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ARTA eyes additional P200 million for 2024
The Anti-Red Tape Authority is hoping for the approval of an additional P200 million in its budget for next year, saying this will be used to expand its operations to cover all regions in the country......»»
Ombudsman ordersDA Asec dismissed
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from the service of Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista in connection with a dubious deal with an onion supplier that led to a spike in the price of the commodity last year. The Ombudsman found Evangelista and John Gabriel Benedict Trinidad III, vice president for operations of Food Terminal Inc., guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service. They were dismissed for grave misconduct and negligence of duty, respectively. Moreover, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Evangelista, Trinidad, and several others for breach of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and for “falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents (Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code).” The criminal and administrative charges against DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, chief accountant officer-in-charge Lolita Jamela, administrative officer V Eunice Biblanias, and budget division head Juanita Lualhati were dropped due to lack of probable cause and insufficiency of evidence. Likewise, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of both criminal and administrative charges against FTI president Robert Tan, who will stand as a witness for the prosecution. Back in August, the Ombudsman placed Evangelista, Trinidad, and several others, except for Panganiban and Tan, under preventive suspension in connection with the onion supply shortage in the country’s markets, price manipulation, and the dubious procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative. Ombudsman records showed the DA entered into a memorandum of agreement with FTI for the Food Mobilization or Kadiwa Food Hub project. FTI, on the other hand, entered into a letter of agreement with Bonena for the delivery of 8,845 bags (approximately 28 kilograms/bag) of onions as part of the Kadiwa Food Hub. They were accused of violating RA 3019 and the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) due to the lack of parameters in the selection of a cooperative that would supply and deliver the onions; the questionable advance payment of 50 percent of the contract price; non-compliance of the MoA; partial implementation of the contract; and doubtful deliveries by Bonena.” The country experienced an agricultural shortage, primarily in onions, which soared to as high as P500 to P700 per kilo during the last quarter of 2022. The post Ombudsman ordersDA Asec dismissed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Agri officials dismissed by Ombudsman for graft, misconduct
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of Department of Agriculture assistant secretary Kristine Evangelista in relation to a dubious deal with an onion supplier that led to a spike in the commodity last year. The Ombudsman found Evangelista and John Gabriel Benedict Trinidad III, vice president for operations of Food Terminal Incorporated, guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and dismissed for grave misconduct and negligence of duty, respectively. Moreover, the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Evangelista, Trinidad and several others for breaching the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019), and for "falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents (Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code)." The criminal and administrative charges against DA senior undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, chief accountant officer-in-charge Lolita Jamela, administrative officer V Eunice Biblanias and budget division head Juanita Lualhati, however, were dropped due to lack of probable cause and insufficiency of evidence. Likewise, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of both criminal and administrative charges against FTI president Robert Tan to stand as a witness of the prosecution. Back in August, the Ombudsman placed Evangelista, Trinidad and several others, except for Panganiban and Tan, under preventive suspension in connection with the onion supply shortage in the Philippine markets, price manipulation and the dubious procurement of onions by FTI from Bonena Multi-Purpose Cooperative. The Ombudsman’s records showed that the DA entered into a memorandum of agreement with FTI for the Food Mobilization or Kadiwa Food Hub project. FTI, on the other hand, entered into a letter of agreement with Bonena for the delivery of 8,845 bags (approximately 28 kilograms/bag) of onions as part of the said Kadiwa Food Hub. They were accused of violating RA 3019 and the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) due to the lack of parameters in the selection of a cooperative that will supply and deliver the onions; questionable advance payment of 50 percent of the contract price; non-compliance of the MoA; partial implementation of the contract; and doubtful deliveries by Bonena. During the last quarter of 2022, the country experienced an agricultural shortage, primarily in onions, the prices of which soared to as high as P500 to P700 per kilo. Citing the evidence, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said “it seems like the prices of onions were manipulated.” “It seems like there was no bidding. We obtained CCTV footage from FTI showing what looks like a single person bringing three envelopes to the senior vice president,” he said. The post Agri officials dismissed by Ombudsman for graft, misconduct appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Furlough looms for 1.8M federal employees
