Street Journal, Author at Street Journal Multimedia Services

Halos nadoble ang bilang ng nagutom at walang makaing Pilipino noong nakaraang buwan ng Marso kumpara sa buwan ng Enero 2025 base sa pinakahuling datos ng Social Weather Station (SWS). Sa isinagawang survey ng SWS nitong Marso 15-20, 2025, umabot sa 27.2% ng mga Pinoy ang nakaranas ng involuntary hunger o pagkagutom, mas mataas ito sa 21.2% noong buwan ng Pebrero at 15.9% noong buwan naman ng Enero 2025. Ito na umano ang maituturing na pinakamataas na porsyento ng mga Pilipinong nagugutom simula nang pumutok ang pandemya noong taong 2020. Umabot lamang sa 20.2% ang average percentage ng hunger rate noong 2024. Sa datos pa ng SWS, 21% ng nakibahagi sa survey ang nagsabing nakaranas sila ng moderate hunger mula sa 15.8% noong Pebrero. Ang moderate hunger ay naranasan ng mga taong minsang nagutom sa nagdaang tatlong buwan. Nakaranas naman umano ng severe hunger ang nasa 6.2% ng respondents, mas mataas sa 5.3% noong nakaraang buwan. Ang mga ito ay maituturing na mga taong laging dumaranas ng gutom. Ang Visayas ang may pinakamataas na porsyento ng involuntary hunger kung saan umabot ito ng 33.7%; Metro Manila na may 28.3%; Mindanao na may 27.3%; at Luzon na may pinakamababang involuntary rate o 24% lamang. (Kane Manaoat)

Miss Universe Philippines candidates immerse in the Cultural Heritage of Catubig

Vis-Min

Vis-Min / Street Journal

Continuing their journey of exploration and cultural appreciation, the Miss Universe Philippines candidates took a meaningful visit to the historic town of Catubig. The ladies delved into the town’s rich history, learning about the deep-rooted heritage of Saint Joseph the Worker Parish Church, commonly known as Catubig Church and the legendary Battle of Catubig. As part of their experience, the candidates indulged in Catubig’s famous local delicacies, including the renowned fresh water clams (bibe) giving them a true taste of the town’s culinary heritage. The visit was made even more special with the warm hospitality of the Local Government Unit of Catubig, led by Mayor Solomon Vicencio, along with other officials and the ever-welcoming people of Catubig. A heartfelt thank you to the town of Catubig for the incredible hospitality and unforgettable experience! (From The Provincial Government of Nothern Samar)

BCDA partners with Hann for ethnobotanical center in New Clark City

Environment

Environment / Street Journal

Pursuing their shared goal of empowering local communities, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Hann Philippines Inc., (HPI) and Hann Foundation Inc. (HFI) have joined forces to establish a Php5 million multi-purpose pavilion within the upcoming Ayta Ethno Botanical Center (AEBC) in New Clark City, Tarlac. On March 21, BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang, HFI Executive Director Ana Christi G. Galura, and HPI Director of Corporate Finance Sheila M. Rivera signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the construction of this vital structure inside the AEBC, providing the local community with a venue for training, meetings, assemblies, exhibits, and other activities to protect and preserve Ayta culture and heritage. “In New Clark City, our goal is to ensure that economic growth and development benefit all sectors of society, especially our local Aeta communities. We are committed to empowering our stakeholders and building this Ayta Ethno Botanical Center into a cornerstone for agricultural education, innovation, and environmental stewardship,” said Engr. Bingcang. “The AEBC is an example of how the collective action of the government and private sector can make a big impact on our communities. Everyone has a responsibility in nation building. Aside from promotion of cultural heritage, agriculture, and innovation, this project also promotes employment and entrepreneurship. Through the knowledge and skills that will be gained in the halls of the AEBC, our Aeta and Capampangan communities will be more future ready to become eventual colleagues or even business partners at Hann.” Galura said. The 10-hectare Ayta Ethno Botanical Center (AEBC), spearheaded by the BCDA in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office III and the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU), aims to scale up the agricultural capabilities of local farmers and fisherfolk, especially the Aeta communities in Pampanga and Tarlac. This will also serve as a model for food forests to be established in other green areas of New Clark City. This will boost food security and provide livelihood opportunities for the community, while also maintaining a healthy ecosystem and improving climate resilience in Clark. The project will be rolled out in three phases. The first phase will feature the multi-purpose pavilion, a ceremonial ground, a market, a coffee shop, a tamarind orchard, a coffee farm, and a pond. Phase 2 will include a mango orchard, picnic areas, and natural trails, while Phase 3 will add rice terraces, a bamboo grove, a dormitory, and a viewing deck. Under the agreement, HFI shall finance and undertake the construction activities for the pavilion, in compliance with the conceptual plan drafted by the BCDA and PSAU for the AEBC. The BCDA shall prepare the structural and architectural design of the pavilion. Moreover, the management and supervision of the entire AEBC will be handled by the BCDA in partnership with PSAU. The signing of this MOA marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the BCDA and Hann to ensure the sustainability of the AEBC project. Hann has signified its commitment to provide other forms of assistance to AEBC beneficiaries, including sponsorship or provision of livelihood programs, and the curation of the Ayta Museum. The establishment of the AEBC aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal No. 2: Zero Hunger, Goal No. 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Goal No. 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

