Motor Vehicle Inspection System now optional amid complaints
President Rodrigo Duterte has made optional the Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) after the policy sparked public uproar, Malacañang announced Thursday. Presidential spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque said the chief executive made the decision to “balance” the needs of the public amid the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic. “The MVIS will no longer be mandatory. Meaning, there will […] The post Motor Vehicle Inspection System now optional amid complaints appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EDITORIAL - Unscrupulous traders
Amid complaints of highland farmers about a flood of smuggled agricultural commodities during the holidays, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has formed a committee that will blacklist unscrupulous traders who violate Republic Act 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2002......»»
SMNI suspension urged for alleged violations
Davao City-based legislator and Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Representative Margarita “Migs” Ignacia B. Nograles has proposed a resolution urging the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to suspend the operations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI). The resolution alleges that SMNI has violated the terms of its franchise and disseminated false information, failing in its responsibility to the public. This move is in response to multiple complaints filed against SMNI, including accusations of fake news peddling and baseless red-tagging of individuals, groups, and organizations. Specific incidents cited in the resolution include attacks on ACT Teachers Partylist Representative France L. Castro and false claims about House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez's foreign travel expenses. SMNI's host, Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, admitted to providing inaccurate information on air, further fueling the allegations against the network. Pending the Committee on Legislative Franchises' recommendations on SMNI's alleged violations, Nograles emphasized the urgency for the NTC to halt the deliberate dissemination of false information that may erode public trust. The 25-year franchise of SMNI was renewed in 2019, and the network has not yet issued an official statement regarding the resolution. In a related development, the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises cited Celiz and former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy-Partosa in contempt for refusing to disclose their source of erroneous information and being evasive about their income from co-producing their show. Both anchors will be detained at the House premises until the committee's report is adopted in the plenary. This story highlights the growing scrutiny on SMNI's operations and the calls for accountability amid allegations of spreading false information......»»
DTI pushes for AI research hub; P300-M for consumer protection programs
The Department of Trade and Industry is pushing for the establishment of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, however, it remains "unfunded” under the proposed 2024 National Expenditures Program. During the hearing of Senate Committee on Finance’s Subcommittee “M” on DTI’s proposed P7.909 billion budget for the fiscal year 2024 on Tuesday, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual emphasized the idea would help the country's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises to effectively adopt “artificial intelligence in their business operations. “This is a research [and development] center. The model is the AStar of Singapore…It’s industry-oriented, it's not academic research. It’s a way to help MSMEs to adopt AI in their operations,” Pascual said, citing that large companies in the country “can take of themselves” to implement AI solutions in their businesses. “But this SMES would need assistance and this is the center that could do that plus the continuing research in the impact of AI on employment which jobs will be affected,” he said. The issue of AI ethics will also be addressed through CAIR, he added. “We are working this out, actually with some business groups that can donate…In fact, we have been offered already a place,” the DTI chief said. Pascual explained that the CAIR has been included in the DTI’s plan for revitalizing Philippine industries under the Philippine Development Plan. Meanwhile, DTI’s Competitiveness and Innovation Group, Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said the agency has been requesting funds, amounting to P200 million, for the CAIR since two years ago. Aldana did not give further details as to why the Department of Budget and Management disapproved their requests. Stressing the importance of the AI program, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda lamented there must be a reason why the CAIR did not get a budget. Legarda asked Aldaba to further provide details on CAIR as the latter noted the DTI doesn’t have enough space in their existing building, “It’s a physical center and its goal is for us to become an AI center of excellence in the region in the near future. It’s going to house our data scientists, researchers, engineers who will be conducting AI [research and development] to support the needs of the industries, including MSMEs, start-ups, large companies, and multi-nationals,” Aldaba said. The CAIR is also eyed to provide capacity building and training and workshops on AI, she added “so that new products and services could come out from the idea. However, Legarda said DTI should not wait for