Over 600 cases of drug trafficking committed by Filipinos abroad, PDEA-7 says
Cebu City (04 March) - Over 600 cases of overseas Filipino workers have pending cases involving attempts to smuggle illegal drugs worldwide including the 79 cases in China where execution is the penalty for such crimes.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 Regional Director Adrian Alvariño warned Filipinos especially those wanting to seek employment abroad or even those who want to go to another country as tourists against strangers trying to befriend them and offering huge amount of money to send a package to other destinations.
As of January, this year, the PDEA has recorded 689 cases of drug trafficking involving Filipinos in other countries, Alvariño said.
Most of the cases are in the Asia Pacific with a total of 326 at present including the 79 cases in China where the Filipino drug mules are convicted of drug trafficking and is sentenced to execution, the PDEA-7 official disclosed during a recent PIA kapihan on drug mules.
There are 152 cases in the Americas and 125 cases of drug trafficking committed by Filipinos in Europe, this is said.
“Drug mules or couriers is paid at an average of US $2,000 per kilo of methamphetamine or commonly referred to as shabu to smuggle the illegal drugs into a particular destination,” according to Alvariño.
Alvariño said the big amount of cash offered to Filipinos make them vulnerable to do the illegal job of smuggling drugs while women are the most common victims.
These Filipino drug mules mostly women are exploited by drug syndicates especially from the West African countries, Alvariño continued.
The Philippines on the other hand, is a profitable market for shabu as the illegal drugs fetch a good price here followed by Australia, Alvariño said.
“A kilo of shabu here can fetch a price of P500,000 or half a million while in Australia, it is priced at Australian $82,000 per kilo,” the PDEA-7 director claimed.
The volume of shabu is rampant at the National Capital Region followed by Cebu due to the increased economic activities, Alvariño ended. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
Most of the cases are in the Asia Pacific with a total of 326 at present including the 79 cases in China where the Filipino drug mules are convicted of drug trafficking and is sentenced to execution, the PDEA-7 official disclosed during a recent PIA kapihan on drug mules.
There are 152 cases in the Americas and 125 cases of drug trafficking committed by Filipinos in Europe, this is said.
“Drug mules or couriers is paid at an average of US $2,000 per kilo of methamphetamine or commonly referred to as shabu to smuggle the illegal drugs into a particular destination,” according to Alvariño.
Alvariño said the big amount of cash offered to Filipinos make them vulnerable to do the illegal job of smuggling drugs while women are the most common victims.
These Filipino drug mules mostly women are exploited by drug syndicates especially from the West African countries, Alvariño continued.
The Philippines on the other hand, is a profitable market for shabu as the illegal drugs fetch a good price here followed by Australia, Alvariño said.
“A kilo of shabu here can fetch a price of P500,000 or half a million while in Australia, it is priced at Australian $82,000 per kilo,” the PDEA-7 director claimed.
The volume of shabu is rampant at the National Capital Region followed by Cebu due to the increased economic activities, Alvariño ended. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
DA-7 urges LGUs to avail of its composting machine to address solid wastes
Cebu City (04 March) - Local government units (LGUs) are urged to avail of the program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) - 7 where they will be given a composting machine to address the problem of solid wastes and at the same time produce organic fertilizers for farmers.
Engr. Pablo Montalla, regional coordinator of the Soils and Water Management of DA-7 said they have already given out 175 shredding machine units to the various LGUs in the region last year.
“Out of the 175 units, Bohol got 80 followed by Negros Oriental with 45 units then Cebuwith 39 and lastly, 11 for Siquijor,” Montalla disclosed
The small scale composting facility is used to turn biodegradable garbage into organic fertilizers which can then be utilized for the use of farmers for agricultural productivity, according to Montalla.
Instead of dumping solid biodegradable wastes, these can better be put to use by using vermin composting to turn these into organic fertilizers, this is learned.
Montalla said that based on their monitoring, the composting machine in Negros Oriental was able to produce 30.080 kilos of organic fertilizers followed by Bohol with 23,785 kilos and 13,335K of organic fertilizers produced in Cebu. Siquijor’s machine also yielded 7,150K of organic fertilizers.
Engr. Amancio Dongcoy, regional coordinator on solid waste management of theEnvironmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR)-7 on the other hand, called on every household to begin segregating their wastes within their homes.
Dongcoy said the dangers of unsegregated garbage when collected and piled onto open dumpsites produce methane gas, which is harmful to the environment and one of the identifiedgreenhouse gases that is responsible for climate change.
“Methane gas is more toxic than carbon dioxide which is not only a threat to the environment but also a public health threat,” Dongcoy bared.
The DENR-7 official urged all sectors to do its share in addressing solid wastes because everybody can benefit from a clean, safe and healthy environment. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
Through the USAID programs, the U.S. has helped to achieve the Philippines ’ Millennium Development Goals and the Magna Carta for Women, making a difference in the lives of millions of Filipino men and women, Thomas added. (PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman & reports from the US Embassy)
USAID commemorates 50 years of partnership with PHL
Cebu, March 5 (PIA) -- This year, USAID commemorates five decades of development partnership with the Philippines .
To recognize the major accomplishments of this partnership and to honor the women beneficiaries of the USAID sponsored programs, U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. will host a reception on International Women’s Day, March 8.
The honorees will include those from the Philippine government, private sector, civil society, academe, and other sectors.
According to USAID Philippines Director Gloria Steele, USAID and its partner organizations will host commemorative activities and events throughout the year, with a grand culminating Fiesta in November at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City .
On November 3, 1961, the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act was signed into law by President Kennedy, creating USAID.
Since that time, USAID has been the principal U.S. Government agency providing development assistance to countries around the world.
USAID assistance in the Philippines has helped communities all over the country to reduce maternal and child mortality, promote stronger governance and rule of law.
It has also assisted the country in developing rural infrastructure, increasing access to financial services and recovering from disasters.
USAID is the country’s partner in improving access to health care and education, promoting women and child rights, and increasing agricultural productivity, among other achievements.
“The United States and the Philippines share a partnership based on respect, shared values, and a desire for peace, stability, prosperity, and opportunity, and we are proud of our partnership with the Philippine people,” said Ambassador Thomas.