Republic of the Philippines

List of Successful Applicants to be appointed as Fire Officer I

List of Qualified Applicants for Fire Officer I who passed Physical Exam and Medical-Dental Evaluation

Interior and Local Government Secretary (DILG) Benhur Abalos on Saturday morning underscored the critical role of the family in the country’s war against illegal drugs. “Tulungan natin ang mga kapatid, ang mga anak natin,” he said. He continued: “Ipakita natin ang kagandahan ng buhay, ang tamang edukasyon, ang tamang barkada at pabayaan natin silang magkaroon ng kompiyansa to say no to drugs.” He made the call on Saturday during the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) program’s first-year anniversary celebration in Lingayen, Pangasinan. Abalos urged families to proactively join the government and put a halt in the longstanding influence of illegal drugs among Filipino youth. “Mga kasama, tandaan niyo ito: lahat ng magulang, ang inaasam-asam sa anak niya ay magandang kinabukasan. Pero anong ginagawa nito (iligal na droga)? Sisirain ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak. Hindi tayo papayag doon,” he said. “Lalabanan natin ang droga. At mananalo tayo rito.” Abalos continued that the national government, through its law enforcement units Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and National Bureau of Investigation, is undeterred in its pursuit in stamping out the illegal drugs scourge in the country. He, however, qualified that every family’s full cooperation is paramount in ensuring their success . He advised attendees to focus on guiding the youth in building healthy habits, while authorities would focus on drug supply reduction efforts. “Manghuli sila(awtoridad). Pero habang pinuputol nila ang sanga ng puno, tayo naman (mga magulang), ‘yung mga bata ay aalalayan natin,” he said. Abalos cited some reasons for drug use among youth are peer pressure (barkada), experimentation, and family problems. He continued that those factors can be prevented by guiding kids toward the right path, and showing them that life is worth living even without illegal drugs. Meanwhile, Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Guico III, represented by Board Member Shiela Baniqued, thanked the DILG for the BIDA program and assured the province’s support in the national government’s campaign against illegal drugs. ###

ILOILO City – Eight thousand five hundred (8,500) men and women exhibited solid and strong show of support against the proliferation of illegal drugs as they took part in the BIDA Rise for Drugs and Run Against Drugs on April 20, 2024 here. The activity, spearheaded by the Iloilo City Government, in partnership with the DILG Region 6 and DILG Iloilo City, was part of the implementation of the Buhay Ingatan Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program of the DILG. DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. was among the 8,500 runners who answered the call to amplify public awareness on the negative consequences of illegal drugs. In his message prior to the run, he explained the BIDA program objectives and strategies, and called for the support of the barangays on the campaign. Also joining the thousands of participants were Atty. Lord A. Villanueva, Undersecretary for Operations; Rolando C. Puno, Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs; Debie T. Torres, CESO IV, Director, Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS); DILG Region 6 Director Juan Jovian E. Ingeniero, CESO IV; DILG Iloilo Province Director Carmelo F. Orbista, CESO V; and DILG Iloilo City Director Oscar T. Lim, Jr., CESO V. Personnel of the DILG Regional Office 6 and DILG Iloilo City, which partnered with the Iloilo City government for the activity, came in full force. Personnel from the DILG Iloilo Province also participated in the run. The fun run started and finished at Plaza Libertad, Iloilo City. This continued campaign on BIDA aims to raise awareness and support of stakeholders on addressing illegal drug problems. Usapan sa Barangay To further advance the goal of the BIDA Program which is Drug-Free Communities by 2028, an activity entitled Usapang Barangay was also conducted. This is a multi-sectoral dialogue guided by the principles of townhall meetings which aims to provide a safe space for dialogue among stakeholders in the community, specifically for Iloilo City. For this particular activity, discussions were focused on addressing the drug abuse concerns in Iloilo City. The activity specifically aims to identify issues and gaps in implementing illegal drugs programs and identify key strategies in addressing concerns on drug abuse/use in Iloilo City. According to SILG Abalos, solutions shall be provided to the grassroots addressing the different problems and situations on illegal drugs, “We will fill-in the gaps…we will go grassroots, kasi iba-iba ang problema ng Iloilo in different areas,” Abalos said. This activity employed a discussion-workshop method which was participated by representatives of the key players in Iloilo City namely Liga ng mga Barangay Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Members from the local government units; from the national government agencies were the Regional Management and Coordinating Committee members (PNP, BFP, BJMP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD); and from the private sector were the Homeless People’s Organizations Philippines, Inc. and the Signpost Philippines, Inc. Highlight of the activities were the presentation of the Iloilo City Police Office of the peace and order situation in Iloilo City emphasizing the anti-illegal drug activities. The PDEA Iloilo City gave a briefer on the drug situation in the region highlighting the status of Iloilo City. PBGen Arnel Amor B Libed, Deputy Director, Police Community Relations, discussed the Revitalized Pulis sa Barangay (RPSB) program which is a program wherein the PNP will assign RPSB-BIDA Teams to the identified focused barangays with problems on illegal drugs. Following the presentation, a workshop was conducted to identify concerns in the implementation of programs addressing drug problems in Iloilo City. Participants grouped into four (4) clusters. Based on the results of the workshop, there is a need for the agencies, local government units, and other stakeholders first, strictly implement the policies related to anti-drug abuse; and, secondly, complement the key stakeholders with capacity development interventions to be able to properly support the policy implementation. The following are the key strategies in addressing the issues on illegal drugs in Iloilo City: 1) Increase capacity, information and empowerment of the key stakeholders; 2) Increase Safety and Security Measures; 3) Availability of Sustainable Rehabilitation and Reintegration Programs; 4) Exploratory Research on the Establishment of Centralized Database on Plea- Bargaining Agreements (PDEA, PNP, and DOJ); and 5) Continued Dialogue with Stakeholders and Partnership or Linkage Building. Participation of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the monitoring activities was also suggested in order to complement the needed human resources by the LGUs and the Regional Line Agencies (RLAs). Aside from the recommended interventions identified by the different sectors to achieve the goal of BIDA, it is imperative to continue and sustain the whole-of-the nation efforts to fight illegal drugs such as conduct of operations of the law enforcement agencies, health promotion, drug demand reduction education campaigns, rehabilitation and reintegration activities.

