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COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people convicted in the slayings of police and military officers, as well as federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move weeks before the president-elect takes office. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner, Bryan Hurst, was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the killer's execution "would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House. But Hurst’s widow, Marissa Gibson, called Biden's move distressing and a "complete dismissal and undermining of the federal justice system,” in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch . Tim Timmerman, whose daughter, Rachel, was thrown into a Michigan lake in 1997 to keep her from testifying in a rape trial, said Biden's decision to commute the killer's sentence offered families “only pain.” "Where’s the justice in just giving him a prison bed to die comfortably in?” Timmerman said on WOOD-TV. Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a 2017 South Carolina bank robbery, called the commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post. “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Corey Groves, whose mother, Kim Groves, was murdered in a 1994 plot by a New Orleans police officer after she filed a complaint against him, said the family has been living with the “nightmare” of her killer for three decades. “I have always wanted him to spend the rest of his life in prison and have to wake up every morning and think about what he did when he took our mother from us," Groves said in a statement through his attorney. Families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church have long had a broad range of opinions on Roof's punishment. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Risher, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out federal death row. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Risher said in a statement. Risher, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, said during a Zoom news conference that families “are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come.” Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director, said Biden was giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of their political motivations to kill. “When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden has shown "the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” But Ed Dowd Jr., the U.S. attorney in St. Louis at the time of the robbery and now a private attorney, criticized Biden's move. “This case was a message to people who wanted to go out and shoot people for the hell of it, that you’re going to get the death penalty,” Dowd said. Now, "Biden is sending a message that you can do whatever you want and you won’t get the death penalty.” This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Rev. Sharon Risher's name. Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri; Stephen Smith in New Orleans, and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed.Princess Diana's ex-butler Paul Burrell claims her ghost 'sent' him his now-husband
First Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Continuing Operations Highlights * Net sales were $145 million, a 2.3% increase compared to the prior year, with a 0.8% decline in organic sales. * * Operating margin was 21.4% and adjusted operating margin was 21.5%. Net income was $21.7 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, and adjusted net income was $21.9 million, or $0.40 per diluted share. GAAP and adjusted EPS increased 21% and 3% year-over-year, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA was $34.3 million and adjusted EBITDA margin was 23.6%. Completed acquisition of DTA with integration well underway. * This press release contains financial measures in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in addition to non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measures are presented in the tables accompanying this release. ** Organic sales represent net sales excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates, acquisitions, and divestitures. A reconciliation of organic sales to comparable net sales is presented in the tables accompanying this release. MILWAUKEE, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enerpac Tool Group Corp. (NYSE: EPAC) (the “Company” or “Enerpac”) today announced results for its fiscal first quarter ended November 30, 2024. “We entered fiscal 2025 mindful of a sluggish industrial macro environment,” said Paul Sternlieb, Enerpac Tool Group’s President & CEO. “Nonetheless, we believe Enerpac can continue to outperform the market given our global brand leadership, targeted growth strategy, customer-driven innovation, and continuous improvement process to enhance operational efficiency and productivity.” First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Consolidated Results Comparisons “First quarter fiscal 2025 was essentially in line with our expectations, reflecting our ability to operate in a soft market, while lapping strong growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2024,” said Darren Kozik, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Consolidated net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 were $145.2 million compared to $142.0 million in the prior-year period, an increase of 2.3%. Organic sales, excluding the acquisition of DTA and the impact of foreign currency, decreased 0.8% year-over-year. Service organic revenue growth of 5.6% was offset by a 2.7% decline in product sales. Net sales for Industrial Tools & Services (IT&S) increased 2.3%, driven by the increase in service revenue and the acquisition of DTA. The organic sales decline of 1.0% for IT&S was partially offset by a year-over-year improvement at Cortland Biomedical, which comprises the Other operating segment. Gross profit margin declined 90 basis points year-over-year to 51.4% due to lower sales in the Americas, a higher percentage of service revenue, and a return to normalized margins at Cortland. Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) of $42.3 million were $2.3 million lower year-over-year. SG&A was 29.1% of sales, down from 31.4% in the year-ago period. Adjusted SG&A expenses, excluding one-time costs associated with the acquisition of DTA, were $42.2 million as compared to $41.1 million in fiscal 2024. The prior-year period adjusted SG&A excluded ASCEND and restructuring charges. As a percentage of sales, adjusted SG&A held flat at 29.0%. Operating profit increased 9% year-over-year to $31.1 million, with an operating profit margin of 21.4%, up from 20.2% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Adjusted operating profit decreased 3.6% to $31.3 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 21.5%, down from 22.8% in the year-ago period. First quarter fiscal 2025 net income and diluted EPS were $21.7 million and $0.40 respectively, compared to $18.3 million and $0.33, respectively, in the year-ago period. First quarter adjusted EBITDA was $34.3 million compared to $34.9 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted EBITDA margin declined 100 basis points year-over-year to 23.6% driven by lower gross margins coupled with the inclusion of DTA. Net cash provided by operating activities was $8.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 as compared to a use of $6.7 million in the prior-year period. Cash flow from operations was higher than the prior year, the benefit of higher net earnings, lower annual incentive compensation payments made in the first quarter compared to the prior year, and the absence of payments related to discontinued operations. (1) Excludes approximately $ 0.1 million of M&A costs in the first quarter of fiscal 202 5 a s compared to approximately $ 2.1 million of restructuring charges and $ 0.8 million of ASCEND charges in the first quarter of fiscal 202 4 . IT&S Results Comparisons First quarter fiscal 2025 net sales for IT&S were $140.1 million, an increase of 2.3% year-over-year with organic sales down 1.0%. The decline in organic sales was driven by a 3.0% decrease in product sales, partially offset by a 5.6% increase in service revenue. The segment’s operating profit margin increased approximately 110 basis points to 27.1% as the prior-year period included ASCEND and restructuring costs. Adjusted operating profit margin declined 90 basis points to 27.2%, driven by sales mix and the inclusion of DTA’s results. DTA Acquisition On September 4, Enerpac completed the acquisition of DTA, a producer of automated on-site horizontal movement products, to complement its Heavy Lifting Technology product portfolio. “With the integration well underway, we are capitalizing on the opportunity to leverage Enerpac’s global sales network and expand DTA’s sales outside of Europe,” added Sternlieb. Corporate Expenses from Continuing Operations Corporate expenses were $8.2 million and $8.9 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, respectively. The prior-year period included charges for ASCEND and restructuring. Adjusted corporate expenses (2) of $8.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 were flat as compared to the prior-year period. (2) F irst quarter fiscal 202 5 adj usted corp orate expenses exclude approximately $ 0.1 million of M &A costs a s compared to approximately $0. 3 million of restructuring charges and $ 0.4 million of ASCEND charges in the first quarter of fiscal 202 4 . * Calculated in accordance with the terms of the Company’s September 2022 Senior Credit Facility. Net debt on November 30, 2024, was $62.6 million, resulting in a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 0.5x. The company repurchased approximately 110,000 shares of its common stock in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 for a total of $4.4 million under its share repurchase program announced in March 2022. Cash decreased from the end of fiscal 2024 primarily due to the acquisition of DTA in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. Outlook “With the first quarter results roughly as anticipated, we are maintaining our full-year fiscal 2025 guidance, including total revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth of 5% at the midpoint of our guidance,” concluded Sternlieb. The Company is projecting a net sales range of $610 million to $625 million in fiscal 2025. The forecast anticipates organic sales growth of approximately 0% to 2%, with expected adjusted EBITDA in the range of $150 million to $160 million, and free cash flow between $85 million to $95 million. This forecast is based on the Company’s key foreign exchange rate assumptions and assumes that there is no broad-based global recession. Conference Call Information An investor conference call is scheduled for 7:30 am CT on December 19, 2024. Webcast information and conference call materials, including an earnings presentation, are available on the Enerpac Tool Group company website ( www.enerpactoolgroup.com ). Safe Harbor Statement Certain of the above comments represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition to statements with respect to guidance, the terms “outlook,” “guidance,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “objective,” “plan,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. In addition to the assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with such statements, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, general economic uncertainty, market conditions in the industrial, oil & gas, energy, power generation, infrastructure, commercial construction, truck and automotive industries, supply chain risks, including disruptions in deliveries from suppliers due to political tensions or the imposition, or threat of imposition, of tariffs, which could be affected by the outcome of the recent U.S. presidential election, the impact of geopolitical activity, including the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and international sanctions imposed in response thereto, as well