PROPOSED PPP TO HELP BUILD NEW JAILS
A proposed public-private partnership (PPP) project aiming to solve the dire jail conditions faced by existing penal facilities such as the New Bilibid Prison and the Correctional Institution for Women has been recently approved for funding support.

According to a statement released by the PPP Center, the proposal to construct regional prison facilities across the Philippines using PPP option has been approved for Project Development and Monitoring Facility funding support on October 12. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

DA URGED TO FOCUS ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
In a move to guarantee food security, Sen. Edgardo Angara has called on the Department of Agriculture to pour its resources to research and development especially in the field of agriculture. “This is necessary to increase the industry’s productivity and guarantee food supply in the country,” said Angara. He also recommended that the agency allot more of its P74.987-billion proposed budget for 2013 toward agriculture-based research projects to initiate the much-needed modernization of the sector. RITCHIE A. HORARIO

DEFERRAL OF DPWH BRIDGE PROJECTS PROPOSED
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Rogelio Singson has proposed to Malacañang the deferral of the loan agreement and implementation of the DPWH bridge projects approved by the National Economic Development Authority in September, pending the result of a Senate investigation on alleged anomalies surrounding the said projects. “We will need some time to verify and secure some verified data, certifications which could be raised in the Senate investigation to make sure that these proposed new projects are not anomalous and these serve the best interest of the country,” Singson said. JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA