News Briefs

Lorenzana mourns death of McCain, ‘true friend of Filipinos’

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana voiced sadness over the death of US Sen. John McCain, whom he described as a “true friend of the Philippines and the Filipino people.” Lorenzana said that, as chair of the US Senate’s armed services committee, McCain was “among those who valued not just the shared history between our two countries but also the importance of our strategic partnership.” The former naval aviator “never forgot the sacrifices of Filipinos who fought under the American flag during the Second World War,” Lorenzana said. “Together with Sen. Daniel Inouye and Sen. Daniel Akaka, he played an important role in securing US government recognition for our aging veterans,” he added. Lorenzana said he had the chance to work with McCain as defense attaché and subsequently as veterans affairs representative at the Philippine Embassy in Washington from 2002 to 2016. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE

Go on Senate run: I will follow wisdom of the President

KIDAPAWAN CITY—For the nth time, Presidential Assistant Christopher “Bong” Go said he was not interested in running for a Senate seat in next year’s elections. But Go did not shut the door on the possibility amid what his supporters claim is the rising clamor for him to seek office. “Only President Duterte can convince me to change my heart and run for a Senate seat because he knows pretty well where I can be of help. I will follow the wisdom of the President,” he said. The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan already included Go on its list of Senate candidates. He brushed aside criticisms that he did not possess the qualities of a senator. “This is a democracy. My critics can run for any public office as much as I can run for any position I desire.” —EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ

Displaced Boracay workers have yet to claim P60M cash aid

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) still has about P60 million to be released as financial assistance to displaced Boracay workers as more than 4,000 eligible beneficiaries have yet to claim the compensation following the government’s order to close the island to tourists for six months. Of the 17,735 workers eligible to receive financial assistance, only 13,000 have so far claimed their monthly compensation of P4,205.50, the DOLE said. The amount is equivalent to half the prevailing minimum wage in Western Visayas and will be given to affected workers until October, when the island is expected to be reopened to the public. Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod urged workers to proceed to the nearest labor office so they could claim the cash assistance. —JOVIC YEE

Oil companies raise diesel, gasoline pump prices anew

Local oil prices went up for the third week in a row as world crude stocks fell anew. Pump prices of diesel rose by 60 centavos and gasoline by 10 centavos per liter starting at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Oil firms which have announced price increases include Pilipinas Shell, PTT, Seaoil, Total, Phoenix Petroleum and Caltex (Chevron). Shell, Seaoil and Caltex also raised the prices of kerosene by 45 centavos per liter. The Department of Energy said the latest round of price changes brought the price of diesel in Metro Manila to within the range of P42.10 to P46.85 a liter and gasoline with an octane rating of 95 from P49.55 to P60.93. Diesel prices have gone up 23 times but have gone down 11 times this year, resulting in a net increase of P9.95 per liter. Also, prices of gasoline have gone up 24 times but have gone down 10 times for a net increase of P9.87 per liter. —RONNEL W. DOMINGO