Subic Bay Freeport—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Subic Water and Sewerage Company Inc. (SubicWater) have extended their franchise agreement (FA) for another 20 years. SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño welcomed this development as the SBMA’s partnership with SubicWater has been harmonious since the latter’s start of operations here in 1997. The 3rd Amendment to the franchise agreement and the 4th Amendment to the SBMA-SubicWater Lease Agreement were signed yesterday at the SBMA Corporate Boardroom at Building 229, extending their FA term until March 31, 2047. The agreements were signed by Chairman Aliño, SubicWater Chairman Engr. Apollo C. Tiglao, and witnessed by Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. and SubicWater CEO and General Manager Benjamin Antonio III. Chairman Tiglao said that under the amendment, “SubicWater shall undertake measures to achieve 100 percent wastewater coverage including combined sewerages and sanitation services for Subic Bay Freeport and Olongapo City.” He also said that this project would be more beneficial to SubicWater’s customers as Olongapo City will now have wastewater services and sewer lines. Additionally, SubicWater can now expand its services to far-flung areas of Subic Freeport such as Redondo Peninsula and Tipo area as a result of the amendment. Meanwhile, Mayor Paulino also expressed his gratitude to the SBMA and SubicWater for the continued services of the water company. “We had really hoped SubicWater would expand their services. We have been clamoring for the wastewater coverage in Olongapo City,” he added. “We really appreciate that we were involved in the process. Special thanks to SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator Atty. Ramon Agregado for advocating this for the benefit of Olongapo City and all other constituents,” he added.          

  LINGAYEN, Pngasinan – Hinimok ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) ang ibang lalawigan, na tularan o; gayahin ang GUICONSULTA (Government Unified Incentives for Medical Consultations), ang programang pang-kalusugan na isinusulong ng lalawigan ng Pangasinan sa pangunguna ni Governor Ramon V. Guico III. Sinabi ni PhilHealth Vice President for Region 1 Dennis B. Adre, na ang GUICONSULTA ay isang kapuri-puri na programa na dapat tularan ng ibang mga lalawigan at gawin itong modelong proyekto. “Kami ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa aming punong tanggapan upang pag-aralan at suriin ang Pangasinan Business Model at malamang na gamitin at gawin itong isang patakaran,” sabi ni Adre. Sinabi ni Adre na sinusubukan ng Philhealth na impluwensyahan ang patakaran sa aktwal na mabuting kasanayan. “Kung ano ang nakikita natin sa Pangasinan, inaasahan natin, ay matutularan ng lahat ng iba pang probinsya,” aniya at idinagdag na ang Pangasinan ang unang nagbibigay ng mga serbisyong katapat. Ang GUICONSULTA, isang legacy na proyekto ni Gov. Guico, ay inilunsad noong 2024 at naglalayong unang magpatala ng hindi bababa sa dalawang milyong Pangasinenses. “Ang layunin ay hanapin ang 3.2 milyong populasyon ng Pangasinan, maipatala sila sa Konsulta at makakuha ng mga libreng serbisyo ng mga pasilidad na accredited ng PhilHealth,” pahayag ni Adre. Idinagdag niya na ang GUICONSULTA ng lalawigan ay talagang isang malugod na pag-unlad para sa PhilHealth, dahil pinupunan nito ang programa ng huli sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa kanila na isulong ang pagkuha ng mga aktwal na serbisyo ng mga miyembro. Ang Konsulta ay isang outpatient program ng PhilHealth na nagsimula noong 2020. “Sa Pangasinan, nagsimula na kaming makipag-negosasyon sa probinsya para makisali bilang isang provincial health network. Pero nagsimula kami sa pamamagitan ng pag-accredit sa mga indibidwal na rural health units ng 48 na munisipalidad. Ngayon, sila ay nakaayos bilang isang provincial health network.” Bukod dito, sinabi ni Adre na ang capitation na nagkakahalaga ng P1,700 ay binabayaran sa partner accredited facilities para isama ang 14 na ospital na pinamamahalaan ng pamahalaang panlalawigan para sa mga aktwal na serbisyo o outpatient services na ibinigay. Sinabi ng Philhealth VP na ang P1,700 capitation ay napupunta sa mga laboratory fee ng mga miyembro. Ginagamit din ito para sa mga gamot sa pagpapanatili ng mga miyembro upang isama ang mga antibiotic, anti-diabetes, at mga gamot sa hypertension na salungat sa sinasabi ng mga detractors tungkol sa mga reimbursement. “Sa kaso ng Pangasinan, nakabuo sila ng 80-20 sharing scheme na itinatadhana sa isang memorandum of agreement na nilagdaan ng at kabilang sa 48 munisipalidad at lungsod,” aniya. Idinagdag niya na 80 porsiyento ay pinagkakatiwalaan ng lalawigan sa isang espesyal na pondong pangkalusugan tulad ng nakapaloob sa isang resolusyon. Sa kabilang banda, ang 20 porsiyento ay direktang napupunta sa mga LGU. In lauding the scheme, Adre said: “What’s striking about the plans of what we call the Pangasinan Business Model is the intention to invest in infrastructure among others. Balak nilang i-invest ito sa isang Apex Hospital. At nilalayon nilang i-upgrade ang umiiral na mga pasilidad sa lalawigan upang matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng lahat ng ating mga miyembro.” Tungkol naman sa P300 na ibinibigay ng pamahalaang panlalawigan sa mga enrollees, sinabi ni Adre na hindi ito nanggaling sa PhilHealth kundi sa kaban ng lalawigan.   “Sa ngayon ay hindi pa nakakapagbayad ang PhilHealth para sa layuning iyon. Ang pakikipag-ugnayan namin sa kanila bilang isang buong provincial health network, wala kaming naibigay kahit piso.” Ang GUICONSULTA ay inilunsad ng lalawigan bilang katapat na serbisyo sa Konsulta program ng Philhealth. Ang mga mamahaling diagnostic procedure tulad ng mammogram, halimbawa, ay kasama sa mga libreng serbisyo kasama ng iba pang mga serbisyo sa laboratoryo.          

Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in collaboration with other law enforcement units intercepted an attempt to smuggle P816,000,000.00 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, at the Port of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R. Nerez said the shabu haul was confiscated from the suspect identified as alias “Cris”, 43 years old, a male truck driver and resident of Oton, Iloilo. On March 21, 2025 at around 9:30 in the morning, combined elements of PDEA Regional Office MIMAROPA Calapan Seaport Interdiction Unit and K9 Unit; PDEA MIMAROPA Oriental Mindoro Provincial Office; PDEA Intelligence Service; PDEA Regional Office-National Capital Region (RO-NCR) Regional Special Enforcement Team 2; PDEA SIU- Batangas; PDEA Regional Office IV-A; NBI MIMAROPA; Philippine Coast Guard Sub-Station Calapan K9 Unit; PPA-PMO Min doro; PNP-DEG, Calapan City Drug Enforcement Unit; Regional Drug Enforcement Unit, Calapan City Police Station; Philippine Army; PNP Regional Highway Patrol Unit; and PNP Maritime Group 4B, arrested alias “Cris” after a random inspection and K-9 sweeping inside the compartment of his vehicle that yielded traveling bags containing120 packs of suspected shabu, weighing more or less 120 kilograms worth P816,000,000.00. Also seized during the seaport interdiction operation are one Toyota Camry, one mobile phone and the commercial transport documents of the suspect. Alias “Cris” will be facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Transportation of Illegal Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. “The operation is the first major seizure of illegal drugs in Oriental Mindoro. Beside the country’s airports and parcel system, we also need to protect our seaports from becoming transit and dropping points for large volumes of illegal drugs,” Undersecretary Nerez said. “Another high-impact operation that saved countless lives. This is going to be a regular part of PDEA life”, Nerez expressed. Neres said, in Cavite, a Chinese national identified as alias “Li”, 35 years old, a male Chinese national and resident of Mandaluyong City, was arrested and yielded a Methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, and ecstasy tablets worth P217,642,000.00 were confiscated following a buy-bust operation in Bacoor City, Cavite. Combined elements of PDEA Special Enforcement Service (SES); PDEA Regional Office IV-A, Cavite Provincial Office; and the Philippine National Police Maritime Police Station and Bacoor City Police Station, arrested “Li” after he sold one transparent self-sealing plastic bag containing suspected shabu, weighing approximately one kilogram worth P6,800,000.00 to a poseur-buyer in the parking lot of popular fast food chain restaurant along Bacoor Boulevard, Bacoor City, Cavite. Seized also in the suspect’s possession were 31 more plastic bags containing suspected shabu, weighing more or less 31 kilograms, worth P210,800,000.00; four plastic sachets containing 35 pieces of red-colored ecstasy tablets worth P42,000.00; one Honda City and other personal belongings. Nerez said that the total estimated weight of shabu seized during the operation is more or less 32 kilograms, with a standard value of ₱217,600.000.00. Alias “Li” will be facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Illegal Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. “The arrested Chinese national has been under our tight watch for quite some time now under COPLAN: “Mafioso”. He is capable of distributing voluminous amounts of illegal drugs, and is now behind bars,” the PDEA chief said.