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Philippines total external trade declines by 9.8 pct in October
MANILA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods declined by 9.8 percent in October 2023 to 16.9 billion U.S. dollars from 18.74 billion dollars in October 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday. Of the total external trade in October, the agency said 62.3 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade i.....»»
Philippines total external trade declines 11.6 pct in September
MANILA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods declined 11.6 percent in September to 16.97 billion U.S. dollars year on year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday. Of the total external trade in September, the agency said 60.3 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade in goods or difference between exp.....»»
Philippines total external trade declines 11.6 pct in September
MANILA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods declined 11.6 percent in September to 16.97 billion U.S. dollars year on year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday. Of the total external trade in September, the agency said 60.3 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade in goods or difference between exp.....»»
DMW has spent P414M on distressed OFWs
The Department of Migrant Workers said on Thursday that they have spent about P414 million of its P1.2 billion action fund this year to assist distressed Overseas Filipino Workers. According to DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac, the agency still has a balance of P780 million. “We still have a balance of around P780 million. We have a catchup plan that we are doing for the last two months of the year, most of these funds will be rolled over to the year 2024 anyway,” Cacdac said in a hearing of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs. Cacdac added that the action fund is for legal, medical, or humanitarian assistance. “That three-fold assistance model was assigned by no less than our dear secretary, Secretary Toots Ople because what is stated in the law is legal or other forms of assistance. But Secretary Toots pointed out the other forms of assistance are legal, medical, or humanitarian,” Cacdac added. Cacdac stated that the action fund has benefitted 5,325 Filipinos this year, including those affected by various challenges in Turkey and the Middle East. “This includes the earthquake in Turkey, those affected by the conflict in Sudan, the case of a large fire and building collapse in the UAE, Dubai, and Qatar, and recently, of course, what our OFWs are suffering from the conflict in Israel and Lebanon is also included here,” he added. The OIC added that Filipinos living in war-torn areas tend to get more out of the fund. He said that about 700 OFWs families in Israel have availed of helpline assistance. “At first, we provided P20,000 in financial assistance upon return, but Secretary Toots increased it to P30,000… There is a special case for those who were caught in a conflict or war situation like Sudan. But here in Israel, we handed P50,000,” he said. The post DMW has spent P414M on distressed OFWs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippines total external trade declines by 7.2 pct in August
MANILA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods declined by 7.2 percent in August 2023 to 17.53 billion U.S. dollars from 18.89 billion dollars in August 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday. Of the total external trade in August, the agency said 61.8 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade in goo.....»»
Philippines total external trade declines by 7.2 pct in August
MANILA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods declined by 7.2 percent in August 2023 to 17.53 billion U.S. dollars from 18.89 billion dollars in August 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday. Of the total external trade in August, the agency said 61.8 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade in goo.....»»
Hands-on
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. is living proof of US President Abraham Lincoln’s adage: “You can please some of the people all of the time; you can please all of the people some of the time; but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” In the previous regimes, the usual question was, “Where is the President?” during critical periods such as when calamities struck and the elected leader was slow to react. Thus, there was a frequent demand for medical bulletins on previous presidents when they were not in public view for consecutive days. Both President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte are taking flak from critics who allege that they are monopolizing authority for holding Cabinet positions aside from their elected posts. Bugged endlessly about relinquishing his Department of Agriculture post, Marcos said he would maintain the current arrangement since many officials in the graft-ridden agency do not easily take orders except from him. Amid the rising prices, some sectors whose only interest is to have an official that favors them have been harping on the need for a full-time secretary, floating names in a subtle endorsement to PBBM. Marcos has held the agriculture post since he assumed office in July 2022. Since then, and especially in January 2023, amid the rise in the cost of food, critics have been calling on Marcos to finally appoint someone who can hold the post full-time. The President knows what he is doing and has competent advisers to help him make fast decisions in the critical agriculture sector. Making difficult but critical decisions, even with political will, would take more time from an alter ego. He explained the situation: “Generally speaking, if the President asks them to do something, they’ll do it. If someone else asks them to do it, they’ll probably do it, or they may not.” The need for swift action was particularly evident in the recent rice price shock when the cost of a kilo of rice rocketed to more than P60. The intervention was tricky because of the complex network in the industry that needs to balance the welfare of consumers, farmers, and retailers. Add to that the external situation in which supply has been affected by the limits that India, a major producer, imposed on its exports. President Marcos, the other day, lifted Executive Order 39, which imposed a price ceiling of P41 per kilo on regular milled and P45 per kilo on well-milled rice. The EO effectively brought down the market price of the grain, but it affected retailers who complained of losses since they were selling below the price they were buying from middlemen, while farmers said traders demanded that the farmgate price be lowered. The National Food Authority then had to set the buying price of palay at P19 to P20 per kilo from P16 to P19 to maintain farmers’ income amid the price cap. Retailers were also provided with subsidies to offset their losses due to the government-imposed ceiling. Economic officials knew the measures were temporary since they would drain the government coffers if imposed for too long. The aim was to stabilize the market until the harvest season, and the influx of grains from imports under the tariffication law brought the situation back to normal. Had the steps taken been delayed by just days, it may have caused a crisis where consumers would have had to eat alternatives to the grains such as kamote (sweet potato) and corn. Then, the public would have been outraged, and the heated situation would have been stoked by the opportunists who waited like vultures for public support for Marcos to weaken. Rice remains a political commodity, which spelled the 15-point difference in Marcos’ rating in the recent survey. The post Hands-on 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......»»
World Bank chief vows to tackle ‘dysfunctionality’ at development lender
World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform "dysfunctionality" in the boardroom of the development lender, and pledged to refocus its mission to better address the challenges posed by climate change. The former Mastercard chief executive told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York that the bank should alter its current twin mandate of poverty alleviation and boosting shared prosperity to include climate change. "I think the twin goals have to change to being elimination of poverty, but on a livable planet, because of the intertwined nature of our crises," he said. He added that he was working to redefine the World Bank's business around what he called five key knowledge "verticals": people, prosperity, planet, infrastructure, and digital. Fixing the plumbing Banga, an Indian-born naturalized US citizen, was nominated to lead the World Bank earlier this year by President Joe Biden and began his new role in June. The bank has historically been led by an American, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been run by a European -- a controversial arrangement that has existed since the two institutions were founded in the aftermath of the Second World War. Banga has already made a number of changes to the bank's management since taking over, setting up a new 15-person private sector advisory board, and pledging deeper cooperation with regional development banks to tackle shared challenges. On Tuesday, Banga vowed to "fix the plumbing" at the bank, which he said suffered from "dysfunctionality" in the boardroom. The World Bank's board is made up of 25 executive directors appointed by its 189 member countries, who must balance the interests of the development lender with those of