SEC sets deadline for 2025 submission of annual reports

NCR

NCR / Street Journal

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released the schedule of filing of corporations’ annual financial statements (AFS) and general information sheets (GIS) for this year. The Commission on March 3 issued SEC Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2025, which provides for the 2025 Filing of Annual Financial Statements and General Information Sheet. Stock and nonstock corporations with total assets or total liabilities of at least P600,000 are required to submit annual audited financial statements. Branch offices or representatives of stock and nonstock foreign corporations with assigned capital or total assets, respectively, of at least P1 million, as well as regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations with total revenues of P1 million or more are also required to submit audited financial statements. Corporations, which do not meet the aforementioned threshold, may submit their AFS duly certified by their treasurer or chief financial officer. All stock and nonstock corporations are required to submit their AFS and GIS online through the SEC Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST) at efast.sec.gov.ph. The SEC shall not accept submissions over the counter and through courier, in line with the zero-contact policy and automation of business-related transactions mandated by Republic Act No. 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. “Filing of reportorial requirements is mandatory and must be faithfully complied with every year. We urge all corporations to keep track of the deadlines to avoid getting fined for noncompliance,” SEC Chairperson Emilio B. Aquino said. “The SEC is likewise authorized to suspend or revoke the corporate registration of duly registered companies for repeated failure to submit reports. We will be strictly implementing this authority as part of our efforts to enhance regulatory oversight over the corporate sector,” he added. AFS deadline All corporations, including branch offices, representative offices, regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations Page 2 of 3 whose fiscal years ended on December 31, 2024 shall file their AFS according to the following schedule based on the last digit of their respective registration or license number: Submission Dates Last Digit of SEC Registration/ License Number All corporations may file their AFS before the first day of their respective coding schedules, regardless of the last numerical digit of their registration or license numbers. Corporations registered through the SEC Extension Offices shall follow the same schedule. A corporation whose fiscal year ended on a date other than December 31, 2024 shall file its AFS within 120 calendar days from the end of its fiscal year. The annual reports of brokers and dealers whose fiscal year ended on December 31 must be filed on April 30, while those with fiscal years ending on a date other than December 31 shall file their reports 110 calendar days after the close of their respective fiscal year. Corporations whose securities are listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), those whose securities are registered but not listed on the PSE, those considered as public companies, and those covered under Section 17.2 of Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC), shall file their AFS within 105 calendar days after the end of their respective fiscal years, as an attachment to their annual reports. Further, corporations whose AFS are being audited by the Commission on Audit (COA) are exempted from the aforementioned deadlines, provided they attach to their AFS a duly signed affidavit attesting that they timely provided the COA with the financial statements and supporting documents and that the COA audit has just been concluded, as well as a letter from the COA confirming such information. Page 3 of 3 Failure to follow the formal requirements prescribed under Revised SRC Rule 68 shall be considered a sufficient ground for the imposition of penalties by the SEC. The acceptance and receipt by the Commission of the financial statements shall be without prejudice to such penalties. GIS deadline Meanwhile, the GIS must be filed within 30 calendar days from the date of the actual annual stockholders’ meeting for stock corporations, from the date of actual annual members meeting for non-stock corporations, and from the anniversary date of the issuance of the SEC license for foreign corporations. The respective GIS forms for stock corporations, nonstock corporations, branch offices and representative offices of foreign corporations, and regional operating headquarters and regional headquarters of multinational companies may be downloaded from the SEC website. OPCs are not required to submit the GIS. However, they must submit the SEC Form for Appointment of Officers within 15 days from the date of issuance of their certificate of incorporation, or within five days from subsequent changes.

