Street Journal, Author at Street Journal Multimedia Services

Globe Chief Commercial Officer Darius Delgado joins the official launch of the Bayanihan SIM Project at Kalawakan Elementary School in Bulacan. This project extends connectivity to one of the country’s most remote communities, with each beneficiary receiving a monthly allocation of 25GB. 500 Students, Teachers, and Parents in Kalawakan Receive SIMs with Free Monthly Data Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan – In line with national efforts to close the digital divide, Globe and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) launched the Bayanihan SIM initiative at Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) in Bulacan. In the true spirit of bayanihan, GCash, Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Philippine Statistics Authority collaborated with DICT and Globe for this kickoff event, embodying the collective effort to bridge the digital divide. The ceremonial launch marked the distribution of Globe-powered TM SIMs, each loaded with 25GB of monthly open-access data, to 500 students, teachers, and parents. Each SIM card was activated on-site, with Globe personnel assisting in registration and data configuration. Beneficiaries also received an additional 5GB upon activation, with the opportunity to unlock 15GB more by loading ₱150 per month for the first three months—reinforcing the program’s goal to encourage digital habits, literacy, and inclusion at scale. The initiative is anchored on Republic Act No. 10929, or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, and aims to promote digital inclusion by enabling learning, livelihood, and access to essential government services in far-flung communities. Beyond infrastructure, Bayanihan SIM is designed to create real, everyday impact. With connectivity now in hand, students can stream DepEd TV lessons, access Khan Academy for supplemental learning, or join online group work via Facebook Messenger. Teachers can manage digital classrooms, distribute materials, and attend online training sessions on platforms like Zoom. Parents meanwhile can explore livelihood and financial tools through online Facebook group ThisisKwela, access GCash for safe digital transactions, and tap into e-commerce, fintech, and health-tech platforms to improve quality of life. “Guided by the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure that no Filipino is left offline, this initiative goes beyond simply distributing SIM cards, it is a bold step toward closing the digital divide for millions of our countrymen,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda. “Through our partnership with Globe, we are ensuring that even the most underserved communities are included in the country’s digital future.” For the first time, the government is extending infrastructure subsidies to telcos to help close connectivity gaps in GIDA communities. Across the industry, the program is expected to support the rollout of one million SIMs, each with 25GB monthly data, and enable the construction of new towers in unserved, while optimizing network performance in underserved locations. “Globe is proud to lead the industry in this milestone program in partnership with the government,” said Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz. “We believe that access to connectivity should not depend on geography. Through our infrastructure, our platform, and strong collaboration with the public sector, we are enabling opportunities where it’s needed most and turning digital inclusion from vision to reality.” With the Bayanihan SIM initiative set to benefit over 333,000 individuals nationwide and supported by partners like DICT and DepEd, Globe continues to push for equitable digital access—ensuring that no Filipino is left behind in today’s connected world. “Globe is here not just to provide signal—but to build opportunity, one community at a time,” Cruz said.

23 new scholars join Catanduanes Medicine and Law Scholarship Program

Region 5

Region 5 / Street Journal

The Catanduanes Medicine and Law Scholarship and Return Service Program (CMLSRSP) welcomed its biggest batch of scholars to date, awarding full scholarships to 23 aspiring professionals during the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing and Presentation of Participants on June 27, at the Provincial Capitol Lobby. Among the new grantees are 15 Doctor of Medicine scholars and 8 Juris Doctor scholars. Some attended the ceremony in person, while others joined virtually, along with their parents, CMLSRSP Board Members, the Technical Working Committee, and CMLSRSP Chairman, Governor Joseph C. Cua. In his message, Governor Cua emphasized the power of education to change lives and make dreams a reality—highlighting the inspiring stories of a tricycle driver’s daughter and a government worker’s daughter, now both preparing to take the Bar exams with the help of the program. Addressing the scholars, he reminded: “You have been given a privilege that no other Catandunganon has. Do not waste this opportunity. Pag kamo nasasakitan sa pagmemorize, pag basa, asin sa saindong mga exams, remember that ‘To struggle in your studies is also a privilege.’ Dai pagsayangun.” He further encouraged them to give back: “Pag kamo abogado na asin doctor, hinguhahon na magtabang man sa mga kapwa niato Catandunganon.” “Darhon an batas asin an programa sa salud, sa mga komunidad na kaipuhan talaga nin tabang,” he added, urging the scholars to stay grounded in service. As Catanduanes continues to invest in its future lawyers and doctors, the provincial government reaffirms its commitment to inclusive, life-changing education that empowers individuals and uplifts communities for generations to come.

