Category Archives: Government

Government, Law Enforcement, Social Media, Technology

Senators Aquino And Hontiveros Want Stiffer Penalties For Fishing

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DAA65C9C-B04B-4CB0-8692-4A1F0AA9B4ACMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Reacting to a recent public advisory from the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), Opposition Senators Bam Aquino and Risa Hontiveros jointly filed a bill that would impose stiffer penalties for illegal fishing in the country and in South China Sea territories claimed by the Philippines.

”We thank PLDT for reminding us and the Filipino public to continue fighting against this illegal acivity,” the Senators said.

But it was all a case of “lost in translation.”

PLDT’s advisory had to do with ‘phishing’ not ‘fishing.’  (Phishing is a cyber crime where potential targets are contacted by scammers via email, text or phone to ‘fish out’ sensitive data to be used in identity theft and other crimes.)33832D7F-47BF-402A-8AB9-E78388078C8C

But rather than suffer embarrassment, Aquino and Hontiveros said they will still pursue their proposal to give more teeth to the country’s anti-illegal fishing law.

 

Economy, Finance, Government, Politics, Travel

Move Over Angat Buhay, Leni Robredo Launches New Pilot Program

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B9A74524-0476-4218-BEBF-4A8889585210.jpegQUEZON CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Quezon City Bureau) – “Angat Buhay” has been a signature project of Vice President Leni Robredo, aimed at helping poor Filipinos with livelihood projects that would improve their economic status.  But that’s  in the past.

As Robredo enterered her third year as Vice President yesterday (notwithstanding the still ongoing electoral protest filed by Bongbong Marcos), her office has announced a new nationwide project that would enable Filipinos to travel across the country and even internationally.

The new program is called “Travel now, pay later.”

The idea for the program came about when the Commission on Audit (COA) announced that the Office of the Vice President has not liquidated local and international travel funds received by her staff.  COA rules are crystal clear that cash advances for government travel must be liquidated within 30 days and excess funds returned within that period.

The OVP says it will ask Congress to increase its budget in the coming fiscal year in order to help jumpstart the travel program.

In the meantime, Robredo said the program will be implemented on a pilot basis, starting with her office staff.

So expect more local and international travel for OVP officers and employees.  They can all travel now and pay later.

Government, Travel

Office Of Vice President Leni Robredo Issues Statement On Delayed Travel Funds Liquidation

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181672E6-FA82-40FE-B915-B33E0C011371QUEZON CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Quezon City Bureau) –  The Commission on Audit (COA) says the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has failed to liquidate the travel expenses of its staff last year within the prescribed 30-day period. 

The 2017 COA report said OVP personnel spent ₱26.4 million on local trips and ₱953,550.75 for foreign trips. Refund of unused travel money was also delayed.

Today, Leni Robredo — through spokesperson Georgina Hernandez — justified the delay, sayng that the bulk of the travel expenses was spent on providing free merienda (snacks) to   news reporters as well as local supporters who were hauled in buses to be part of the VP’s photo ops.

”Because the merienda consisting of lugaw and boiled saging na saba (banana) were purchased mostly from local vendors and farmers, we were not able to get official receipts.  But we have already assigned our OVP personnel to travel back to the towns and cities we visited in order to obtain the receipts required by COA,” Hernandez told The Adobo Chronicles.

As far as the foreign trips were concerned, the OVP says liquidation of funds was delayed because “we were waiting for the dollar-peso exchange rate to improve. Otherwise, mag-aabono kami (fork out money).”