Government with monarchy

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Back in September, President Biden inked a new executive order setting the government on a bold new course for creating a national biostrategy . One of the first tasks assigned to each of the government agencies was to develop goals that outline how they plan to realize the vision of a bio-based economy. Yesterday the White House issued a report highlighting just that. Spearheaded by Georgia Lagoudas, Senior Advisor for Biotechnology and Bioeconomy at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy who is responsible for implementing the Executive Order , the document contains a number of specific strategies developed by agencies like the USDA, NIH, NSF, DOE, and DOD for introducing climate change solutions, food and agriculture innovation, supply chain resilience, human health, as well as cross-cutting advances that can have an impact across all those sectors. Representatives from those agencies spoke at the … [Read more...] about U.S. Government Sets Bold Goals For The U.S. Bioeconomy – Including A Target For 30% Of Bio-Based Chemicals

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The U.K. parliament will block all devices on its network from accessing TikTok, according to an announcement Thursday, complementing efforts by European governments and the U.S. in restricting the China-owned app over national security and data privacy concerns. Key Facts A spokesperson for the U.K. parliament—citing cybersecurity concerns—said Thursday that TikTok will be blocked from all parliament devices and any device accessing its network. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said Thursday the Scottish government will ban the app from all devices accessing its network effective immediately, following discussions with the British government. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said all devices used by British government employees would be unable to access TikTok—and the devices will only be able to access pre-approved third-party apps. TikTok will be deleted from all devices … [Read more...] about U.K. Bans TikTok From Parliament Devices—Here Are The Other Governments Banning The App

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Steve Durbin is Chief Executive of Information Security Forum . He is a frequent speaker on the Board’s role in cybersecurity and technology. Information security governance is the guiding hand that organizes and directs risk mitigation efforts into a business-aligned strategy for the entire organization. Yet governance can be extremely challenging because organizations are dynamic entities operating in a backdrop of perpetual change with varied levels of cybersecurity maturity and multiple conflicting priorities. While misdirected governance can expose the organization to multiple risks and weaken the entire security posture, engaged governance can make the organization more resilient to cyberattacks and greatly enhance business success in the long run. So how can organizations build engaged governance? That answer lies in the maturity of the information security function as well as the competence and … [Read more...] about Achieving The Five Levels Of Information Security Governance

Last summer, a friend of mine was about to leave on a trip for Mexico when she realized that her passport had expired. One round-trip flight and hundreds of dollars in fees later, and she got the expedited renewal before her trip. But the secondhand anxiety was enough for me to go immediately check my own passport. Expiration: April 2029. I should be good, right? For now, yes. But when—or maybe if, at this rate—2029 rolls around, I could be in exactly the same position as my friend. So, I created a calendar event called “1 year till passport expires” and set it for April 2028. A to-do list doesn’t do the trick for every task Yes, I could have added “renew passport” to my to-do list and set a deadline or a reminder. On many apps, I could have even hidden the task from view until it was time to do it. But do I really want a task that’s not coming up for another half a decade to live in my to-do list? No, I do not. I do have a personal to-do list (in Google … [Read more...] about Make this radical change to your to-do list

Senator Grace Poe MANILA, Philippines — The executive order from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the creation of Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) is a “timely intervention” that will boost action to address the rising water stress in the country, said Senator Grace Poe. Marcos earlier said that his directive for the establishment of WRMO had already been signed and would soon be released for implementation. Poe, chair of the upper chamber’s panel on public services, welcomed the move on Thursday as she noted that bills seeking a more integrated water policy in the country are still being deliberated upon in Congress. “This is a timely intervention from the executive branch which will hopefully alleviate the creeping water crisis in the country,” she said in a statement. The legislator lamented the irony of the Philippines being plagued by a water crisis despite being an archipelago – all because of “fragmented resource management.” “We expect that this … [Read more...] about Poe: Marcos order creating water management office a ‘timely intervention’

