GOVERNANCE/POLITICS

MANILA - Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez was elected and installed as Speaker of the House of Representatives during the opening of the 19th Congress Session on Monday afternoon.

Rep. Romuladez earned 282 votes from colleagues while four lawmakers abstained and one voted “No.” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, was the lone solon who voted against Romualdez.

Twenty-two other lawmakers failed to vote.

The four who abstained were members of the “Makabayan bloc.”

COTABATO CITY— The Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) conducted on Monday, July 18, a house-to-house distribution of assistive devices to seven (7) persons with disability (PWD) in this city.
 
The devices were part of the 64 mobility aids the MSSD delivered in the city on July 15, which included 33 wheelchairs with commode, 5 sets of underarm adjustable crutch for adult, 4 sets of underarm pediatric adjustable crutch, 11 adjustable canes, 10 folding canes for blind, and one walker cane.
 

MANILA – Despite testing positive for Covid-19, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is doing fine and continues to work in isolation, giving out directives to his cabinet officials in the comfort of his home, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Sunday said.

Angeles said the President was visited Saturday afternoon by his lead physician, Dr. Samuel Zacate, who noted that the chief executive has greatly improved with only mild symptoms with “no fever, no loss of taste and smell sensation.”

2 Basilan execs renew support for peace process

COTABATO CITY – Two peace activists got to the helm of the Lamitan City and Basilan local governments in symbolic rites Thursday.

Lamitan City Mayor Roderick Furigay and Basilan Gov. Gov. Jim Salliman also separately announced Thursday that they will support the Mindanao peace process as elected officials.

The Mindanao peace process aims to end for good the now five-decade Mindanao Moro secessionist issue.

MANILA – Newly-installed President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. promised on Thursday to transform the Philippines into an "agile and resilient" nation under his leadership.

In his inaugural address delivered at the National Museum of the Philippines, Marcos said he would act in haste and avoid delays in making decisions, in a bid to give Filipinos a better life in a "safer" and "more prosperous" country.

COTABATO CITY --- The favored candidate for mayor here of the fledgling political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front assumed as the new city chief executive Thursday, June 30.

Mayor Bruce Matabalao, who aspired for mayor here during the May 19, 2022 elections under the banner of the MILF’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party, or UBJP, said he shall focus on peace and development initiatives that would benefit the local Muslim and Christian communities.

He defeated in the recent mayoral race the reelectionist Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

Nanumpa na kahapon (June 29) sa harap ni Judge Arvin Sadiri-Balagot ng Regional Trial Court Branch 61, 12th Judicial Region, si Vice Governor elect EFREN FANTIN PIÑOL.

Nanumpa din si Board Member Dr. Maria Krista Pinol-Solis.

Ang panunumpa ng halal na bise gobernador ay sinaksihan ng kanyang may bahay AGNES MYRA LEONCITO-PIÑOL, mga anak na sina Atty. Efren Jr., Maia Nneka Pinol-Tubil, at Frenn Angelo Pinol.

Magsisimula ang panunungkulan si Vice Governor Pinol bukas, July 1.

KORONADAL CITY – South Cotabateños need not go to General Santos City to request a copy of their civil registry documents after the Philippine Statistics Authority - Soccsksargen (PSA-12) opened its Civil Registration Services (CRS) system outlet here.

PSA-12 Director Maqtahar Manulon said Tuesday the local CRS outlet will accept walk-in clients for the first week of operation.

“For this week, we were not enrolled yet in the list of outlets with an online appointment. Maybe next week we can implement the online system,” Manulon said in an interview.

MANILA – Outgoing President Rodrigo Roa Duterte did not pass up the chance to serenade his fans and supporters despite being invited as special guest at the “Salamat PRRD” thanksgiving concert at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Sunday night.

Although international singer and Concert King Martin Nievera had already sung “Ikaw” earlier in the program, Duterte was requested to sing the love song himself with Nievera singing some parts of the song.

MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is in stable condition after fainting during the 124th Independence Day flag-raising ceremony at Rizal Park in Manila Sunday.

Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesperson, said in a statement that Lorenzana “is currently in stable condition and has been advised to rest after fainting during the Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony at Rizal Park this morning, June 12".