the states they represent. "I want people to say when I’m gone that I left the bank working much better than when I got it, because then my successor will not have to deal with what I’m dealing with," he said. Climate change Proposals to reform the World Bank's balance sheet from countries including the US and Saudi Arabia could add as much as $125 billion in extra lending capacity if they come to pass, Banga told the audience in New York. This would be a significant increase for the development lender, which mobilized just over $100 billion in financing last year. Banga has previously called on the World Bank to collaborate more closely with the private sector to meet the enormous costs associated with climate change mitigation and adaptation. On Tuesday, Banga said the bank should carefully target where it wants to encourage private investment to help cap carbon emissions in order to have the biggest impact. "We need to focus on 10 countries where the growth of emissions will be so high if we don't change to renewables that all the work we do in the developed world to reduce the use of emission-heavy energy will be lost," he said, without naming them. These middle-income countries are states "where there is some hope for the private sector, both in terms of scalable models and the like, that renewable energy could make money," he added. In order to invite the private sector to participate, the World Bank should offer to manage some of the political risks associated with climate-related investments in these countries, along with the risk of currency fluctuations, Banga said. The World Bank group already has a political risk agency, but the foreign exchange risk is an issue that still needs to be resolved, he told the audience in New York. "That's the way to involve the private sector," he added. The post World Bank chief vows to tackle ‘dysfunctionality’ at development lender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
World Bank chief pledges to reform ‘dysfunctional’ development lender
World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform the "dysfunctional" development lender, and pledged to refocus its mission to better address the challenges posed by climate change. The former Mastercard chief executive told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York that the bank should alter its current twin mandate of poverty alleviation and boosting shared prosperity to include climate change. "I think the twin goals have to change to being elimination of poverty, but on a livable planet, because of the intertwined nature of our crises," he said. He added that he was working to redefine the World Bank's business around what he called five key "verticals": people, prosperity, planet, infrastructure and digital. Fixing the plumbing Banga, an Indian-born naturalized US citizen, was nominated to lead the World Bank earlier this year by President Joe Biden, and began his new role in June. The bank has historically been led by an American, while the IMF has been run by a European -- a controversial arrangement that has existed since the two institutions were founded in the aftermath of the second World War. Banga has already made a number of changes to the bank's management since taking over, setting up a new 15-person private sector advisory board, and pledging deeper cooperation with regional development banks to tackle shared challenges. On Tuesday, Banga vowed to "fix the plumbing" at the bank, which he called a "dysfunctional" institution. "I want people to say when I’m gone that I left the bank working much better than when I got it, because then my successor will not have to deal with what I’m dealing with," he said. Climate change Proposals to reform the World Bank's balance sheet from countries including the US and Saudi Arabia could add as much as $125 billion in extra lending capacity if they come to pass, Banga told the audience in New York. This would be a significant increase for the development lender, which mobilized just over $100 billion in financing last year. Banga has previously called on the World Bank to collaborate more closely with the private sector to meet the enormous costs associated with climate change mitigation and adaptation. On Tuesday, Banga said the bank should carefully target where it wants to encourage private investment to help cap carbon emissions in order to have the biggest impact. "We need to focus on 10 countries where the growth of emissions will be so high if we don't change to renewables that all the work we do in the developed world to reduce the use of emission-heavy energy will be lost," he said, without naming them. These middle-income countries are states "where there is some hope for the private sector, both in terms of scalable models and the like, that renewable energy could make money," he added. In order to invite the private sector to participate, the World Bank should offer to manage some of the political risks associated with climate-related investments in these countries, along with the risk of currency fluctuations, Banga said. The World Bank group already has a political risk agency, but the foreign exchange risk is an issue that still needs to be resolved, he told the audience in New York. "That's the way to involve the private sector," he added. The post World Bank chief pledges to reform ‘dysfunctional’ development lender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rice price cap stays — Farmers want Diokno out over tariff proposal
