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Philippines, Indonesia seek to strengthen cooperation for energy security
MANILA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines and Indonesia on Wednesday agreed to strengthen energy cooperation to safeguard energy security. Energy ministers of the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy cooperation at the presidential palace in Manila, where Indonesian President Joko Widodo was received by his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos. Widodo arrived i.....»»
Steps gaining exporter status under RCEP outlined
Exporters wishing to avail themselves of preferential tariffs under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership can apply with the Bureau of Customs to become an approved exporter, according to a customs official. Gina German, head of the Preferential Rate Unit of the BoC Port of Manila, is encouraging Filipino exporters to start leveraging the RCEP’s benefits, foremost of which is being allowed to source materials and products from the 14 other member parties of the mega free trade agreement at lower duty rates. Study and comply German also urged companies to study and comply with the RCEP’s rules of origin (ROO), a requirement to get preferential tariff treatment under the world’s biggest trade deal. Essentially, the ROO can be regarded as a passport for products, a way to determine the country of origin of a product and establish its eligibility for preferential tariff treatment. It can help businesses reduce costs and boost their competitiveness within the regional market. Under RCEP, originating goods are those falling under three categories: wholly obtained in the RCEP party or member state of the agreement; those produced in a party exclusively from originating materials from one or more of the parties; and those produced in a party using non-originating materials, provided the good satisfies the applicable requirements set out in Annex 3A (Product-Specific Rules). Documentary requirements German said applicants seeking “approved exporter” status under RCEP should submit the following documentary requirements: • Duly accomplished application form • BoC’s Certificate of Registration • Product Evaluation Report or PER, if applicable Meanwhile, traders applying for approved exporter status, should submit a producer’s declaration indicating the originating status of the good for which the trader will be completing a declaration of origin and stating the producer’s readiness to cooperate in verification. “If you are a trader, you need to know who produces the good or you still have a declaration that it is originating in the Philippines so that you will be ready during the retro verification or verification of the importing country,” said German during her talk last month at a Department of Trade and Industry webinar. In addition applicants have to submit a list of the authorized signatories of the DO and their respective specimen signatures. The application form should be submitted in both hard copy and electronic Portable Document Format to the deputy commissioner of the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group through the Customer Care Center or CCC. The Export Coordination Division or ECD will then evaluate the application based on the following criteria: Exporter is a legitimate exporter who must have been transacting with the BOC for at least one year prior to the date of application Exporter must have been exporting products to at least one RCEP party for at least one year • Exporter must have good compliance measured by risk management of the BOC • Exporter must have a sound bookkeeping and recordkeeping system • Exporter must have responsible officers or persons authorized to sign the DO, who must have sufficient knowledge, competence in ROO application • Exporter must be willing to be subjected to regular monitoring and inspection to determine correctness of its declaration with respect to the goods exported. Written authorization After evaluation the ECD will grant the status of approved exporter to the successful applicants by issuing a written authorization with its corresponding authorization code within 14 working days. From there, the BOC will input the details of the approved exporter in its Approved Exporter Database for circulation among the RCEP parties. RCEP came into effect officially for the Philippines on June 2, 2023 after the Senate finally ratified the agreement in February this year. The Philippines was the last country to ratify RCEP, a free trade pact among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam — and the five ASEAN FTA partners Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. The post Steps gaining exporter status under RCEP outlined appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl, Saudi ink $4.26-B investment agreements
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Malacañang on Friday said that business delegations from the Philippines and Saudi business leaders inked investment agreements worth $4.26 billion. In a statement, Marcos was said to be present at the agreements' signing earlier this week, which took place on the fringes of a conference of Gulf and Southeast Asian countries in Saudi Arabia. Malacañang said that EEI Corp. of the Philippines and Samsung Engineering of Saudi Arabia have reached a deal for the export of construction services valued at $120 million. Al-Jeer Human Resources Company (ARCO) also inked a $3.7 billion human resource services contract with the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Palace added. A $191 million agreement for human resource services was also inked by Maharah Human Resources Co. of Saudi Arabia, Staffhouse International Resources of the Philippines, and E-GMP International Corp. of the Philippines. President Marcos acknowledged the valuable contributions of the companies that took part in the effort to strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, which served as home to over one million Filipino migrant workers. “To our current and future business partners, I hope that this meeting has served as an excellent platform for building greater and closer partnerships between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” President Marcos said. President Marcos also assured the business community that the Philippines will remain steadfast in its commitment to continuously support current and prospective Saudi investors as he emphasized that the Philippine government has amended existing laws to further open its economy to foreign investments. The post Phl, Saudi ink $4.26-B investment agreements appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos offers Namibia agri boost help
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines can significantly help Namibia in advancing its agricultural industry's growth, Malacañang said on Friday. In a statement, the Palace said Marcos made the offer during the acceptance of credentials from Namibia's Non-Resident Ambassador to the Philippines, Herman Pule Diamonds, at Malacañan earlier this week. Marcos told Diamonds that the Philippines possesses its own rice institute and educational institutions specializing in agricultural research and development. "We take pride in the fact that many of the agriculturists and agronomists around Southeast Asia trained with us and we can claim credit for some of the success that they are enjoying now. So, I think that is something that we could certainly look into," he added. Marcos also discussed matters of trade and industry and technical cooperation as Namibia and the Philippines try to fortify bilateral ties. "What is left to us now is for us to find those complementarities. Those areas that we can help each other," Marcos said. In response, Diamonds expressed Namibia's interest in broadening its trade and investment portfolio and acknowledged that the Philippines possesses technological advancements that its country still needs to acquire. “So, my task is to see how we can perhaps, maybe turn this around and make most space for us to cooperate [in terms of] trade and investment. So, this is the reason why we are here … So, I was the one saying look here we have to diversify. And that is precisely what I’m looking at coming,” Diamonds said. “So, we are mostly in those areas. We also have the same challenges. As the Philippines [there are] technologies, which we do not have. So, this is also an area where we can see technical cooperation,” he added. The Ambassador also expressed his appreciation for the Philippine government in ensuring the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community in Namibia. Responding to Namibia’s observation about Filipino workers abroad, President Marcos took pride in the Filipinos’ hospitality as he emphasized that they are very industrious employees around the world. “We’re very proud of our overseas workers. They do a great deal for our country and they have polished and made our reputation all over the world and again, we’re very proud of them,” Marcos said in response to Diamond’s remarks about the OFWs. The post Marcos offers Namibia agri boost help appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PEZA cheers signing of PH-FTA deal as investment approvals increase 180% in September
Pasay City – Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso O. Panga said on Thursday that it is optimistic to receive more investors from South Korea with the signing of the Philippines-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on the sidelines of the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Jakarta, Indonesia. According to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., “The signing of the FTA is a testament to the realization of many opportunities for complementation and collaboration between the Philippines and South Korea, and an even greater milestone for our economic friendship.” Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual also noted that “for the Philippines, this FTA serves as a clear demonstration of the intent to elevate the current bilateral relations with South Korea to a stronger strategic partnership. The Philippines’ engagement with South Korea is built on trade through market access, economic cooperation, and investments through collaboration in targeted sectors such as critical minerals and supply chains.” Echoing these, Panga stated that “With South Korea’s status as the 10th largest GDP in the world and 2nd most technologically advanced nation (next to Germany), the Philippines stands to benefit from this FTA which opens more opportunities for investors, increased market access, FDI inflows, higher value-added production and export diversification combined with deeper economic cooperation and innovation partnership.” PEZA is also seeing an influx of FDIs coming from South Korea for the year. Panga said, “We are seeing an increasing trend with more South Korean investments coming in the country. Last year, we have approved a total of Php 1.019 Billion investments from South Korean projects and for our performance this year, we already generated a total of Php 1.413 Billion investments from South Korea. We are looking forward to welcoming more investments from them, especially from industries unique to the country.” As of June 2023, PEZA has a total of 246 registered projects from South Korea which generate Php 92.190 Billion investments, US$ 736.454 Million exports, and 40,688 employments. The post PEZA cheers signing of PH-FTA deal as investment approvals increase 180% in September appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Warning to China
Deal with the slick, covetous country for who and what she really is, vis-a-vis the Scarborough Shoal or West Philippines Sea. Don’t fall for her “drama.” The interest of China in the WPS, transcendent of her main goal to grab it, is to win to her side the countries whom she considers obstacles to carrying out their delusive agenda, not to mention her machinations to maliciously involve the United States in the issue (by propaganda/psywar) and put in bad light the merely “internationally concerned” superpower country. China’s “10-dash line,” though a fresh/new figment of its imagination, is now passe/obsolete because the Philippines has an “11-dash line,” as I have just drawn a map that contains it, and which Filipinos can present to the current Chinese officials so that the Philippine government may (perchance) be able to convince them to come to their senses and stop their illegal activities in the disputed sea. All that China can do with its “10-dash line” is to play their “cheat and steal” game with it. They have revised their “nine-dash line” because the old map did not stand in the Permanent Court of Arbitration and will never ever stand in any court of law (for humans) anywhere in the universe. But let them be informed herein that the Philippines has thus far made her own “11-dash line” map. Ano pa laban nila? 10 lang ang kanila, 11 ang sa atin (What is there to beat? Theirs is only 10; ours is 11). China cautioned other countries about courting a new Cold War (by offending China) during the recent ASEAN Summit in Indonesia when, as a matter of imperative, China should have been the one that received a warning (more than caution), not only from the ASEAN member nations but from the entire world — on account of her continuing aggression and illegal actions in the WPS that destabilize the region and will so “destabilize” the world, ultimately. But, alas, what the Philippines, the ASEAN, and the world are doing seems to be just all talk, useless talks, when the only talk that may matter to solve the problem (with finality) is a bilateral talk between the Philippines and China. It was reported in June this year that China is willing to dialogue with the Philippines to resolve the issue. Did our government ignore it? Three months later, I read another news that said, “Zhou Zhiyong, the Chinese Embassy’s deputy chief of mission and minister counselor, also claimed that Beijing had been reaching out to Manila, but it had yet to respond to China’s proposed bilateral talks on tensions in the South China Sea.” Were all these fake news? I don’t think so because I read them from reputable media outlets. Thus, are our officials playing callous toward the best possible solution to end our already boiling squabble with China, with China trying to initiate the move? However, China’s sincerity must be tested when the talk commences. I am sure this one is not fake news. China has been using “local operators” to divide the Philippines on the WPS issue. It is time, indeed, for our officials to do something about this handful of noisy traitors and apostates, much less those who are part of the media or Philippine media. Pronto. Reni M. Valenzuela renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com The post Warning to China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Palace: Malaysian-based Valiram eyes dev’t of airport outlets in Phl
Malacañang confirmed that the Malaysian retail specialist, Valiram Group, is eyeing the expansion of its operations in the Philippines by developing airport outlets for duty-free retail tourism. The commitment was made during the meeting of Valiram Group officials with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Singapore on Saturday, according to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil. Garafil said that Valiram’s development priorities include having duty-free access at the airports. “The company is building more airport walk-through stores personalized to provide customers with a pleasant shopping experience,” she added. Present during the meeting with Marcos were Valiram Group executive directors Mukesh Valiram, Ashvin Valiram, and Sharan Valiram; Esquire Financing chairperson and chief executive officer Rajan Uttamchandani; and Ayala Corp. chief sustainability and risk officer Jaime Zobel Urquijo. Citing the statement of one of the Valiram executives, Garafil said the Malaysian retail specialist is seeking the immediate expansion of its operations in the Philippines in the next five years. She added that Valiram wants to bring some of its brands that are not yet represented in the Philippines, “in an effort to elevate customer experience to another level” by giving them more space at the nation’s gateways, removing the stress and hassles of security checks. “Things like… complementing Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, and some of our partners' work in Southeast Asia have expressed interest. Their business is small, currently in the Philippines. And they want to see if we can help us over there and try and amplify them in the local market,” Garafil said, quoting one of the Valiram executives. Marcos acknowledged the vital role of retail business in the Philippine economy, adding that Valiram could also help boost the country’s tourism industry. “It’s an important sector of the economy. It’s what’s driving the economy now, it’s consumer spending,” he told Valiram officials, as quoted by the PCO. Philippine officials who were at the meeting included Garafil, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Special Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go, and Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Antonio Macaraig. Romualdez, for his part, expressed support for the President’s thrust to encourage more investors to come to the Philippines. The house speaker noted that Congress is focusing on crafting legislation or laws that govern the treatment and appreciation of foreign investments into the country. Romualdez stressed that “Congress is moving under his leadership by streamlining those laws.” “And we are also looking at the totality of the body of laws and looking at older, or laws that are either obsolete or archaic, or those are so-called timely to encourage more foreign investors,” Romualdez said, partly in Filipino. He said the administration’s efforts are aligned with the “Foreign Investments Act and the details to open up the economy for foreign direct investments.” Established in 1935 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Valiram is Southeast Asia’s leading luxury goods and retail specialist with a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam. Operating more than 350 stores, a number which continues to grow, the group represents more than 200 brands across various categories, from fashion and accessories, timepieces and jewelry, perfume, and cosmetics to confectionery and dining concepts. The post Palace: Malaysian-based Valiram eyes dev’t of airport outlets in Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Harvard welcomes Cavite teacher as first Phl language instructor
After nearly 400 years since its founding, the prestigious Harvard University has named its first-ever Filipino language instructor. [caption id="attachment_181411" align="aligncenter" width="1588"] LADY Aileen Orsal | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FB.COM/LADY AILEEN ORSAL[/caption] Lady Aileen Orsal, who used to teach at Cavite State University, is now the university’s first preceptor for its Filipino language course. She will be teaching elementary and intermediate Filipino (Tagalog) beginning of Fall 2023. “Gayunpaman, naniniwala akong maliit na bahagi lamang ako ng istorya at ang pagkakataong maituro ito ay bunga ng pagsisikap ng mga taong patuloy na inadhika na magkaroon ng mayaman at makabuluhang programa ng Filipino sa pamantasan. Ang pagpupunyagi nila ang tunay na nais kong ibida. Kasama na rito ang pagsaludo sa lahat ng mga gurong Pilipino at guro ng/sa Filipino sa loob at labas ng bansa partikular na ang mga guro ko sa CvSU at DLSU at sa mga kaibigan at mentor ko na guro sa NIU at iba pang pamantasan sa Estados Unidos na dahilan kung bakit patuloy akong natututo sa mga istratehiya sa pagtuturo ng ating wika at kultura (However, I believe that I am only a small part of the story, the opportunity to teach the result of the effort of people who have continuously strived to have a rich and meaningful Filipino program in the university. Their efforts are what I really want to highlight. This includes saluting all Filipino teachers inside and outside the country, especially my teachers at CvSU and DLSU and my friends and mentors who are teachers at NIU and other universities in the United States — the reason why I continue to learn from strategies in teaching our language and culture),” she wrote on Facebook. Orsal said she’s currently preparing for the classes, saying that “mas marami tayong maibabahaging kwento sa hinaharap kapag handa na ako at may mga magagandang bunga na ang programa na nais nating payabungin (we’ll have more stories to share in the future when I’m ready, hoping for the program will yield good results).” She dedicates this milestone “#parasabayan” while hoping that Filipinos “will continue to honor being Filipino in every corner of the world.” Orsal demonstrates an impressive background in Philippine Studies, and has conducted research and published several works on traditional tattoo art, the country’s coffee culture, and the use of music in political campaign jingles. “Lady Aileen is a