List of Qualified Applicants for Fire Officer I who passed Neuro Psychiatric Exam and Drug Test

List of Qualified Applicants for Fire Officer I who passed Complete Background Investigation

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos warned that hefty fines as high as P1 million await colorum operators even as the government vowed to intensify its campaign against unauthorized public transport vehicles to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila. This, as a memorandum of agreement was signed by the DILG with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), for the creation of a Joint Task Force (JTF) that would address traffic concerns and tackle colorum operations in the National Capital Region. “Napakalaki po nito, napakabigat po. Kaya warning na lang po, kung may colorum vehicles kayo, huwag na po kayong lumabas. Dahil siguradong mahuhuli kayo, mai-impound (ang inyong mga sasakyan). At ito ay sinasabi mismo ng batas. And we have to implement the law,” he said. He continued that the JTF follows President Marcos’ instruction to the DILG to lead in solving the issue of colorum operations and address the concern raised by transport groups during the town hall meeting last April 10. The JTF likewise will conduct road-clearing operations, and enhance traffic management and enforcement efforts within Metro Manila, while member-agencies will have the authority to issue notices of violations and/or citation tickets as appropriate, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Abalos emphasized that the synergized effort of DILG, MMDA, and DOTr, all mandated to promote public safety, maintain peace and order, and ensure the efficient flow of traffic, is beneficial and effective in addressing pressing traffic concerns, including colorum vehicles. He related that the said cooperation among the three agencies led to the apprehension of 56 colorum passenger operations, 44 out-of-line operations, impounded 100 units to date, and arrested three persons in total. To recall, Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 specified the fines and penalties for violations of policies governing land transportation, for first offense of colorum violation, buses shall be fined P1million; vans and trucks with P200,000; sedan vehicles with P120,000; and, P50,000 for jeepneys. Meanwhile, 2nd offense shall correspond to the revocation of the Certificate of Public Convenience; disqualification of the operator; blacklisting of all authorized units of the operator; and, revocation of the registration of all authorized units of the operator. Abalos said that in accordance with the order of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., colorum vehicles, which are contributors to the heavy traffic in Metro Manila, must be removed from the streets. “Ang mga colorum na ito ang siyang nagpapadami ng mga sasakyan. Kaya ang utos po sa amin ng Pangulo ay gawin namin ang lahat upang maibsan namin ang traffic dito [Metro Manila],” he explained. The MOA signing was attended by PNP Chief P/BGen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, and officials and staff from DILG, DOTr, MMDA and PNP, among others. ###