The Department of Trade and Industry on Monday said Executive Order 39 which put a cap on the prices of regular and well-milled rice will stay as its possible lifting was still being discussed. DTI’s statement came as the Department of Agriculture, concurrently headed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., announced that 1.4-million metric tons will be added this month to the country’s rice supply. The bulk of the 1.4-million metric tons will come from local farmers, who have started harvesting their crop, and not from imports, the DA said. “Our supply remains stable. Farmers are expected to produce 1.3-million metric tons this October,” said Bureau of Plant Industry Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban in a radio interview. DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual earlier said they will continue to monitor compliance with EO 39 — which capped the price of regular-milled rice at P41 per kilo and well-milled rice at P45 per kilo — until it is lifted by the President. Tillers seek Diokno ouster Also on Monday, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government was presently discussing his proposal to lower rice import tariffs as part of a comprehensive strategy to stabilize the staple grain’s retail prices. Diokno’s statement came as farmers from different provinces protested in front of the Department of Finance to denounce his proposal and seek his ouster from the DoF. Diokno told reporters the review was also to prepare for a potential rice shortage due to the impact of the extended dry season caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon. “As discussions are underway, the DoF maintains its support for an appropriate policy response that promotes the greatest good for the greatest number of Filipinos,” Diokno said. Palay pricing Meanwhile, the National Food Authority Council said on Monday it has set a new selling price range for palay to increase the income of farmers while stabilizing supply. “I called for a meeting of the NFA Council to discuss how we can adjust the purchasing price of rice, both wet and dry, because we need to reevaluate the situation,” President Marcos said following a meeting by the NFA Council which he chairs. “That’s exactly what we discussed, and we decided that the buying price of the NFA from now on will be P19 to P23 (per kilo) for dry and P16 to P19 for wet palay. That was the decision of the NFA Council,” he said. The President said the palay selling price range and the retail rice price cap would stabilize the end-users’ costs for the commodity. The originally proposed P25 and P20 per kilo, respectively, for palay buying prices were too high and would spike retail prices, according to the NFA. It said the new price range would balance the profit of farmers and the rice affordability of the public. The agency said that if the buying price of dry palay was set at P23, the procurement fund needed would be P15 billion at the maximum, while if it is pegged at P25, P16 billion would be needed for palay procurement. The DA said it would support the NFA proposal, but at P23 a kilo as P25 would be too high. Cash assistance turnout Asked by the President how the NFA’s buying price would influence the market, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that at the farmgate level, the NFA procurement will be concentrated in areas where there is excess supply relative to local demand. “In that case, it can help elevate the farmgate price,” Balisacan said. Meanwhile, DTI Region IV said the first round of cash assistance distribution under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Sustainable Livelihood Program on 13-14 September generated a 100-percent turnout. More local government units in the province of Iloilo will have their respective payouts in the coming weeks. @tribunephl_raf @tribunephl_tiz The post Rice price cap stays — Farmers want Diokno out over tariff proposal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malacañang reviewing proposed rice tariff reduction
The Executive Department is currently discussing the proposal to reduce import tariffs on rice as part of a comprehensive strategy to decrease prices and mitigate a potential shortage of the staple, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Monday. This is after several farmers from different provinces protested in front of the Department of Finance (DOF) to denounce Diokno's proposal to cut import tariffs on rice and demand the removal of the Finance secretary from his post. In a Viber message to reporters, Diokno said the review is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce prices for consumers and mitigate a potential shortage of the staple due to the impact of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon. "As discussions are underway, the DOF maintains its support for an appropriate policy response that promotes the greatest good for the greatest number of Filipinos," Diokno said. "Rest assured that the DOF, in coordination with other relevant government agencies and stakeholders, shall pursue programs and support measures to balance the interests of domestic rice farmers while keeping rice affordable for consumers — especially the poorest households," he added. In a separate statement, the National Food Authority (NFA) Council, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., set a new price range for palay buying price on Monday in response to the changing production and market conditions to improve farmers' income and ensure sufficient supply of the staple. "I called for a meeting of the NFA Council to discuss how we can adjust the purchasing price of NFA for rice, both wet and dry because we need to reevaluate the situation," Marcos said following a meeting by the NFA Council. "That's exactly what we discussed, and we decided that the buying price of NFA from now on will be 19 to 23 for dry and 16 to 19 for wet. That was the decision of the NFA Council," he added. The council came up with the new palay buying price range to provide Filipino farmers with a better income, the President said, considering today's reasonable palay production cost. "So, they will now have a profitable venture. And aside from that, we have the price cap in place to stabilize the rice prices," Marcos said. The originally proposed P20 and P25 per kilo buying prices are just too high and will spike retail prices, according to the NFA, noting that the new decided price range balances the profit of farmers and will not affect the retail prices as much. The agency said that if the new buying price of dry palay is at P23, the procurement fund needed will be P15 billion at the maximum; while if it is pegged at P25, P16 billion will be needed for palay procurement. For its part, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it would support the NFA proposal but at a level of P23 a kilo. The agency added that at P22 or P23, farmers are satisfied with it since they are now being paid P16 to P19. DA noted that P25 is just too high. Asked by the President on the influence of NFA’s buying price as well as the public reaction, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that at the farm gate level, NFA procurement will be concentrated in areas where there is excess supply relative to local demand. “In that case, it can help elevate farm gate price,” Balisacan said. The post Malacañang reviewing proposed rice tariff reduction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teodoro gets CA nod
The Commission on Appointments on Wednesday approved the ad interim appointment of Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as secretary of the Department of National Defense. Prior to his confirmation, the 12-member House contingent of the powerful CA spared Teodoro from questioning as a “courtesy” to the Defense chief who previously worked as Tarlac's 1st district representative. “The 12-member House of Representatives contingent will no longer ask questions regarding the nominee being a former member of Congress for three consecutive terms in the 11th, 12th, and 13th Congress,” said Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte, the majority leader of the CA. Villafuerte added that the House contingent “has no doubt regarding the fitness and integrity of the nominee”. He appealed to their counterpart, the Senate to accord the same courtesy to Teodoro. From the 12-member Senate contingent, only Senator Risa Hontiveros asked questions to Teodoro. Hontiveros questioned Teodoro about his plans for the DND, now under his watch for the second time. He held the same position under the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the age of 43, the youngest ever appointee to the agency. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Teodoro admitted that there has been a “shift in the evolution” from his first stint in the DND. He noted that he is now focusing on “straddling the balance between maintaining internal security and with an emphasis definitely given what is happening to the outside environment.” “We are strengthening our defense posture. We are gradually enhancing the capabilities of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” he said. The Defense chief said he is also working on “leveraging” the country’s alliance with other nations to strengthen the country’s capability to protect itself from external threats. By doing so, he noted that he would try to introduce “management solutions to managerial problems, and not military solutions to managerial problems.” “That is the transformation that we are trying to make. We are also deeply restrategizing what we intend to do at least in the next five years in order not only to make the defense department more responsive to the outside and internal environments but also to make more efficient our use of resources, and to use information technology to the highest extent possible,” he added. Teodoro also underscored the importance of strengthening the country’s capability to respond to external strength and not just rely on diplomacy. “[T]he intensity of the need to focus on protecting our sovereignty, our sovereign rights, in the exclusive economic zone and other jurisdictions of the country become more paramount now, as the whole world is in a raise for resources,” he said. “We could not afford to be laidback here. We should be cognizant of it because we can and principally use diplomacy, however, if diplomacy is not backed up by a strong spinal cord, then we will just be stymied by a greater force,” he added. He made the remarks amid the increasing tension between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea. China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration – a landmark decision that China continues to reject. Teodoro said the Defense Department wishes the concentrate on not only guarding the islands of the archipelago and its internal waters but also on securing “peaceful, unimpeded, and unobstructed exploitation, and exploration of our sovereign rights over the 200 nautical mile EEZ of the republic and in all areas of the Philippines, to secure our baselines.” Last June, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Teodoro’s appointment as the new DND secretary, replacing Carlito Galvez Jr. who led the agency for five months. Aside from Teodoro, the CA also approved the promotion of 11 generals and senior officers of the AFP. Jose Jesus Luntok, Ramon Flores, Dennis Pacis, Nasser Lidasan, Benedict Balaba, Steve Crespillo, Arvin Lagamon, Ivan Papera, Lloyd Cabacuñgan, and Fernando Ventura secured CA’s approval for their rank of Brigadier General. Peter Jempsun de Guzman’s rank of Commodore was also approved. The post Teodoro gets CA nod appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A balancing act for IACAT