P250-M Community Hospital itatayo sa Alcala

Region 1

Region 1 / Street Journal

ALCALA, Pangasinan – Pinangunahan ni Governor Ramon V Guico III, ang groundbreaking ceremony ng bagong proyektong pang-kalusugan na Alcala Community Hospital, bilang pangako na mapangalagaan ang kalusugan ng bawat Pangasinense. Ang Alcala Community Hospital na may 50 bed capacity, na popondohan ng provincial government ng P250 milyon ay pang-labinglimang community hospital na naitayo sa ilalim ng Guico administration. Ang apat na palapag na Alcal Community Hospital na maitatayo sa bahaging lupa ng Alcala LGU na may sukat na 3,000 square meters ay lalagyan ng elevator upang hindi hindi mahirapan ang mga pasyente lalovna ang mga senior citizen. Magkakaroon dito ng mga clinical laboratory, dialysis center, operating room, delivery room, Diagnostic center para sa Ultrasound, X-rays, CT scan at iba pa. Sa proyektong to ay katuwang si 5th District, Representative Ramon Monching Guico Jr. Hangad din ni Gov.Guico na makapagtatag ng Pangasinan Heart Center, Pangasinan Lung Center, Pangasinan Kidney Center at iba pangspecialty hospital upang hindi na mahirapan pang magtungo sa Manila ang mga pasyente na magmumula sa lalawigan. Ang ground breaking ceremony ay dinaluhan ni 5th District Congressman Ramon Monching Guico Jr, Vice Governor Mark Lambino, BM Nicholi Jan Louie Sison, PHMSO OIC Dr Vivian Villar Espino, Bayambang District Hospital ChiefDr. Tracy Bitoy, 5th District Consultant Jesus Isong Basco, LGU Officials sa pangunguna ni Mayor Jojo Callejo at mga barangay official. (Terry Aquino, Gian Carlo Milanes)

Yap files Cyber Libel case over malicious social media posts

CAR

CAR / Street Journal

An individual based in abroad was sued by Benguet Cong. Eric Go Yap for continuously maligning the lawmaker on social media. Yap, in his complaint – affidavit, said he is filing a Cyber Libel complaint against the individual for maligning and defaming the solon in her several social media post, particularly Facebook. “It is no longer an exercise of freedom of expression, that person has been making defamatory remarks and malicious statements. Enough is enough. Hindi naman po natin pinapansin pero I came across it at nagulat talaga ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, wow sobra naman ito,” said the solon. Since he assumed as a caretaker in 2020 and eventually becoming a full time representative of Benguet in 2022, Yap has been on the receiving end of several accusations including derogatory remarks in several social media platforms but has ignored all the allegations and invectives hurled against him. Yap, in his complaint, stressed that the continuous online attacks have not only tarnished his reputation but also misled the public with false accusations. “Mahaba ang pasensya ko sa ganyan, tanggap ko na ang style nila is negative campaigning. Pero there should still be a line that we do not cross, yung nakakasira na ng pagkatao at kung ano – ano na lang ang binabato. Masakit na for my family, my friends. Masyadong marumi na. Is this the type of politics na gusto natin mangyari sa Benguet?” added Yap. Yap emphasized that while he respects freedom of speech, the spread of baseless and damaging allegations must be addressed through legal means. The solon also sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to identify other social media pages that have been spreading similar malicious statements. The NBI is currently investigating and tracing the administrators behind certain Facebook pages that have allegedly engaging in Cyber Libel in an effort to discredit Yap. “This will not be the last, our lawyers are now consolidating a list at nagpatulong na tayo sa NBI Cyber Crime office to identify yung mga nasa likod ng anonymous Facebook pages and troll accounts to hold them accountable sa actions and statements nila. And may lead na daw sila kung sino mga ito, definitely they are paid so kasama sa titignan yan, yung mga nag-fifinance because this is an organized attack on me,” Yap said.

We have enough supply of water this summer – Magalong

Baguio City

Baguio City / Street Journal

By Zaldy Comanda BAGUIO CITY – “We will not have any problems with water supply this summer season, because the Baguio Water District has responded to our request to increase or increase the construction of deep wells,” said Mayor Benjamin Magalong. According to Magalong, BAWADI’s program to build 10 deep wells per year is ongoing. “Last year, they built 12 deep wells and this year they are targeting to build 10 more deep wells. He said the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), together with local governments, are also continuing inspections of illegal deep wells. It is expected that some private deep wells will be closed, especially in areas that are unsafe and do not comply with regulations, especially in sanitation. “More than 600 deep wells are considered colorum, the majority of these deep wells are actually unsafe, so they are unregulated, so these are the ones we are focusing on, so we are reducing illegal unregulated deep wells.” According to Magalong, BAWADI is very responsive in digging for deep wells and there is also a project that aims to build Rainwater Harvesting Facilities in the Buyog Watershed worth P50 million. He said that improvements are also ongoing in the three Rainwater Harvesting Facilities in the Busol Watershed, which is the main source of water in the city. “We are still monitoring the Busol Watershed with the help of our police force, to prevent illegal settlers from entering it. It is important that we monitor it, because otherwise it will be a huge problem if we lose our water supply,” “It is good that we are not experiencing any drought, unlike in 2023 to 2024 when we experienced eight months of water supply shortage, but now we will not experience this,” Magalong said.