dedicated, creative and effective teacher who is committed to being a leader in Filipino language pedagogy. We also look forward to working with her to develop, highlight and showcase the richness and variety of the history and cultures of the Philippines through events on the Harvard campus,” said James Robson, Victor and William Fung director at Harvard University Asia Center. Orsal’s teaching career began as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at the Center of Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University in 2018. She is currently completing two degrees: an MA in Communication from Northern Illinois University and a PhD in Philippine Studies from De La Salle University in the Philippines, both expected to be completed next year. Apart from Orsal, Harvard also welcomed Sakti Suryani as a preceptor from Indonesia. Harvard will also offer elementary, intermediate and advanced Indonesian courses at the beginning of its fall term. According to the Harvard University Asia Center, Filipino (or Tagalog) is the fourth most-spoken language in the United States, after English, Spanish and Chinese. The post Harvard welcomes Cavite teacher as first Phl language instructor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippines’ Marcos opposes ‘militia vessels’ in South China Sea
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos told leaders at a summit in Indonesia on Thursday to oppose the use of "coast guard and maritime militia vessels" in the South China Sea, where Manila has a territorial dispute with Beijing. Philippine ships have been harassed several times in recent months by Chinese vessels in the disputed waterway, an important trade route where other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia also have claims. Marcos told the 18-nation East Asia Summit, which was attended by China, that Manila was concerned about the installation of military facilities on reclaimed features such as outcrops and reefs, as well as violations of international law. "We are concerned over consistent actions that are in violation of obligations under international law," Marcos said, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the presidential palace. "We must oppose the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea." He did not mention any country by name at the summit, which was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and US Vice President Kamala Harris. Chinese coast guard vessels fired water cannon on August 5 at a Filipino ship on a mission to resupply marines stationed at a World War II-era ship on Second Thomas Shoal. Another resupply mission to the shoal was also harassed later that month. China defended its actions in the area as "professional". The Philippines deliberately grounded the ship to stake its claims on the shoal in the disputed sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. China, which has built military facilities on reclaimed territory, has urged the Philippines to remove the ship. It has also used boats, which Manila described as "militia vessels", to enforce its claims against smaller neighbors. Marcos said countries must not allow tensions in the South China Sea to escalate further and urged "all parties to exercise self-restraint and refrain from unilateral" actions that would increase tensions and risk miscalculations. China released a new map ahead of Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings in Jakarta this week in which its maritime claims overlapped with those of other countries. The map sparked strong protests from Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. mba/jfx/pbt © Agence France-Presse The post Philippines’ Marcos opposes ‘militia vessels’ in South China Sea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Vietnam, Philippines to sign rice trade agreement
Vietnam and the Philippines agreed to sign an agreement on rice imports to guarantee food security, Hanoi said Thursday, after prices of the world staple soared to decade highs last month. The announcement came after a meeting between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia this week. "The two sides agreed to soon discuss and sign an inter-governmental agreement on rice trade cooperation to together ensure objectives on food security amidst complicated developments in the recent global food supply chain," a statement on Vietnam's official government website said Thursday. The agreement would be for five years and would see Vietnam export rice to the Philippines, according to a statement from the Philippine presidential palace. Marcos said the agreement "would stabilize the rice supply and pricing in the Philippines amid the current volatility", the statement added. Rice is a basic staple in the country of 110 million people. But the Philippines cannot produce enough for itself and has been one of the world's top importers of the grain. In July, India, the world's biggest rice exporter, banned some overseas rice sales to calm rising prices at home. Global prices soared to their highest levels in nearly 15 years last month. In the first eight months of the year, Vietnam exported nearly 5.9 million tons of rice, earning $3.2 billion, up 37 percent year-on-year, according to Vietnam's general statistics office. The post Vietnam, Philippines to sign rice trade agreement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, Japan, Phl trialogue in the works — Romualdez
JAKARTA, Indonesia — A trilateral meeting between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines is in the works this week to discuss several areas of concern, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez recently said. In a chance interview with the Palace reporters late Wednesday, Romualdez said the three countries requested a meeting on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit here. However, Romualdez said that they are still working out the time slot due to the tight schedules of US Vice President Kamala Harris and a Japanese official. "The schedules are a bit tight for both Japan and the United States," Romualdez said. "Vice President Harris just arrived this (Tuesday) evening, and she's having a whole day meeting tomorrow. So they're trying to look for the time," Romualdez added. If the meeting does push through, Romualdez said that the agenda will likely focus on cooperation between the three countries, especially in the area of economic security. "We're all allies, basically, Japan, the United States, and the Philippines," Romualdez said. "So I'm sure obviously the West Philippine Sea will most likely be part of the discussion, but mostly on cooperation, and how Japan, the United States, and the Philippines can work together, especially in the area of economic security, which is also very important for us." The West Philippine Sea is a disputed body of water that the Philippines, China, and several other countries claim. The Philippines has accused China of militarizing the area and of violating its sovereignty. Romualdez said that the trilateral meeting is important because it will allow the three countries to discuss ways to cooperate on issues of common interest, such as the West Philippine Sea and economic security. "The importance of that meeting is because of the fact that we've had discussions with both Japan and the United States on many issues surrounding our area, our territorial waters, and, of course, the South China Sea," Romualdez said. "But as I said, the economic cooperation between our three countries between the two countries with the Philippines is also very important for us." Romualdez also said that he does not think that China will take issue with the trilateral meeting. "I don't think there's any... It's nothing new that the countries... In meetings like this, in summits like this, there's always a lot of bilateral meetings between so many countries," Romualdez said. "So there's, it's really nothing to... I know that people are putting meaning into it --- a special meaning to do it because of the situation that we're all --- the situation in our part of the world, but at the end of the day, it is really a meeting of friends and allies and partners." The post US, Japan, Phl trialogue in the works — Romualdez appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BBM, hoarders in test of wills over price cap
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. left yesterday for Indonesia, but not before taking a potshot at smugglers and hoarders over the spiraling price of rice that necessitated his issuance of a price cap on the staple grain. Marcos in his departure speech said that even as he attends the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, controlling the rice price surge will be top of mind. Early in his presidency, Marcos said he would work to bring down the price of rice to P20 a kilo, half of the P41 to P45 per kilo price ceiling he imposed via Executive Order 39, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, last Thursday. The President was adamant that there is no valid reason rice should be selling for upwards of P50 per kilo, considering that data from the Department of Agriculture showed that with the coming rice harvest and imports, there’ll be enough rice buffer stocks to last the year. “Based on our studies, the only reason for this is that there are smugglers and hoarders,” he said in Filipino. The price cap — P41 per kilo for regular-milled rice and P45/kilo for the well-milled variety — will be implemented starting today, 5 September. Rice retailers across the nation were one in saying that they could not possibly sell at below their purchase price despite the government’s threat to penalize violators of EO 39. Monitoring teams from the DA and the trade, local government and justice departments, along with those from local government units, will go around wet markets and supermarkets to ensure compliance with the price cap. Temporary measure Earlier, Marcos tried to assure traders and the public that the price ceiling would be temporary while waiting for local farmers to harvest their palay. “I need to explain that this is only temporary. It won’t last long. We are harvesting rice, we are harvesting rice here in the Philippines, [until] the season is over,” he stressed. “And so when the time comes, we’ll also have imported rice. It will come in at the same time [as the local harvest]. We will take it to the market, we will let rice retailers cap their own prices,” he added. The President said he will work with ASEAN leaders during the summit to address the various challenges facing the region, including the territorial irritants in the South China Sea (see related story). As the “epicenter of growth” in Asia, ASEAN-member countries can play a big role in ensuring food security, calling for climate justice, protecting migrant workers, and fully tapping the potential of digital economies. “We will foster cooperation with these countries in areas such as trade and investment, climate action, food security, clean energy, and maritime cooperation,” Marcos said, before boarding his plane with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. Marcos said he will also take part in the ASEAN Plus 3 and East Asia summits where he will discuss developments in the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Welcomed “ASEAN has always been closely intertwined with Philippine foreign policy,” the President said. “My administration will continue to ensure that our constructive engagements with ASEAN, our dialogue partners, and stakeholders will serve our national interest and the wellbeing of the Filipino people.” The ASEAN Summit is the second to be held in Indonesia this year after the one held in Labuan Bajo last May. House lawmakers welcomed the rice price ceiling set to be enforced today but expressed reservations, including making it more “flexible” based on prevailing regional market conditions. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said, “The situation will vary per region, so a national rice price ceiling should be made more responsive to local supply-demand dynamics.” Salceda emphasized that increasing domestic supply and diversifying importation sources like Pakistan and the United States should be the long-term solution. “We’ve seen this crisis before. We know how to deal with it. It mostly involves signaling to our world partners that we will not over-import so that they don’t anticipate and drive prices up,” Salceda said. Independent opposition lawmaker Edcel Lagman said that Marcos should have imposed the rice price cap when the commodity was being sold at P50 to P60 per kilo. Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday declared that P2 billion sourced from this year’s budget will be earmarked to aid rice retailers who may be affected by the price cap. @tribunephl_Lade @tribunephl_eao The post BBM, hoarders in test of wills over price cap appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mla slams Beijing’s expanded SCS claim
The Department of Foreign Affairs has strongly protested China’s inclusion of the entire West Philippine Sea in the newest version of its standard map, calling it “unacceptable.” Manila, through the DFA, made this very clear to Beijing on Thursday as it rejected China’s map that depicts its new “10-dash line” claim to the entire South China Sea, including maritime zones of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Indonesia. The map was issued by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources on 28 August, drawing protests from Malaysia and India (see related story). “This latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the DFA said. The DFA reiterated to China that a 2016 international arbitral ruling invalidated its “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea and affirmed the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. This was in reference to the final judgment rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 12 July 2016. “It (decision) categorically stated that ‘maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant parts of the nine-dash line are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China’s maritime entitlements under the Convention,’” the statement said. “The Philippines, therefore, calls on China to act responsibly and abide by its obligations under UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the DFA added. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, but has not recognized the arbitral ruling. Neither did Beijing participate in the court’s proceedings. During a Malacañang press briefing, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Daniel Espiritu confirmed Manila had filed a diplomatic protest with Beijing regarding the issue. Beijing’s revised map features a sequence of 10 dashes arranged in a U-shape, encompassing not only parts of the Philippines but of self-ruled Taiwan as well as parts of the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Indonesia. “Suffice it to say that we have already expressed our opposition to that matter,” Espiritu told Palace reporters. “We are definitely against it, we reject it, and we continue to advocate for a peaceful resolution of disputes in that aspect,” he added. Asked how this would affect the Philippine position when Marcos meets with his Southeast Asian and Chinese counterparts during the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, Espiritu said the leaders would not complete their discussions on the matter in just one, two, or three meetings. “Progress has been made. We also expressed our profound satisfaction with recent developments in the South China Sea, particularly on the issue of the water cannoning,” Espiritu said. “We emphasized that these actions must be avoided, as they erode trust, escalate tensions in the South China Sea, and destabilize the peace and stability in the region,” Espiritu added. China’s defense For its part, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended the map, saying it is “in accordance with the law.” “On 28 August, the Ministry of Natural Resources of China released the 2023 edition of the standard map. It is a routine practice in China’s exercise of sovereignty in accordance with the law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. Wang called on the countries affected by the new map to “stay objective and calm, and refrain from over-interpreting the issue.” Four of the 10 members of ASEAN are primary claimants to the resource-rich South China Sea — Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. Final and binding In reaction, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the Philippines does not recognize China’s nine-dash line claim, more so its expanded 10-dash line. “The arbitral award is final and binding,” Año said. “It gives us our maritime entitlement, our extended economic zone, our territorial waters, and our extended continental shelf.” The Philippines, he said, is not alone in its rejection of the 10-dash line. India and Malaysia have also expressed their opposition to the new map. “There would be more countries, I think, to react adversely against this 10-dash line,” Año said. “Our Armed Forces, our uniformed services, our government will do everything in their capacities to ensure that we are protecting our national interest.” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., meanwhile, will push for a rules-based international order and for parties to follow the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea during the upcoming 43rd Asean Summit next month, DFA Undersecretary Espiritu said on Thursday. “The Philippines will continue to uphold and exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law,” Espiritu added. He said Marcos is expected to have one-on-one meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão. “With Vietnam, the focus will be on strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries and, of course, cooperation on rice and food security,” he said. ‘Cancel China projects’ With Beijing’s unrelenting expansion into the SCS, Infrawatch PH convenor Terry Ridon said the government should reconsider existing and upcoming China-assisted infrastructure projects. “Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri had earlier suggested a boycott of all Chinese companies and products, including the Chinese Communication Construction Company, to protest Beijing’s continued incursion into our territory,” Ridon said. “Why not push that call up a notch and call on the Marcos administration to cancel all China-assisted infrastructure projects in the pipeline?” he added. There are presently six major infrastructure projects financed with Chinese loans, the biggest of which is the PNR South Long Haul Project, a 380-kilometer railway that will link Calamba in Laguna and Legazpi in Albay. The project, which started in 2016 and is set to be completed in 2024, has a total price tag of P175.3 billion. The post Mla slams Beijing’s expanded SCS claim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
We are definitely against it, we reject it—DFA on China’s 2023 map
The Philippines lodged a protest against China's release of the 2023 edition of its map depicting its expanded claim in the South China Sea, with a "10-dash line" covering most of the West Philippine Sea. During the Malacañang Press Briefing, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Daniel Espiritu confirmed Manila filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing regarding the issue. For context, Beijing unveiled its revised map featuring a sequence of ten dashes arranged in a U shape earlier this week, asserting control over almost the entirety of the South China Sea as its own. This region's boundaries included parts of self-ruled Taiwan and several parts of the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Indonesia. "Suffice it to say that we have already expressed our opposition to that matter," Espiritu told Palace reporters. "We are definitely against it, we reject it, and we continue to advocate for a peaceful resolution of disputes in that aspect," he added. Asked how this would affect the upcoming position of the Philippines when Marcos meets the Southeast Asian and Chinese counterparts during the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, Espiritu said the leaders would not complete their discussions on the matter in just one, two, or three meetings. "Progress that has been made (...) we also expressed our profound satisfaction with recent developments in the South China Sea, particularly the issue of water cannoning," Espiritu said. "We emphasized that these actions must be avoided, as they erode trust, escalate tensions in the South China Sea, and destabilize the peace and stability in the region," Espiritu added. In a separate statement on Thursday, the DFA said, “(t)his latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” It highlighted that Beijing's claims regarding the contested waters under the former nine-dash line had been rendered void by the 2016 Arbitral Award. This ruling said the “maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the ‘nine-dash line’ are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China’s maritime entitlements under the Convention,” the department added. DFA then urged China to demonstrate responsible behavior and adhere to its responsibilities as outlined in the UNCLOS and the arbitration ruling of 2016. The post We are definitely against it, we reject it—DFA on China’s 2023 map appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM orders intensified efforts against human trafficking