United States federal agencies started notifying 1.8 million workers of their temporary furlough with the impending shutdown of the government due to a congressional impasse on the budget. Funding for much of the federal government will expire at midnight on Saturday but lawmakers are mired in perennial deadlock on a new funding bill. A small group of hardline Republicans are demanding deep spending cuts on the budget but Democrats disagree. The American Federation of Government Employees said federal workers would go unpaid for the duration that there is no legislated funding but their salary will be retroactively paid when the new budget law is passed. “If there is a shutdown in just a few days, our service members would be required to continue working but would be doing so without pay, and hundreds and thousands of their civilian colleagues would be furloughed,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Thursday. The Treasury Department added that among other implications, “most core tax administration functions will stop” and more than half of the Internal Revenue Service staff will be furloughed. Anti-McCarthy protest Dozens of American teenagers occupied the office of the top Republican lawmaker on Thursday to protest against a looming government shutdown that they say will exacerbate the climate crisis. The Sunrise Movement, a nationwide youth environmental campaign, said around 30 of its members flooded inside House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office while over a hundred more crowded the hallway outside. The group says 18 protesters were detained by police after refusing to disperse. McCarthy was not present during the protest at the Rayburn House Office Building, across the road from the US Capitol. The Sunrise Movement has voiced concerns over funding for emergency disaster relief and pro-climate provisions in Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act. “In my state, in Oregon, people are dying from wildfire smoke and extreme heat in the summers. People are dying in hurricanes across the country and climate disasters everywhere,” activist Adah Crandall, 17, from Portland, told Agence France-Presse. “The GOP has blood on its hands, and if it shuts down the government... and fails to continue providing the support that people need to literally stay alive, they should be ashamed of themselves,” she said. WITH AFP The post Furlough looms for 1.8M federal employees appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PHAPi: Cyber-attack on PhilHealth to further delay unpaid claims reimbursement
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. on Wednesday said it is expecting further delays in the reimbursement of arrears of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to private hospitals due to the cyber-attack on the agency’s online system. According to PHAPi president Dr. Rene de Grano, the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s online system is expected to cause further delay in its promise to settle its outstanding debts to hospitals amounting to P27 billion. “During the past hearing, PhilHealth president [Emmanuel] Mandy Ledesma promised to pay by December the P27 billion-worth of supposed arrears of PhilHealth to different hospitals,” De Grano told reporters in a chance interview. “Of course, we are hoping that it will be pushed through. But then this problem (cyber-attack) came, which made PhilHealth’s entire system down, then of course, we will be expecting more delays,” he added. Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. As defined by Trend Micro, a multinational cyber security software company, ransomware is a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. In the state-run health insurer’s case, the Medusa ransomware group was said to be demanding $300,000 in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. Worst case scenario Earlier this month, Ledesma made a commitment before lawmakers in the budget deliberation of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed P199 billion budget of the Department of Health for next year that the state-run health insurer would settle “a bulk or majority” of its P27 billion unpaid claims to various hospitals in the country. Of the P27 billion worth of unpaid claims by PhilHealth to various hospitals, P10 to P15 billion are estimated to be from private hospitals. Unlike big private hospitals that have “buffer funds,” De Grano said that further delays in payment would cripple the operations of smaller private hospitals. “Most of the small private hospitals rely on or are very dependent on patients who are NBB, charity patients, or no balance billing,” he said. “If there would be further delay in payments, smaller private hospitals will run out of money to the point that it will affect their cash flow. It will affect their operations.” If the non-payment of PhilHealth continues, he warned that smaller private hospitals would require their patients to pay their bills from their pockets. “The worst that will happen, initially, perhaps smaller private hospitals would no longer accept [PhilHealth] beneficiaries. They would ask patients to pay their bills out of their pockets,” he said. “Because, otherwise, we can no longer provide these services. Private hospitals are paying for their nurses, medicines, and supplies. If PhilHealth won’t pay them, it would empty their funds,” he added. Delayed HEA Meanwhile, De Grano also expressed his support for the complaint filed by a group of private healthcare workers against several DOH regional offices before the Anti-Red Tape Authority over the long overdue distribution of their health emergency allowances or HEA. “They prioritized the government facilities. The private [hospitals] were left,” he said. “They should tell the truth. They must tell if there are no longer funds available.” Earlier this week, the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines, whose members are part of at least 26 private hospitals in the country, filed a complaint against DOH regional offices over its failure to distribute P5.8 billion worth of HEA. Under Republic Act No. 11494, also known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, healthcare workers who were at the frontline of the government's fight against COVID-19 are mandated to receive HEA and other benefits. The post PHAPi: Cyber-attack on PhilHealth to further delay unpaid claims reimbursement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Aplasca submits courtesy resignation to PBBM
The Office for Transportation Security (OTS) Administrator, Ma.O Aplasca, formally submitted his courtesy resignation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday afternoon. It was in connection with the statement made by House Speaker Martin Romualdez that he would personally block the approval of the OTS budget and the Department of Transportation. According to Aplasca, he is not ready to sacrifice the agency but he considers it an honorable task in the interest of the majority. As the administrator of the OTS, he said he did not do anything wrong. He added that he just implemented the anti-corruption campaign in all the airports. Aplasca also believes that the men and women of OTS will not fail in their promise to clean up their ranks to realize a convenient and safe transportation system. The post Aplasca submits courtesy resignation to PBBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Perjury raps vs 2 activists underway
Perjury charges are now being prepared against the two environmentalists who recanted their “handwritten affidavit” stating they have “voluntarily surrendered” to the military and declared that soldiers abducted them after they went missing. During the deliberation of the Senate Committee on Finance on 2024 proposed P229.9-billion budget of the Department of National Defense and its attached agencies, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa asked on the case update of Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro who earlier retracted what they said in their affidavit. “May case preparation ngayon, inter-agency case preparation for the filing of perjury charges sa kanila. Nire-review lang ang mga sworn statements ng mga testigo (There is a case preparation now, multi-agency case preparation for the filing of perjury charges against them. The sworn statements of the witnesses are being reviewed),” Teodoro told Dela Rosa. In a previous press conference organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, Tamano and Castor denied that they surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion. Philippine Army chief LtGen. Roy Galido earlier admitted that the two young activists had tricked the military, contrary to their earlier statements sworn before the Public Attorney's Office. "We felt betrayed that's why we will file the necessary case, to use our laws, just like when you are also betrayed when your clients are betrayed, they file a case against you, so we just have to follow the rule of law in our country," Galido said. Meanwhile, Dela Rosa urged the DND to push through with the filing of perjury charges against Tamano and Castro. "We should do that. I am encouraging you. Grabe 'yung maka-kaliwa, grabe maka-jump sa bandwagon nung epekto na 'yun. Talagang all-out sila. Dapat tayo rin, sumagot din tayo. Parang lumalabas na para bang inaamin na lang natin na totoo ang sinasabi nila (The leftists are really jumping on the bandwagon following their retraction. They are really all-out. We must answer that. It seems like we are just admitting that what they are saying is true),” said Dela Rosa. The senator said the security forces should be aggressive in their actions against propaganda of the communist-leaning parties. Teodoro noted that the intelligence information on the two activists is liable. “Your honor, talagang sigurado po ako sa ebidensya dito (I’m really sure about the evidences),” said Teodoro, noting that the recantation of the two activists is just part of the dramas being perpetrated by the left-leaning organizations. ‘Lesson learned: Be wary’ Dela Rosa also warned the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. to be wary of entertaining communist surrenderers. “Lessons learned, General Brawner. Ingat kayo kasi pwede kayong saksakin sa likuran niyan (Just be careful because they can stab your back),” he said. "Masyado tayong mabait, masyado na tayong gentleman. Masyado tayong mapagbigay to the point na 'yun pala, nilalason na pala tayo sa sarili nating tubig (We are too kind, we are too gentlemanly. We are too generous to the point that we are being poisoned in our own waters),” Dela Rosa added. On the other hand, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri emphasized the need to provide sufficient funds for the NTF-ELCAC, to augment the military’s efforts on its Balik-Loob program. “We should help in their budget, we should continue providing funds for NTF-ELCAC, especially in barangay projects because that’s what winning hearts and minds. It has been very successful in Bukidnon and any other provinces,” he said. Dela Rosa supported Zubiri’s suggestion. However, the funds of the anti-insurgency task force are being lodged in the expenditure program of the National Security Council. The post Perjury raps vs 2 activists underway appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OP pressed to give up CIF
The Office of the President is studying a proposal to realign for education, health, housing and social services the multi-billion-peso confidential and intelligence funds, or CIF, in the P5.768-trillion proposed 2024 national budget. This was revealed by ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who stood as the sponsor of the OP budget during the debate in the House of Representatives on the P10.7-billion proposed budget for the Office of the President for next year. “This is being studied, Mr. Speaker, by the government,” Tulfo said in response to ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro’s statement that “it is high time to remove this CIF.” “Don’t give it to the civilian agency that has nothing to do with what we call confidential expenses, surveillance, and other things about intelligence,” Castro said. Tulfo, however, expressed reservations about totally removing the CIF from the budget as “it is used to gather information on national security and the internal and external threats to the country.” He said the Office of the President has allocated CIFs to seven agencies, amounting to P4.56 billion. The seven agencies are the Presidential Situation Room, National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Coordinating Committee, National Cybersecurity Inter-Agency Committee, Presidential Anti–Organized Crime Commission, Philippine Center on Transnational Crimes, Anti-Terrorism Council Project Management Council, and National Coast Watch System, all created under various executive orders of previous administrations. Castro said the CIF has been prone to abuse. In the proposed P5.768-trillion national budget, P9.2 billion will go to CIFs across all agencies — P4.3 billion in confidential funds and P4.9 billion in intelligence funds. The OP stands to receive P4.5 billion in confidential funds. In contrast, the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, both under Vice President Sara Duterte, will receive P500 million and P150 million, respectively, or a total of P650 million. The post OP pressed to give up CIF appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoA queries PNP’s TXT 2920
The Department of the Interior and Local Government unit, which supervises the Philippine National Police, has pledged to take necessary measures amid reports that anomalies have hounded the PNP’s emergency reporting system. Under PNP 2920, individuals can text in complaints against erring PNP personnel. PNP offices are mandated to create or activate their version of TXT 2920, “Isumbong mo kay Tsip,” and “Anti-Kotong Text,” to serve as a watching or check and balance mechanism against its personnel and act with dispatch on reports reaching their office. During the sponsorship debate on the DILG’s P262.0 billion budget for 2024, 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Bonifacio Bosita raised the question of whether PNP’s 2920 is still active since he, himself, witnessed how the PNP covered up its personnel against complaints. Quezon City Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, the DILG’s budget sponsor, said the system is under the monitoring of the DILG, “particularly the PNP.” According to Bosita, a retired police commission officer before his stint in Congress, he witnessed how the PNP maneuvered the process to make it appear that the complaint was not legitimate. Relay system “When something happens at a police station, it will reach the PNP headquarters and be forwarded, communicated to the regional office of the PNP and taken down to the provincial police of the PNP and taken down to the police station concerned where the police being complained about is assigned,” Bosita said. “Because of this, Madam Sponsor and Mr. Speaker, the chief of police is trying to make it appear that the report received by the national headquarters is just a lie,” he added. The post CoA queries PNP’s TXT 2920 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chronic bureaucratic lapses