BCDA to generate Php48 billion from NAIA terminal 3 disposition

Business

Business / Street Journal

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for the disposition of the 61-hectare Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 property amounting to Php48 billion. Under the new MOA, BCDA secured an increased annual lease payment of Php489 million, from the prior Php180 million. The MOA also grants MIAA a three-year option period to decide whether to purchase the 61-hectare property for Php48.89 billion or continue leasing it from BCDA. “This agreement is a win-win for the government, as it enables BCDA to contribute more to the state coffers, while helping MIAA ensure uninterrupted air traffic flow through this critical gateway,” said BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang. “This serves as a vital public service contribution that will ultimately lead to the development of NAIA.” Engr. Bingcang underscored that the significant increase of payments provides a substantial boost to government revenue, enabling BCDA to contribute more to the national coffers. “This aligns seamlessly with BCDA’s mandate to drive economic growth through strategic and impactful development initiatives,” he added. Meanwhile, MIAA General Manager Eric Jose Castro Ines highlighted the strategic importance of the disposition for the future of the Philippine aviation and airline sectors. “Through this lease-to-own agreement between the MIAA and the BCDA, we are taking a crucial step towards securing a long-term development of NAIA Terminal 3. By transitioning from a leaseholder to a rightful owner, MIAA gains full control of the land, allowing us to plan, expand, and modernize the terminal without external limitations,” he said. Should MIAA exercise its option to purchase, a down payment of Php10 billion, less the total cumulative annual payments already remitted, will be required. The outstanding balance will accrue interest at an annual rate of 5 percent, reflecting a reasonable return on investment for the government. BCDA has likewise structured a 15-year payment plan, comprising equal semi-annual installments, which approximate Php3.74 billion annually. This potential acquisition would allow MIAA to secure ownership of the land and infrastructure, enabling them to make substantial and lasting investments in the airport’s development, modernization, and expansion, thereby enhancing its capacity to serve the ever-growing demands of both domestic and international air travel. During the first quarter of 2024, NAIA Terminal 3 handled significant passenger traffic, processing 1.7 million international passengers across 7,700 flights and 1.5 million domestic passengers across 8,200 flights. Also present during the MOA signing were BCDA Chairperson Hilario B. Paredes, MIAA Assistant General Manager Ma. Lourdes SJ. Reyes, and BCDA Executive Vice President Gisela Z. Kalalo. Pursuant to its mandate under Republic Act 7227 or the Bases Conversion and Development Act, the BCDA transforms former military camps into centers of economic growth, generating income through disposition proceeds from sale, lease, and joint venture, as well as concession fees and other receipts. Portions of these proceeds are remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury through dividends and contributions to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other beneficiary agencies. A share of the earnings are also used to fund the BCDA’s infrastructure projects to help strengthen and boost the competitiveness of its economic zones. Photo caption: Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang (second from the left) led the official signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for the disposition of the 61-hectare Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. Also present during the event were BCDA Chairperson Atty. Hilario B. Paredes (top left), MIAA General Manager Eric Jose Castro Ines (second from the right), and Senior Assistant General Manager Ma. Lourdes SJ. Reyes (top right). BCDA photo

Cebu Pacific welcomes First Aircraft Delivery for 2025

Business

Business / Street Journal

Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, took delivery of its first aircraft for the year — an A330neo — marking another step in strengthening its operations and further modernizing its fleet. The 459-seater aircraft arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on March 28 and is the first of four A330neos expected to join CEB’s fleet this year. CEB is expecting a total of 7 aircraft to be delivered in 2025. “We are thrilled to welcome our first aircraft delivery for 2025. The arrival of our latest A330neo strengthens our operational resilience, allowing us to serve more passengers while continuing to offer affordable and sustainable air travel. We look forward to bringing dream destinations closer to every Juan with this addition to our fleet,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer. The A330neo provides CEB with the flexibility to serve regional and long-haul routes, as well as high-demand sectors. With increased range and capacity, the aircraft enables the airline to optimize its operations while maintaining cost efficiency. Airbus NEOs are the latest-generation aircraft that burn 15 percent less fuel per flight and produce less noise compared to the previous generation. The reduction in fuel consumption leads to a corresponding reduction in aircraft carbon emissions. CEB operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with its diversified commercial fleet mix of 11 Airbus 330s, 39 Airbus 320s, 26 Airbus 321s, and 15 ATR turboprop aircraft enabling the widest network coverage in the Philippines.

Author name: Street Journal

Hunger rate ng Pilipinas, tumaas noong Marso 2025 – SWS