4th CMO Battalion has new commander
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, June 19 (PIA) – Lt. Col. Rico Amaro,
former commanding officer of 30th Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army is
the new commanding officer of the 4th Civil-Military Operations (CMO)
Battalion.
During the Change of Command Ceremony held on
Monday at the Division Advance Command Post here, LTC Amaro formally accepted
his new role, functions and responsibilities as the new CMO commanding officer.
Lt. Col. Amaro stressed that he will continue the
commendable deeds of the outgoing CMO officer Lt. Col. Manuel Valdez IV.
“I will continue whatever our outgoing commanding
officer has started and initiated for the CMO here. Together with our CMO
personnel, we will further enhance our collaboration with the different sectors
so we will know their concerns and needs for continued development in the
communities within the area of responsibility,” highlighted Lt. Col. Amaro.
Also, Valdez IV, the outgoing CMO Battalion
commander, underlined that he has learned a lot from being the CMO Battalion
commanding officer, which is according to him is far different from his
function in his previous assignment. He also expressed his warm thanks and
gratitude to all the CMO personnel for their support and cooperation in all its
operations during his term.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Cristobal Zaragoza
expressed his congratulatory message to the new commanding officer of the CMO
Battalion, LTC Amaro, and underscored that he is confident that LTC Amaro could
provide the services needed and expected from him.
BGen Zaragoza also lauded the service rendered by
LTC Valdez during his term as the commanding officer of CMO Battalion. He added
that LTC Valdez will be transferred at the 4th Infantry Division headquarters
in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
SSS files P6.8M raps vs 4 transport operators
BUTUAN CITY, June 19 - More than 60 taxi drivers,
through the assistance of the Social Security System (SSS), filed on Friday
criminal complaints with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office amounting to about
P6.8 million against four transport corporations allegedly run by a single
family for deliberate failure to remit SS contributions of their employees.
The criminal complaints were filed against EPE
Transport Inc., (owned/managed by Ernesto Enriquez, Elisa Enriquez, Evelyn
Marcelo, Jose Marcelo, Elmer Enriquez, Iluminada Enriquez); JME Transport Inc.,
(owned by Romeo Enriquez, Rosalina Enriquez, Jason Enriquez, Feliz Fabros,
Teresita Reyes); R&E Transport Inc., (owned by Romeo Enriquez, Ernesto
Enriquez, Evelyn Marcel, Rodrigo Enriquez, Rose Marie Fong); and Nine Stars
Transport Corporations (owned/managed Rodrigo Enriquez, Teresita Enriquez,
Efren Enriquez, Renato Enriquez).
“We will continue to hunt down delinquent employers
as part of our Run After Contributions Evaders (RACE) or Operation Tokhang
program, and these four corporations are just a few of the many companies who
are not giving what is due to our workers based on the SS Law. We will make
sure that our members get the right benefits according to their contributions
so employers should remit promptly and religiously,” SSS President Emmanuel F.
Dooc said.
The Association of Genuine Labor Organization
(AGLO) which represents all employees of the transport companies led by Edgardo
Acaso, likewise, said that they are fighting for what is right and just for
them.
“We only want to get our benefits according to what
is mandated by law which will only follow if our contributions deducted from
our monthly pay is remitted by our companies. Though I am currently on a sick
leave due to stroke, I am continuing this fight with my co-workers for our
families and for those who have retired ahead of us,” Acaso said in Filipino
during the case filing.
All four transport corporations have the same
registered address at #37 Rose St., Reparo, Baesa, Caloocan City. SSS sent
several billing and demand letters to the respondent but they still refused to
pay the premium contributions of their employees.
Investigations by SSS Accounts Officer Mayonito
Fesalbon showed that the companies willfully violated Section 22(a) and (d) in
relation to Section 28 (e ) of the Republic Act 8282 or SS Law or
non-remittance of SS monthly contributions of employees by any employer.
Documents showed that respondent JME Transport Inc.
for its 29 complainant-employees, is delinquent in remittance of SS
contributions and penalties since January 1994 to April 2016, amounting to
P4.013 million as of June 30 last year, subject for re-assessment.
On the other hand, Nine Stars Transport Corp. for
its four complainant-employees, likewise, failed to remit SS contributions from
August 2002 to April 2016 amounting to P535,995 as of June 30 last year and
still subject for a final computation.
R&E Transport Inc. and EPE Transport Inc, on
the other, both violated the same SS Law for under-remittance of SS
contributions or non-remittance of the employer’s share in the total monthly
contributions.
