Labella to MCWD board: Don’t let legal battles affect management
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The legal battle between the terminated and the incumbent board of directors of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has come at the most crucial time for the water utility. As the summer season approaches, the water supply is expected to drop with the summer heat treading a thin line between a […] The post Labella to MCWD board: Don’t let legal battles affect management appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
DOT seeks inclusion in protected areas board amid Chocolate Hills issue
Department of Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco —INQUIRER.net file photo / Ryan Leagogo After the recent controversy surrounding a resort development near Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan town, Bohol, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced plans to advocate for its inclusion in the national government’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco stated during a.....»»
Rama: Install my ‘authentic’ MCWD board
Rama: Install my ‘authentic’ MCWD board.....»»
LWUA firm on intervention as MCWD water leakage increases
CEBU CITY, Philippines –The battle over authority continues in the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) as the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) stands firm in its decision on the six-month intervention, despite the status quo stance. The LWUA expressed confusion as to why the incumbent MCWD board would not honor the partial intervention, clarifying that.....»»
Stop accreditation of new motorcycle taxis, LTFRB asked
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board was asked yesterday to stop the accreditation of more motorcycle taxis as it would affect the income of drivers of existing public utility vehicles......»»
Chip maker Intel beats earnings expectations as it pursues rivals
US chip giant Intel on Thursday said it made more money than expected in the recently ended quarter as it continued to invest in a "geographically balanced" supply chain. Intel shares jumped more than 7 percent to $34.88 in after-market trades. "We delivered a standout third quarter, underscored by across-the-board progress on our process and product roadmaps; agreements with new foundry customers, and momentum as we bring AI everywhere," said Intel chief executive Pat Gelsinger. Intel reported revenue of $14.2 billion, which was 8 percent less than the amount seen in the same quarter a year earlier but ahead of forecasts. Net income tallied $300 million, compared with $1 billion profit in the same period in 2022, earnings figures showed. "Our results exceeded expectations," said Intel chief financial officer David Zinsner, who said earnings benefited from "expense discipline." Intel has been working to catch up with rivals, especially Nvidia, when it comes to powerful chips needed to handle the computing demands of artificial intelligence. Intel touted investments being made in chip production facilities with an aim of creating a "geographically balanced, secure, resilient supply chain." California-based Intel is seen as a key tool for the United States to reduce its dependence on major global producers, such as Taiwan's TSMC. Earlier this year, Intel announced it would spend $25 billion on a new plant in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it the country's single largest foreign investment. The "agreement in principle" would see the semiconductor firm build the facility in the southern city of Kiryat Gat that would open by 2027 and operate at least until 2035, Israel's finance ministry said. Intel has been operating in Israel since the 1970s with development centers and a production site that employs some 12,000 people, the finance ministry said. In 2017, Intel acquired Israel-based Mobileye, which makes technology for automated driving systems in vehicles, for just over $15 billion. Gelsinger said Intel teams have kept operations going despite the war between Israel and Hamas. "Our utmost priority is the safety and welfare of our people in Israel and their families," Gelsinger said. "Despite all of these challenges, they're performing extremely well. I am praying for a swift return to peace." China Gelsinger said Intel was carefully studying updated rules in the United States that tighten curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to China. "We do believe that we'll have plenty of opportunity in China," Gelsinger said. "We are continuing to deploy our products there broadly, even as we comply and work with (the United States) around the regulations that they're putting in place." The new rules tighten measures from a year ago that banned the sale to China of microchips crucial to manufacturing powerful AI systems. Calls to further close the supply chain grew after the popularity of generative AI platform ChatGPT. When announcing the beefed-up curbs, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo insisted they were intended to close loopholes and prevent China's development of AI for military use. "It's true that AI has the potential for huge societal benefit. But it also can do tremendous and profound harm if it's in the wrong hands and in the wrong militaries," she told US media. The rules will not affect chips used in consumer goods such as laptops, smartphones, and gaming consoles, though some will be subject to export licensing requirements. China has said it is "strongly dissatisfied" and "firmly opposes" the curbs. "The US continues to generalize the concept of national security, abuse export control measures, and implement unilateral bullying," the commerce ministry said in a statement. The post Chip maker Intel beats earnings expectations as it pursues rivals appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NWRB chief’s replacement won’t affect El Niño preps – MWSS
The government’s preparations for El Niño will not be affected after National Water Resources Board executive director Sevillo David Jr. was replaced, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System deputy administrator Jose Dorado Jr. said yesterday......»»