The entire bureaucracy suffers from serious lapses. Let’s borrow the phrase, “seven deadly sins,” as a handle to better understand how they indicatively fail to inform public policy on what government “should do or should not do,” to wit: First: “Tight fiscal space.” A little over 60 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) is reserved for foreign lending institutions with which the country has huge borrowings. Consequently, the government has to make do with the remaining less than 40 percent in terms of public spending. It’s no urban legend that about 45 percent of these allocable public funds is siphoned off due to massive corruption across all levels of government. Second: “Good governance.” The term, as often used, is an oxymoron. Whenever presidential appointees in any line department, agency, or bureau introduce reforms or new management ideas into state affairs, it’s unfortunate that outcomes and impacts go in the opposite direction — or bad governance overshadowing good. Isn’t it a paradox that the “top brass” of the Manila International Airport Authority were dismissed by the Ombudsman even as key stakeholders and captains of industry (i.e., the Makati Business Club) vetted and vouched for their performance par excellence on the job? Contrivedly, a purely management issue just shouldn’t be within the purview of the Ombudsman. For another, how is it that the housing program has become too costly for the government? Reportedly, P36 billion in interest is accrued by the government every year if one million houses are built. With a target of three million houses, the onerous interest is pegged at P100 billion every year, a “sunk cost” that the economy can ill afford to sustain. Why even start a program that demands that humongous amount of interest on a year-by-year basis? Third: “Street-level bureaucracy.” Nearly the whole range of public affairs appears to be manned by those we can compare to a typical traffic enforcer, gate guard, or utility aide, who, if given a chance to exercise a little authority, tend to behave as their actuations come directly from above. Fourth: “Tax hike.” Some strange mathematicians in Congress thought of taxing vehicles per kilo of weight, coupled with jacking up taxes on vehicle users by as much as 90 percent. Worse, how can there be an increase in the road users’ tax – year in and year out? Fifth: “45 seconds turnaround time.” This is the kind of rhetoric that rests on the “big bluff” or what one legislator calls a “promissory note,” or the carrot, to get what they want in their agency budgets. Scenes like offloading, missed flights, and logjams would never be a thing of the past since the Bureau of Immigration operationalized its new set of guidelines that are essentially racist, if not anti-poor, against outbound Filipino travelers, while sparing foreign travelers. Sixth: “Privatization overdrive.” There’s a dangerous pattern or trend of government aiming to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, all 45 casinos of PAGCOR, some mass transport systems (e.g., LRTs), and the toll expressways. Whether or not this privatization track is driven by the “gospel of efficiency” is another story. More likely, it’s because it opens doors to raising “windfall capital” and making available “alternative investments.” Seventh: “Multiple allotments.” As if a mere afterthought, there are “double entries,” even multiple ones, in the National Expenditure Plan that bloat the budget and such entries by various agencies even insulate them from any accountability. This explains why what is budgeted — twice or thrice — cannot be disbursed over and over again, not to mention the perennial failure of most line departments to fully utilize their budgets. In the voluminous General Appropriations Act the President signs, every budget cycle has become a “hiding place” for public funds that only trained eyes can declassify as “significant others,” for lack of a better term. It isn’t remote to say that when an agency prepares its budget, it knows under which item in its “shopping list” the money is. The post Chronic bureaucratic lapses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CHR providing evidence vs Digong ‘mere pr’
The Commission on Human Rights maintained a commitment to work with the International Criminal Court in probing the country’s war on drugs during the Duterte administration. In the deliberations for the department’s budget for 2024 before the House Committee on Appropriations, CHR chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc assured lawmakers the agency would be furnishing the ICC evidence it gathered in its past investigation. “As you may recall, the CHR has investigated extra-judicial killings in relation to the drug war before. And out of that investigation, the CHR has generated a report on EJK in relation to the drug war,” Palpal-latoc said. The confirmation came following a question by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman about the extent of cooperation the human rights watchdog intends to grant to the ICC. Lagman, however, hit the CHR chief, saying his statement was more of a “soundbote” and a “press release.” “You are fully aware that the official position of the national government is not to cooperate with the ICC and that bold statement is, in fact, a challenge to that position,” Lagman said. Palpal-latoc, on the other hand, countered that the CHR is “not a party” to the ICC investigation. Government data showed about 7,000 people died in line with the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign under then-President Rodrigo Duterte. However, local and international human rights organizations estimate the death toll at 20,000 to 30,000. The post CHR providing evidence vs Digong ‘mere pr’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CHR to cooperate with ICC on drug probe