R&E Transport Incorporated’s delinquencies
reached P1.69 million as of June 30, 2016 for the period of January 1996 to
April 2016 while EPE Transport Inc has an estimated delinquency of P629,162 as
of June 30 last year for the period of February 1998 to April 2016. (SSS)
US, PH naval forces strengthen alliance thru
‘Sama-Sama’ maritime training
BUTUAN CITY, June 19 – The United States (US) and
Philippine Naval Forces participate in the Maritime Training activity dubbed
“Sama-Sama” today until June 25 in Cebu City.
Sama-Sama is designed to enhance the complexity and
diversity of training opportunities, while strengthening the longstanding
alliance between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines.
The exercise will focus on mutual security concerns
that affect the Philippines including piracy and sea smuggling, maritime domain
awareness and patrol, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
preparedness.
"The training we will perform over the next
week will provide excellent opportunities to deepen our long-time maritime
partnership with the Philippine Navy," said Rear Admiral Don Gabrielson,
commander, Task Force 73. "We thank
the Philippine Navy and the people of the Philippines for being gracious hosts
and we look forward to enhancing our professional ties in meaningful ways that
benefit both nations," he said.
The Tagalog phrase “sama-sama” or “together” is the
central theme of the training both at sea and ashore. The exercise provides valuable opportunities
for U.S. and Philippine Navy personnel to learn and operate together at sea and
foster professional dialogue during subject matter expert exchanges.
"We are honored to work with the US Navy during
this maritime training activity Sama-Sama. Our training together will
strengthen our relationships at the operator level and will also strengthen our
alliance and partnership in maritime cooperation," said Commodore Loumer
P. Bernabe of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Capt. Alexis Walker, commodore of
Destroyer Squadron 7 said that the activity is an ideal framework to strengthen
its relationship with partners in the Philippine Navy and to enhance readiness
through training and evolutions ashore and at sea. "With more than 20
years of experience working together, we are able to plan and execute exercises
like the maritime training activities that address shared maritime security
priorities and enhance interoperability between our two navies,” said Walker.
The US and the Philippines continue to work
together on a number of initiatives and conduct regular personnel exchanges
through routine participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises such as
Balikatan, Southeast Asian Cooperation and Training (SEACAT), the Rim of the
Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Asian Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus),
and many other bilateral subject matter expert exchanges.
United States assets participating in this year’s
exercise include the littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) and the
expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Millinocket (T-EPF-3), along with a P-8
Poseidon aircraft. Marines assigned to
the III Marine Expeditionary Force, Navy Seabees, and staff from Commander,
Task Force 73 and Destroyer Squadron 7 will also participate.
The Philippine Navy units will include the Del
Pilar Class Frigate BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15), BRP Agta, an AW109
helicopter, and a BN-2 Islander aircraft.
A Philippine Marine company and other naval staff will also join the
exercise.
As U.S. 7th Fleet's executive agent for theater
security cooperation in South and Southeast Asia, Commander, Task Force 73
conducts advanced planning, organizes resources, and directly supports the
execution of maritime exercises, such as Pacific Partnership, the Naval
Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam, and the multi-lateral Southeast Asia
Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: ASEAN info caravan dinaluhan ng
mahigit isang libong estudyante sa lungsod ng Butuan
Ni Regal C. Oribia
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Hunyo 19 (PIA) - Sa layuning
malawakang maibahagi ang impormasyon tungkol sa Association of Southeast Asian
Nations o ASEAN, kinasa ng Philippine Information Agency (PIA) - Caraga ang
ASEAN Information Caravan dito sa lungsod.
Binahagi ni Jennifer Gaitano ng PIA-Caraga ang
kahalagahan, mga mahahalagang impormasyon, pribilehiyo at mga benepisyo, bilang
kasapi ng ASEAN sa mahigit kumulang isang libong college students ng Father
Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) mula sa kursong Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration at Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant
Management (BSHRM) na ginanap sa Morelos campus.
Ayon kay Rica Ella Batino, isa sa mga estudyante sa
nasabing unibersidad, malaking tulong umano ang mapabilang sa ASEAN sa paglago
ng ekonomiya ng Pilipinas gayon na rin ang oportunidad ng mga Pilipino na
makabisita o kaya makapagtrabaho sa ibang bansa, higit na sa larangan ng
negosyo.
Nagpasalamat naman si Dr. Emiliana Lozano, dean ng
college of Business Administration ng nasabing unibersidad, na sa pamamagitan
umano ng Information Caravan na ito, matutukoy ng mga mag-aaral ang anumang
nais nilang planuhin sa buhay bago pa sila makapagtapos ng kolehiyo.
(RCO/PIA-Caraga)
