Retired PCG Commandant, CG Admiral George V. Ursabia Jr. appointed as Undersecretary for Maritime of DOTr

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed retired Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant, CG Admiral George V. Ursabia Jr. as Undersecretary for Maritime of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). Ursabia’s appointment was issued by the President on 04 November 2021.

Ursabia, who was born in Polomolok, South Cotabato, retired from his post at the PCG on 08 September 2021. Ursabia spent 38 years in the government service.

While in command, Ursabia managed to boost the presence of the PCG in the West Philippine Sea and the southernmost part of the country through the Task Force Pagsasanay.

Under his command, the PCG also enhanced its recruitment process and made sure that all regions in the country are given a rational quota to ensure inclusivity.

Ursabia, during his term as PCG commandant, also improved the agency’s procurement system to be compliant with Republic Act 9187 or the Procurement Law.

In addition, the PCG’s systems and doctrines also underwent fine-tuning under his watch to make sure that its personnel can effectively deliver needed public service in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

“Our Coast Guardians go beyond the call of duty by providing a people-first approach in these trying times – and they continue to do so. We see them in the frontlines – in checkpoints, seaports, airports, and areas where there are needs to be met – aiding citizens with humility and compassion,” CG Admiral Ursabia said in his retirement speech.

As a humanitarian agency, the PCG under Ursabia’s command also helped deliver aid to the country’s far-flung areas, including Calayan Island, Pag-asa Island, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi amid the COVID-19 pandemic,

“Being a relatively young humanitarian government agency, there is still a lot to be done. The PCG will still face a lot of challenges and reforms, but I hope it will be for the better,” Ursabia added in his retirement speech.

Transportation Secretary Art Tugade meanwhile said Ursabia’s wealth of knowledge and vast experience in the maritime sector will prove most valuable as he takes on new tasks as an undersecretary of the department.

“I am confident that the skills and experience in the maritime sector of my good friend, Usec. Ursabia which were honed, and tested as a long-time commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard will prove most valuable to the DOTr,” said Secretary Tugade.

“There is no doubt that Usec. Ursabia can steer the maritime sector to great lengths given his character, leadership style and experience,” the Secretary added.

Memorial for fallen pandemic heroes in Benilde online art exhibit

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Fallen heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic are at the center of an online animated museum that is part of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Center for Campus Art’s ongoing digital art exhibition.

“Hall of Heroes” is Benjamin Marasigan, Jr.’s contribution to the online art exhibit “To Differ, Digitally 2: Love and Dissent in the Time of Pandemic.” The CCA led by Architect Gerry Torres and the New Media Cluster headed by Associate Dean Maria Sharon Mapa Arriola called on faculty members for “works in digital media that will venture to engage with and generate new content from its audiences online.”

Marasigan, founding chairperson and full-time instructor of the DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Animation Program, is among 17 artist-educators and industry practitioners who heeded the call.

Curator Karen Ocampo-Flores describes TDD2 as “a fresh opportunity to deliver messages of social commentary through the digital medium” and “a timely response to conditions wrought by the present scourge of the COVID-19 virus.” This is only the second time that CCA collaborated with NMC as a group after launching its physical exhibit “To Differ, Digitally: Calls for Change Through New Media” in 2017.

“In this second year of the pandemic, we experience within our communities the harsh outcome of lockdowns: the loss of jobs, the lack of resources for survival, and the basic power to care for our health, physically and mentally. Overall, we grow more anxious about our future,” Flores explained in the exhibit brief found at CCA’s website (https://www.benildecampusart.com/exhibit/to-differ-digitally).

“The themes that have emerged deliver a viable spectrum of perspectives and concerns arising from the pandemic. One realm would be about connecting place and passage. At the herald of such works is a memorial for the fallen heroes, mostly medical practitioners who fought the mostly unknown effects of the SARS-COVID virus. The museum conceived as a monument by Benjie Marasigan, Jr. presents to us the necessity to both grieve and to never forget those who perished so that others may live,” she added.

Aside from being a tribute to frontliners and fallen heroes of the pandemic, Marasigan’s digital creations also serve as his reaction to the government’s response, amid volunteerism and bayanihan efforts.

“As I was watching the news about the deaths and difficulties faced by the frontline health workers, I felt helpless, frightened, sad, and guilty. Guilty of not being able to help because I cannot get out of the house. I tried to think of ways on how to best contribute to the effort against COVID-19, given the limitations of the situation,” Marasigan, who has been teaching in Benilde for 20 years now, shared.

“Since the start of the pandemic up to the present, I have tried to document what was happening in our country, through my digital illustration and paintings,” the former Hanna-Barbera animator added.