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO TAGUM CITY — A former top executive of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has urged member-consumers of the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco) to continue raising their voice against the planned entry of the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) into its franchise area or else they would fall into the supposed ‘profit motive’ of the firm. Edgrado Masongsong, secretary general of the National Center of Electric Consumers Cooperative (NCECCO), warned Nordeco member consumers that if they allow DLPC to take over several areas of its franchise, the members would turn into “mere rental payers” of the power distribution company. Unlike private power companies, which are allowed to raise power rates in the era of deregulation, power coops still continue to consult with their members and even report to them the cooperative’s financial status every end of the year. Masongsong, a former NEA administrator, cited their … [Read more...] about Ex-NEA exec warns vs ‘profit motive’ of Aboitiz firm in taking over Davao electric coop franchise

The Bantay Dagat (Sea Patrol) reported on Thursday, March 23, 2023, to the Calapan Fishery Management Office (FMO) sighting of oil slick in the Harka Piloto sanctuary in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. Photo courtesy of Bantay Dagat thru FMO CITY OF CALAPAN — The oil slick from the sunken MT Princess Empress reached on Thursday afternoon the Harka Piloto fish sanctuary in Barangay Lazareto in this city, according to reports received by the Calapan Fishery and Management Office (FMO). Photos of the oil slick taken by Bantay Dagat (sea patrol) were given to FMO when it was seen around 1 p.m. Harka Piloto is along the Verde Island Passage, where the world’s most critical marine biodiversity center is found, said Marius Panahon, aquaculturist at Calapan FMO, in an interview. As a marine-protected area, the Harka Piloto Fish Sanctuary is being protected actively by the community and the local government. A cleanup was immediately launched to remove the oil from its waters and … [Read more...] about Oil slick from sunken vessel reaches fish sanctuary in Calapan City

TRANSPARENCY POLICY President Duterte signs an executive order laying down his administration’s policy of full public disclosure and transparency in public service, but it does not cover the legislature, judiciary and even local governments. —MALACAÑANG PHOTO President Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of an executive order on freedom of information (FOI) was a much-lauded move and a step in the right direction, but it has had “unintended consequences” that have not always led to greater transparency. Executive Order No. 2, signed on July 23, 2016, and implemented for about seven months now, has laid down a policy of full public disclosure and transparency in public service to promote accountability, and sets the guidelines for requesting and releasing information from offices under the executive branch. Subsequent issuances laid down exceptions to transparency and the administrative penalties for government officers who would not abide by these. Congress, LGUs not covered The … [Read more...] about Duterte’s FOI order leads to ‘unintended consequences’

PS-DBM logo MANILA, Philippines — Despite the cloud of controversy surrounding the government’s pandemic supply purchases and the suspension of several officials, the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) remains committed to its procurement and administrative reforms. In a Thursday statement, the PS-DBM accepts the verdict of the Ombudsman, mandating a preventive suspension for incumbent and former officials involved in the controversial multibillion-peso deals awarded by the Duterte administration to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp at the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. READ: Ombudsman suspends 33 execs in Pharmally mess The agency assured the public that it would implement the order from the Ombudsman within the given time frame. “Under the current leadership, the PS-DBM shall continue to implement and institute crucial procurement and administrative reforms while implementing zero tolerance on irregularities and any form of corruption,” it … [Read more...] about After suspension of execs, PS-DBM vows to press on with procurement, admin reforms

Warren Rex Liong —Photo from Philippine Reclamation Authority website MANILA, Philippines — A former official of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget Management (PS-DBM) is seeking to clear his name after he was placed under preventive suspension for his involvement in the graft-tainted government purchases of healthcare supplies at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through his legal counsel Rafael Calinisan, Warren Rex Liong – then the PS-DBM’s procurement group director and now the Overall Deputy Ombudsman – along with 32 other former and current officials of the Department of Health and the PS-DBM, were meted out a six-month suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman pending investigation. READ: Ombudsman suspends 33 execs in Pharmally mess They are currently in hot water for their alleged hand in the graft-tainted, multi-billion deals awarded by the Duterte administration to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. for the supply of government pandemic supplies. … [Read more...] about Liong seeks to clear name: I didn’t earn a single peso from Pharmally deals