COMMUNITY-BASED SURVEY. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the Cordillera region urges the public to cooperate in a community-based monitoring survey (CBMS) to get detailed information about the situation of people at the grassroots level in the region. The result will allow the government and other data users to know who needs help, where they are, and what help is needed. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot) BAGUIO CITY - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has decided to conduct a community-based monitoring survey (CBMS) in 59 fifth- and sixth-class towns in the Cordillera region to allow the government to see the specific situation in their villages and bring assistance and programs to them more easily. "The disaggregated survey will allow us to have an actual, detailed, and more comprehensive data of the people at the grassroots level, not just the regional and provincial, but even at the barangay level," Villafe Alibuyog, PSA-Cordillera director, said during the
TAX CLEARANCES. Bureau of Internal Revenue in the Cordillera regional director Douglas Rufino (center) says the Commission on Elections should make the submission of tax clearance a requirement in the filing of candidacy, during a press conference in Baguio City on Wednesday (May 18, 2022). This ensures that the donations received by candidates are accounted for and properly taxed. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot) BAGUIO CITY - An official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the Cordillera Administrative Region (BIR-CAR) on Wednesday expressed hope that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will submit a tax clearance in the filing of candidacy, starting with the next polls. BIR-CAR regional director Douglas Rufino said the additional requirement will make future candidates appreciate the need to pay their taxes, along with the Comelec-required submission of the statement of contribution and expenditure (SOCE). "There are some who submit SOCE for compliance purposes and nobody knows
(Photo courtesy of Lacson-Sotto media bureau) MANILA - More than 100 members of a group of villages in Quezon City have expressed support for the vice-presidential bid of Senate President Vicente Sotto III in the May 9 polls, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said on Tuesday. Belmonte, who heads the Serbisyo para sa Bayan local political party, said 122 members of the city's Liga ng mga Barangay rooted for Sotto as their vice presidential candidate due to his vast experience in public service which started when he was first elected as the city's vice mayor. Belmonte said their endorsement of Sotto was made after her consultations with local political party members. "SP Sotto was a unanimous choice of the members of my local party, yung Serbisyo para sa Bayan Party," Belmonte said. Sotto's running mate, Senator Panfilo Lacson, has yet to be endorsed by the group. "When it came to discussing presidents, di kami magkasundo ng members of the party and I'm not an
Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol (PNA file photo) DAVAO CITY - The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) reiterated on Monday its call to other communist New People's Army (NPA) members to surrender to avoid bloodshed. Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, the Eastmincom commander, made the call following the death of five members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) in an encounter on February 24. In a statement, Almerol condoled with the families of the slain NPA members, whom he said were victims of deception and wrong ideology. The slain NPA members identified as Chad Booc, Jojarain Alce Nguho ll (alias Rain), a certain alias Daday, and two still unidentified men figured in an encounter in Purok-8, Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Davao de Oro. Booc, 27, graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree. "This would not have happened if they took heed with our offer to abandon the armed struggle. Their onl
CEMETERY CLOSURE. An increase in the number of people visiting their dead loved ones at the Sibalom Municipal Cemetery was noticed on Oct. 28, 2021, a day before its closure. Antique Police information officer Rossini Mena said Friday (Oct. 29, 2021) that if families want to hold "trick or treat" for children, they should only do so at home due to the pandemic.(Photo courtesy of Radyo Kaabyanan) SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - A Halloween party dubbed "bagat"in the municipality of Sibalom in this province is still on hold this year as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The "bagat", a ghost haunting party, gathers teenagers who wear costumes and dance at the town plaza from the night of October 31 until the wee hours of November 1. Sibalom Municipal Economic Enterprise and Development Officer (MEEDO) Rodel Esler, who supervises the Municipal Tourism Office, said in an interview Friday that the "bagat" has be