The 2023 Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities for international travel have recently come under scrutiny, with concerns raised by the public and esteemed senators. However, it is essential to recognize the significance of these guidelines in combating human trafficking and ensuring the safety of travelers. While addressing public concerns is important, the rules should be defended for their primary purpose of identifying untruthful declarations and protecting individuals from the grave risks of human trafficking. The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking plays a pivotal role in the fight against human trafficking, a global problem that affects millions of people. The revised guidelines aim to enhance border control measures to identify those who may be lying about their actual purpose of travel, thereby reducing the vulnerability of potential trafficking victims. Upholding these guidelines is crucial to effectively combat this heinous crime and protect innocent individuals from exploitation. The revised guidelines serve as a valuable tool for authorities to identify discrepancies and untruthful declarations made by travelers. By scrutinizing travel documents and conducting thorough interviews, officials can identify potential victims and apprehend traffickers attempting to exploit vulnerable individuals. These guidelines are designed to enhance the effectiveness of screening processes, ensuring that those with ill intentions are detected and prevented from carrying out their criminal activities. While it is necessary to address any concerns or issues raised by the public and esteemed senators, it is equally important to recognize that the revised guidelines have been developed to streamline the departure process. By effectively identifying and screening individuals, the guidelines aim to reduce unnecessary delays and inconveniences for genuine travelers. This demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a balance between security and efficiency, ensuring a positive travel experience while safeguarding against human trafficking. While defending the importance of upholding the revised guidelines, it is vital to acknowledge the need for ongoing dialogue and collaboration. Engaging with the public, esteemed senators, and relevant stakeholders allows for a comprehensive review of the guidelines and the identification of any areas that require improvement. Through open dialogue, the authorities can address concerns, refine the guidelines, and make them even more effective and efficient in accomplishing their intended goals. The 2023 Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities are essential in the global fight against human trafficking. Defending these guidelines is crucial to ensure the safety and security of travelers, as well as protect potential victims from the grave consequences of exploitation. While addressing concerns and engaging in dialogue is important, it is equally vital to uphold the purpose and intent of the guidelines. By doing so, authorities can strike a balance between efficiency and security, fostering a travel environment that is both safe and conducive to seamless international journeys. The post A balancing act for IACAT appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
IACT suspends revised departure rules for Filipino travelers
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) convened a special council meeting yesterday to address concerns surrounding the "2023 Revised IACAT Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Filipino Passengers" (2023 Revised Guidelines). The primary agenda of the special meeting was to deliberate on and approve a resolution suspending the implementation of the 2023 Revised Guidelines. After careful deliberation, the IACAT Council approved the resolution, formally suspending the implementation of the 2023 Revised Guidelines. The meeting further resolved that the IACAT shall revisit the 2023 Guidelines and shall further strengthen its information and education campaign to convey to the public the essential purpose and grave concerns that the 2023 Guidelines seek to address. The decision to suspend the implementation of the 2023 Revised Guidelines is the council's response to concerns raised by the public and underscores its dedication not only to protect Filipino citizens against trafficking but also to clearly inform them of the protective mechanisms in place and how they work. During the open forum that preceded the resolution's approval, all member agencies present expressed their shared and continued commitment to the fight against human trafficking and underscored that the Guidelines were intended to be a tool to enhance screening procedures against untruthful declarations; thus, protecting Filipino nationals from becoming victims of this heinous crime. Likewise, they recognized the importance of striking a balance between safeguarding the individual’s right to travel and ensuring national security. The Council remains committed to working collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders, including the legislature, other government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international partners, to ensure a comprehensive and effective approach to combatting human trafficking in all its forms. The post IACT suspends revised departure rules for Filipino travelers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DTI’s Food Logistics Agenda aims to keep produce available, affordable
