Dateline Kamuning: The Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, together with officials of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) welcomed the first batch of seventeen (17) government-assisted Filipino evacuees from Sudan, who arrived in Manila this afternoon after flying out yesterday from Athens, Greece and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.   Eight (8) overseas Filipinos were hotel workers in Sudan who boarded a military evacuation flight after successful representations made with the Greek government by the Philippine Embassy in Athens. The Embassy received the group in Athens on the morning of 28 April 2023, Friday, and afterwards immediately arranged for their flight back to the Philippines, through the DFA’s Assistance-to-Nationals Fund.  The remaining nine (9) overseas Filipinos, including one infant, fled Khartoum via Port Sudan where they boarded a C130 plan

  Dateline Kamuning: Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, and Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Karlo Alexei Nograles, led the signing of the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) on Healthy Workplace settings today in Quezon City.        This initiative has been made possible because of the unrelenting work of the DOH Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) led by Assistant Secretary Dr. Lorraine Beverly Ho, Director Rodley Dezmond Carza, and the entire team of the HPB. The ceremonial signing aimed to enliven and encourage employers, both in public and private work sectors, to create supportive environments where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to perform at their best at all times.

  Dateline Kamuning: The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is closely coordinating with the Balikatan management regarding the reported interruption of the Balikatan 2023 exercise in Zambales by a civilian aircraft flying within the no-fly zone.   The reported incident is currently under investigation, and the Balikatan management together with the CAAP are working together to identify and determine details about the concerned aircraft. CAAP has issued seven notices to airmen (NOTAMs) in the area, which has declared it a no-fly zone.   The CAAP issues airspace restrictions through a NOTAM and ensures that pilots and aircraft operators are briefed by its Air Traffic Service (ATS) before flight plans are accepted, especially with regards to no-fly zones.   The Balikatan exercise is the largest annual bilateral training exercise between the US and Philippine militaries. This year's Balikatan exercise is its 38th and largest iteration to date.   CAAP would like

Kamuning Dateline:   A combined force of U.S. and Philippine service members participated in a combined joint littoral live-fire exercise today, the culminating field training event for Balikatan 2023. Approximately 1,400 Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Coast Guardsmen from both countries took part in the training, which involved detecting, identifying, targeting and engaging a target ship using a variety of ground and air-based weapons systems. “This training increased the exercise’s realism and complexity, a key priority shared between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military,” said Lt. Gen. William Jurney, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and the U.S. director for the exercise. “Together we are strengthening our capabilities in full-spectrum military operations across all domains.” Balikatan is the largest annual exercise between the two allies and 2023 marks its 38th iteration and the largest iteration to date, with more than 17,600

Dateline Kamuning:   The government is doing the necessary preparations in anticipation of the 72-hour ceasefire declared in Sudan, hoping it could provide an opportunity to bring home Filipinos stuck in the war-torn country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday. President Marcos made the remarks following a meeting with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) on current issues including the the Sudan situation, particularly on how the government can bring Filipinos to safety. “Right now, we are hoping that the 72-hour ceasefire that has been declared will hold and we will — we are preparing ourselves,” President Marcos said. “So we’re trying — we’re watching this situation very, very closely and to see if there’s a window of opportunity na mailabas natin ang mga Philippine nationals natin.” https://fb.watch/k7lAm2lQ0I/ The President said Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople is on her way to the region in anticipatio

Dateline Kamuning: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said his government will seek a review and assessment of the treaty agreements signed between the Philippines and its long-time ally, the United States, as well as enhance partnerships on climate change mitigation and adaptation. “Well, siyempre liliwanagin natin ulit ang talagang mga treaty agreement sa gitna ng Pilipinas at saka ng Amerika at titingnan natin kung dahil nga maraming pagbabago ay ‘yung climate change ay naging malaking bagay at magpapatulong tayo na para ano bang mga puwedeng gawin, ano bang mga strategy na puwedeng gawin,” said the President in an interview with broadcaster and former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo on Monday. The chief executive said Manila and Washington officials will discuss commitments to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), a 70-year-old accord between the two allies. “We have to evolve it. It has to evolve dahil nag-e-evolve din, kailangan ina-adjust adjust din natin ‘yan dahil

Dateline Kamuning: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has been briefed on the operations and other specifications of the American-made MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system. In a statement over the weekend, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said it was made possible during the air and missile defense subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) conducted by the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade of the United States Army at Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command in San Antonio, Zambales on April 19. ( SMEs from 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade of the US Army providing an informative learning session about their tour of duty with the Patriot Missile Defense System to 960th AMDG personnel.) "During the learning session, subject matter experts from the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade discussed the operations, role, various specifications, capabilities, and key parts of the Patriot missile defense system involving the radar set, engagement control station, missile