The Commission on Human Rights maintained a steadfast stance in its commitment to work with the International Criminal Court to probe the country's war on drugs on the watch of then-President Rodrigo Duterte. In the deliberations for the department's budget for 2024 before the House Committee on Appropriations, CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc assured lawmakers the agency would cooperate with the ICC by furnishing evidence it gathered in its past investigation. "As you may recall, the CHR has investigated extra-judicial killings in relation to the drug war before. And out of that investigation, the CHR has generated a report on EJK in relation to the drug war," Palpal-latoc said. The confirmation came following a question by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman about the extent of cooperation the human rights watchdog intends to grant to the ICC as it previously declared that they are "willing to cooperate" into the drug war probe, which has resulted "in thousands of extra-judicial killings, particularly the impoverished and marginalized drug suspects." About 7,000 people were killed under Duterte's drug war, based on the government's data, the majority of whom were from low-income families. However, local and international human rights organizations estimate it exceeded 30,000. According to Palpal-latoc, they are willing to supply the ICC evidence that the CHR already gathered in the previous investigation. However, he stressed that since the agency has yet to learn the details of the case filed in the ICC, the parameters of their cooperation are unknown. This, however, did not sit well with Lagman, asserting that the CHR should have been aware of this matter, taking into account the accusation made openly and publicly. According to the veteran lawmaker, CHR's pronouncement of cooperation without initiating communication with the ICC was merely a "soundbite" and a "press release" for the media. "Why don't you know? It's an open and public accusation before the ICC against the culprits in this war on drugs. Do you have a copy of the accusation brought before the ICC by some affected victims and advocates?" Lagman said. "You are fully aware that the official position of the national government is not to cooperate with the ICC and that bold statement is, in fact, a challenge to that position," he added. Palpal-latoc, on the other hand, countered that the CHR is "not a party" to the ICC investigation. Nonetheless, the CHR chief said that they are willing to provide legal assistance to the victims of human rights violations as well as witness protection pursuant to their mandate. Calls were made to cease the ICC's probe into Duterte's "war on drugs" that claimed thousands of lives during his six years of power that started in 2016. Justice Secretary Boying Remulla maintained a firm stance that the country would not engage in the ICC, claiming that the Philippine government would not let the court interfere in the country's business. Senator Bato de la Rosa, who led Duterte's anti-drug campaign, locally known as "Oplan Tokhang" previously said that he is ready in case a warrant of arrest has been served, but only by Philippine authorities and not by any foreigner directed by the ICC. The former PNP chief and Vice President Sara Duterte were the Philippine officials mentioned in the ICC prosecutor's report on the killings. The post CHR to cooperate with ICC on drug probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ARTA rues reduced allocation
The Anti-Red Tape Authority said Monday it could do its job better if the House of Representatives would allocate it more funds in the coming year. ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez said ARTA had submitted a budget request of roughly P780 million under its National Expenditure Program for 2024. “What was granted to us by the Department of Budget and Management was barely 35 percent,” he lamented. Perez said under the General Appropriations Act of 2023, ARTA received P219 million. ARTA was flagged by the Commission on Audit in its 2022 report for failing to investigate complaints in a timely manner to ensure the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Services Program. CoA said it took ARTA an average of 124 days just to accomplish the first step of the complaint resolution process, which is the issuance of a notice to file a sworn answer. “We are concerned if this were to remain the practice of ARTA. It would erode its reputation and eventually defeat the purpose of ARTA as one of the institutions specifically tasked to thwart red tape and corruption,” the 2022 CoA report read. But Perez said they had already properly responded to the CoA report, and the problem was raised because of the deferment of the electronic complaint management system, or ARTA e-CMS, that the previous administration launched in 2022. “It was not able to be implemented because of budgetary constraints. So, we had to suspend that and go back to the manual way. The CoA took note of that. In fact, in our 2020 audit report, we had zero CoA findings,” he said. Perez said that ARTA’s complaint resolution rate was presently at 99 percent. The post ARTA rues reduced allocation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BOC exceeds official targets
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has surpassed the official target collection that the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) set for August 2023 due to better operations and strong collection measures. Preliminary data over the weekend showed that the BOC collected P75.64 billion, exceeding the DBCC's target of P72.28 billion by 4.7 percent, equivalent to P3.367 billion. From January to August 2023, the Bureau generated P582.133 billion in revenue, surpassing the target of P567.74 billion by 2.54 percent, equivalent to P14.39 billion. BOC's revenue this year grew by 4.24 percent to P23.68 billion from P558.46 in the same period last year. Aside from better operations and strong collection revenues, BOC attributed its collection performance to "enhanced trade activities." "The BOC's performance above revenue targets demonstrates the agency's commitment to fiscal responsibility and its role in contributing to the country's economic growth and stability," the Bureau said. "These achievements will fund essential government projects and services in the coming months, benefiting the Filipino people," it added. Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, for his part, lauded the Bureau "for their exceptional performance, which undeniably is instrumental in achieving this revenue milestone." "We will continue to monitor trade activities and implement measures to sustain this positive momentum in revenue collection as part of the Bureau's collaborative effort in further strengthening the nation's financial standing," said Commissioner Rubio. Aside from better collection, BOC also conducted 687 anti-smuggling operations, yielding P31.118 billion worth of various smuggled goods, the highest in the last five years. In a similar milestone in trade facilitation, the BOC secured the second spot among Southeast Asian nations in the 2023 United Nations Global Survey with an impressive total Trade Facilitation score of 87.10 percent. These milestones underscore the Bureau's vital role in bolstering the nation's financial stability and promoting efficient trade practices. The post BOC exceeds official targets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P19-million needed to fight fake news — PCO
