Fire hits PGH main building

By Marc Jayson cayabyab THURSDAY | MARCH 14, 2024 metro8 EDITOR: DULCE A. SANCHEZ THE PHILIPPINE STAR Senators expressed alarm yesterday over a possible crime ring in local civil registrars that has allowed foreign citizens to fraudulently apply for live birth certificates. The Senate Blue Ribbon commit- tee conducted an inquiry after valid government identification cards, such as passports, were confiscated from foreigners, including Chinese nationals arrested during raids on Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGO. “It looks like Filipino citizenship is for sale because of syndicates in places where there are several late birth registrations,” Sen. Pia Cay- etano, who chairs the Blue Ribbon panel, said. Cayetano made the conclusion based on the initial findings of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that there were seven cases of fraudulent birth certificates obtained by foreigners by posing as late birth registrants. Of the seven, one was an iden- tity theft case wherein the registrant assumed a dead person’s name, according to PSA Deputy National Statistician officer-in-charge Clem- ente Manaog. Manila, Quezon City and Pasig as well as Sta. Cruz municipality in Davao del Sur recorded the most number of questionable late birth registrants, Manaog said. These falsified birth certificates were used to apply for passports. The Department of Foreign Af- fairs has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to probe 17 passport applicants for fraud, DFA Assistant Secretary for consular affairs Adelio Angelito Cruz said. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian sounded the alarm over the confiscation of valid government IDs – alien em- ployment permits, tax identification IDs, police clearance and PhilHealth cards – during previous raids on POGO facilities allegedly involved in sex trafficking and kidnapping for ransom. Senate President Juan Miguel Zu- biri said he was “shocked” that these foreigners were able to apply for government IDs, which they can use for “illegal activities” when applying for firearms permit or buying land. “We have to crack the whip on these guys and apprehend them the soonest possible time,” Zubiri said. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa raised the possibility that Chinese spies could have entered Philippine soil and posed as Filipinos by applying for government IDs. “The country’s national security is at stake here. We might wake up one day surrounded by China’s People’s Liberation Army,” Dela Rosa said. Cayetano said the fraud also affects overseas Filipino workers, citing one instance of identity theft after an OFW was prevented from leaving the country because records showed that someone had used her identity. “This is also a reminder to the public not to doctor their official documents because it is a crime,” Cayetano said. Senate probes Filipino citizenship for sale scam Mandaluyong launches single ticketing system Dozens of patients were evacuated after a fire broke out at the main build- ing of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila yesterday. Patients from the PGH cancer ward were among those evacuated. Thirteen firetrucks responded to contain the blaze, which reached second alarm at 3:11 p.m. PGH workers as well as students and employees of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Manila were also evacuated. In a report, the Bureau of Fire Protection said wards 1 and 3 of the PGH’s outpatient department were gutted by the fire. Manila Fire Department head Senior Supt. Christine Doctor-Cula declared the fire under control at around 3:45 p.m. The UP Office of the Student Regent appealed for donations of valve masks and oxygen tanks to be given to intubated patients who were transferred to the PGH Atrium. Classes at UP Manila’s College of Arts and Sciences were suspended. The Department of Health (DOH) ordered the transfer of PGH patients to government hospitals after the fire. “All DOH hospitals have been alerted and are ready to accommo- date the patients,” the agency said in a statement. – Ghio Ong, Mayen Jaymalin Fire hits PGH main building Mandaluyong is the latest local government unit in the National Capital Region to implement the single ticketing system traffic policy of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana on Monday turned over 30 handheld ticketing devices and body- worn cameras to be used by traffic enforces of the local government. Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr. said the ticketing devices and body-worn cameras would help local traffic enforcers in going after traffic violators. City hall procured 100 body-worn cameras, Abalos said. The single ticketing system seeks to harmonize the existing national and local laws on traffic enforcement to es- tablish an effective transport and traffic management system in Metro Manila. Acting MMDA Chairman Romando Artes had announced that the single ticketing system is being enforced in 15 cities in the metropolis. – Ghio Ong With the expected delivery of plastic cards in the coming days, the Land Transporta- tion Office (LTO) is looking to resume the issuance of driver’s licenses this month. “We are preparing for the resumption in the delivery of plastic driver’s licenses. We are putting in place the distri- bution system on how to de- liver to license holders as soon as possible,” LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said on Wednesday. “In fact, the new method we are looking at right now is the passport style using courier service. So if you renew your license, you can opt to have your card delivered to you,” Mendoza added. He said the donation of four million plastic cards had been scrapped. “That’s no longer an op- tion,” Mendoza said. The LTO previously an- nounced that the Philippine Society of Medicine for Driv- ers was donating four million plastic cards to the agency. The LTO has been issuing paper driver’s licenses while waiting for the delivery of the plastic cards. “We are optimistic that the licenses will be fixed this month,” Mendoza said. According to Mendoza, the LTO needs at least 600,000 plastic cards every month as the agency targets a total of 12 million plastic cards for this year. He also said measures are being done to hasten the de- livery of license plates amid delays in the distribution of car dealers. E-bikes require registration Meanwhile, the LTO said users of electric tricycles and e-bikes along major roads are required to register their vehicles and secure a driver’s license. Mendoza said the LTO is expected to issue guide- lines amid efforts to regulate electricity-operated light vehicles. He noted that under Re- public Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, only e-trikes and e-bikes traversing private roads or subdivisions are not covered by the mandatory registration. Mendoza added that users of e-tricycles and e-bicycles also need to secure license plate numbers when register- ing these vehicles. Earlier, the Metropolitan Manila Development Author- ity announced that e-bikes and e-trikes would be banned from traversing major thorough- fares beginning April 15. – Bella Cariaso Medical personnel of the Philippine General Hospital evacuate patients as firefighters put out the fire that struck the PGH main building along Taft Avenue in Manila yesterda

Ryan Baldemor