House hikes 2021 pandemic assistance fund by P6 billion
The House of Representatives has increased by P6 billion the financial assistance fund for workers and poor families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2021 General Appropriations Bill......»»
‘22 ODA loans reach $32.4B
The Philippines received more official development assistance, or ODA, loans and grants in 2022 to address the socioeconomic scarring brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Economic and Development Authority said. In its 2022 ODA Portfolio Review released on Tuesday, NEDA recorded $32.40 billion in active ODA loans and grants to the Philippines in 2022, up 0.50 percent from $32.24 billion in 2021. The country acquired 106 loans totaling $30.20 billion and 320 grants equivalent to $2.20 billion in 2022. The funds came from 20 development partners, with the Asian Development Bank making the most significant contribution, accounting for 33 percent of the total ODA in the country. Moreover, the government received only four program loans (amounting to $1.02 billion) for Covid-19 response and recovery in 2022, a downtrend from the 25 Covid-19 loans in 2020 and 15 in 2021. “The significant reduction in ODA devoted to addressing the damage wrought by Covid-19 reflects the country’s transition towards the new normal, and it is now focusing on achieving growth in the post-pandemic world,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. The nation’s premier socioeconomic planning body noted that the infrastructure sector received most of the ODA in 2022, with its share amounting to $16.07 billion. The investments in the sector supported the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program of the Duterte administration, which the current Marcos administration is continuing through the “Build-Better-More” program. The post ‘22 ODA loans reach $32.4B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos OKs P12.7-B cash aid to rice farmers
Malacañang on Saturday announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the release of P12.7 billion worth of cash aid to farmers under the government's Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program. Marcos also ordered the immediate distribution of assistance to augment the productivity challenges confronting rice farmers in the country. “[This would] help them cope with the increasing cost of production and sustain their productivity even in the face of challenges like the coming El Niño [phenomenon],” P Marcos said. Under the RFFA, the government has identified about 2.3 million small-time rice farmer beneficiaries, who signed up to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, on 30 June 30, 2023. Each beneficiary will receive P5,000 in financial assistance, which will sourced through the excess tariff collection from rice importations in 2022, amounting to around P12.7 billion. Among the qualified RFFA beneficiaries include farm cooperatives associations, irrigators associations, agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations, small water impounding systems associations, and other farm groups. RFFA is an unconditional financial assistance for farmers tilling below two hectares of land, as mandated under Republic Act 11598 or the Cash Assistance to Filipino Farmers Act of 2021. Marcos also approved the utilization of P700 million in excess tariff collections for the “Palayamanan Plus” conditional cash transfer under the Household Crop Diversification Program. This targets to ensure "food, nutrition and income security" to be provided to RSBSA-registered farmers, who are also listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Around 78,000 beneficiaries are expected to each receive P10,000 from the Palayamanan Plus conditional cash transfer program. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the two proposed financial assistance packages support the government's Masagana Rice Industry Development Program. Marcos earlier said his administration would be "relentless in finding sustainable solutions to address the agricultural issues in the country gearing toward a New Philippines.” "The President also emphasized that providing financial assistance to affected farmers is just one of the steps of the administration to sustain their source of income," said Garafil. The post Marcos OKs P12.7-B cash aid to rice farmers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
High BoI figures show capital swing
As a testament to the strides taken to raise the country’s laggard investments, the country’s main investment promotion agency, the Board of Investments reported registering P720 billion worth of investments for the year until August. In a forum on Thursday, BoI Governor Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego said they now see positive investment growth for the rest of the year. “As of August of 2023, the BoI approvals amounted to 72 percent of the P1-trillion investment target for the year,” she added. Last Tuesday, BoI chairperson and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said he is confident of hitting and even surpassing the 2023 investment approvals target of P1.5 trillion. He said the investment promotion agency has projects in the pipeline, some of which came from past foreign trips of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the investment missions of the Department of Trade and Industry. Last year, the BoI approved an estimated P729 billion worth of new projects, which is 11 percent higher than the P655.4 billion approved in 2021. On Thursday, the BoI announced that it granted green lane endorsement to five floating solar power projects in Laguna Lake under Executive Order 18 or “Constituting Green Lanes for Strategic Investments,” meant to expedite, streamline and automate government approval and registration process of priority and strategic investments. “In keeping with the government’s goal of accelerating the realization of green investments in the Philippines, the BOI has given the go-ahead to ACEN Corporation’s requests for Green Lane processing of several renewable energy ventures located in Laguna Lake,” Pascual explained. The approved projects include SolarAce4, AC Laguna, AC Subic, GigaWind1 and Ingrid Floating Solar Power Plants, which are consistent with the government’s mission to accelerate the growth of eco-friendly investments. In accordance with EO 18, the five renewable energy. or RE, projects are now identified and designated as strategic investments, which are expected to be completed between 2026 and 2027. Obtaining green lane status expedites permit and license issuance, including resolving strategic investment issues. Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo awarded the Green Lane Certificates of Endorsement to ACEN president and CEO Eric Francia in an awarding ceremony at the BoI Main Office in Makati City last 6 September 2023. BoI Governor Ramos-Samaniego and Executive Director Bobby Fondevilla of the Investment Assistance Center are present in the ceremony, and ACEN representatives namely Anabelle Natividad, authorized representative; Atty. Lucky Aranas, project lawyer; and Miguel Ignacio, project manager. SolarAce4 covers 100 hectares of the lake surface area in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and will produce a 140-megawatt peak of clean energy. AC Laguna Floating Solar Power Plant — AC Laguna is located on 200 hectares of lake surface area in Victoria and Pila, Laguna, and will generate 280MWp of clean energy. The AC SUBIC Floating Solar Power Plant, occupying 200 hectares of lake surface area in Victoria and Santa Cruz, Laguna, is expected to produce 280MWp of clean energy. GigaWind1 Floating Solar Power Plant covers 200 hectares of lake surface area in Kalayaan and Paete, Laguna and will generate 280MWp of sustainable energy. Finally, Ingrid Floating Solar Power Plant is located on 100 hectares of lake surface area in Lumban, Laguna and will produce 140MWp of clean energy. At the forefront of Asia Pacific’s renewables revolution, ACEN is the first energy company in Southeast Asia to announce a Net Zero roadmap. ACEN, established in 2011, is the renewable energy platform of the Ayala Group. Its portfolio continues to grow with new solar and wind farms under construction in the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Lao PDR and India. ACEN aims to be the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia and is targeting to reach 20 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. Its key markets are the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia and India. The post High BoI figures show capital swing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lapid eyes credit assistance program for OFWs
Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid is rallying for the establishment of a credit assistance program for Overseas Filipino Workers to recognize their contributions to the country’s economy. Lapid filed Senate Bill 2390 or an Act Establishing a Credit Assistance Program for Overseas Filipino Workers, which allows beneficiaries to avail themselves of a loan of up to P50,000 from the Overseas Worker and Welfare Administration. “It is not enough that we acknowledge the contributions of OFWs to the country. A word without corresponding action is nothing. In recognizing their immense role in our economy, we must respond to their needs to repay their sacrifices,” he said. Lapid explained the program targets to defray the living expenses of OFWs’ dependents during the first three months of absences, as well as recruitment expenses, including placement fees, documentation costs, and plane tickets. Under the bill, the loan shall be paid in 12 equal monthly installments or more but not exceeding 24 months at a preferred interest rate not to exceed six percent per annum. “It cannot be overly stressed how important the role OFWs play in the shaping of the country's economy,” Lapid said, noting that cash remittances from OFWs hit a record high in 2021, while the world was reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Records from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that cash remittances coursed through banks rose by 5.1 percent to $31,418 billion in 2021 from $29,903 billion in 2020. “For this reason, the least that we can do to repay them is to craft programs that would allow access to services more easily and without the rigorous processes which are laden with bureaucratic runarounds,” Lapid pointed out. The post Lapid eyes credit assistance program for OFWs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Clip OWWA’s wings
As the pandemic is over, the Commission on Audit should go into a more detailed scrutiny of the huge amount that the government allotted to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration totaling P17.36 billion in the Emergency Repatriation Fund or ERF. State auditors did not question the use of the ERF and even commended OWWA for the use of the fund in response to the coronavirus plague. As a result of the urgency of the situation and the provisions of the Bayanihan laws exempting purchases from the Government Procurement Reform Act, the CoA did not have the full accounting arsenal to look into the purchases. The huge amount involved and the previous experiences with the OWWA should require a double-check. According to the CoA 2022 report, of the P17,367,559,655.88 OWWA received for the ERF, P17,367,559,406.09 or 99.9999986 percent was utilized for accommodations, transportation, financial assistance, and other Covid-19 incidental expenses of repatriated overseas Filipino workers or OFWs. In several instances, OWWA even exceeded its budgeted ERF and had to draw from the succeeding year’s budget. CoA indicated that P2.3 billion was used to pay for expenses incurred in 2020 that were not covered by that year’s budget. The overshoot increased to P5.035 billion for 2021 since CoA said the expenses were not obligated and were paid through the 2022 budget. CoA, initially in the 2020 report that looked into 2019 transactions not covered by the Bayanihan law’s procurement law exemptions, questioned the purchase of hygiene kits and sanitary napkins totaling P822,420 from a construction store in Pasay City “which cannot be found in the address stated.” Upon further probe by the CoA, it was found that the supposed hardware store was fictitious and the address was that of a private residence. Then OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac had a hard time explaining the purchase of the feminine kits from a hardware store, more so that it couldn’t be found at the address. CoA also found that the procured hygiene kits, which were not itemized, were outrageously priced at P160 each, while the sanitary napkins were priced at up to P35 per pad. Cacdac promised an internal investigation which was something that was lost in the swirl of the global emergency that erupted in early 2020. That was when the ERF was bolstered with allocations from the national budget and Bayanihan laws 1 and 2. The ERF was extensively used previously to repatriate OFWs from war zones. According to the CoA 2022 report, of the P17.37 billion ERF, P13.3 billion was used for hotel accommodations, P449 million for food, P3.6 billion for travel expenses, P9.7 million for subsidies, P5.5 million for supplies, P2.4 million for hospitalization, drugs and medicine, P15.1 million for cremation services, and P90,200 for other expenses. OWWA, in a long-winded acknowledgment of the initial CoA clearance of the use of the funds, was quick to give credit to its suppliers who, it said, “were a huge help to us in the government in extending help to all Filipinos.” It then concluded, without CoA’s express acknowledgment, that the ”payables in 2020 are legal.” Several of the items in the ERF, however, would have to be checked as returning workers during the pandemic did not benefit from the program as they had to pay through their noses the hotel bills and other myriad health processes during the quarantine period as the pandemic raged. No one could recall travel expenses being paid for by OWWA to bring those in distress home. Even the pernicious nasal tests had to come out of the pockets of the migrant workers, at an overprice, as some had to shell out P10,000 for a single test. Also, overspending the ERF budget for a year should be checked since OWWA collects billions of pesos yearly with its membership fee of $25 paid every two years by each OFW. The catch in the OWWA collections is that you’ll never know the privileges and benefits due a member unless you spend time researching it which the busy migrant workers don’t have. OWWA membership is mandatory as the fee is a required item on the departure slip of an OFW. Most overseas workers will attest that they never interacted with CoA unless it involved the payment of fees and, of course, making them go through the expensive quarantine process during the health emergency. There was a plan to abolish the OWWA since its functions overlap with agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency and the Department of Labor and Employment. It is time to hold an earnest review of the abolition proposal. The post Clip OWWA’s wings appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump
With a historic three-way summit with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden has further deepened the web of US partnerships in a determined signal to adversaries despite question marks on the political climate at home. Since Biden took office in 2021, NATO has expanded and mostly closed ranks over Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- and, in clear if unstated responses to an assertive China, the United States forged a new three-way defense pact with Australia and Britain and ramped up work through the four-way Quad involving Australia, India and Japan. The United States already has security alliances with Japan and South Korea, together the bases for some 84,500 troops, but will now also plan three-way, multi-year military exercises across all domains along with real-time information-sharing and a crisis hotline. Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that alliances were "baked" into the mindset of Biden, who was a senator at the end of the Cold War. Partnerships can increase other countries' faith in the direction of the United States, Alterman added. "This administration believes deeply in the centrality -- not the importance, the centrality -- of partnerships," he said. "The challenge is, all of our partners remember the previous administration, they look at the polling numbers, and they have absolutely no confidence in where the US is going to be in two years' time, five years' time or 10 years' time," he said. Previous president Donald Trump loudly questioned the value of alliances, insisting that countries such as Germany and South Korea were not paying enough for the US troop presence and scoffing at NATO's commitments of mutual defense to all allies. Trump is again seeking the White House and recent opinion polls have also shown softening support for US military assistance to Ukraine, which has totaled $43 billion since Russia's attack. Asked about Trump at a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat, Biden said that his predecessor's "America First policy, walking away from the rest of the world, has made us weaker, not stronger." "America is strong with our allies and our alliances, and that's why we will endure," Biden said. Tougher task in Asia Whereas in Europe the United States has led a common defense for decades under NATO, in Asia -- seen by Biden as the critical region -- Washington has navigated individual alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. One reason for the hodgepodge has been historical animosity between Japan and South Korea, with the Camp David summit until recently unthinkable. Yoon has turned the page by resolving a dispute over Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans. Yoon, Kishida and Biden said they shared the same vision of a "rules-based international order" -- a nod to China's muscle-flexing in Asia but also to Ukraine, of which Japan and South Korea have been prominent non-Western supporters. China denounced the Camp David initiative, with state media saying the United States was raising tensions by creating a "mini-NATO," although there was no three-way mutual defense promise. Shihoko Goto, acting director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, doubted that the three countries were even aspiring to collective self-defense but said their new cooperation was part of an "interweaving" with existing alliance arrangements. "As a single thread it may be weak, but because it is going to be part of that fabric and making it into a multi-layered approach, it would actually be really strong," she said. Risks await Biden has also moved bilaterally with countries concerned about Russia and China. He has said he plans to travel shortly to boost ties with Vietnam, whose tensions with Beijing run deep. But one of his big bets, India, has stood firm on its historic refusal to join alliances and is also taking part this week in a summit with Russia and China of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies. Trump is not the only wild card for the future. In South Korea, Yoon is only allowed a single term, which ends in 2027. "If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the US, then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work the three countries are putting in right now," said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The post Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Review of Solo Parents Welfare Act urged
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed last Tuesday, Senate Resolution No. 730 seeking an inquiry into the implementation of Republic Act 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act amid reports that numerous solo parents are not receiving the benefits mandated by law after its enactment more than a year ago. The Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act was signed into law on 4 June 2022, with the aim of supporting Filipino single parents. The law provides various social services and welfare benefits, including a monthly cash subsidy of P1,000 for those earning a minimum wage or below and a 10 percent discount along with VAT exemption on essential childcare products for those earning less than P250,000. “More than a year since the enactment of the law, there are reports that several solo parents, who should be recipients of the provisions under the law, are not receiving the expected benefits,” said Go, author and co-sponsor of RA 11861. It was found out that several local government units found it difficult to secure a sufficient budget to implement the provisions of the law. Even much-larger cities do not have the resources to consistently distribute the P1,000 monthly allowance. “This raises serious concerns and necessitates an immediate review to ensure that the support and assistance mandated by the law are being provided,” he added. The resolution has directed the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry to examine the gaps in the provision of benefits under RA 11861. Meanwhile, Go on Wednesday, stressed the need for accountability, strategic prioritization, and long-term solution to address recurring problems in flood-prone areas during a Committee on Public Works hearing on the country’s flood control master plan and outstanding projects. Go asked DPWH for an accomplishment report detailing the flood control initiatives undertaken during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term. He also requested a copy of the master plan outlining both current and upcoming projects. The senator said the budget allocated for flood control continues to increase from P82 billion in 2019, P80.7 billion in 2020, P90.9 billion in 2021, P127.4 billion in 2022, P182 billion in 2023, and now with a proposed budget of P215.6 billion for 2024, not including foreign assisted projects and those funded by the private sector. The post Review of Solo Parents Welfare Act urged appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Exemplar firm delivering critical energy
Because the Philippines needs more energy resources, the country is almost dependent on imports of coal and fossil fuels to feed its energy requirement. Since 2021, petroleum prices have significantly increased because of the post-pandemic recovery and ongoing geo-politics tension in Europe with the war in Ukraine. The scenario exposes power consumers to corporate greed, with the energy market dominated by big players with eyes fixed on maximizing profits from their investments. Sounds fair. The same is particularly true in rural communities where Power is served by the more than 100 electric cooperatives nationwide, with higher power rates in Metro Manila. As a result, Congress did not renew the franchise of Panay Electric Company when it expired on 18 January 2019, paving the way for the Enrique Razon-owned MORE Electric and Power Corporation or MORE Power, which was granted a 25-year contract to serve and operate Iloilo city’s electricity distribution system. The decision brought relief to Iloilo consumers, with Sen. Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, boasting of the benefits experienced by consumers in Iloilo enjoying lower power rates. MORE Power invested P1.5 Billion to replace the ‘aging, obsolete and dilapidated’ power distribution facilities in Iloilo City. Hence, in its first year of operation, MORE Power managed to address the frequent brownout, high electricity bills, significant system losses, and other power-related problems in the city. Residents in Iloilo City experienced a dramatic reduction in their electricity bills. From the previous P13 per kilowatt hour, the power rate significantly dropped to P6.40 kwh, and this is one of the lowest electricity rates in the entire country. MORE Power’s effort in rehabilitating the power facilities had brought remarkable progress as they addressed the systems loss factor, illegal connection, power interruptions, and overloading. MORE Power is living proof that modernization funds will provide accurate and efficient solutions to the problems in the power sector. This glaring reality haunts the 121 electric cooperatives in the country, which practically have no funds for modernization. Their facilities must keep up with the current demand resulting in better service. The power supply crisis is serious and widespread in the country. The Senate Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Energy are conducting a joint investigation into the rotational brownouts experienced in Panay, Negros, Nueva Ecija, Northern Samar, Pampanga, San Isidro, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija, Calaca in Batangas, Quezon province, Tabuk City in Kalinga, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Ozamiz, Lumban in Laguna, Zamboanga City, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Echague in Isabela, Zamboanga Sibugay, Masbate, Davao Oriental, Southern Leyte, Casiguran in Aurora and Bicol. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. During the Senate inquiry, Sen Poe pointed out that the electric cooperatives were being loaned with government funds. They were also given incentives to improve the service in rural communities. However, cooperatives still need to catch up with the demand. And this is unacceptable, for I could not fathom and comprehend why local government units still gave those electric cooperatives subsidies worth millions to operate. In the investigation, one essential thing has prevailed — modernization is necessary to address the decades-long power supply problem. Electric Cooperatives or ECs, are managed by the National Electrification Administration. Based on their website, as of June, NEA had extended P560.66 million in loan assistance to 18 Electric Cooperatives. But despite the large number of loans extended to the cooperatives every year to strengthen the technical, managerial capability, and financial viability of the ECs, the fact remains that their resources for infrastructure development still need to be increased and expanded. And because of limited resources, it is difficult for ECs to implement new technologies and innovations compared to significant private sector utilities with considerable financial resources. Hence, it is no surprise that the private sector has more capacity to implement immediate infrastructure upgrades, technological advancements, and operational efficiencies with reliable results and quality service. So one of the solutions that Sen. Poe sees is the entry of private players like MORE Power — for her, this is the key to improving the power service because of their large capitalization. The energy crisis is a complex and broad issue. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. The energy crisis is ongoing and will worsen, despite all stakeholders’ concerted efforts. We must welcome all initiatives to manage the situation’s impact, including the privatization of electric cooperatives, because the Energy Regulatory Commission has regulatory oversight power to ensure quality standards and fair pricing and that monopolistic practices are avoided. The post Exemplar firm delivering critical energy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoA flags Cebu City on aid anomalies
The Commission on Audit on Tuesday revealed that it has found irregularities on the local government of Cebu City’s disbursement of financial assistance for victims of typhoon “Odette” worth P791.8 million and other alleged irregularities. The CoA also found that the local government allegedly had unnecessary purchases of T-shirts for different associations and activities amounted to P1.1 million and lapses on granting financial assistance to senior citizens valued at P922.7 million. It added that more than P4.5 billion from delinquent real property taxes could have been collected if tax collection has been efficient and effective. The state auditor also questioned the regularity and validity of the financial assistance for typhoon “Odette” victims as there were deficiencies including signatures opposite the names of some constituents who claimed to have not received the cash assistance, duplication of names and payments and non-submission of complete supporting documents. In December 2021, Cebu City including parts of Cebu Province and the Visayas was hit by typhoon “Odette.” Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama issued Executive Order 149 to set rules and regulations on financial assistance to “Odette” victims. Based on the record of the City Accounting Department, a total of P791.835 million was disbursed in 2022 to 158,367 beneficiaries including P5,000 subsidies for homeowners whose houses were either damaged or destroyed. As part of the audit procedure, the CoA conducted audit survey on whether 241 respondents received the financial assistance. The result 91 said yes while 150 respondents said they have not received the financial assistance. The agency cited 296 names with P1.480 million amount while some beneficiaries were twice or thrice mentioned with 70 having the same barangay and 226 from different barangays. It also noted that distribution was delayed three to 12 months with P138.620 million or 14.90 percent of available funds which remains undistributed. Observations include names lacking the complete information such as middle names and the names of their sitios of residence, duplication of misspelled or interchanged names which may refer to one, and non-submission of the endorsement letter or barangay certificate of residence and copies of the valid identification card with specimen signatures of the beneficiaries. The City agreed to CoA’s recommendation to further investigate the noted deficiencies. The post CoA flags Cebu City on aid anomalies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sharing success
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo was in India in June to discuss with his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar the expanding scope of ties between the two countries. Here’s how the Philippines and India are working together to further strengthen their bilateral partnership. Defense Both democracies expressed keen interest to continue to enhance defense ties through the regular or upgraded official level interaction among defense agencies, opening of the resident Defense Attaché office in Manila, consideration of India’s offer for concessional Line of Credit to meet the Philippines’ defense requirements, acquisition of naval assets, and expansion of training and joint exercises on maritime security and disaster response. Maritime Emphasizing the utility of maritime -domain awareness, India and the Philippines called for the early operationalization of the Standard Operating Procedure for the White Shipping Agreement between the Indian Navy and the Philippines Coast Guard, looking forward to the signing of the memorandum of understanding on enhanced maritime cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard. Law enforcement The ministers encouraged early negotiations for a bilateral mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on Criminal Matters and a treaty on transfer of sentenced persons. It was agreed that the first round of talks would be held in the Philippines in August 2023. Recognizing terrorism and transnational crimes as common security threats, they directed that the 2nd Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism meet in the Philippines in 2023 and discuss forging a memorandum of understanding on this end. Trade and investment There’s a satisfaction at the growing pace of bilateral trade, which had, for the first time, crossed the level of $3 billion in 2022 to 2023, and agreed to commence negotiations on a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement. Manalo highlighted the growing engagement between businesses on both sides, including nearly 30 business-to-business meetings held over the past three years in different sectors. Development The ministers positively noted the ratification of the Agreement on Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of Quick Impact Projects in the Philippines. Manalo underlined India’s commitment to share its digital innovations for the benefit of local communities in the Philippines across sectors such as disaster resilience, health, water, environment protection and education. Health and pharmaceuticals Both sides agreed on an early meeting of the bilateral JWG on Health to devise concrete initiatives to expand cooperation. They welcomed the signing of a memorandum of agreement for cooperation in Ayurveda in April 2022. Tourism and civil aviation The ministers expressed satisfaction at the ratification of the Air Services Agreement signed in September 2021. They noted that this would enable the airlines of both countries to explore direct flight connectivity. Manalo welcomed the announcement of the Philippine government to introduce e-visa for Indian nationals and noted that India had already extended e-visa facility to the Philippines. Agriculture India conveyed Philippine interest in expanding collaboration on fisheries and marine culture and called for the convening of the Joint Working Group on Agriculture to discuss additional areas of agricultural cooperation. Financial technology The Philippines and India welcomed the signing of an MoU in June 2023 for the constitution of a Joint Working Group on Fintech, which would provide the institutional framework for cooperation on digitalization of payments, direct benefit transfer using National ID, and financial inclusion. Science and technology The ministers expressed satisfaction at the commencement of institutional exchanges between their respective science and technology departments, with the convening of the first Joint Science and Technology Committee meeting in July 2021. India is one of the Philippines’ priority foreign partners in science and technology. They noted that a new program of cooperation on science and tech (2023 to 2026) has been finalized. Space Both democracies welcomed the initiation of bilateral engagement on space through training and exchanges, leading to the first round of bilateral dialogue, held virtually, between the Philippine Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organization/Department of Space earlier this month. They encouraged continued deliberations on the proposed MoU on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The post Sharing success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SEC penalizes NOW Corp. over ‘misleading’ public info
The Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC has fined NOW Corporation and its chief executive officer Mel Velarde P1 million each for allegedly “misleading disclosures” about the P2.6-billion unpaid obligation of affiliate company NOW Telecom to the government. In a seven-page order dated 15 June 2023, the SEC affirmed that NOW Corp. and Velarde were administratively liable for violating the Securities Regulation Code or SRC for disclosing misleading information to the public. The disclosure in question was the one posted on 10 November 2021, which stated that NOW Corp. was unaware of the details surrounding the motions filed by the National Telecommunications Commission or NTC with the Supreme Court. The NTC sought a resolution regarding NOW Telecom’s P2.6 billion liability representing unpaid supervision and regulation fees or SRF and spectrum user fees or SUF. With this, the SEC, through its Enforcement and Investment Protection Department, found no merit in the justifications provided by NOW Corp. and Velarde that their disclosure contained truthful and accurate statements. The regulator explained that it is “duty-bound to ensure that full and fair disclosure about securities is steadfastly complied with by listed companies” to protect the interest of the investing public. “Such disclosure is misleading as NOW and Mr. Velarde are fully aware of the specific details surrounding the motion, that is, the unpaid SUF and SRF of [NOW Telecom] with NTC,” the SEC said. “Accordingly, in this case, there is a failure to make a full, accurate, and timely disclosure of a material fact or information about securities as mandated compliance prescribed to a listed company constitutes a violation of Section 24.1(d) of the SRC,” it added. The SEC pointed out that as one of the concurrent key officials of both NOW Corp. and NOW Telecom, Velarde is “considered to have ipso facto participated in the transactions” relating to the unpaid SRF and SUF liability of NOW Telecom. “Considering the magnitude of the unpaid fees of [NOW Telecom] vis-a-vis the investment of [NOW Corp. in NOW Telecom], it is logical to say that said unpaid fees were factored in by NOW in entering into the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and in the valuation of the shares as consideration for the agreement,” the SEC said. The MOA was entered into by NOW Corp. with then Next Mobile Inc., now NOW Telecom, along with five other companies regarding swap or exchange of shares of stocks. NOW Corp. reported the move as an “investment in shares of stocks” as reflected in its 2006 financial statement. The SEC order came five months after NOW Telecom secured a $2.15-million grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency to fund financial assistance for its 5G pilot network launch. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, NOW Corp. confirmed that it received the SEC order. However, the company reiterated that it “disagrees with the Order of the EIPD and shall file a motion for reconsideration.” The post SEC penalizes NOW Corp. over ‘misleading’ public info appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Public service without break
I am proud of the hard work that we have all put into advancing legislative measures with the common goal of providing a safer and better life for Filipinos While we are now on our session break, I believe that there can be no pause in our duties as public servants The Senate adjourned sine die last 31 May 31 its First Regular Session of the 19th Congress. Our first such session under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., I am proud of the hard work that we have all put into advancing legislative measures with the common goal of providing a safer and better life for Filipinos. Six of the proposed measures that hurdled the Senate are now laws, including several of my co-authored and co-sponsored bills, such as the SIM Registration Act, postponement of the December 2022 Barangay and SK Elections, and naturalization of our national basketball team key player, Justin Brownlee. Senate Bill 1849, which I co-sponsored, has also been enacted, amending certain provisions of Republic Act No. 11709 to establish a fixed term and retirement age for some officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that would hopefully better promote their welfare. I likewise co-sponsored RA 11938, converting the municipality of Carmona, Cavite into a city. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, I am also particularly happy that the Bicameral Conference Report on our proposed Regional Specialty Centers Act has already been ratified, marking a significant milestone towards improving access to specialized healthcare across the country. As the principal sponsor of the measure, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of establishing more specialty centers in various regions to ensure that our Filipinos have better access to the specialized medical services they require. This measure is a steadfast commitment, and a collective vision to improve our healthcare system. It is our people’s experiences and stories that have driven us to aim for a healthcare system that is compassionate, accessible, and designed to meet the needs of Filipinos. Likewise approved on third and final reading in the Senate are several bills that I co-authored and co-sponsored, such as: (1) the proposed Walkable and Bikeable Communities Act which seeks to establish safe routes for cyclists, pedestrians, and slow vehicles across the entire country; (2) Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act which aims to institutionalize the grant of a teaching allowance for public school teachers; (3) No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act which seeks to protect students from preventing them in taking exams due to outstanding financial obligations; (4) New Agrarian Emancipation Act which seeks to condone almost P58 billion worth of loans that agrarian reform beneficiaries incurred in owning lands under the government’s agrarian reform programs; (5) Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act which aims to stimulate economic growth for decent job generation; and (6) Senate Bill No. 2021 which aims to improve the competitiveness of MSMEs by granting them access to shared facilities and services, technology, and skills training. The proposed National Day for Awareness on the Hijab and Other Traditional