PDAO, DOTr, CIAC conduct symposium on safe public transport for PWDs

Baguio City

Baguio City / Street Journal

BAGUIO CITY – The city’s Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) successfully conducted a Symposium on Public Transport Policies for PWDs last Monday at the function room of the City Health Services Office (CHSO). PDAO head Dr. Samuel Aquino said that the conduct of the symposium was timely making the city’s PWD sector fully aware of the ongoing programs, projects and initiatives of concerned government agencies and the private sector in making public transportation safer and accessible to them. He lauded the DOTr and CIAC officials for engaging the city’s PWD sector in the symposium as it provided them with a clearer perspective on the various initiatives being undertaken to make the country’s public transportation friendly to all sectors that will pave the way for increased mobility among the people regardless of status in life. For his part, CIAC president and chief executive officer Joseph Jojit Alcazar claimed that the Clark international airport is compliant to global aviation standards that include PWD-friendly facilities and services to ensure comfortable, convenient, safe and hustle-free travel experience for all in-bound and out-bound travelers. He assured members of the city’s PWD sector that the private operator of the airport continues to closely collaborate with the CIAC and the DOTr to make sure that its operations adhere to established standards for the benefit of all travelers patronizing the airport for their domestic and foreign travels. The CIAC official rallied the PWDs to try to fly via the Clark international airport for them to experience word class services that had been in place for the convenience and comfort of travelers. On the other hand, Arch. Alexis Gabriel Doroteo of the DOTr’s Road Transport and Infrastructure Sector said that the agency was able to put in place numerous PWD-friendly programs and projects in airports, roads, train stations and other public transport facilities for the convenience and comfort of the PWDs as enshrined in existing laws, rules and regulations. He claimed that the DOTr programs and projects for the safety of PWDs had been implemented in the different parts of the country to guarantee the safe and accessible mobility of the PWD sector and ensure the compliance of public transportation to the prescribed standards. CIAC investment and promotion officer Jen Bugarin-Tan informed the symposium attendees that the airport has visible signages, sufficient wheelchairs and other PWD aids, enough comfort rooms for all, including the members of the LGBTQ plus community, available trained staff to assist PWDs, among others, that travelers could avail when using the airport as their fly-out and fly-in venue. She emphasized that the airport facilities are designed in compliance to international standards that is why it is able to cater to the travel requirements of all kinds of travelers, including the PWDs. More than 50 PWDs, parents and guardians of PWDs and concerned sectors attended the said educational symposium and were elated to learn about the interventions being implemented by the concerned government agencies and the private sector to achieve a safer and accessible public transportation for everyone. (PR)

Comelec orders Congressman Yap’s proclamation

CAR

CAR / Street Journal

By Pigeon Lobien and Primo Agatep The Commission on Elections Second Division last June 21 lifted the suspension of proclamation of Rep. Eric Yap and ordered the provincial board of canvassers to proclaim him as winner of the May 12 elections. Yap had been the subject of cases filed before the Comelec barring him from being proclaimed even after he won the election by more than 85,000 votes. The three page decision signed by Commissioner Rey Dulay noted that Yap’s position as Representative has been given due course and as a result ” the suspension of the proclamation of respondent Eric G. Yap is here by lifted. The Provincial Board of Benguet is here by directed to reconvene and proclaim respondent Eric G. Yap as the duly elected Member of the House of Representatives for the Lone District of Benguet.” The decision signed also by Commissioners Nelson Celis and Noli Puno noted that petitioner Franklin Tino wanted Yap’s certificate of candidacy (COC) be cancelled due to the congressman’s citizenship. Tino alleged that Yap is not a natural born Filipino adding that Yap should not be qualified to seek said office. The commissioners said that the “petitioner has utterly failed to discharge this burden.” They wrote “Not a single of documentary, testimonial or circumstantial evidence has been adduced to support his claims against the respondent.” They added in the case docketed as SPA No. 24-206 (DC) that “petitioner failed to prove that respondent deliberately committed material misrepresentation as to his qualification when he indicated in his COC that he was a natural born Filipino citizen.” Gov. Melchor Diclas, vice gov. Mary Rose Fongwan – Kepes and the new provincial board will be inducted on Monday at the Capitol where Yap is expected to attend. Last June 6, a manifesto signed by some 36,000 Benguet residents was filed by a group led by Gary Abela with the Comelec asking that Yap be proclaimed.