The Presidential Communications Office needs P19 million under its 2024 budget to combat fake news or disinformation in the country. In the deliberations for the agency's budget for 2024 before the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday, PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said they had proposed a total of P19 million for the Media and Information Literacy or MIL drive to purge disinformation and misinformation plaguing the country's digital landscape. The anti-fake news drive is the initiative of the Marcos administration. The campaign will be launched in October to coincide with MIL and Communications Month. The Marcos administration will collaborate with private sectors, Google, Meta, TikTok, and X, formerly Twitter, to run workshops similar to TED Talks. It is an international non-profit organization that spreads ideas and information from its expert speakers on education, business, science, tech, and creativity. While the MIL is considered their top accomplishment, the PCO faces the challenge of combating fake news which hinders their ability to fulfill their mandate. However, additional funding will certainly help the PCO against this fight, according to Garafil. The PCO, she said, had proposed over P300 million allocation for the anti-fake and disinformation campaign, but it was not approved. Garafil told lawmakers they requested "more than P300 million," which she said would be "more than sufficient" to cover their operations next year. As for policing fake news circulating on online platforms, PCO Undersecretary Emerald Ridao said it would be an "endless" task for the PCO to shoulder alone and would need assistance from other platforms. "If we were to tackle every piece of information... it would be an endless task considering how easy it is to create new information," Ridao said. "Which is why we are leaving that to the platforms where the information circulates." Ridao made the remark following the interpolation of Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, arguing that the PCO, which he claimed "should set the standard," could not even afford to stamp out fake news wherein politicians, and even the President, benefited. Ridao underscored that the online platforms each already have their own way of policing disinformation as well as reporting anything that is false. The post P19-million needed to fight fake news — PCO appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Former Bataan gov off the hook
The Sandiganbayan announced on Sunday that it has cleared former Bataan Governor Leonardo Roman of a P3.66-million graft charge stemming from the anomalous construction of a mini-theater at the Bataan State College in 2004. Citing the prosecution’s failure to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the anti-graft court’s Second Division acquitted Roman of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 in a 41-page ruling. “As the prosecution, in this case, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt all the elements of Section 3(e) of RA 3019 under which the accused was charged, accused Roman should be entitled to an acquittal,” said the Sandiganbayan. To recall, the case against Roman involved the alleged awarding of a P3.66-million mini-theater project of the Bataan State College in 2004 in favor of V.F. Construction despite no allocated budget or appropriation for the project. He was also accused of colluding with his co-accused executive assistant Romeo Mendiola, treasurer Pastor Vichauco, budget officer Aurora Tiambeng, and accountant Numeriano Medina by giving unwarranted benefits to V.F. Construction for the release of the sum. Filed before the Ombudsman, the case stemmed from a complaint-affidavit dated 1 September 2004 accusing Roman and his cohorts of the crime of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents. Roman served as the governor of Bataan from 1986 to 2004. In 2006, the Ombudsman dismissed the complaint for lack of probable cause. The Supreme Court affirmed the Ombudsman’s decision to drop the criminal charge. The Ombudsman, however, filed the case before the Sandiganbayan in 2015 following the SC’s ruling to reverse the criminal charge of graft. Based on the prosecution’s probe, Roman entered a contract with V.F. Construction to construct a mini-theater and rendered his authorizations, approvals, and certifications for the P3.66-million payment. Investigation revealed that Roman certified the project as fully completed and issued the payment to the construction firm in two installments. However, more than five months after the final payment was made to the construction company, the CoA discovered that the mini-theater, contrary to Roman’s declaration, was incomplete. The structure, it said, was only 50.7 percent complete. In clearing Roman, the Sandiganbayan stressed that it was “not convinced” by the prosecution’s theory that the erstwhile governor’s execution of a contract and approval of the payment with the V.F. Construction despite the lapses was tantamount to graft. “The evidence on record is insufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was bad faith, manifest partially, or gross inexcusable negligence on the part of the accused when he committed the questioned acts,” the Sandiganbayan said. According to the Sandiganbayan, while Roman may have committed mistakes in the performance of his duty, the fact remains that the evidence is insufficient to prove a serious breach of duty that was committed flagrantly, palpably, and with willful indifference or blatant and extremely careless manner. The post Former Bataan gov off the hook appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DBM, DepEd respect Ombudsman’s suspension order
The Department of Budget and Management on Saturday said it will adhere to the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against officials involved in the purchase of alleged overpriced laptops for public school teachers in 2021. “The Department of Budget and Management, under the leadership of Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, assures the public of its utmost compliance with the decision set by the Office of the Ombudsman against former Procurement Service and DBM officials due to their alleged involvement in the purchase of reportedly overpriced laptops for the Department of Education,” it said in a statement. It added that Pangandaman has already directed concerned officials to implement the suspension order against former and present PS-DBM officials and employees involved in the controversial procurement deal of DepEd laptops. In a resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a six-month preventive suspension without pay against education and budget officials, pending the investigation into the P2.4-billion laptop