Members of the Cabinet presented the programs of their respective agencies in the recently held 42nd cabinet meeting at the Malacañang Palace which was led by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte himself.
Cabinet Secretary Carlo Nograles
sought the approval of the Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty as part of
the efforts in combatting poverty and malnutrition. The Chief Executive had no hesitation in agreeing with Nograles’ request.
Secretary Francisco Duque III presented the steps the Department of Health has been taking to combat polio and the increasing number of diptheria cases in the country, as well as reminding the public to adhere to prescribed vaccinations, and maintain cleanliness to avoid the spread of disease.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi proposed the creation of an inter-agency body that will prepare plans to resolve the oil price hikes brought forth by the increasing tensions in Saudi Arabia.
President Duterte praised Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu for the successful rehabilitation of Boracay which was recognized as the “Best Island in Asia” by an international tourism magazine.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar shared the efforts of the administration to address the lowering of grain prices and the steps taken to support farmers and raise their standards of living.
The Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transport Authority will continue the bus augmentation from Santolan to Cubao to shuttle affected passengers of the LRT-2mans help ease traffice congestion. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Inter-agency Council for Traffic, and Highway Patrol Group will be extending their support to prevent a transport crisis from happening.
The Department of Interior and Local Government reported
on the successful implementation of the President’s directive to clear roads all over the country of obstruction. 75 provinces have submitted their accomplishment reports, along with 17 cities in the National Capital Region.
In an effort to curb corruption in the government, concerned agencies are pushing for the directive of the president. The Department of Budget and Management stated that the Government Procurement Act needs to be amended to change the basis for bidding the process of procurement from the “lowest calculated responsive bid” to the “most responsive and advantageous bid”.