TURN-OVER OF LEADERSHIP IN LA UNION

Region 1

Region 1 / Street Journal

Today, June 27, the people of La Union witness the official turnover of leadership from Governor Rafy Ortega-David (left) to Governor-elect Mario Eduardo Ortega. All winners in the provincial level headed by Gov.Mario Ortega will be officially took their oath on Monday, June 30.

Student athlete entrepreneur in Baguio

Sports

Sports / Street Journal

By Lorie Bernadette T. Laririt – UC-Intern BAGUIO CITY — A young athlete has been stepping into the business industry since he was just seventeen years old here in Baguio City. “In December 2023, due to the increasing number of tourists and heavy traffic in Baguio, I thought of starting a motorcycle rental business. I bought my first motorcycle from my savings, my parents didn’t know about it. I had it repaired several times because it often broke down from the use of my clients,” said Juzthyn Dwayne Vaughn Jimeno Tamayo, 18, a student at SLU Laboratory Elementary and Junior High School. From Grade 11 to Grade 12, he studied at the University of Baguio and graduated in May 2025. He said, “Daddy went abroad to Saudi, while Mama worked at Prudential. “When Daddy came home, we started a lechon manok business that we called Enoks. I started being an athlete when I was 13 years old, I was only in Grade 7 at the time.” The young entrepreneur’s sports are triathlon, swimming, biking, and running. He also started taking up golf last year. During the pandemic, protocols in competitions were strict. “We still had to do a swab test before joining the race, as did my parents or anyone who would join the competition. When the rules were relaxed, I started training every day after school.” “I love what I do so I don’t get tired. Time management is important especially when you love what you do.” Today, he rents out thirty-six motorcycles and ten cars that he owns at Bonski’s Garage in Baguio and La Union branches. Tamayo has finished Senior High and is now focusing on business while waiting for his college entrance exam. “The only advice I can give to my peers or my fellow students who have dreams is to fulfill their dreams by being patient no matter what life throws at them, because hard work will push us to make a dream come true.”

BWD allots P6.7-M for Solar Street Lights

Baguio City

Baguio City / Street Journal

The Baguio Water District (BWD) has allocated a total of Php6.7M for the installation of solar-powered street lights across its various facilities in Baguio City and parts of Benguet. This is in line with the continuing program to upgrade the District’s equipment and to venture into renewable energy. According to BWD General Manager Engr. Salvador M. Royeca, the project involved the installation of solar lamp posts in 26 major BWD facilities, primarily for perimeter lighting to enhance facility security and reduce power consumption. “Investing in these new solar facilities is crucial to the operation of the District, particularly in providing a working environment for our personnel during nighttime and, of course, to reduce the expenses on BWD’s monthly electric bills,” GM Royeca said. He added that the solar lights are particularly valuable during unscheduled power interruptions. BWD’s shift to renewable energy is aligned with its commitment to address climate change, particularly in reducing carbon emissions and supporting long-term environmental sustainability and energy security. The project began in October 2024 and was completed on May 8, 2025. Under the terms of the contract, the supplier provided a two-year warranty and free service for all installed components. Among the facilities that now benefit from solar lighting are the Sto. Tomas Rain Basin, KM. 8 Reservoir, Irisan Pumping Stations, and Amparo deepwells, among others. BWD’s electricity expenses typically range between Php15 million to around Php19 million monthly, making energy-efficient upgrades a key strategy in managing operational costs.