President Ferdinand R. Macros Jr. has ordered the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and other concerned government agencies to intensify their efforts against human trafficking so that the Philippines could maintain its Tier 1 status in the Trafficking in Person Report. This was bared by Department of Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano on a news forum on Saturday in Quezon City. Currently, the Philippines has a Tier 1 ranking, the highest classification given US State Department, which means the country fully complies with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is actively working to address the issue. Clavano said Marcos is set to present the human trafficking issues in the Philippines before his counterparts in the upcoming 43rd Association of the Southeast Asian Nations Summit scheduled in the first week of September in Jakarta, Indonesia. “Yes. We have given the President a situationer previously on the area of human trafficking and he understands very clearly the depth and how widespread this problem is,” said Clavano. “In fact, he has given specific instructions to maintain our Tier 1 ranking. That means he will support all the facets and all the programs that the IACAT has already put in place and he would like to enhance those programs,” he added. Clavano said the IACAT’s recent decision to revise the departure guidelines is part of the government’s heeding to Marcos’ order so that the Philippines could maintain its Tier 1 ranking. “Although we have already been given the Tier 1 ranking for 2022, we felt we could further enhance our own operations against human trafficking so we have to understand that our population is a very migratory population,” he said. “Around 10 percent of our population seeks to travel abroad and find their opportunities abroad and this is very specific to our country as opposed or as compared to other countries who have job opportunities where they are,” he added. Clavano said among the identified hotspots for illegal trafficking for Filipinos include Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. “So, the international nature of the cross-boundary or transboundary nature of the crime is something that we are really looking into and we engage with our counterparts from the different countries, the Foreign Affairs of the different countries, so we can gather the best practices and we can also keep up with the trends that are currently being seen in the trafficking industry or area,” he said. The post PBBM orders intensified efforts against human trafficking appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl-Korea FTA signed Sept.
The much-anticipated signing of a free trade agreement, or FTA, between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea will likely take place in September, the Department of Trade and Industry said on Monday. Trade Secretary Fred Pascual met with Minister Dukgeun Ahn of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea last Sunday, 20 August 2023, during the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers held in Semarang, Indonesia regarding the economic deal. “Both ministers welcomed the conclusion of the PH-ROK FTA negotiations and agreed to work for its signing, preferably at the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in September 2023.” Supply chain deal In addition, “ the trade officials committed to working on a possible supply chain resilience cooperation to ensure stability and predictability of business operations, particularly in the manufacturing sector,” the DTI said. Further, the DTI said that in time for the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations, both ministers are also considering organizing a Business Forum to further boost trade and investment relations. The two sides first started negotiating the FTA in June 2019 before concluding negotiations in October 2021. But its signing was stalled several times. Under the Philippines-South Korea FTA, South Korea will lift tariffs on 94.8 percent of Philippine products, while the Philippines will cut tariffs on 96.5 percent of South Korean products. Other areas covered by the FTA include trade in goods, trade remedies, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, economic and technical cooperation, competition, and legal and institutional issues. The post Phl-Korea FTA signed Sept. appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ejercito: Beef up Phl Navy, PCG vs China’s incursions
The government should prioritize the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines amid the escalating tension between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said Tuesday. In a radio interview, Ejercito underscored the importance of having a credible defense posture to halt the frequent incursions of China into the country’s territories. “We cannot fight China because it is a superpower [country] but they have recommendations such as [keep] the line of communication open and exhaust all diplomatic means,” he said. “On our part, we have to strengthen our Armed Forces [of the Philippines], our [Philippine] Coast Guard. We need to have a minimum credible defense posturing, at least a respectable one,” he added. He issued the remarks weeks after the Chinese Coast Guard used a water cannon at Philippine vessels en route on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Ejercito likewise urged the government to forge alliances with “like-minded” countries to combat Chinese military aggression in the WPS. “We should make an alliance with other countries aggrieved by China such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia,” he said. “There is strength in numbers, we cannot fight China alone but maybe if we will have an alliance with other countries, they will be at least hesitant because the countries are united against them,” he added. ‘Impossible’ In a separate statement, Ejercito reiterated his rejection of the claim that his father, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, ordered the removal of the grounded BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal. “Such an assertion is impossible, given that it was President Erap himself who ordered the grounding of the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal,” he said, referring to columnist and former Palace official Rigoberto Tiglao’s accusation that former president Joseph Estrada made such a commitment to China. “Mr. Tiglao’s column is patently inaccurate and distorts the reality of President Estrada's decisive actions against Chinese aggression,” he added. The lawmaker urged the former Palace official to correct his false accusation against his father. “It is thus imperative that Mr. Tiglao's column be rectified to accurately reflect actual historical events,” he said. The post Ejercito: Beef up Phl Navy, PCG vs China’s incursions appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Texas Instruments to expand sites in Clark, Baguio, eyes $1B investment