NDCP@60: Taking the lead in national security
This year, the National Defense College of the Philippines celebrates its Diamond Jubilee. Sixty years ago, on 12 August 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal signed EO No. 44, ordering the establishment of the National Defense College of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the NDCAFP. Its mission was to prepare potential defense leaders to assume and discharge the responsibilities of high command, staff, and policy-formulating functions within the national government and the national and international security structure. The NDCAFP evolved when, on 11 May 1973, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued PD No. 190 creating the National Defense College of the Philippines or NDCP and providing an Academic Board therefor. The college was given the power to confer the degree of Master in National Security Administration or MNSA on its students who would have satisfactorily completed the prescribed course of studies. The decree, and subsequently the Revised Administrative Code of 1987, likewise gave graduates of the regular course of the college the “authority to use with honor the abbreviations MNSA after their names.” On 29 February 2012, through Department of National Defense Circular No. 04, the MNSA, or its equivalent, was made a requisite for designation to O-7 (Brigadier General and Commodore) rank in the AFP. The NDCP is the highest national security policy and strategy school in the country. Its mission is to prepare and develop potential national security leaders for positions of responsibility and command and undertake research and special studies geared toward the enhancement of national defense and security policy formulation and decision-making at the strategic level. The MNSA program is the main educational program of NDCP. It is a one-year, full-time, and intensive master’s degree course earned through various forms of classroom work, case studies, regional security and development studies, and academic enhancement travels. Since the college opened its first Resident Course or RC in 1966, it has produced roughly 3,000 national security graduates who have occupied and continue to occupy top positions in government and the private sector. It has produced a President and a Vice President of the Republic. In the legislature, it has had at least five Senators and numerous members of the House of Representatives. Several of its graduates have occupied top positions in civilian government as Cabinet Secretaries, Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Directors and their equivalents. In local government, several of its graduates have become Governors, Vice Governors, Board Members, Mayors, Councilors, and local government administrators and executives. It has several graduates in the judiciary and the foreign service. In the military, NDCP has produced AFP Chiefs of Staff, Major Service Commanders, and numerous Generals and Flag Officers. In the private sector, its graduates have occupied top positions in their respective companies. The basic principle that all MNSA graduates commit to live by is the strengthening of national security. The NDCP operational definition of national security is “the state or condition wherein the people’s way of life and institutions, their territorial integrity and sovereignty, including their well-being, are protected and enhanced.” Every MNSA graduate will not only look at national security from the point of view of territorial integrity and sovereignty but will consider all matters that affect the people’s way of life, institutions, and well-being. An MNSA graduate automatically looks at the politico-legal, economic, socio-cultural, techno-scientific, environmental, and military or PESTEM aspects of problems, situations, and issues, with the end view of protecting and enhancing national security. Today, 60 years after its establishment, NDCP continues its mission of producing national security leaders and experts who will face the current and future security challenges of the nation. In a constantly changing world and security environment, the Filipino people can be assured that NDCP and its alumni will be there for them. The post NDCP@60: Taking the lead in national security appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Inflation slowdown prods loans appetite
Economists expect the demand for loans to rise this year as inflation has eased further and prospects of stable interest rates strengthen. Inflation slowed further to 4.7 percent in July from 5.4 percent in June and the peak of 8.7 percent in January due to cheaper prices of food, housing, fuels and utilities, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed. However, prices in restaurants and accommodations increased to 10.1 percent from 9.8 percent in Metro Manila. Growth was likely brought by high demand for food services, which signals strong financial capacities among consumers. “Strong demand from consumers is probably preventing this from falling faster as they continue to spend heavily on these services after the pandemic,” Jun Neri, chief economist of Bank of the Philippine Islands, said. In a text message to the Daily Tribune, BDO Unibank Inc.’s official statement added that “loan demand may be driven more by consumer demand and potential infrastructure projects.” Prices of most goods and services or core inflation, which excludes volatile items like food and gas, fell to 6.7 percent from 7.4 percent. With the possible inflation downtrend, economists said consumers could have more money to spend and commercial banks could charge more manageable costs of borrowing based on the policy rate of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP. “The current path of inflation gives BSP the space to keep rates steady until the end of the year,” Neri said. 2% to 4% inflation BSP aims to pull inflation within the range of 2 percent and 4 percent this year by adjusting its policy rates. Its Monetary Board will announce its next move on 15 August after keeping the rate at 6.25 percent. While BSP often matches the move of the US Federal Reserve, which increased its rate by 0.25 basis point last month, local economists said imposing several hikes this