Garments and Attire Act, and the Cultural Mapping Act, which I both co-authored, have also hurdled the Senate. Meanwhile, I likewise filed several other measures in a bid to bring services closer to our people, especially the needy, the hopeless, and the helpless. These include bills establishing Mental Health Offices in higher educational institutions, mandating financial literacy and entrepreneurship as core subjects in the junior and senior high school curricula, and institutionalizing a technical-vocational program specifically for rehabilitated drug dependents. To improve the resilience of the agricultural sector, I also filed a bill seeking to provide immediate financial assistance to ARBs in the event of natural calamities and another measure that proposes to expand the services of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and encourage private sector participation in agricultural insurance. Among others, I also filed bills seeking to institutionalize the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH), a flagship housing program of President Marcos, Jr.; establish a comprehensive framework to accelerate infrastructure flagship programs; strengthen our coast guard; better protect our kasambahays, freelance and media workers; and provide equitable incentives to our para-athletes. After a hectic yet fruitful legislative year, I continue to personally visit our kababayans in need to provide the necessary aid. On June 1, I was in Samal, Bataan with my team to witness the groundbreaking of the town’s Super Health Center and distribute aid to 500 of its struggling residents. We also visited Balanga City to provide similar assistance to 1,008 indigents. Batangas was our destination the following day where I inspected the Super Health Center and a multipurpose building which will be the new municipal hall in Ibaan. I also led relief operations for 1,000 of my fellow Batanguenos in Ibaan and 1,086 in Sta. Teresita. Meanwhile, I was in Naga City, Camarines Sur on June 3 where I attended the 1st Bicol Social Media Summit and assisted 1,500 indigent residents. I then conducted a monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at the Bicol Medical Center in the city and likewise aided 824 patients and 2,702 frontliners. The DSWD also committed to providing financial assistance to qualified beneficiaries. Thereafter, I inspected a bypass road in the city, a project I also supported as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. Across the country, my outreach teams aided 5,102 Typhoon Agaton victims in Banate, Iloilo; 170 fire-hit families in Parañaque City; five fire-hit families in Cotabato City and three more in Catbalogan City, Samar. Indigent families were also aided, including 420 in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; 598 in Socorro, Surigao del Norte; 1,000 in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; 40 in Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte; 520 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; 180 in Sibalom, Antique; 518 in Kalibo, Aklan; 83 TESDA graduates in Carcar City, Cebu; and 408 barangay health workers in Sariaya, Quezon. My staff likewise attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Socorro, Surigao del Norte. While we are now on our session break, I believe that there can be no pause in our duties as public servants. As we have always done and as we are mandated to do, we should continue spending the days ahead trying to help uplift the lives of our Filipino people. The post Public service without break appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Daza to CHEd: Put funding to good use
The Commission on Higher Education could use its P10-billion funding if its heart really goes out to disadvantaged students, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul Daza said Tuesday, reiterating his prior allegation that the funding was previously utilized for tertiary student scholarships. “If our hearts are in it, if we really wanted to help the poor, CHEd can use the P10 billion today without having to wait for the next GAA (General Appropriations Act) budget deliberations,” said the Northern Samar solon. “The list is with you. You have one million students. Please, put it to use.” The allegation that the CHEd used the P10 billion of its funding for other purposes resurfaced yesterday during the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education’s deliberation on House Resolution 767. The resolution, which Daza authored, calls for the government to improve access to tertiary education and reduce attrition rates among 4Ps beneficiaries and other deserving and financially challenged students by increasing the budget allocation for scholarships. It was Daza who alleged that the CHEd misused its P10-billion worth of scholarship funds during the panel’s first hearing on the resolution on 20 March, claiming it came out that essentially CHEd has not utilized as of 2021 report P10-billion. “The earmarked funds is what we call an off-budget. By law travel tax, PRC, and PCSO shares go to that fund. That’s supposed to be for higher education. If CHEd did its job and engaged DSWD and if they continue the 2012 grant-in-aid which was incorporated in the law, they could have helped a few hundred thousand students a year,” Daza pointed out during the previous hearing. Daza’s claim, however, was turned down by CHEd chairperson Popoy de Vera, who earlier said that he had “no idea” where the P10-billion scholarship fund came from. “The Higher Education Development Fund was put in the CHEd Charter (RA 7722) to fund projects to ‘strengthen higher education’. It is not a scholarship fund,” said De Vera in a statement on 22 March in response to Daza’s accusation. “CHEd has been giving grants to HEIs (higher educational institutions) over the past four administrations and the current CHEd Chairperson and Commissioners have continued this policy. What is new under the current CHEd leadership is a stronger focus on tourism,” the chairman maintained. Daza, however, took advantage of yesterday’s deliberation to advocate that the agency’s funds could also cater to students taking courses unrelated to tourism by providing them scholarships, citing The Tourism Act of 2019. Further, the minority lawmaker noted that the law’s revenue mandate did not exclusively cater to only students under tourism-related courses but prioritized them. To further prove his point that the CHEd could tap its HEDF for college students’ scholarships, Daza said: “P2 billion or more than half of the HEDF in 2016, was used for student-related support.” “Meaning there’s already precedent for HEDF to be utilized by CHEd for poor students, needy students.” In addition, Daza expressed concern that, in contrast to 2016, when P2 billion represented half of the HEDF, student aid had dropped to just P170 million, or less than a fourth of the HEDF. “By the time Chairman de Vera took over in 2019, the share for student assistance had dwindled down to P170 million, or 18.7 percent of the HEDF,” the lawmaker claimed. The post Daza to CHEd: Put funding to good use appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCSO hands over P2.6B to Bureau of Treasury