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) three-year Food Logistics Action Agenda to overhaul the country's food distribution system, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Wednesday. In a statement, PCO said Marcos endorsed the proposal earlier this week at a sectoral meeting in Malacañang with secretaries from various government departments. The primary goal of the plan, according to the PCO, is to maintain the availability and affordability of food for Filipinos. The said plan was in response to Marcos' instruction to improve the farm-to-market highways, cold chain industries, food logistics chain, and port infrastructure in September 2022. "The Three-Year Food Logistics Action Agenda contains six key strategies to ensure success. These include revolutionizing the Philippines' food distribution system, reducing transport and logistics costs, increasing investments in logistics infrastructure on transportation and storage, and addressing other supply chain gaps," PCO said. "The plan also seeks to heighten enforcement measures against hoarding, smuggling, overstaying food imports, and monitoring of warehouses or cold storage facilities, and resorting to using information and communications technology to improve logistics performance," it added. By modernizing current food terminals and constructing new food hubs in Metro Manila and other regions of the nation, the DTI has described efforts to incorporate food terminals into the logistical system. The supply chain from producers to consumers could be simplified by integrating food terminals, with uniform logistical procedures and a transportation system aimed at specific locations. Due to the synergy that occurs within these hubs, the effectiveness of the action plan is amplified. These hubs serve as primary command centers for successfully monitoring the balance between supply and demand. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said that the DTI is assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in making the transition to established e-commerce companies through a pilot project with Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) and the US Agency for International Development-Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (USAID-SPEED). “This project will help pivot NVAT from offline to online transactions thereby maximizing the potential of e-Commerce, and increasing market access for farmers’ produce,” Pascual said. The International Maritime Competitiveness Act, which intends to provide the Maritime Industry Authority authority to control shipping lines and prevent exorbitant shipping costs, is one example of legislation connected to logistics that the trade department is supporting for inclusion in the priority legislative agenda. The Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and other development partners worked together to design the logistics action agenda, which is a component of the President's goal to turn the Philippines into a logistics hub in Asia. The post DTI’s Food Logistics Agenda aims to keep produce available, affordable appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DPWH identifies affected structures on bridge construction
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas has identified more than 198 residential, commercial and industrial structures that will be demolished or relocated before the start of the construction of the fourth Mandaue-Mactan bridge project. Engr. Nonato Paylado, head of the DPWH-7 Planning and Design Division, said that the P76.4-billion project is at the Detailed Engineering Design stage and has considered the inclusion of a Resettlement Action Plan to cater to the families and business establishments in the affected structures. Paylado said that the construction will likely start in 2024 and will be completed by 2028. The bridge will start from Barangay Ibo in Lapu-Lapu City, then will cross over the Mactan Circumferential Road, and end near the Cansaga Bay Bridge in Mandaue City Coastal Road. The project design consists of a steel box girder bridge with an orthotropic steel deck. The bridge will have a total length of 3.3 kilometers and a total width of 60 meters, of which 40 meters will be the actual road lanes. “The bridge will have four lanes, two for each direction, but it may be expanded to six lanes,” Paylado said. He stressed that DPWH is complying with aviation and navigation requirements for the bridge in terms of its dimensions because of its proximity to the airport and marine vessels passing through the Mactan channel. It is also considering to add bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks similar to other bridges. The project is funded by a loan of about 120 billion Yen or roughly P50 billion, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency as an Official Development Assistance project. The remaining balance will be funded by the Philippine national government. “We are still consolidating our data on the affected structures, but we expect that more structures will be affected as the project progresses,” Paylado said. The post DPWH identifies affected structures on bridge construction appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoE ‘slow walking’ on cheaper energy