year is unlikely despite possible higher inflation from costlier food prices caused by the recent typhoon and El Nino. Neri said these weather disturbances could reduce food supplies, especially rice and increase their prices through weaker agricultural production and less imports. “El Nino is a global phenomenon that could affect the food production of other countries. India recently announced a ban on the export of non-basmati white rice, while a Thai government agency has encouraged farmers to plant less rice to save on water,” he said. Dan Roces, chief economist of Security Bank Corp., believed a likely small increase in BSP policy rate would be enforced this year as bank executives wait for its full disinflationary effect. “With this, loan rates and demand may still exhibit some growth as monetary policy operates with a lag. A pronounced slowdown in loans, if any, may occur in 2024 should monetary policy remain elevated for long.” Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., added that stable rates for this year is possible as long as there will be no major negative turns in the economy. “The markets recently priced in lower odds of another 0.25 Federal Reserve’s rate hike for the rest of 2023, thereby supporting a possible pause on Fed and local policy rates, as supported by inflation moving closer to the inflation target of the central banks for both countries.” The post Inflation slowdown prods loans appetite appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Loan demand up this year on slower inflation
Economists see demand for loans increasing this year as inflation has eased further and prospects of stable interest rates strengthen. Inflation slowed further to 4.7 percent in July from 5.4 percent in June and the peak of 8.7 percent in January due to cheaper prices of food, housing, fuels, and utilities, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed Friday. However, prices in restaurants and accommodations increased to 10.1 percent from 9.8 percent in Metro Manila. Economists said the growth was likely brought by high demand for these services, which signals strong financial capacities among consumers. “Strong demand from consumers is probably preventing this from falling faster as they continue to spend heavily on these services after the pandemic,” Jun Neri, chief economist of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said Friday. In a text message to Daily Tribune, BDO Unibank Inc.’s official statement added that “loan demand may be driven more by consumer demand and potential infrastructure projects.” Prices of most goods and services or core inflation, which excludes volatile items like food and gas, fell to 6.7 percent from 7.4 percent. With the possible inflation downtrend, economists said consumers could have more money to spend and commercial banks could charge more manageable costs of borrowing based on the policy rate of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP. “The current path of inflation gives BSP the space to keep rates steady until the end of the year,” Neri said. BSP aims to pull inflation within the range of 2 percent and 4 percent this year by adjusting its policy rates. Its Monetary Board will announce its next move on 15 August after keeping the rate at 6.25 percent. While BSP often matches the move of the US Federal Reserve, which increased its rate by 0.25 basis point last month, local economists said imposing several hikes this year is unlikely despite possible higher inflation from costlier food prices caused by the recent typhoon and El Nino. Neri said these weather disturbances could reduce food supplies, especially rice and increase their prices through weaker agricultural production and fewer imports. “El Nino is a global phenomenon that could affect the food production of other countries. India recently announced a ban on the export of non-basmati white rice, while a Thai government agency has encouraged farmers to plant less rice to save on water,” he said. Dan Roces, chief economist of Security Bank Corp., believed a likely small increase in the BSP policy rate would be enforced this year as bank executives wait for its full disinflationary effect. “With this, loan rates and demand may still exhibit some growth as monetary policy operates with a lag. A pronounced slowdown in loans, if any, may occur in 2024 should monetary policy remain elevated for long.” Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., added that stable rates for this year are possible as long as there will be no major negative turns in the economy. “The markets recently priced in lower odds of another 0.25 Federal Reserve’s rate hike for the rest of 2023, thereby supporting a possible pause on Fed and local policy rates, as supported by inflation moving closer to the inflation target of the central banks for both countries.” The post Loan demand up this year on slower inflation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Graft buster clears Cusi
Citing the presumption of regularity, the Office of the Ombudsman threw out the graft complaint of a New York-based billionaire against former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, other Department of Energy officials, Davao City-based executive Dennis Uy, and several others over the sale of 90 percent of the shares of the Malampaya natural gas consortium. On 18 October 2021, US-based geologist Balgamel Domingo and Filipino-American anti-Duterte leaders Rodel Rodis and Loida Nicolas-Lewis filed charges against Cusi, Uy, and the others involved in the sale of the Malampaya stake to the Udenna group of Uy. In a copy of the ruling obtained by the Daily Tribune, the Ombudsman said it could not delve into the complaint on the legality of the transaction since “the authority to make such a determination belongs to the court.” “Seemingly, this complaint is in actuality a collateral attack on the validity of the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement,” it said. The decision declared that “matters of such tenor are not determinable in a preliminary investigation before the Ombudsman’s Office.” “Without any judicial determination decreeing the illegality of the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement, this