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has handed over P2.6 billion worth of funds to the Bureau of Treasury this Monday, committing to fulfill its mandate as the government’s major charitable arm and big contributor to national coffers. PCSO general manager Melquiades “Mel” Robles on Monday personally handed to Deputy Treasurer Erwin Sta. Ana a cheque with the total amount of P2,665,701,213.78, representing the agency’s remittance to the BTr for 2022. “The amount is a significant 70 percent increase or P1,097,678,322.53 over PCSO’s remittance of P1,560,102,891.25 in 2021,” said Robles in a statement. Robles expressed his gratitude for the tireless efforts and support of the PCSO officers and employees, as well as their stakeholders, which has resulted in greater revenues for the agency. Unwavering commitment “We are proud to contribute to the government’s coffers. The P2.6 billion represents our unwavering commitment to serve the needs of the people,” he said. While Robles thanks the public for their continued patronage of the PCSO, he reiterates his call for them to participate only in agency-sanctioned legal games. “Sa halagang bente makakatulong ka na sa bayan mo (For just twenty pesos you can help your town),” he emphasized. Observers noted that the huge jump in remittance demonstrates the effectiveness of the current PCSO leadership’s initiatives and reforms in fulfilling its commitment to generate funds for the government’s health and charitable programs. The PCSO is mandated to raise funds through lotteries and sweepstakes, the earnings of which are then being used for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charity works of the national government. Campaign against illegal gambling Earlier, Robles expressed confidence that PCSO will generate more funds as it intensifies its campaign against illegal gambling in partnership with the Philippine National Police. PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. made the commitment to PCSO general manager Robles in a meeting on 6 May to intensify its crackdown on illegal gambling in the country, as this would help the agency provide better services to the public. Acorda assured Robles that he would strictly enforce the one-strike policy against police commanders who would fail to stop illegal gambling activities in their respective areas of responsibility. In return, Robles thanked Acorda for his support and commitment to the government’s campaign against illegal gambling. He noted that unhampered illegal gambling operations undermine the agency’s ability to generate higher revenues as the greater portion of their earnings ends up in the hands of illegal gambling operators. “In turn, those losses deprive poor Filipino citizens of the health care and other benefits that the PCSO provides,” Robles said. Robles said all PCSO games are conducted with the highest level of transparency and accountability. To help the PCSO continue its humanitarian work, the public is advised to report illegal gambling operations to concerned local authorities and PCSO offices. The post PCSO hands over P2.6B to Bureau of Treasury appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCSO hands over P2.6B to Bureau of Treasury
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on Monday, 15 May, turned over a total of 2.6 billion pesos to the Bureau of Treasury, committing to fulfill its mandate as the government’s major charitable arm and big contributor to national coffers. PCSO General Manager Mel Robles personally handed to Deputy Treasurer Erwin Sta. Ana a check with the total amount of P2,665,701,213.78, representing the agency’s remittance to the BTr for 2022. This is a significant increase of 70 percent or P1,097,678,322.53 to the agency’s total remittance of P1,560,102,891.25 in 2021. In a statement, Robles expressed his gratitude for the tireless efforts and support of the PCSO officers and employees, as well as their stakeholders, that resulted in greater revenues for the agency. “We are proud to contribute to the government’s coffers. The P2.6 billion represents our unwavering commitment to serve the needs of the people,” he said. While GM Robles thanks the public for their continued patronage of the PCSO, he reiterates his call for them to participate only in agency-sanctioned legal games. “Sa halagang bente makakatulong ka na sa bayan mo (With P20, you can already help your country),” he emphasized. The huge jump in remittance demonstrates the effectiveness of the current PCSO leadership’s initiatives and reforms in fulfilling its commitment to generate funds for the government’s health and charitable programs. The PCSO is mandated to raise funds through lotteries and sweepstakes, the earnings of which are then being used for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charity works of the national government. Earlier, Robles expressed confidence that PCSO will generate more funds as it intensifies its campaign against illegal gambling in partnership with the Philippine National Police. The post PCSO hands over P2.6B to Bureau of Treasury appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysia, your good neighbor
Editor’s note: The ambassador has the refreshing modesty of Mr. Fix It, the proverbial heart of a statesman, and an outstanding track record, the last being his visionary representation of Malaysia in Italy. The newly minted head of mission shares his overtures in improving Malaysia’s kindred ties with the Philippines and communal aspirations for the region, with the same bounded optimism that inspired Kuala Lumpur’s winning deeds in the development of the Bangsamoro. While Malaysia’s foreign-policy approaches may have differed over the years due to changing domestic and external factors, the basic principles have continued since independence. Asean remains the cornerstone of Malaysia’s foreign policy; the establishment of the Asean community in 2015 has significantly elevated the country’s approach and engagement regionally. Malaysia has shared to countries like the Philippines its experience and knowledge through various foreign-policy mechanisms, including the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program, and linkages such as the Langkawi International Dialogue and bilateral humanitarian assistance. The country advocates the “Prosper thy neighbor” policy to enhance economic relations and cooperation with its adjacent countries through Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area, Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and other entities. The predominantly Muslim country and the Philippines have been friendly nations since the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1959. Bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and the Philippines covers education; culture, arts and heritage; communication; defense; health; youth and sports; trade; agriculture; labor, and security. Malaysia’s last high-level visit was when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with President Marcos in March this year. Malaysia regards the Philippines as a very important trading partner, the 15th-largest globally and 5th-largest among Asean countries, with total bilateral trade reaching almost $8 billion. Our close and long-existing relations provide a strong foundation for a more active and meaningful economic cooperation in the future that would bring tremendous benefits to our people. Two practical and viable areas that would benefit from closer cooperation are the halal industry and digital economy. In 2022, total trade between the two countries increased by 27.3 percent to $9.42 billion, compared to $7.85 billion in 2021. Malaysia’s exports to the Philippines increased by 24.6 percent to $6.41 billion. Main exports include electrical products, petroleum, palm oil and ancillary agricultural products. Malaysia remains a major global leader in the halal economy, sustaining its top position in the Global lslamic Economic Indicators for the 9th consecutive year. It has exported $13.51 billion to the world in 2022, up by 63.8 percent from the previous year. Major exports of halal products include food and beverages, ingredients, cosmetics and healthcare. Thus, with the Philippine government encouraging more halal business expansion and investment to serve 12 million Muslims, as well as non-Muslims, here, it is definitely one of the areas where Malaysians and Filipinos can collaborate. Acquiring quality education through world-class institutions is essential, from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. Malaysia is home to more than 200 universities and colleges with 10 international university branch campuses. Malaysian universities are not only ranked top in Asia; it is also progressing in international world rankings, providing a conducive academic environment with affordable international exposure and global career gateways. The country also takes pride in being one of the global pioneers in Islamic banking. Leveraging on existing capacities and expertise, Malaysia is offering tertiary education in Islamic banking and finance through International Center for Education in Islamic Finance. INCEIF has been collaborating with government institutions, such as the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program, in providing training on Islamic banking products like Islamic securities, unit trust funds, stock broking and financial derivatives. Since Philippines and Malaysia have so many common denominators, Filipinos would feel at home studying in Malaysia. In tourism, last year we saw 80,046 Filipino tourists coming to Malaysia and 46,805 Malaysians coming to the Philippines. We have high hopes that the numbers will increase this year, looking forward to working together with the Philippine government on this front. Asean remains the cornerstone of Malaysia’s foreign policy and the establishment of the Asean community in 2015 has significantly elevated the country’s approach and engagement at the regional level, the nation’s well-being founded on the strong and friendly relations with other countries and its commitment to the multilateral system. The country’s record in peacekeeping under the UN is a testimony of its dedication in carrying out the mandate of the international community in advancing global peace and security. The post Malaysia, your good neighbor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S.-South Korea grant enhances climate resilience of Phl cities
