GOVERNANCE/POLITICS

COTABATO CITY - Three provincial governors and the congressional representative of Basilan have agreed to help each other ensure a peaceful and orderly regional and local elections in the Bangsamoro region in 2025.

The consensus was reached by Governors Hadji Abdusakur Tan, Sr. of Sulu, Mamintal Adiong, Jr. of Lanao del Sur, Mariam Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur and Basilan’s congressional representative, Mujiv Hataman, during a dialogue in Metro Manila on Wednesday.

MANILA — Former Sen. Rene Saguisag, a human rights lawyer and defender, has died Wednesday morning, his lawyer son, Rebo Saguisag, announced on Facebook.

“We are grateful that, in his final months, he was able to spend time with relatives, friends and countless supporters. He passed away knowing that he was much loved and respected,” the son said in a statement.

SILANG, CAVITE – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday called on the new graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) to maximize the use of technology for “smart policing, fire prevention, and penology.”

Marcos made the call during the 45th PNPA Commencement Exercises for the 223 cadets of the "Layag-Diwa” Class of 2024, as he acknowledged that they were shaped into “tech savvy and digital natives,” given that most of them were born “when the internet was no longer in its infancy.”

MANILA – As hackers continue to attack government websites, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said it is boosting its cyberdefense capabilities by investing in technology and personnel that could help neutralize the threat.

"The AFP is enhancing its cyber capabilities through a combination of modernization efforts and strategic investments in technology, training, and partnerships,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla told Philippine News Agency on Thursday.

COTABATO CITY - Children of marginalized members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in a secluded barangay in Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur now have newly rehabilitated classrooms that were ruined by floods and armed conflicts in recent years.

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat - A total of 250 land titles were awarded to beneficiaries by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 12 during the launching of Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) here on Sunday, February 25.

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday called on the military to take a new approach in addressing internal conflict, encouraging them to become “peacemakers” while fighting rebel groups.

Speaking to troops during his visit to Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Marcos cited the need for the government forces to seek peace, as much as possible, to avoid possible armed conflict with insurgents.

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Saturday reminded employers and employees that the “no work, no pay” policy will be implemented during the Chinese New Year holidays on Feb. 9 and 10, which have been both declared as special non-working days.

In Labor Advisory 01, series of 2024, the department advised employers to pay their employees the correct remuneration on those days.

KORONADAL CITY - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA-12) will conduct a 2-day free Basic Seminar for the Sangguniang Kabataan Treasurers on January 29-30, 2024 via the online platform.

This is in accordance with Republic Act 11768 or the Sanguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 which requires the SK treasurers to undergo Bookkeeping NC III to effectively perform their tasks in the barangay.

KORONADAL CITY – About 17,000 slots be up for grabs in the Soccsksargen Region’s 1,165 barangays as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Sec. Suharto Teng Mangudadatu.

The “TESDA sa Barangay” will commence during the opening quarter of 2024.

Mangudadatu is planning to open more programs in the barangay and to enhance trainers for more Technical Vocation programs.