Malacanang announces election liquor ban from
May 9 to 13
The Aquino government has released in the
internet an infographic regarding the election liquor ban for the May 13
national and local elections, a Palace official said on Tuesday.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday that the
government encouraged the people to visit the Official Gazette website through
http://www.gov.ph to get information regarding the election liquor ban that
will take effect on May 9 (12 a.m.) until May 13 (11:59 p.m.) this year.
"It’s a short public service information
that can be found on the Official Gazette about certain things that everybody
should know about the liquor ban, which is in place in connection with the
elections on Monday," Valte said.
The Philippine National Police will be strictly
implementing the nationwide liquor ban imposed by the Commission on Elections.
Under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code,
it is prohibited for any person to sell, furnish, offer, buy, serve or take
intoxicating liquor during the liquor ban period, but hotels and other
establishments certified by the government as “tourist-oriented” may be
exempted from the ban.
The law also provides that drinking alcoholic
beverages within private property is allowed. Foreign tourists may take
alcoholic beverages in exempted establishments. PND (js)
Malacanang assures the public of government's
readiness in responding to the needs of those affected by Mayon Volcano's
eruption
Malacanang assured the public of the concerned
government agencies' readiness to respond to the needs of the people affected
by Mayon Volcano's eruption on Tuesday morning, a Palace official said.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte
issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday
after Mayon Volcano spewed ash and smoke in Albay province in the Bicol region.
Latest reports said four foreigners and a Filipino were killed by falling rocks.
Valte said President Benigno S. Aquino III has
instructed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
to ensure that the system and the available facilities and resources are in
place in retrieving the casualties and attending to the injured victims.
"There are already two airforce choppers
that have been deployed to retrieve the casualties. The focus now is attending
to the injured and, of course, facilitating the repatriation of the
fatalities," Valte said.
The Chief Executive told the NDRRMC to brief him
of the circumstances behind the incident and update him on the progress of the
contingency operations.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (Phivolcs) appealed to the public not to enter Mayon Volcano's six-kilometer
permanent danger zone.
"What we understand is the local government
has restricted activity and, precisely, the President wanted to know kung ano
‘yung mga parameters because the six-kilometer danger zone is something that is
enforced by the local government. So sila po ‘yung toka doon sa pag-enforce to
make sure that nobody gets hurt," Valte said.
President Aquino told the NDRRMC to update him
on how the concerned government agencies will proceed with the evacuation of
the people living near the volcano.
The government earlier urged all the residents
near the Mayon Volcano to follow the directives of the NDRRMC and local
government authorities for them to evacuate to a safer place. PND (js)
Intellectual Property Office vows to step up
anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting efforts
The Intellectual Property Office of the
Philippines (IPOPHIL) has vowed to “work harder” in its quest to end piracy and
counterfeiting in order to remove the country from the United States Trade
Representative piracy watch list.
In a statement, IPOPHIL Director General Ricardo
Blancaflor vowed “vigorous efforts” to address the strict enforcement of the
intellectual property rights by the law enforcement agencies of IPRs in the
country.
He said “law enforcement agencies involved in
IPR work…will work harder in fighting piracy and counterfeiting,” Blancaflor
said.
Blancaflor added IPOPHIL has been successful in
addressing piracy and counterfeiting activities in the country with “a record
breaking volume of seizures” two years ago and with the passing of the internet
treaty law last March 22.
In its latest Special 301 Report, the
Philippines was retained on the ordinary watch list of IPR violators due to
Washington’s piracy concerns over the Internet.
IPOPHIL hopes that the Philippines will be
removed by the USTR from the watch list after Washington’s conduct of an off-cycle
review.
The National Committee on Intellectual Property
Rights area confident that the additional requirements can be addressed in the
immediate future,” Blancaflor said. PND (rck)