Office is left with nothing but to acknowledge its validity,” the ruling said. The Ombudsman cited a precedent in the case of Teresita Buenaventura vs Metrobank, in a ruling that stated: “The burden of showing that a contract is simulated rests on the party impugning the contract.” “This is because of the presumed validity of the contract that has been duly executed,” the Ombudsman ruling read. “Wherefore, the criminal charges for violation of Section 3(e) and of Republic Act 3019 against the respondents are dismissed for lack of probable cause.” The ruling was signed by members of a Special Panel of Investigators composed of Ronald Allan Ramos, Josephine Mae Rosapapan, Francisco Alan Molina and Bonifacio Mandrilla. Prime takes control The operation of the Malampaya project was recently assumed by the Razon group’s Prime Energy which bought a 45-percent stake from Malampaya Energy XP, or MEXP, of the Udenna group. MEXP had bought the shares of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., or SPEX, in the consortium. The Department of Energy had branded the complaint a political move since the two Fil-Am lawyers in the suit were prominent in the “Oust Duterte” movement in the United States. The complaint alleged that Cusi and other energy officials had granted “unwarranted benefits and advantage” to Uy’s UC Malampaya in the buyout of Chevron’s share in the consortium. Udenna, through spokesperson Raymond Zorilla, said there is “no law requiring approval of the transfer of shares of companies that have an interest in Malampaya.” Zorilla said the transfer of Chevron and Shell shares underwent strict bidding processes and due diligence by both multinational oil and gas players. “The share sales were above board and legal and had to pass scrutiny by Philippine regulators, international lenders, and the said private multinationals involved,” Zorilla added. Cusi, in an interview with Daily Tribune, had said the DoE was not involved in choosing the buyer of the shares of Shell and Chevron in the Malampaya project. “The DoE did not get involved in the sale (of shares). We don’t know that they are selling. Our question was what their standards are for choosing Udenna. Why didn’t you choose the big companies, and why Udenna?” he said. Industry experts said the sale of shares was a private transaction that the accusers, who are US lawyers, should have been very familiar with. Cusi said the DoE, during his watch, went beyond its mandate by reviewing the technical, legal, and financial aspects of the transactions, the results of which were provided to the public. Political agenda The complaint, he said, had an underlying political agenda connected to his being the head of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP Laban. “It is not only political propaganda against me, but it also has a destabilization background… because I’m the president of the PDP.” The complaints, in turn, stemmed from the unending Senate inquiries on the Malampaya deals. The DoE said the Senate probes and the controversies that resulted from them had caused costly delays in the review process that would ultimately affect the country’s energy security. To refute a recent remark by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the DoE, in a statement said: “The inquiries of Senator Gatchalian are causing undue delay to the timeline of the consortium corporations, and this may eventually take its toll and put our energy security at risk.” The DoE’s approval of the sale of shares of stock of Chevron Malampaya LLC, one of the three corporations in the Malampaya Gas Field Project Consortium, had been dubbed by Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, as “lutong Macau.” It also backed the Udenna assessment that the deals were above-board. “When the sales were made, both Chevron Philippines, which owned Chevron Malampaya, and Shell Petroleum NV, owner of SPEX, followed rigorous global standards,” the DoE said. Nicolas-Lewis was part of a 25-person delegation from the US-Philippines Society, a private group comprising business executives and diplomats, who met with Duterte a week before his inauguration as president in 2016. Nicolas-Lewis was then accompanied by former Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia, PLDT chair Manuel V. Pangilinan, retired American diplomats, and executives of Coca-Cola, SGV, JP Morgan, and other top corporations. Nicolas-Lewis is the sister of former National Anti-Poverty Commission chairperson Imelda Nicolas, who was one of the “Hyatt 10” Cabinet members who turned against then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005. Imelda and most of the Hyatt 10 members ended up getting key posts in the administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Imelda was made head of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Nicolas-Lewis plot bared In February 2018, former President Duterte bared intercepted conversations that indicated Nicolas-Lewis was behind efforts to push the International Criminal Court, or ICC, to probe his war on drugs. Duterte revealed a recorded conversation between Lewis and another political opponent whom he did not name. “I was listening to the tapes of their conversation. It was provided to me by another country, but the conversation was somewhere in the Philippines and New York,” Duterte said. He said that among the recordings was one in which Lewis allegedly told another person: “See you in the headquarters when the case is filed.” Duterte then said in a public address that he was aware of developments on the ICC case and that lawyer Jude Sabio, the main complainant in the case, was a paid hack of Magdalo Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Rep. Gary Alejano, both failed putschists. Sabio withdrew his complaint before the ICC and revealed that the case was the handiwork of the dirty tricks factory of Trillanes. In 2016, Duterte pointed to Lewis as the financier of an alleged destabilization plot against his administration. Nicolas-Lewis invested heavily in the failed presidential campaigns of Liberal Party bets Mar Roxas in 2016 and Vice President Leni Robredo in 2022. The post Graft buster clears Cusi appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Public warned vs ASF-infected meat