procurement for the DepEd Computerization Program. Citing reports from the Commission on Audit, the Ombudsman found sufficient grounds to preventively suspend the officials for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and gross neglect of duty. The DBM has already requested an independent investigation from the National Bureau of Investigation in August 2022. The DepEd also assured that the suspension of its officials won’t affect the education services of the department, especially the preparations for the opening of School Year 2023-2024. “DepEd adheres to due process and shall abide by the said Order. Meanwhile, the Department reassures the public of its unhampered services as we prepare for a safe and orderly opening of School Year 2023-2024,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said. Among the education officials ordered to be placed under six-month suspensions are former PS-DBM officers-in-charge Lloyd Christopher Lao and Jasonmer Uayan; and procurement management officers Ulysses Mora, Marwin Amil, and Paul Armand Estrada as well as Alec Ladanga, former Executive Assistant IV of the Office of Usec. Sevilla; Marcelo Bragado, Director IV of DepEd’s Procurement Management Service; and Selwyn Briones, DepEd’s Supervising Administrative Officer. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Saturday urged the Ombudsman to go after the contractors involved in the alleged overpriced laptop procurement deals. Pimentel said the anti-corruption body should undertake “vigorous efforts” in reclaiming public funds used in the anomalous purchasing deals. “The Ombudsman’s decision to impose preventive suspension sends a strong signal that any alleged wrongdoing will be treated seriously. It is equally vital to thoroughly examine the role of the contractor in this anomalous transaction, from its background to how it secured the contract,” he said. It is imperative for the Ombudsman “to regain taxpayers’ money, expended on items that did not align with the government’s actual needs.” The PS-DBM awarded the contract to Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc. Pimentel earlier authored the Senate Resolution 120, which called for a comprehensive investigation into the laptop procurement carried out by DepEd through PS-DBM. In previous hearings, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee found out that the joint-venture companies failed to meet the technical specifications required for the laptops, rendering them unsuitable for the teachers’ needs. The companies were also unable to complete the delivery within the agreed target dates outlined in the procurement contract. “Our citizens deserve to know the exact circumstances that led to the selection of the joint venture comprising Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc. for this significant procurement,” Pimentel said. He criticized the PS-DBM over its failure to promptly blacklist the suppliers involved in the anomalous laptop deals by the recommendation of the Commission on Audit. The Blue Ribbon Committee, he said, will continue to perform its duty and help in seeking out the truth behind the alleged overpriced laptop deal. The post DBM, DepEd respect Ombudsman’s suspension order appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pimentel to Ombudsman: Go after contractors of alleged overpriced laptop deal
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Saturday urged the Ombudsman to go after the contractors involved in the alleged overpriced laptop procurement deals. Pimentel said the anti-corruption body should undertake “vigorous efforts” in reclaiming public funds used in the anomalous purchasing deals. This comes after the Office of the Ombudsman issued a six-month preventive suspension without pay against 12 officials of the Department of Education and Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management due to the controversial procurement of "outdated and overpriced" laptops for teachers. In an 11-page resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said sufficient grounds were found to preventively suspend for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and gross neglect of duty on the DepEd and DBM officials involved. "The Ombudsman's decision to impose preventive suspension sends a strong signal that any alleged wrongdoing will be treated seriously. It is equally vital to thoroughly examine the role of the contractor in this anomalous transaction, from its background to how it secured the contract,” he added. Pimentel said it is imperative for the Ombudsman “to regain taxpayers' money, expended on items that did not align with the government's actual needs.” The PS-DBM awarded the contract to Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc., and VST ECS Philippines Inc. Pimentel earlier authored Senate Resolution No. 120, which called for a comprehensive investigation into the laptop procurement carried out by DepEd through PS-DBM. In previous hearings, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee found out that the joint-venture companies failed to meet the technical specifications required for the laptops, rendering them unsuitable for the teachers' needs. According to Pimentel, these companies were unable to complete the delivery within the agreed target dates outlined in the procurement contract. "Our citizens deserve to know the exact circumstances that led to the selection of the joint venture comprising Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc., and VST ECS Philippines Inc. for this significant procurement," Pimentel stressed. "We must delve into the specifics of how these companies managed to secure the contract. Were there any irregularities in the bidding process? We must uncover the truth behind this contentious procurement to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future," he added. The senator also criticized the PS-DBM over its failure to promptly blacklist the suppliers involved in the anomalous laptop deals in accordance with the recommendation of the Commission on Audit. "Where's the hesitation coming from? We cannot help but question whether PS-DBM is in collusion with these suppliers, leading to such reluctance," he added. The post Pimentel to Ombudsman: Go after contractors of alleged overpriced laptop deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Grumbling mounts