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday urged residents of the National Capital Region (NCR) to visit ‘Super Kadiwa’ centers and take advantage of the P39.00 per kilogram of rice and other low-priced but high quality produce that are being offered in their stores. ‘Super Kadiwa’, a limited offering of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, started in April this year and will open until the end of June in various local government units in Metro Manila. “Malaking katipiran po ito para sa ating mga kababayan sa Metro Manila dahil sa halagang P39.00 lamang ay makakabili ka na ng isang kilong bigas,” he said. He added: “Inaanyayahan ko po kayong lahat na suportahan po ang ating tinatawag na ‘Super Kadiwa’ at tulungan po natin ang ating mga kababayang magsasaka”. Kadiwa ng Pangulo is a market linkage facilitation program aimed at making agri-products and other basic commodities accessible and affordable to the poor. It also seeks to establish an additional market for farmers and fisherfolks to directly sell their products and increase their income, while also bringing down the prices of food commodities in the market as the concept eliminates the role of middlemen. ‘Super Kadiwa’ platforms were opened last April 15-16 in San Antonio, Parañaque City; Central, Quezon City; Tunasan, Muntinlupa City; Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City; San Juan City Hall; Pamplona Tres, Las Piñas City; Santo Tomas, Pasig City; Caloocan City Hall; Navotas City Hall; Poblacion, Pateros; and, Dulong Bayan, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. The same were also launched at Employee’s Park, Taguig City Hall; People’s Park, Malinta, Valenzuela City; Manila City Hall, Inner Court, Antonio Villegas St., Ermita on April 16-17, 2024. It is organized by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment and the DILG. Abalos said that ‘Super Kadiwa’s “ centerpiece product is rice that sells for as low as P39 per kilo which is way cheaper than those being sold in the mainstream markets. “Kadiwa is a good platform for our local farmers to market their products but more than that, it is a venue for us to show our support by purchasing their produce na matagal nilang pinaghirapang itanim,” he said. The DILG Chief likewise assured that the ‘Super Kadiwa’ will soon be staged in other parts of the country giving more Filipinos access to a cheaper-priced rice brand. He likewise invited market-goers to visit the ‘Super Kadiwa’ in ROMVI Subdivision Covered Court, Barangay Moonwalk, Parañaque City on April 19, 2024 and Camella Homeowners Association, Barangay Merville, Parañaque City on April 20, 2024. “Samahan niyo po kami sa Super Kadiwa at sama-sama nating suportahan ang ating mga kababayang magsasaka sa pagbili ng kanilang mga produkto,” he said. DILG Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Lopez-De Leon supported Abalos’ call during her visit to Super Kadiwa centers in Parañaque City. She said that seeing the high-grade quality of products being sold in Kadiwa was encouraging saying that she hopes more patrons will visit the centers. ###

  There was complete transparency during the inventory of the multi-billion peso worth of illegal drugs seized by the police during an intelligence-driven checkpoint along a highway at Brgy. Pinagkurusan, Alitagtag, Batangas on Monday. Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said that the inventory was conducted in front of civilian witnesses and concerned authorities even as the entire process and procedure was recorded on video cameras. Abalos issued the statement to dispel doubts about the legitimacy of the entire operation after some quarters and critics raised several questions following the mammoth drug haul. “Ito (illegal drugs seizure) po ay nai-video tape. Kitang-kita po na from the time nahuli, nilagay na po sa kalye. Ito po ay naka-video at naka-tape, lahat, nandoon po ang mga testigo, open po ito sa media for scrutiny from day one,” he said. Abalos, along with representatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police, was in Camp Crame on Thursday to provide updates on one of the biggest drug hauls in history. During the press briefing, Abalos disclosed that after the final inventory, the total weight of illegal drugs seized stood at 1,424.253 kilograms. The current market price of a kilogram of shabu is P6.8-million. He emphasized that the initial figure released to the public was a face-value estimation made by experts from the PDEA during the presentation of the seized illegal drugs. He said that the DILG, PNP, and other law enforcement agencies involved will ensure that all the confiscated illegal drugs will be destroyed in accordance with the law. The DILG Chief likewise credited ‘heroes’ of the Alitagtag, Batangas, amid malicious insinuations following the release of the corrected estimation of confiscated drugs. “Let us never lose sight na malaki ang nahuli. Maraming mga bayani ang tumulong dito,” Abalos said. He continued: “Hindi sila nagpakasilaw sa pera. We should really give credit to these people. Iyan po ang mga pulis ng Pilipinas, ‘yan po ang Philippine National Police (PNP).” Abalos granted a spot promotion to team leader Police Captain Luis Q. De Luna to next higher rank or Major, for his excellent work in the conduct of the said operation and for resisting temptation involving the multi-billion pesos illegal drugs. He said that the bravery and excellent service of police officials and other law enforcement units involved in the operation must be credited despite the confusion on the actual amount of the shabu seized in Batangas. “Hindi biro po ito. Ito ay bunga ng pagpupursigi at katapangan ng mga tao rito. Buhay po nila ang talagang tinaya nila rito. Hindi malayong balikan sila rito,” he underscored.###

List of Qualified Applicants for Fire Officer I who passed Panel Interview