The Department of Energy has been slow in making energy production sustainable and reducing the cost of electricity, which can be achieved by adopting nuclear energy, Rep. Mark Cojuangco told the Daily Tribune on Wednesday. Cojuangco, of the 2nd District of Pangasinan, said the country spends around $800 million on coal imports each year to generate most of its energy supply. On the other hand, he said, nuclear energy production costs only around $20 million which would result in 50 percent or more savings to consumers. “We should think of our balance of payments first. Nuclear energy has long been used by France since they decided to address the oil crisis in the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, their energy has been cleaner and their country independent from the OPEC or Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries,” Cojuangco said. Despite this, he said, the DoE has been “slow walking” in adopting nuclear energy. It should aggressively advocate lawmakers for the construction and operation of nuclear plants in the country, starting with the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, he stressed. “They are saying 2,500 megawatts of power by 2032 in the country, but they are not saying how they’re going to get there. There should be a firm vision in place that the Congress should make an official energy policy,” Cojuangco said. He noted that the DoE had commissioned a survey that revealed that 79 percent of Filipinos were being hurt by the high energy prices and believed the government should resolve this. “DoE has been exploring alternative energy sources for 37 years, yet energy prices are still expensive. It’s time to adopt nuclear energy which can be produced through the BNPP. As consumers, we have the social license to alert the government and demand affordable energy,” he said. The BNPP had not been activated since former president Corazon Aquino ordered further studies on the safety of nuclear power plants in 1986, following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Cojuangco, however, said nuclear power plants are safe as they are inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency. To ensure enough energy supply, he said the country should be producing 1,000 megawatts through nuclear energy each year to achieve an additional 16,000 megawatts by 2045. Currently, he said, the country gets 75 percent of its energy from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil to generate 16,000 megawatts. He cautioned, however, that reserves from these traditional sources are thinning, including the Malampaya natural gas field in Palawan, amid projections of a fast-growing population. “Twenty percent of the energy from fossil fuels comes from Malampaya, and the National Economic and Development Authority said we need to double our 22,000-megawatt capacity by 2040,” he added. The post DoE ‘slow walking’ on cheaper energy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoA flags 3 DoT bank accounts
The Commission on Audit wants the Department of Tourism to fully explain the existence of three bank accounts with balances totaling P5.745 million. Based on a 2022 audit, the DoT OSEC (Office of the Secretary) was found to have three bank accounts: One intended for payroll, a current account-trust liability account or CA-TLA, and an account payable with the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines. The CoA, however, said the bank accounts “are no longer necessary or are redundant in purpose.” With this, CoA said the DoT was not compliant with CoA Circular 2015-001, which prescribes “guidelines and procedures in the reversion to the general fund of all dormant cash, unauthorized accounts, unnecessary special and trust funds, and related accounts, in conformity with Permanent Committee Joint Circular 4-2012.” Auditors said the unutilized balances should have reverted to the Bureau of the Treasury. LandBank provides replacement The audit discovered that the DoT’s payroll account was replaced by a LandBank-initiated Pass-Through Account. But upon inquiry with DoT’s accounting division, it was learned that no monitoring system covered the payroll fund and the agency could not determine its actual balance. For the CA-TLA account, the audit team said it was no longer necessary since collections from Duty Free Philippines Corp. “are directly deposited in the cash treasury/agency, trust account, and the disbursement of funds shall be through the Cash-MDS, Trust account. Previously, the CA-TLA was used to deposit DoT’s portion of the DFPC’s net income under the provisions of Republic Act 9593. The account payable, meanwhile, was previously used to process the terminal benefits of DoT personnel. But the account was closed without the DoT giving the supporting documents for its closure, according to CoA. “Considering that no document was submitted to the DoT OSEC audit team regarding the closure of the said account, it could be inferred that the account is not yet closed,” CoA said. CoA nonetheless said the DoT should evaluate the composition of the payroll fund and CA-TLA, as well as settle the closure of the bank accounts, which the DoT agreed to do. The post CoA flags 3 DoT bank accounts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippines total external trade declines by 5.1 pct in May
MANILA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods dropped by 5.1 percent in May 2023 to 17.28 billion U.S. dollars from 18.20 billion dollars in May 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday. Of the total external trade in May, the agency said that 62.7 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods. The PSA said the balance of trade in goods.....»»