On 22 March, the United States government, through the US Agency for International Development, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, signed a P111.5 million ($2 million) grant partnership agreement to boost the capacities of Philippine cities to adapt to, mitigate and manage the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. Through this grant funding, KOICA will support the implementation of USAID’s five-year, P836.5 million ($15 million) Climate Resilient Cities Project that benefits the partner cities of Batangas, Borongan, Cotabato, Iloilo, Legazpi and Zamboanga. KOICA’s technical assistance will enhance the capacity of local government units to develop guidelines for and use climate adaptation technology. More than 180 Philippine officials and stakeholders will also be invited to participate in capacity-building programs organized in the Philippines and Korea. USAID and KOICA will also support the six LGUs and other stakeholders to more effectively disseminate climate-related information to local communities; increase access to climate financing for economic and social development; and promote natural climate solutions that strengthen cities’ resilience to climate change. Additionally, the governments of the United States and Korea will soon launch a partnership to prevent and reduce marine pollution in Manila Bay. This partnership also seeks to enhance knowledge and influence social and behavioral changes for marine pollution reduction and prevention. This latest agreement between USAID and KOICA follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding in April 2021 where the two leading development agencies agreed to strategically collaborate on priority programs, including climate change-related initiatives, to advance development in the Philippines. “As the United States and Korea are among the largest bilateral donors in the Philippines, this momentous partnership of USAID, KOICA and the Philippine government will bring together our accumulated experience and technical expertise to build climate change and disaster resilience in the country,” KOICA country director Eunsub Kim said. “For 70 years, the United States and Korea have worked together to pursue mutual goals based on our core values of democracy and human rights,” said USAID Philippines mission director Ryan Washburn. “The United States has pledged to strengthen this alliance and broaden the focus to address issues of critical importance to the Indo-Pacific region and the world. In particular, we will deepen our cooperation in addressing the climate crisis, reducing plastic waste and promoting advanced technologies. We will also enhance our economic cooperation and people-to-people ties,” he added. The Philippines consistently places high in global rankings on climate change risk and vulnerability. With an average of 20 typhoons per year and frequent floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone nations. According to the 2022 World Risk Index, the Philippines ranked first out of 193 countries with the highest disaster risks. Between 2011 and 2021, the country incurred more than P670 billion worth of damage and losses due to tropical cyclones alone. The negative impacts of climate change and disasters severely impede national economic development and worsen poverty. Thus, one of the top priorities for sustainable development is to strengthen national and local climate resilience systems. The USAID-KOICA partnership supports the Philippine government’s 2023-2028 strategy framework goal to “enhance adaptive capacity and resilience of communities and ecosystems to natural hazards and climate change.” The post U.S.-South Korea grant enhances climate resilience of Phl cities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DA to beef up monitoring on farming, fishing
The Department of Agriculture will intensify data-gathering on agriculture, fishing, and forestry as it creates ways to boost production, which declined to 8.9 percent share of the national income last year from 9.6 percent in 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. “Our monitoring system was developed so we can assess the relevance of our interventions and their accessibility to our farmers and fisherfolks,” Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said Friday. He added, “The stories of farmers and fisherfolks on the effects of the various government support programs serve as our inspiration to improve our services.” Panganiban said agricultural production slowed last year as “the Philippine agricultural sector was bombarded by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, agricultural pests and diseases, inflation, and many more.” In the fourth quarter last year, the lowest production levels were seen in corn which was down by 7 percent, fish by 3 percent and rice by 2.5 percent, according to the statistics authority. However, government aid for more than half of all agricultural sectors expanded, mostly for the sugarcane sector, followed by the tobacco and pineapple sectors. In celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolks' Month every May, Panganiban also vowed the agriculture department will also adopt technologies to boost production for domestic and foreign consumption. “This is the vision of the government for a modernized agriculture to support the Philippine economy that is dynamic, advanced, and internationally competitive.” Government data show 1.178 million rice farmers have benefited from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance worth P5.8 billion as of last month, while a total of 19,486 piglets were distributed to over 8,000 hog raisers who were affected by the persisting African Swine Fever. Last Friday, the agriculture department also recognized 17 halal and organic agriculture enterprises for their economic contribution. Citing global data, the department says the Halal industry can grow from $1.6 billion to $2.2 billion by 2030. In the Philippines, at least 11 percent of its Muslim population eats Halal foods. Meanwhile, data from the National Organic Agriculture Board show at least 5 percent of the country’s agricultural land is used for organic farming. The post DA to beef up monitoring on farming, fishing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P12.5 Billion Allotted For Bayanihan 2 Assistance
The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) acquired P12.5 billion intended for assistance to borrowers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect people’s livelihood. The P12.5 billion loan relief was released today. Bayanihan 2’s validity has been extended up to June 2021 to further help people financially amid the pandemic. Aside from DBP, state-run Philippine […].....»»
US gives Philippines 7.25 billion in aid to safeguard environment — embassy
The US Embassy said the deal is one of four development assistance agreements — all with a duration of five years — between USAID and the Philippine government valued at P32.7 billion launched either in 2020 or to be launched in 2021......»»