as armed conflicts in the Middle East, including the impact on shipping in the Red Sea, the ability of the Company to achieve its plans or objectives related to its growth strategy, market acceptance of existing and new products, market acceptance of price increases, successful integration of acquisitions, the impact of dispositions and restructurings, the ability of the Company to continue to achieve its plans or objectives related to the PEP program, operating margin risk due to competitive pricing and operating efficiencies, risks related to reliance on independent agents and distributors for the distribution and service of products, material, labor, or overhead cost increases, tax law changes, foreign currency risk, interest rate risk, commodity risk, tariffs, litigation matters, cybersecurity risk, impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, the Company’s ability to access capital markets and other risks and uncertainties that may be referred to or noted in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including those described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024. Enerpac Tool Group disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Non-GAAP Financial Information This press release contains financial measures that are not measures presented in conformity with GAAP. These non-GAAP measures include organic sales, EBITDA from continuing operations, adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations, adjusted earnings from continuing operations, adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, adjusted operating profit from continuing operations, segment adjusted operating profit and adjusted EBITDA, adjusted corporate expense, adjusted SG&A expense, free cash flow and net debt. This press release includes reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measure, included in the tables attached to this press release or in footnotes to the tables included in this press release. Management believes the non-GAAP measures presented in this press release are commonly used financial measures for investors to evaluate Enerpac Tool Group’s operating performance and financial position with respect to the periods presented and, when read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements, present a useful tool to evaluate ongoing operations and provide investors with metrics they can use to evaluate aspects of the Company’s performance from period to period. In addition, these are some of the financial metrics management uses in internal evaluations of the overall performance of the Company’s business. Management acknowledges that there are many items that impact a company’s reported results and the adjustments reflected in these non-GAAP measures are not intended to present all items that may have impacted these results. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. About Enerpac Tool Group Enerpac Tool Group Corp. is a premier industrial tools, services, technology, and solutions provider serving a broad and diverse set of customers and end markets for mission-critical applications in more than 100 countries. The Company makes complex, often hazardous jobs possible safely and efficiently. Enerpac Tool Group’s businesses are global leaders in high pressure hydraulic tools, controlled force products, and solutions for precise positioning of heavy loads that help customers safely and reliably tackle some of the most challenging jobs around the world. The Company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Enerpac Tool Group common stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol EPAC. For further information on Enerpac Tool Group and its businesses, visit the Company's website at www.enerpactoolgroup.com . (tables follow) Contact: Travis Williams Senior Director, Investor Relations +1.262.293.1912
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The claim: Mexico broke off relations with Canada A Dec. 8 Instagram post ( direct link , archive link ) claims one North American nation has cut diplomatic ties with another. “The Mexican government breaks off political relations with Canada and withdraws your permission to continue mining gold and minerals in the country,” says a narrator in the video. The post was liked 1,000 times in about two weeks. The video was also shared elsewhere on Instagram . More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page Our rating: False There has been no change in the formal relationship between the two countries, according to a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada. Canada, Mexico trade barbs but diplomatic relations unchanged President-elect Donald Trump announced on Nov. 25 that he plans to impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada once he takes office. Trump said the assessments were punishment for illegal immigration and drugs flowing across the borders, and the U.S.’s neighbors immediately criticized the proposal . Trump's equal treatment of the two nations has caused division between them, according to the Associated Press . Ontario Premier Doug Ford said , “To compare us to Mexico is the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Canadian criticism by saying that Canada has "a very serious problem with fentanyl consumption” and that it “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” But the two countries have not severed diplomatic ties, Jean-Pierre Godbout , a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, told USA TODAY. “In 2024, Canada and Mexico celebrated 80 years of diplomatic relations, highlighting their commitment to enhancing and expanding bilateral and North American ties,” Godbout wrote in an email. “Over the past 30 years, their partnership has been strengthened through free trade agreements.” A common sign of worsening diplomatic ties is the closing , sometimes involuntarily , of a nation’s embassy or consulates in another country. Neither Canada nor Mexico mentions such closings on their diplomatic websites, and there are no news reports about such a development. The