Pangasinan kinilalang outstanding regional Kadiwa ng Pangulo LGU Implementer

Region 1

Region 1 / Street Journal

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Kinilala ng Department of Agriculture ang pagsisikap ng tanggapang panlalawigan sa pagsuporta sa mga lokal na magsasaka nang igawad nito ang ‘Gawad Saka Award’ sa Office of the Provincial Agriculturist bilang Region 1’s Outstanding Kadiwa ng Pangulo LGU Implementer. Sina Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya at Provincial Legal Officer Baby Ruth Torre ang tumanggap ng parangal sa ngalan ni Governor Ramon V. Guico III sa ika-50 Gawad Saka Parangal ng mga Natatanging Magsasaka sa Mangingisda, noong Hunyo 23, sa San Fernando City, La Union,. Nangako si Gob. Guico na paigtingin ang mga programang nakabatay sa agrikultura na magpapalakas sa produksyon ng agrikultura na tutulong sa mga magsasaka na mapataas ang kanilang ani at kakayahang maibenta. Inilunsad noong 2022, ang gobernador ay nag-utos para sa mas pinaigting na promosyon ng programa na sa Enero 2024, ang proyekto ay pinangalanang ‘Kadiwa na Kapitolyo’ at gaganapin dalawang beses sa isang buwan sa Capitol Complex grounds. Ang Kadiwa ay isa sa mga programang agri-based ng pambansang pamahalaan, na aktibong isinusulong ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Ang Kadiwa On-Wheels na Kapitolyo, sa kabilang banda, ay isang collaborative project ng provincial government kasama ang DA kasama ang iba’t ibang ahensya tulad ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFARNFA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFARNFA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFARNFA). Sinabi ng ulat ng OPAG na nagsimula ang Kadiwa sa 20 exhibitors sa panahon at higit sa doble sa mga sumunod na buwan. Sa ngayon, humigit-kumulang isang daang aktibidad na may kaugnayan sa Kadiwa ang isinasagawa sa suporta ng iba’t ibang local government units (LGUs) at ilang partner agencies. “We have generated a total sales of P20,985,234.60 and we have helped 2,582 exhibitors. The total household that we have served is around 55,710,” ayon kay Provincial Agribusiness and Marketing Service Coordinator Ramy Sison. Ang Kadiwa ay nagsisilbing pagkakataon para sa mga magsasaka/mangingisda at Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) na direktang ipakilala ang kanilang mga produkto sa publiko. Nag-aalok ang Kadiwa ng ligtas, sariwa, at abot-kayang mga produktong pagkain tulad ng mga gulay, mga produkto ng pagawaan ng gatas, prutas, isda at mga produktong karne, kanin, katutubong delicacy, at iba pa.

SM Prime’s Hans Sy champions private sector leadership in disaster resilience at UNDRR Global Platform 2025

Environment

Environment / Street Journal

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) Executive Committee Chairman Hans Sy reaffirmed the vital role of the private sector in disaster risk reduction (DRR) during the 2025 Global Platform of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), held in Geneva, Switzerland. Representing the Philippine private sector at the Ministerial Roundtable on “Accelerating Financing and Resilience,” Sy underscored how businesses can help drive scalable, science-based resilience solutions. Private sector as a force multiplier in DRR “Resilience strengthens businesses while safeguarding lives and communities,” Sy stated. “We know the government cannot do it alone. The private sector is ready to do more.” Sy underscores the need for policies, incentives, and institutional support to scale up disaster risk reduction investments at the UNDRR Global Platform 2025. He cited SM Prime’s integrated approach to DRR, which includes allocating a significant portion of project costs to disaster-resilient infrastructure and applying science-driven planning frameworks. Sy also pointed to cross-sector initiatives such as the Adopt-a-City Program with the National Resilience Council and joint capacity-building programs with ARISE Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry as examples of effective public-private partnerships. Embedding resilience into core business strategy In a High-Level Dialogue on scaling DRR financing, Sy outlined SM Prime’s approach to mainstreaming resilience across its developments. He highlighted features such as elevated mall structures, built-in rainwater catchment systems, and earthquake-resistant designs—solutions that have minimized disruption and enabled rapid recovery in the face of disaster. “Disasters may be unpredictable, but their impacts don’t have to be,” he said. “We can—and must—prepare, mitigate, and adapt.” The SM Mall of Asia Complex features a higher seawall and elevated design to guard against rising sea levels. (Inset) Deep, wide drainage channels—large enough to fit two buses side by side—further protect the area from storm surge flooding. Call to scale resilience investment To expand DRR financing, Sy called for enabling mechanisms that combine policy support, institutional cooperation, and targeted incentives. “From the standpoint of the private sector, financial, non-financial and regulatory incentives are among the most effective ways to accelerate investment in resilience,” he noted. His remarks underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and long-term thinking in building resilient communities. SM Prime’s leadership in DRR continues to set a benchmark for sustainable development in disaster-prone regions. “Together, we can embed resilience to build a sustainable and secure future for all,” he concluded.

Author name: Street Journal

Globe,DICT bring digital inclusions to life in Bulacan GIDA through Bayanihan Sim