THE BUNKER, Bataan — Provincial Health officials had advised the public to refrain from eating meat infected with African swine fever. In their meeting with Gov. Joet Garcia, live over the Facebook page of the governor for the information of the public, officials of the Provincial Veterinary Office led by Dr. Albert Venturina, urged the public to avoid eating pigs contaminated with ASF. Although the ASF virus cannot affect human’s health, PVO officials appealed to the public to avoid eating it since the cause of death of these hogs is the virus. Earlier, Garcia and the members of the provincial board declared Bataan under a state of calamity following the outbreak of ASF in the province. Garcia said they are now coming up with various forms of assistance to farmers engaged in hog raising. According to the PVO, five towns have been severely affected by the ASF outbreak affecting 18 backyard farms in the province. The post Public warned vs ASF-infected meat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NEDA: El Niño price impact seen minimal
The National Economic and Development Authority on Saturday said it expects a minimal impact of El Niño on food prices as government agencies streamline efforts to address the looming drought. In a forum on Saturday, NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon emphasized that farmers, especially of rice, have been accustomed to the effects of El Niño and have been using technologies and agricultural practices to cope. “Currently, we do not see a huge impact of El Niño on the country’s inflation or economy. El Niño is a usual occurrence, happening three years in and three years out. Filipinos and the government agencies already know what to do to soften its impact.” The Department of Agriculture, for example, has said officials plan to allocate funds for cloud seeding to induce rain and to distribute pumps to small-scale farmers. They will also promote alternative farming methods and crop diversification. The department is also mapping out the areas to be most hit by drought, which is expected to start this month and last until early next year. Only slight drought Officials said farmers in western Luzon can still plant crops as the southwest monsoon or habagat is seen to still bring rain to this area. The Task Force on El Niño has been formed to include the Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, National Water Resources Board and National Irrigation Administration, among others. Sally Duquesa, general manager of Pindangan Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Tarlac, told Daily Tribune farmers in the province have been planting less due to insufficient irrigation, aside from the higher prices of farming inputs. She said they were now only producing 180 bags of rice compared to 200 bags in the past harvesting seasons, which usually occur in April and October. Jun Neri, chief economist at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the government must accelerate efforts to address El Niño to ensure enough supply of agricultural products to prevent a heavier reliance on imports which could push up food prices. “The most significant risk is food security, especially given the looming El Niño. Importing food from abroad might become less effective in addressing supply problems since El Niño is expected to affect other parts of the world,” he said. The post NEDA: El Niño price impact seen minimal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
9-dash-line in ‘Barbie’ movie ‘injurious’ to Phl prestige — Sen. Tolentino
Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday warned that the depiction of China’s nine-dash line over the South China Sea in the upcoming fantasy comedy film “Barbie” is “injurious to the prestige” of the Philippines. In a television interview, Tolentino said that screening of the movie in the country would cause a “dilute” in Philippine sovereignty. A scene in the movie shows a map with the nine-dash line, a representation of the territorial claims of China in the South China Sea that overlaps with the exclusive economic zone claims of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. “Allowing the local screening of the motion picture… would not just be injurious to the Republic of the Philippines but would be contrary to what our country fought for and achieved under that Arbitral Ruling in 2016. What that effect would be? Something that would dilute our sovereignty,” said Tolentino, the vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tolentino earlier urged the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board to prevent the upcoming screening of the Barbie movie, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, in the Philippines. “The Vietnamese government already decided to totally ban the screening of Barbie following a review, in which, the depiction of the nine-dash line scene was first noticed,” he said. However, Tolentino said he would still be leaving it up to the MTRCB to decide on the banning of the film. “It’s up to [the] leadership of the MTRCB on whether to forbid the showing of Barbie, similar to what the said the agency did when it decided not to allow the local screening of the films ‘Abominable’ and ‘Unchartered’ in 2019 and 2022 respectively, due to their depiction of the nine-dash line,” he said. “The Arbitral Ruling clearly stated that the claim of China here has no legal basis,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla said he cannot make a personal call at this time on whether to allow the showing of “Barbie” in the Philippines without first watching it. “But this is clear: The decision of whether to allow the showing of this film due to its scene about China’s 9-dash line — which contradicts the arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines — ultimately depends on the messaging of the film,” he said in a separate statement. “If the scene or scenes will affect the arbitral ruling, but if the producers would agree to edit it or them out, then I have no problem having it shown,” he added. However, the actor-turned-senator said if an agreement cannot be reached to make sure the film does not become a geopolitical issue, then there is no choice but to disallow its showing here. Padilla believes the showing of the movie will depend on the context of the film, and the extent the producer is willing to address concerns on the arbitral ruling. In 2016, The Hague Tribunal invalidated Beijing’s ‘nine-dash line doctrine’ over the entire SCS region following an arbitration case filed by the Philippine government on 22 January 2013. The Tribunal ruled that China’s nine-dash line unilaterally encroached on territories of other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.### The post 9-dash-line in ‘Barbie’ movie ‘injurious’ to Phl prestige — Sen. Tolentino appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbosa to create a ‘National Nursing Advisory Council’