There continues to be discontent among certain sectors regarding the proposed policy on military pensions, and now there is another idea floated to scrap the free college education. Just like a low rumbling sound of thunder, affected sectors are grumbling over Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno’s statement that the free access to state university education is “unsustainable” — which is indicative of a potential effort to repeal a landmark legislation enacted during the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who appointed Diokno as Budget and Management secretary and then Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor. For six years as a member of Duterte’s economic team, we were oblivious to Secretary Diokno’s opposition to Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017. Straight from the horse’s mouth during a forum organized by the University of the Philippines School of Economics on 19 August, he said the law is anti-poor since “there are more poor people who do not attend college.” To say that subsidizing college education really “consumes a lot of funds” is irresponsible, anti-Filipino and anti-development. RA 10931 was embraced by Filipinos during a period when the financial situation of the government appeared stable. The blame for becoming indebted to finance the efforts to control the pandemic falls neither on the people nor on the national government. Fast forward to post-pandemic, there is no convenient excuse for sacrificing human investment through debt for education to support lavish government expenditures in the wake of the national government pronouncements that the gross national product increased to P5.643 billion in the second quarter of 2023 from P5.592 billion in the first quarter of 2023. Truth be told, 2.46 million students were beneficiaries of a free college education during the academic year 2021-2022. It is not only they who are reaping the rewards of one of the “most long-lasting” legacies of former president Duterte’s administration, but their families, communities, and the country. Jade Baguna, a Tertiary Education Subsidy or TES program graduate in Social Work, cannot help but share the positive impact of the policy on his life and his family. Despite facing challenges like long walks to and from school and a meager weekly allowance during high school, the program enabled him to complete his degree, achieve the eighth position in the board examination, and become a Social Work instructor. The Finance Secretary may have lost his train of thought that investing in free college education has long-term economic benefits. A well-educated workforce is crucial to driving innovation, technological advancements, and economic growth. By providing access to higher education, the country can nurture a pool of skilled professionals who will contribute to various industries, drive entrepreneurship and attract investments. At a time when the need to rejuvenate an economy is paramount, scrapping free college education may limit the availability of qualified workers, hinder economic development and reduce global competitiveness. One of the most compelling arguments for a free college education is that it promotes equal opportunity and social mobility. By removing financial barriers, individuals from all socioeconomic backgrounds can pursue higher education based on merit and potential rather than financial means. This ensures that talented and motivated students, regardless of their background, have a fair chance to improve their lives and contribute to society. Sec. Diokno’s sustainability concerns sparked a debate. Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero de Vera said there is nothing better than for a country to invest in its young people and produce highly skilled manpower. “It’s the best anti-poverty strategy. You educate an individual, you make him employable, and you make sure the poverty stops with him or with her,” he said. For Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez, taking out the scholarship program is synonymous with seeing a decay of education in our country. “Education is the great emancipator of people from the bondage of poverty. With education you are able to move forward with your family,” he said. Senator Francis Tolentino has this to say: “Perhaps the lack of money of the national government should not be the reason why they cannot be given the opportunity to study. Education is a basic human right. We need to provide our youth with the necessary basic tertiary education.” Higher education provides a holistic learning experience and fosters personal growth and critical thinking. It promotes civic engagement, social responsibility, and the development of well-rounded citizens. By scrapping free college education, we risk limiting these benefits and creating a society that is less educated, less informed, and less equipped to tackle complex societal challenges. Time and again, it pays to revisit Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Access to education should not be seen as a privilege but as a fundamental right. In other words, recognizing education as a human right implies that every individual is entitled to receive an education, without any form of discrimination, as it is legally protected. The post Grumbling mounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Improved tax system aims to double revenues by 2028
The Department of Finance on Thursday wants to improve the tax system in the country during the Marcos Administration to achieve the country's medium-term fiscal framework targets. At the start of the 2024 budget deliberations at the House of Representatives, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government eyed nearly doubling the tax revenues by 2028. To achieve this, the Finance Chief wants Congress to pass several bills related to the tax measures under the Marcos administration. These include the military and uniformed personnel pension, excise tax on single-use plastics, excise tax on sweetened beverages and junk food, rationalization of mining fiscal regime, VAT on digital service providers, carbon taxation, capital market development bill, motor vehicle road users tax, and tax on pre-mixed alcohol. "These tax revenue measures will enable us to raise revenues totaling P120.5 billion or 0.5 percent of GDP in 2024 and P183.2 billion or 0.6 percent of GDP in 2026," Diokno explained to the lawmakers. He added that the tax revenue is projected to increase from P3.5 trillion in 2023 (14.4 percent of gross domestic product) to P6.5 trillion in 2028 (16.9 percent of GDP). Diokno also mentioned that the non-tax revenue is expected to increase to P183.7 billion in 2028 from P191.1 billion in 2023. The Finance Chief mentioned that the Bureau of Customs has already adopted tax administration measures such as anti-smuggling initiatives, Computer-Aided Risk Management System, and customs modernization program, and fuel marking program. Meanwhile, Diokno said the Bureau of Internal Revenue has already adopted tax administration measures such as broadening of tax base, digital transformation (DX) roadmap, nationwide raid of illegal cigarettes and vapor products, Oplan Kandado, the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program, and the Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) programs. The post Improved tax system aims to double revenues by 2028 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»