Analog chipmaker Texas Instruments eyes investing up to $1 billion to expand its Philippine facilities, Malacañang said on Thursday. In a statement, the Palace said Texas Instruments is set to submit an application covering the expansion of its sites in Clark and Baguio in two weeks. TI’s investment plans align with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 signed into law by US President Joe Biden last year, aimed at building and making historic investments that will poise US workers, communities, and businesses to win the race for the 21st century. The law is seen to strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, and invest in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. then welcomed TI’s investment plans, saying, “These (are) areas and sectors in the economy that we would like to be involved in.” “And we have a great deal of [dependence] already… of our exports. We do not see why we should not further support and enhance the sector of the economy because it has (done) well,” he said. In addition, there is good potential on the Philippine side because “we have a workforce that is accustomed to working to foreign corporations.” And on the technological side, Marcos said the Philippines has undertaken a very comprehensive program of upskilling and reskilling its workers to be able to take advantage of the new niches in the labor demand and the labor market. The post Texas Instruments to expand sites in Clark, Baguio, eyes $1B investment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Proposed P5.768T 2024 budget 9.8% higher than 2023
The Philippines would be "one step closer" to realizing the government's "transformative vision" for the country once Congress accepts the proposed National Budget for 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said. The Chief Executive made the remarks in his Budget Message on Wednesday as the Department of Budget and Management turned over the Marcos administration’s proposed 2024 budget or National Expenditure Program worth P5.768 trillion to Congress. In his message, Marcos explained that the proposed budget aims to provide the resources required for government operations and the ongoing pursuit of economic reform. Initial information from the DBM showed that the proposed budget is 9.8 percent higher than the P5.268 trillion General Appropriations Act or the enacted budget for 2023. "With the Congress's approval of the proposed (Fiscal Year) 2024 National Budget, we will be one step closer to achieving our transformative vision for the country, the Agenda of Prosperity," Marcos said. "Our journey has just begun. We will march on — one nation, one people building a better future together," he added. The President said that the proposed budget for 2024 was a key part of the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, which aims to strengthen the country's capabilities, protect the buying power of Filipinos, and improve output sectors to create more good jobs and products that can compete globally. "In turn, these strategies are to be supported by an enabling environment characterized by macroeconomic stability, infrastructure development, bureaucratic efficiency, strong rule of law and effective climate action," Marcos said. The President also highlighted the "strong headwinds" the country had to deal with last year as it tried to get its economy back on track. He pointed out that his economic managers made the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, which is now the "bedrock" of the plan to change the economy, to deal with these problems. The Chief Executive said that the Philippines' gross domestic product grew by 7.6 percent for the whole year of 2022, the biggest since 1976. Marcos said that the country's growth "set the stage" for continued growth in 2023, mentioning that the country's economy expanded by 6.4 percent for the first quarter of 2023, surpassing its Asian peers such as Indonesia, China and Vietnam. The World Bank, he also said, declared that the country could reach above-middle-income status within two years. "Likewise expressing confidence in our country's economic growth, the International Monetary Fund said that it was 'highest among the ASEAN-5', noting its resilience to global pressures," the Filipino leader added. Marcos Jr. likewise cited the country's good credit quality standing, improved revenue performance and high employment rate. "Our immediate economic recovery was the result of the collective effort of the Filipinos. Unity was what made it happen," Marcos said. "For the next five years, we must do more, building on all the gains that we have made – through the same whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. We need this not only to be effective but to be transformative," he concluded. The post Proposed P5.768T 2024 budget 9.8% higher than 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU presses free trade agreement with Phl
The European Union and the Philippines will cooperate to provide the "right conditions" for the free trade deal, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday. In a joint statement following a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacañang Palace, von der Leyen pressed for adopting a bilateral FTA as the EU and the Philippines "can do so much more" in terms of trade. "So I'm very glad that we have decided to relaunch negotiations for free trade agreement," von der Leyen said. "Our teams will get to work right now on setting the right conditions so that we can get back to the negotiations. A free trade agreement has huge potential for both of us in terms of growth and in terms of jobs," she added. Von der Leyen also said that the FTA could be a "springboard for a new technology cooperation to modernize the broader economy." She mentioned that the EU wants to accelerate such cooperation with the Philippines to “derisk its trade relations” with other countries such as China and Russia. “We have all learned the hard way the cost of economic dependencies. We need to diversify our supply lines and make them resilient,” Von der Leyen said. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said that talks on a free trade deal between the Philippines and the EU are expected to pick back up before the year is through. The Philippines and the EU initiated preliminary FTA discussions in 2013, and formal negotiations officially commenced in December 2015. In 2016, the first round of FTA discussions were held in Brussels, Belgium, while 2017 saw the second round in Cebu, Philippines. The FTA negotiations have subsequently ceased. Pascual said in March that FTA negotiations with the EU might be resumed. The post EU presses free trade agreement with Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»