Marasigan, also a past president of the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), likewise paid tribute to efforts of volunteer citizens such as community pantries. “One such volunteer group is the Art Relief and Mobile Kitchen (ARMK), headed by my friends Alex Baluyut and Precious Leaño. Their advocacy to give decent meals to communities affected by both natural and human calamities is very inspiring. In the same spirit, I volunteered to document their initiatives by painting the ingredients they used, the food they cooked, the people they feed, and the ARMK volunteers in action,” he concluded.

Apart from the Animation department, NMC also counts Digital Film, Photography, and Multimedia Arts under its faculty roster. Joining Marasigan in the exhibit are filmmaker and creative producer Seymour Barros Sanchez, film educator and writer Jag Garcia, motion graphics artist and designer Yolec Homecillo, multimedia designer Hannah Sison, 3D artist Volty Garcia, graphic designer and writer Katrina Juane, visual communicator Vanessa Puente, visual artist Emily Mones, designer, writer and artist Brian Bringas and graphic designers Dino Brucelas and Rafael Liao, writer and designer Ericka Garalde, multidisciplinary artist Teta Tulay, event consultant Mito Tubilleja, writer and content developer Penny Angeles-Tan, and photographer Jay Javier.

For more information, visit CCA's social media pages on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BenildeCampusArt), Twitter (https://twitter.com/csbcampusart), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/benilde.campusart/) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/BenildeCampusArt). Watch “Hall of Heroes” on this link: https://youtu.be/qm21uNkLTjg

Complete mobility and connectivity in the transport sector equates to convenience and comfort for Filipinos

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Convenience and comfort for Filipinos can only be achieved through complete mobility and connectivity in the transport sector, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said Thursday, 18 November 2021.Taking President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s marching orders to heart, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) continue to deliver on the administration’s promise to make the life of the Filipino convenient and comfortable as the Chief Executive and Secretary Tugade led the inauguration of eight integrated seaport development projects in the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the opening of the eight ports to make sure that there is mobility and connectivity in Mindoro. Pinapanganak ngayon at binibigyang buhay ang mandato ni President Duterte to make the life of the Filipino convenient and comfortable,” Secretary Tugade said during the inauguration ceremonies.

The simultaneous inauguration includes two (2) port projects in the Port of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro, as well as port projects in the Ports of Calapan, Puerto Galera, Bulalacao, Mansalay, Bansud and Roxas.

Highlighting the simultaneous inauguration is the ongoing expansion and construction of the Port of Calapan’s passenger terminal building, which can accommodate 3,500 passengers at any given time.

Being the main gateway for the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the seaports in the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro play a significant role in boosting the country’s inter-island connectivity for passengers, tourists and facilitation of goods from various areas in the country.

Secretary Art Tugade assured President Duterte that additional transportation projects, including the expansion of the Calapan Airport will immediately start to ensure seamless mobility and connectivity in the province.

“Hindi lamang magiging community airport ang Calapan Airport, tataas ang antas ng airport to tourism airport kung saan magkakaroon ng scheduled commercial flights upang makatulong sa turismo, hindi lamang sa pagbyahe ng mga taga-Mindoro kundi sa paglago rin ng negosyo,” Secretary Tugade explained.

Coupled with the seaport projects, transport initiatives in the aviation and maritime sector will benefit Filipinos, Secretary Tugade stressed.

“Kung may development ka sa airport, kung may development ka sa walong puerto. Indeed, masasabi nating the platform for Occidental and Oriental Mindoro has been laid to form—ang makikinabang, ang tao at ang sambayanan,” he said.

Meanwhile, PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the DOTr and the PPA are slated to complete an additional 100 seaport projects before the end of President Duterte’s term. At present, the DOTr and PPA have completed a total of 484 seaport projects in a five-year span.

“Nasa mahigit isang daan pa po ang nakatakdang tapusin ng DOTr at PPA bago matapos ang inyong termino. Ito po ang ambag namin sa Build, Build, Build Program. Ito po ang aming bahagi sa Duterte Legacy,” GM Santiago said.

President Duterte commended Secretary Tugade and GM Santiago for the continued completion of transportation infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build Program.

“I’d like to thank also—it’s a two-way affair—si Art Tugade and the Department of Transportation as well as the Philippine Ports Authority for their work on the eight seaports to be inaugurated today. These accomplishments are made under the Build, Build, Build Program,” President Duterte said.

“These public infrastructures will improve public mobility and productivity and help boost economic activity in the area. Masaya ako na nakita ko yung development projects dito sa inyong lugar [Mindoro],” he added.

Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor, for his part, said the seaport projects proves that the national government recognizes the strategic role of the provinces of Mindoro as the main gateway for the islands of Visayas and Mindanao.

“The simultaneous upgrades in the different ports will enhance ease and convenience of travel and will bolster the provinces’ bid as key destination for trade and tourism,” Governor Dolor said.