CHED Chairperson Licuanan on Rep. Jericho Nograles’ Accusations on Her Foreign Travels

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan responds to accusations made by Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist Rep. Jericho Nograles that she did not obtain Malacañang approval for official travels she made in 2017.

The CHED Chairperson maintains, “I get a travel authority from the Office of the President for all my travel including personal trips. This is well documented. I issue travel authorities for all CHED officials but not for myself.”

“It appears that what Rep. Nograles shared on his Facebook account as basis for his accusations is the internal Authority to Travel Abroad, which is routinely used to process the funds and is an attachment for securing Malacañang approval,” the Chairperson added.

CHED International Affairs Staff Director Atty. Lily Frieda Milla clarifies that, “all official travels of the Chairperson are covered by appropriate travel authorities from the Executive Secretary and signed by Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.” Milla further explains, “the Chairperson is allowed to travel business class for long-haul flights as warranted under OP Memorandum Circular No. 7, s.2010 and because of her vertigo.”

For the benefit of the general public, attached to this statement are copies of the eight official Malacañang travel authority documents that Rep. Nograles accused the CHED Chairperson of not having.

Cusi Pushes Smart Energy Use As a Way of Life

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Buy fuel efficient vehicles, choose household appliances with excellent energy efficiency ratings and unplug the latter when not in use for long periods of time.

These were some of the smart energy utilizations tips which Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Thursday (January 5) pushed to become a way of life for Filipinos starting this new year.

“I’d like to emphasize the concept of smart energy utilization so consumers can save on energy costs based on strategies already laid down by the government,” said Cusi.

Among the strategies being referred to by the secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) is the use by consumers of the Minimum Energy Performance Standard in the purchase and the proper use of energy efficient appliances.

Sec. Cusi said that the Yellow/Energy Labels on common household appliances state the energy efficiency ratings of the latter and should be used by consumers as a guide in purchasing said items.

Consumers should also turn off and unplug unused appliances to avoid electricity wastages, said the DOE chief, who added that regularly cleaning light bulbs, refrigerator, television, electric fan and air-conditioners can save power.

In view of the effects on oil and vehicle prices of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), Cusi urged consumers to be more rational in their choice of vehicles to buy, as well as in their fuel purchases.

Planning trips and properly maintaining vehicles will also save consumers money while prolonging the service life of their rides, added Cusi.

The DOE also offered the following tips:

• Gas up wisely by using quality and clean fuels and by not filling fuel tank up to the brim and tighten gas cap to avoid spillage;

• Avoid overloading; accelerate with care and anticipate stops;

• Avoid idling of vehicles; shift gears sensibly and pick a lane and stay on it;

• Use windows and air-conditioning wisely; keep the music volume down or turn off other unused and fancy car accessories;

• Check tires regularly; change oil and oil filters; and ensure regular and proper maintenance of the vehicles.

For those planning to buy new vehicles, the DOE said consumers should go for fuel economy.

According to the DOE’s data, a liter of diesel saved reduces emission of about 2.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2), while a liter of gasoline saved would be equivalent to 2.3 kilograms of CO2 release avoided.

“It’s the benefit for the consumers that is my primary concern,” concluded Cusi.

Telcos Have 6 Months to Comply with One-Year Prepaid Load Validity

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In order to avoid any public inconvenience, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has given telecommunication companies six (6) months to adjust their systems to the one-year validity of regular prepaid load.

This is in clarification of the Department’s previous pronouncement that starting January 5, the expiry date of regular prepaid load is valid for one year from the date of top-up.

The 6-month period, starting January 5, 2018, was allowed to prevent telcos’ systems from crashing if changes are made abruptly, which may cause serious damage to the industry and disturb the consuming public.

“We apologize for giving the public false expectations, but if we have to err, it would be on the side of being 100% certain that nothing untoward will happen,” said DICT OIC Eliseo M. Rio Jr. in a statement.

Rio, though, emphasized that the adjustment period poses the challenge for telcos to fulfill the new validity period as soon as possible.

“However, the 6-month period is only a time limit where the telcos can be penalized if they have not complied by then,” Rio added.

“We expect the two telcos to really compete by racing to comply, because the winner can attract the subscribers of the other telco. With this, we expect their compliance earlier than the deadline. This will show that there is real competition on their part.”
NTC was instructed to closely monitor and address all complaints of prepaid loads being eaten up before the present expiration periods lapsed during the adjustment period.

Prepaid credits purchased for promos and other services with specific period of use are excluded from the coverage of the one-year validity.