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Monday bared his plan to establish a National Nursing Advisory Council that will address issues that affect nurses in the country, particularly the brain drain in nurses due to their continuous migration to other countries for higher pay. Herbosa said he would issue a department administrative order to create a council that will consist of various organizations for nurses. “We will create a department administrative order creating this particular council and we will get both public and private sectors to sit in this council,” he told reporters in a press conference. He said the council will be headed by a chief nursing officer, which will function at a level of an undersecretary. “We will appoint a chief nursing officer,” he said. To make his plan legal, Herbosa said he would ask for Congress’ assistance to craft a law that would allow him to appoint a chief nursing officer. According to him, the plan to appoint a chief nursing officer was recommended by the World Health Organization. In the same press briefing, Dr. Carl Balita, a registered nurse and owner of a review center, announced his plan to offer free review and training for nursing graduates. Balita said that scholarship grants in his review centers are open to all unlicensed nursing graduates employed in both public and private hospitals. “Why are they our priority? Because they are already there. They are already there and just waiting for their chance to pass,” he said. Balita said his project partners in providing scholarships are the Philippine Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the local government of Quezon City, which will fund the construction of faculty. Those who are interested to avail of the scholarship would just have to take a diagnostic test to gauge their knowledge and skills. Unlicensed nursing graduates who will be qualified for scholarships may start with their training and review next month until they take their Nursing Board Exam in November. Herbosa welcomed Balita’s announcement, stressing that it would ease the government’s problem with the lack of nurses in both public and private hospitals. The Health chief earlier said that the continuous migration of licensed nurses abroad for higher compensation would leave the country “nurseless” by 2026 or 2028. There are a total of 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in 72 DoH-hospitals across the country. The post Herbosa to create a ‘National Nursing Advisory Council’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New Candaba Viaduct to make travel faster, safer
Motorists can expect a much faster and safer journey to Central and Northern Luzon once the third Candaba Viaduct is completed. The third viaduct will be constructed by NLEX Corp., a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. or MPTC, the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. The first 5-kilometer Candaba Viaduct connects Bulacan and Pampanga along the North Luzon Expressway. It has been an important bridge for motorists traveling from Metro Manila to Central and Northern Luzon for over 50 years. The viaduct has withstood natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes. The current project was recently inaugurated in a groundbreaking ceremony led by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Alvin Carullo, Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda, Department of Public Works and Highways Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino, MPTC president Rogelio L. Singson, and NLEX president and general manager Jose Luigi L. Bautista. Targeted for completion in November 2024, the P7.89-billion third viaduct requires the construction of a new bridge between the two existing viaducts. Once completed, the road capacity of the new viaduct will increase from three lanes without shoulders to three lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction. These lanes and shoulders will be wide, boosting safety and convenience for travelers. According to MPTC president and CEO Singson, who is a former Public Works and Highways secretary, “This project will not only increase the capacity of the 5-km Candaba Viaduct but will ultimately improve safety and convenience of the motorists and will aid in the acceleration and growth of trade and commerce in Central Luzon.” Speaker Romualdez emphasized the importance of the new bridge which is expected to decongest traffic and reduce travel time for motorists. “This project will not only enhance the efficiency of our transportation network but also contribute to the overall socioeconomic development of the region. It will create jobs, attract investments, and stimulate economic growth,” Romualdez said. The third Candaba Viaduct will be built using green and sustainable engineering practices and comply with the country’s latest bridge design requirements. It will have piers every 20 meters, with each pier supported by two columns and two bored piles, strengthening the structure amid the swampy condition of the natural ground beneath it. NLEX president and general manager Bautista assured motorists the construction of the new bridge would not affect the operation and traffic flow on the two existing viaducts. Based on the studies, constructing the third viaduct is necessary because the existing structures are aging and operating at a lower capacity. Competent engineers and management teams will manage the construction site to ensure efficiency and safety. “This new mobility project will