Education at the 1st Philippine Higher Education Internalization Award. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Receiving the said award was Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija through its entry, the "International Filipino Language and Culture Program." Of the other 17 HEIs, the Philippine Normal University, Maritime...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO LA UNION (May 27)—The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) in Region 1 has paid tribute to 10 exemplary state universities and colleges (SUC) graduates in the Ilocos region during the "Padyak Pagkilala: Gawad Parangal sa Natatanging Mag-aaral" held at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) on May 18. Commission on Higher Education celebrates 27th Founding Anniversary in Ilocos with tribute to 10 exemplary State Universities and Colleges graduates in Region 1 at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University International Convention Center. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Honoring the 10 outstanding graduates coincided with the celebration of CHEd's 27th Founding Anniversary on May 17 and 1st National Higher Education Day on May 18 at the DMMMSU's Interna...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO LAGUNA (May 27)—The Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) has tapped a Philippine-based inter-government treaty organization to develop the guidelines for the utilization of digital technologies for agriculture in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Glenn Gregorio, director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), said his agency was tapped to develop the guidelines that will be part of the project titled "Enhancing Food Supply Chain Resilience and Food Security in Asean with Utilization of Digital Technologies" of ERIA with the Asean Secretariat. "Digital technologies and innovations are evident to support the Asean economic community transforming to a more resil...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO ILOCOS NORTE: A rare feat for any local government unit (LGU), the Commission on Audit (CoA) gave the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) the highest degree of audit opinion for 2020. In a letter to Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, lawyer Chito Janaban, CoA Region 1 director, said they rendered an “unmodified opinion” on the fairness of presentation of the financial statements for reasons stated in the CoA's Independent Auditor’s Report. In auditing parlance, an unmodified opinion is made by an auditor when financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as well as applicable regulations. Gayfelyn Labayan, CoA audit leader assigned at the PGIN Capitol, said o...

NGCP continues to improve the overall performance of the transmission grid since taking over as the country’s sole transmission service provider in 2009. Among the key indicators in which it continues to outperform is the Frequency of Tripping (FOT) which measures the number of times high-voltage transmission lines tripped or experienced forced outages for every 100 circuit kilometers (ckm).  NGCP’s 2020 performance shows a significant decrease in tripping incidents across all three major island grids.  In Luzon, the number has gone down significantly from 3.985 in 2008 to 0.932 in 2020, marking a 76.6 percent decrease in tripping incidents, Visayas recorded 4.542 to 0.335, a decrease of 92.6 percent and for Mindanao, the number went from 7.951 to 0.504, a decrease of 9...

BY LENDER C. DOMINGO Peter James Icalia Gann CONTRIBUTED PHOTO ILOCOS NORTE (May 20)—A university mentor here has been selected as ambassador of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), an international professional society devoted to the advancement of plant science research and education. Peter James Icalia Gann, an assistant professor of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) will have a term of two years as ASPB ambassador. Founded in 1924, ASPB promotes the growth and development of plant biology, encourages and publishes research in plant biology, and advances the interests, growth and education of plant scientists in general.  Over the decades, the ASPB has evolved and expanded to provi...

US military personnel with Indo-Pacific Command’s Civil Military Support Element– Philippines and Philippine coastguardsmen work together to unload US COVID-19 PPE donations. US EMBASSY PHOTO MEDICAL clinics, hospitals, rural health units and municipal health offices in four provinces, the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila) and Zamboanga City battling Covid-19 have been allotted P5.7-million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies by the US military. The supplies included disposable gloves, goggles, face shields, disinfectant sprays and other items to support frontline workers in the provinces of Cagayan, Palawan, Zambales, Sarangani and Zamboanga City and the NCR. “As long-standing allies, we are proud to support the Philippine first responde...