claim of Canadian mining concessions being terminated in Mexico is also false, Godbout said. More than 130 Canadian mining companies operate in Mexico, according to Godbout, and the Canadian government is not aware of any change to these operations. The Mexican Geological Service makes no mention of any termination of Canadian mining rights this year, nor has Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned any such punitive steps in her news conferences since Trump announced the tariffs. Fact check : No, Mexico did not pledge to stop migrant caravans after Trump tariff threat USA TODAY reached out to the Mexico Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as social media users who made the claim for comment but did not immediately receive responses. AFP also debunked the claim. Our fact-check sources Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here . USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta .Mysuru : City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar has said, the role of youths is pivotal in the prevention and detection of crime. She was addressing the gathering of students after inaugurating a workshop on legal awareness organised as part of Crime Prevention Month at M. Govindarao Memorial Hall of GSSS Institute of Engineering & Technology (GSSSIETW) on KRS Road in city recently. “If any crime is happening, you shouldn’t vacate the spot either for being not party to it or due to fear. If the situation warrants, respond or else inform the Police. Instead of detecting the crime, it would be better to prevent it. Co-operation of general public, especially youngsters holds the key in prevention and detection of crime and they should co-operate with Police in this regard,” appealed the City Top Cop. Pointing at the students, Latkar said, after graduating as engineers, you may take up jobs, but awareness about personal safety is a must, along with current affairs. Laws related to children, women and seniors is strong. If one holds a woman by her hand, without permission, it may amount to crime. Hence, the girl students must have knowledge about laws, she said. Latkar also spoke about Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) among others. DCP (Crime and Traffic) S. Jahnavi, ACP (Vijayanagar Sub-Division) H.S. Gajendra Prasad, Advocate Savanth, Metagalli Police Inspector Diwakar, Hebbal Police Inspector A. Mallesh, Vijayanagar Police Inspector Suresh Kumar, GSSS Administrative Officer Anupama B. Pandit, CEO R.K. Bharath, GSSSIETW Principal Dr. M. Shivakumar were present. GSSSIETW Seema Latkar
Relief, defiance, anger: Families and advocates react to Biden's death row commutationsMinnesota is focused on one final task before it sets its sights on the Big Ten Conference season. The Golden Gophers (7-5) will look to finish 2024 on a high note when they host Morgan State on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. It will be the final nonconference game for Minnesota before it begins conference play in earnest with a home date against No. 21 Purdue on Thursday. Meanwhile, Morgan State (6-9) is hoping to break out of a skid that has included seven losses in its past 10 games. The Bears are coming off a 99-72 loss against No. 3 Iowa State on Dec. 22. The highest scorer on either team is Minnesota's Dawson Garcia, who is averaging 19.2 points to go along with a team-high 7.3 rebounds this season. Garcia is shooting 49.7 percent from the field, 85 percent from the free-throw line and 31.8 percent from 3-point range. Mike Mitchell Jr. ranks second on the Golden Gophers with 11.6 points per game. Lu'Cye Patterson is next with 10 points per contest, and Parker Fox is fourth with 6.8 points per game. "At the end of the day, we're all here for a reason," Mitchell said. "We have to produce when we're out there, but once (Garcia) gets going, it helps us all figure it out together." Minnesota coach Ben Johnson has seen opponents focus on slowing down Garcia as the season has progressed. That strategy could create opportunities for other teammates, he said. "Teams are always going to guard Dawson differently," Johnson said. "Are they not switching ball screens? Can you play through him in the post? ... When you get two on the ball, you can (kick) it out. Now you've got an advantage on the backside." For Morgan State, Wynston Tabbs leads the way with 16.1 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting from the field. Three other players are scoring in double figures: Amahrie Simpkins (12.7 points per game), Will Thomas (12.1) and Kameron Hobbs (10.7). Morgan State coach Kevin Broadus wants his players to be more disciplined on defense. "That's one of the things that we have to change," Broadus said. "We're fouling too much." This is the second meeting between the schools. Minnesota pulled away for a 94-64 win on its home court in the inaugural matchup on Dec. 8, 2009. --Field Level Media
Washington [USA], December 21 (ANI): The first trailer for the latest season of Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Curious Case of...’ series was released on Friday. The new season takes a closer look at the conservatorship involving former Jackass star Brandon “Bam” Margera as he battled substance abuse and addiction, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The premiere episode, which is set to air on January 13 on Max, looks into Margera’s journey toward sobriety, which included a controversial conservatorship. The trailer shows a legal tug-of-war between BJ Corville, a lawyer investigating Margera’s case, and Lima Jeramovic, a tech entrepreneur using VR technology in his addiction treatment. In the trailer, Margera compares his situation to Britney Spears, saying, “I’m the Britney Spears of Jackass,” referring to the pop star’s highly publicized conservatorship battle that ended in 2021 after 14 years. Natalia Grace is not the only curious case... Watch #TheCuriousCaseOf January 13 at 10/9c on ID pic.twitter.com/5CrijWHDlX — Investigation Discovery (@DiscoveryID) December 20, 2024 The episode shows how Margera’s struggles with addiction and mental health, including a bipolar disorder diagnosis and multiple rehab stints since 2009, led to his placement under legal guardianship. The conservatorship handed over decision-making powers to others while he sought treatment. Margera, once a core member of the Jackass crew, was let go from Jackass 4 in 2021 after failing a drug test. He later filed a lawsuit claiming his termination was illegal discrimination due to his physical and mental health challenges. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the episode features interviews with Lima Jeramovic, BJ Corville, Margera’s family, and his former Jackass co-star, Steve-O. Legal analyst Beth Karas, who appeared in ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace’, is also part of the series. (ANI) This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );So much for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) repeated assurances that it has been actively working on various infrastructure projects to address the metro’s perennial flood problem. The latest Commission on Audit (COA) report has exposed the agency for its “poor strategies” that deprived the public of much-needed benefits. In its 2023 report, the COA said that 22 projects worth over P510 million under the Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase 1 were “not completed” on time under the contract. This crucial project, backed by a $415-million loan from the World Bank, aims to rehabilitate 36 pumping stations and build 20 new ones this year. However, only two stations have been rehabilitated and none of the new ones have been completed as of September. The COA said the delays of up to 310 days cost the government P32.9 million, covering five years from 2018 to 2023, in commitment fees—or the nonrefundable charge imposed on borrowers with an unwithdrawn loan balance—to creditor banks. State auditors said these funds could have been used for other priority programs and projects. In addition, there were 29 projects worth P371.03 million not implemented due to cancellations and failure to hold early bidding activities. “This resulted in the nonattainment of the intended objectives of the projects and deprived the public of benefits therefrom,” the COA report stated. The commission pointed to “poor strategies in the monitoring and implementation of programs and projects, resulting in significant revisions in the target completion time.” And while it approved 22 subprojects for a contract extension, it said that pushing back completion targets “may be an indication of ineffective planning.” This audit report covers projects that have been ongoing up to last year, but the impact of inadequate flood control infrastructure was certainly felt this year when several typhoons hit the National Capital Region and highlighted the lack of a flood control master plan. In July, Typhoon “Carina” and the enhanced southwest monsoon (“habagat”) showed the metro’s “antiquated” drainage system, which the MMDA said had been built in the 1970s and was already silted with waste. Ironically, the Carina flooding happened within days of President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address where he reported that over 5,500 flood control projects have been completed between July 2022 and May 2024. In November, after the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine,” the President admitted that the flood control infrastructure was not enough. “We have flood control infrastructure, but they’re not enough ... because in the whole history of the Philippines, we haven’t experienced anything like this,” Mr. Marcos said, attributing the floods to the changes in weather patterns that have brought increasingly severe and unpredictable storms. According to the Department of Science and Technology’s GeoRisk PH database, eight out of 10 residents in the National Capital Region are vulnerable to flooding while two out of 10 residents are affected by severe flooding that reaches at least one meter high and lasts for more than two days. The massive floods that were seen last year due to intermittent and heavy rains—not even typhoons—in many parts of Metro Manila should already have been a wake-up call. The government should have applied haste in upgrading and rehabilitating old infrastructure, particularly outdated drainage systems. There is simply no excuse for inefficiencies in implementing these projects considering that floods in Metro Manila have long been an issue. Some of the causes of delay cited in the COA report, such as customs clearances and port congestion, could easily be addressed by improving the process and removing red tape while reasons, such as changes of design and specifications for custom-made goods and reconceptualization, could be avoided if those in charge of the planning had solid strategy and foresight. MMDA officials should be held accountable for these delays—nearly half of its 58 flood control projects were stalled. Even worse, the agency only had a 12-percent accomplishment rate for its performance targets for “percentage decrease in flooded areas” under flood mitigation measures. Legislators must also act on the proposed National Land Use Act, which can help in addressing the flood problems by regulating urban development and institutionalizing proper utilization and management of land resources in the country. The measure has already passed the House of Representatives but has been stalled at the Senate committee level since 2022 despite Mr. Marcos tagging it as a priority since last year. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Unless these issues are addressed, the flooding problem will persist and the same excuses will be repeated every year at the expense of the greater public good.Health Brief: The Threat From Sugary Drinks, ADHD, And The Cholesterol-Dementia Connection
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NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-insCollege Basketball Picks Against the Spread: SWAC Games Today, December 30