offer easy journeys and make travel safer for the public traveling between Metro Manila and Central and Northern Luzon as there will be a new structure to augment the existing ones and that will safely allow the speed limit to be increased to 60 to 80 kilometers per hour from the current 40 to 60 kilometers per hour,” said Bautista, adding that upon completion, Class 3 vehicles or large trucks will be directed to the new bridge so that the old structures will be relieved of heavy loads. Since 2005, MPTC has been upgrading the viaduct. Among the upgrades were pavement resurfacing, bridge link slab, girder, and deck replacement; girder and column strengthening; and construction of lay-bys or emergency bays in the northbound and southbound directions of the bridge. Since 2020, stricter anti-overloading policies, such as the 33-ton gross vehicle weight limit for the southbound viaduct, were implemented to ensure the safety and stability of the bridge. With projects like the third Candaba Viaduct underway, motorists can expect even more improvements in the quality of the road infrastructure and service along the NLEX. These projects aim to ensure the utmost comfort and safety of motorists traveling to Central and Northern Luzon through the expressway. With the BBM administration’s vision of taking the country into the golden age of infrastructure, this project will certainly add to the many programs in the pipeline that in the end will benefit millions of Filipinos. The post New Candaba Viaduct to make travel faster, safer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Preempting ‘nurseless’ Phl
For thousands of Filipino nurses, working abroad can offer exciting opportunities to further their careers, gain new experiences, earn higher salaries, and work under better conditions than they would otherwise have in the Philippines. My late mother, a former head nurse at the Philippine General Hospital, was almost among them. One of the first batches of nurses who were offered an attractive employment package in the United States back in the 1970s, she processed the documentary requirements with eagerness only to defer at the last minute. Deciding not to be away from two children was easy at a time when the peso-dollar exchange rate was around P6.40. Rina’s case is different. As one of the 3,246 who failed the last two nursing licensure exams, Rina would rather keep her job as a BPO agent where she earns more or less P28,000 monthly, excluding benefits, rather than work as a nursing aide in a government hospital that gives lower pay. A nursing graduate in 2020, she plans to work abroad as a caregiver, which pays almost P100,000 a month. Just like all the other nursing graduates, they want to help their families, send children and siblings to school, and have a better future. Who wouldn’t be enticed by the direct hiring of foreign employers, where you don’t need an employment agency, which means no additional fees or charges? The brain drain of Philippine nurses, licensed or not, to the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, or any country, is a several decades-old phenomenon driven by a combination of economic, social, and political factors. Locally, our nurses are forced to work long hours for low pay in both public and private facilities. This sorry state drives them to jobs not at all related to nursing. According to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc., at least 40 percent of nurses in various private hospitals resigned in the last two and a half years. Neither private nor public hospitals can match the salaries being offered to nurses abroad. The unabated brain drain of Philippine nurses will inevitably lead to a shortage of nurses in the country that will, in turn, affect the quality of healthcare services and create challenges for the government in providing adequate healthcare to its citizens. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa’s proposal to hire unlicensed nursing graduates to work in public hospitals earned the private sector’s support. These graduates would be given scholarships to study and pass the board exams. Should the plan push through, they will have to repay the government with four years of service. It looks doable but we will lose the trained nurses again after four years. It will be a vicious cycle of providing nursing board scholarships for a return of service, only to later lose the nurses. Professional Regulation Commission’s chief Jose Cueto Jr. has a different point of view — that there may be no need to hire flunkers of the nursing boards to fill the vacancies in government-run hospitals. PRC data, he said, has shown a higher passing rate in the Nursing Licensure Examination since last year. The passing rate in the NLE for the past six years was only 60 percent with only 70,000 passing the exams out of 130,000 examinees. He said there can be no shortage because approximately 80,000 nursing students graduate each year (Dahl et al., 2021) from 470 universities in the Philippines that offer nursing programs. How about the shortage attributed to the continuous migration of licensed nurses abroad for higher pay? While we take pride in the country’s focus on education, our high level of English proficiency, and the strong work ethic ingrained in Filipino culture, we should confront with practical and pragmatic solutions the imminent threat of a “nurseless” Philippines by 2026 or 2028. Unless the national government addresses the depressing pay and benefits for nurses in the private and public sectors, and even if they double or triple the existing 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in government hospitals across the country, the Philippines will continue to be the largest supplier of nurses to the world. The post Preempting ‘nurseless’ Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New NCR minimum wage seen
The Regional Wage Board in Metro Manila could set a new minimum wage in the region by next month, according to labor leader Rene Magtubo. This was following a public hearing on three wage petitions filed by numerous labor groups, which was attended by employers and workers-stakeholders on Wednesday. Magtubo said they backed a petition for a wage recovery increase of P100 a day. He said that they are looking forward to the National Capital Region Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board siding with the workers. “If the decision on the wage increase is lower than what is anticipated by workers, it will expose that these wage boards have never served the aspirations of the Constitution to provide a living wage to workers for the past 30 years,” Magtubo said. In saying the past 30 years, Magtubo could be referring to the passage of Republic Act 6727, or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989. The law sets the current mechanism in determining the minimum wage through the creation of RTWPBs, under the National Wages and Productivity Commission. He denied that the wage increase could adversely affect the operations of companies and businesses. “We said that the determination of wages of workers does not just depend on the capacity of employers, because if that’s the case, wages will never increase. We should also anchor this in the cost of living,” he explained. The post New NCR minimum wage seen appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP keeps rates unchanged
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas decided to keep interest rates unchanged at 6.25 percent for the second time this year, as it waits for the effects of its previous rate hikes to take hold and slow down inflation. The BSP's Monetary Board made the decision on Thursday, saying that it wanted to see how the recent rate hikes would impact the economy before making any further changes. Most economists polled by Daily Tribune had expected the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to leave its benchmark overnight borrowing rate unchanged at Thursday's meeting as inflation had slowed for a fourth successive month in May. To recall, the BSP has raised interest rates six times since last September in an effort to cool inflation, which has been running above target for most of the year. In a press briefing, Governor Felipe Medalla highlighted the positive trends in inflation and domestic growth, while acknowledging the lingering risks and the need for continued vigilance. "The BSP’s latest baseline projections continue to suggest a gradual return of inflation to the target band of 2-4 percent over the policy horizon,” Medalla said. "Both headline and core inflation decelerated further in May due mainly to slower increases in the prices of food and energy-related items, affirming expectations of a return to the target range by year’s end,” he added. While the positive trends in inflation are promising, Medalla emphasized the potential risks to the outlook. These risks include the potential impact of additional transport fare increases and minimum wage adjustments, persistent supply constraints of key food items, El Niño weather conditions and possible knock-on effects of higher toll rates on agricultural prices. Medalla also highlighted the downside risk of a weaker-than-expected global economic recovery. “Given these considerations, the Monetary Board deems it appropriate to maintain current monetary policy settings to allow the BSP to further assess how inflation and domestic demand have responded to tighter monetary conditions,” he said. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antionio Mapa expects some flexibility on the BSP’s part. “Despite the pause, BSP will likely remain open to hiking if data developments warrant a response,” he said in a Viber message. The pause is the BSP’s “best option” right now as “hiking in the dark” at this stage, without much data, could lead to costly outcomes, he added “Data-dependent central banks will always choose to see data before making adjustments to policy,” The latest BSP decision to keep interest rates unchanged could be the last policy move for Medalla, whose term ends on 3 July. President Ferdinand Marcos has yet to reveal whether he will reappoint Medalla or choose another candidate. Economists said the decision of who will be the next BSP governor will likely affect the central bank's policy stance. “Marcos’ choice for governor will likely inform our outlook for BSP’s policy stance, but should Medalla be reappointed, we expect BSP to be on hold for at least two more policy meetings before possibly cutting rates once inflation settles back within target,” Mapa said in a separate interview. The post BSP keeps rates unchanged appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbosa allays fears on proposed hiring of unlicensed nursing grads
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Thursday responded to safety concerns on his proposal to hire unlicensed nursing graduates for government hospitals. In a television interview, Herbosa insisted that the proposal would not affect the quality of healthcare in public hospitals. “The public should not worry even if these board-eligible or those who are about to take the board will enter government hospitals,” he said. “We will not let the quality of healthcare and safety in the public hospitals decline,” he added. Herbosa, who earlier said that the continuous migration of licensed nurses abroad for higher compensation would leave the country to become “nurseless” by 2026 or 2028, is pushing to hire nursing graduates who scored 70 to 74 percent in the board exam to work for public hospitals. He also noted that nursing graduates who would be given a temporary license by the Professional Regulation Commission will also be liable for medical malpractice. “Definitely, there will be a liability. They will be charged as well. They won’t have immunity because even a licensed individual could also be liable if they commit mistakes,” he said. Under Herbosa’s proposal, the government would provide scholarships for those hired to pass the board exam after a certain period. The government would also require “return of service” from those who will pass the board exam, depending on the number of years they worked as temporary nurses. The Health department previously said that there are a total of 4,500 vacant plantilla positions for nurses in 72 DoH-hospitals across the country. The post Herbosa allays fears on proposed hiring of unlicensed nursing grads appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»