the physical CAIR to be set up before it starts building the capacity of Filipinos concerning AI, adding that developing a physical infrastructure may take at least two years. “And knowing government, that’s so slow. That means all the resources on AI will not ensue until the structure is done,” Legarda lamented. “What I’m saying is that while the infrastructure is not yet set up, we should continue with AI capacity buildings and research.” Senator Mark Villar, who presided over the budget hearing, backed Legarda’s position, noting that DTI should ensure that AI benefits the country. “Other countries are very concerned also about what AI might mean for the labor industry and what the implications are. I think it’s important that we learn how we can leverage it to help our industries,” he said. On the other hand, Pascual appealed to the Senate for an additional P300 million in funding to strengthen the DTI’s consumer protection programs. “We want to reorganize our consumer protection activity by centralizing it because you cannot expect a junior person running after hoarders or profiteers in an area where there are a lot of people of influence that are operating in the region,” he said. “So the plan that we have done, this planning, after the budget submission, is to centralize the consumer protection activity in the head office and have a quick response task force,” said Pascual. “That would require a funding of P300 million to strengthen our consumer protection activities," he added. Villar supported the DTI’s plan citing its significance amid the ongoing inflation being experienced in the country “It is very relevant that the DTI takes a stronger role in monitoring these hoarders and manipulators,” he said. DTI Assistant Secretary Jean Pacheco said the P300 million would fund an inter-DTI strike team to increase their enforcement activities, consumer education and advocacy, complaints handling, and procurement of equipment for the certification and testing of vapes, among others. At least P130 million of the total request will be utilized for the procurement of equipment for DTI’s certification and testing of vape products, which is in line with their implementation of the law regulating e-cigarettes. The post DTI pushes for AI research hub; P300-M for consumer protection programs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoA queries PNP’s TXT 2920
The Department of the Interior and Local Government unit, which supervises the Philippine National Police, has pledged to take necessary measures amid reports that anomalies have hounded the PNP’s emergency reporting system. Under PNP 2920, individuals can text in complaints against erring PNP personnel. PNP offices are mandated to create or activate their version of TXT 2920, “Isumbong mo kay Tsip,” and “Anti-Kotong Text,” to serve as a watching or check and balance mechanism against its personnel and act with dispatch on reports reaching their office. During the sponsorship debate on the DILG’s P262.0 billion budget for 2024, 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Bonifacio Bosita raised the question of whether PNP’s 2920 is still active since he, himself, witnessed how the PNP covered up its personnel against complaints. Quezon City Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, the DILG’s budget sponsor, said the system is under the monitoring of the DILG, “particularly the PNP.” According to Bosita, a retired police commission officer before his stint in Congress, he witnessed how the PNP maneuvered the process to make it appear that the complaint was not legitimate. Relay system “When something happens at a police station, it will reach the PNP headquarters and be forwarded, communicated to the regional office of the PNP and taken down to the provincial police of the PNP and taken down to the police station concerned where the police being complained about is assigned,” Bosita said. “Because of this, Madam Sponsor and Mr. Speaker, the chief of police is trying to make it appear that the report received by the national headquarters is just a lie,” he added. The post CoA queries PNP’s TXT 2920 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lacuna keeping ‘guerilla’ vendors out
With the Christmas season just around the corner, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna has issued an order allowing Divisoria, central hub of all retail and wholesale business in the country, to retain its organized set–up to discourage those who may take advantage of the season to create chaos. The order comes amid reports that some illegal vendors are sprouting in the vending sites, affecting legitimate sidewalk vendors. In reaction, a joint operation was conducted by the Department of Public Services, DEPW (Department of Engineering and Public Works) , and MTPB (Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau) on the streets of El Cano, M. Delos Santos, Tabora and Sto. Cristo where all vendors were temporarily cleared to give way for the general cleaning that included a flushing job, collection of garbage, de clogging of canals, bundling of cables, and marking of lines to determine the area for vending. The middle portion is for pedestrians and also some parking areas. Lacuna made sure that Divisoria would no longer be the old one during his administration as she vowed to continue that no vendors could occupy main roads such as CM Recto which were converted into vending sites then. It was learned that several complaints were received by the office of Lacuna which led her to order an inspection. It was later verified to be true. Part of the area ordered inspected is Ylaya street where uniformed stalls were provided by the city during former Mayor Isko Moreno’s time that no violations were made and were kept clean by legitimate vendors as they hired their own street cleaners to maintain the area. It was noted that during these “BER” months some new vendors may come in as “guerilla” stalls, quietly appearing until it grows and becomes uncontrollable said the source. “This is the silent order of Lacuna in her desire to keep order in Divisoria as she started setting her eye in the area since the opening of classes where shoppers trooped to the said market to avail school supplies at much-lowered prices,” a source who requested anonymity said. The post Lacuna keeping ‘guerilla’ vendors out appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DTI to form task force to help retailers amid rice price cap
Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual has ordered his department' s officials to create a special task force that will ensure the efficient implementation of the Executive Order 39 setting a price cap on regular-milled rice at P41 per kilogram and well-milled rice at P45 per kilo. This was after various traders aired complaints against the EO, saying it would badly affect their businesses and could result in lower farm gate prices to the detriment of farmers. The formation of the task force followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s' order to immediately distribute financial aid to retailers who might be affected by the EO implementation. The DTI will implement the following forms of assistance to rice retailers/wholesalers, including small supermarkets that will be affected by the price ceiling: (1) financial assistance; (2) loan programs; (3) logistics support; and (4) market linkages and support. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, on the other hand, will provide financial aid or compensation to retailers/wholesalers in wet markets and neighborhood sundry stores to cover the difference between the cost of the current inventory of rice and the price ceiling. The government will likewise provide transportation in delivering rice from traders to retailers to reduce logistical costs. Further, market linkages will be established to link local farmers with supermarket chains and other retailers and promote bulk buying or advance purchase of supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, resorts and other commercial establishments. Members of the DTI Special Task Force will work in coordination with the Agriculture department, local government units and the Local Price Coordinating Councils. DTI will mobilize associations to gather a list of retailers and properly identify potential beneficiaries. "Currently, we are working with other government agencies to facilitate the profiling and validation of retailers, which shall be the basis for the distribution of financial aid by DSWD as early as next week. We are also set to conduct visits in warehouses in various locations to ensure that there is enough supply and discourage hoarding. As instructed by DTI Secretary Fred Pascual, the task force will ensure that consumers are protected and retailers will receive the assistance they need as the E.O. takes effect," DTI Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero said. The price cap for rice will start tomorrow, 5 September, as the government's temporary solution to the skyrocketing prices of rice in the past weeks. The post DTI to form task force to help retailers amid rice price cap appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teddy Boy named special envoy to China
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. as the President’s Special Envoy to the People’s Republic of China for Special Concerns, the Presidential Communications Office announced on Wednesday in a Facebook post. Locsin’s recent appointment came amid the resurgence of tensions in the West Philippine Sea between China and the Philippines. In a Viber message to Palace reporters, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Marcos appointed Locsin to boost the bilateral relations between the two countries. Locsin, who is the Foreign Affairs Secretary of then-President Rodrigo R. Duterte from 17 October to 30 June 2022, takes on the new task “in a concurrent position” as the Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Chief Executive appointed Locsin UK ambassador with jurisdiction over Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey, and Bailiwick of Guernsey on 30 August 2022. During his tenure, he frequently lodged numerous diplomatic complaints and occasionally used the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize China. The newly-appointed special envoy is the son and namesake of Teodoro Locsin Sr., a journalist who was imprisoned during the 1970s for criticizing President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Following the overthrow of Marcos Sr. in 1986, the younger Locsin became the speechwriter and legal advisor to President Corazon Aquino. Subsequently, he wrote speeches for Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was elected Makati 1st District representative in 2001, a seat he held until 2010. Holding a master’s degree in law from Harvard University, Locsin is a lawyer and a media figure. The post Teddy Boy named special envoy to China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sky-high irony
Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific, a budget airline that always manages to raise eyebrows, has once again blessed us with a seat sale. Oh, how lucky can we be? The airline has hyped up anew its marketing mantra that “Every Juan flies,” only weeks after being forced during a congressional hearing to confront 3,000 complaints of irate customers over its endearing practice of overbooking flights and offloading passengers. To be obstinately hooked on the jingle of cash registers while ignoring the suffering of your paying customers takes a unique kind of expertise, of being able to remain deadpan and sleep at night through the turmoil of your aggravated passengers. For many of those who attended the hearings, Cebu Pacific only cares about the cold ca-ching of its cash registers. No doubt, the seat sale it resurrected last week would result in more passengers being kicked off flights. Overbooking and the accompanying forced passenger dumping, in Cebu Pacific’s vision of reality, well, there’s just a “slight chance” of that. That’s a joke, right? But no one’s laughing, as the joke is on us, the public. Let the sentence hang there for a while. “Slight chance,” they say in an entry on airlineratings.com, as though they’re talking about the prospect of seeing a rare unicorn galloping around the departure gate. But no, this is not about fantastical creatures; rather, it is about reservations piling up on a shaky table like a house of cards. It involves accepting the idea of reserved seating as merely a suggestion, a fun idea to play around with. That is if your idea of fun is being forced to reprise the role of Tom Hanks in the movie, The Terminal. Speaking of whimsical, have you ever heard of their brilliant response to situations in which appeals to “volunteers not to travel on their booked flights” fall on deaf ears? Cebu Pacific has your inconvenience covered, so do not be alarmed. They’ve cleverly reserved the power to refuse boarding to travelers “involuntarily,” or against their will, if involuntarily is not clear enough. This translates to passengers gnashing their teeth, pulling their hair, and tearing up their shirts all they want at CebuPac’s check-in counters, without any chance of boarding a flight for which they’d been sold “reserved” seats. However, let’s not limit our discussion to Cebu Pacific’s poetic handling of passenger interactions. Let’s explore the drama that occurred during the probe of the Senate Committee on Tourism. Senators turned their attention to the airline’s fervent devotion to overbooking as the cause of this comedy of errors, becoming unimpressed by the inventive justifications offered by the company for canceled flights and interminable delays. One senator related tales of suffering and annoyance from her own staff as well as from other passengers. Inevitably, as the hours passed, the hearing evolved into a “grief-sharing session.” People stepped up, spilling stories of delayed flights and canceled hopes. If you will, picture a traveler hoping to leave Tokyo but being compelled to crash on the chilly, hard floor of Narita International Airport. Her offense? Having faith in Cebu Pacific to deliver even the most basic amenities. Then there was the dentistry board exam that was almost missed. How about the flight to Cebu from Manila that was diverted to Busuanga and the haggling that followed to force Cebu Pacific to honor its “Passenger Rights” guarantee of free hotel accommodations? The cherry on top? While those who had been put through the wringer were left wondering how the airline’s priorities seemed to be joyously dancing in the skies, the examinee’s lucky aunt, all the way from Australia, managed to score a ticket for a lovely fee. The spokespersons of Cebu Pacific did, however, exhibit some artistic talent. Lightning strikes, bird crashes, and even runway debris were included in the gallery of “freak incidents” they presented as the causes of their errors. During the sleeper hearing, the way Cebu Pacific’s flight operations unfolded resembled an elaborate opera, complete with loud fights and dramatic exits, as if the cosmos had conspired to make it happen. But what was the highlight of Cebu Pacific’s ludicrous theater? Respect for the “Air Passenger Bill of Rights.” To pledge loyalty to rights that seem to exist only in the world of press releases is a truly great gesture. Amid this flying fiasco, passengers may wonder if they are only pawns in a much bigger game when the airline offers its earnest apologies, makes a few promises, and reveals plans for standby aircraft as if they were doing magic. So here we are, seeing the re-erection of Cebu Pacific’s circus tent of antics. Seat sale? Rubbish. The post Sky-high irony appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DepEd memo doesn’t target any group
The Department of Education explained that its memorandum requesting all teachers’ groups to submit the complete list of mentors affiliated with an organization who are availing of the agency’s Automatic Payroll Deduction System was not intended for a particular group like the ACT Teachers. According to the DepEd, ACT Teachers is providing the public with wrong information about the said request. “The allegation that the memorandum was intended to profile the members of ACT Union as part of a supposed government anti-insurgency campaign is patently absurd, distorted, and follows no logic,” the DepEd said in a statement. The said memorandum was issued on 14 June 2023 and was signed by DepEd Undersecretary for Operations Atty. Revsee Escobedo. “The request was publicly available and proves that it did not intend to target members of the union, as alleged by ACT,” the DepEd said. The Education Department explained that the sole purpose of consolidating the list of APDS availees is to centralize, connect, update, and improve the agency’s human resource systems, including the APDS. “This is especially relevant amid the regular complaints from employees over inaccurate, questionable, and unwarranted salary deductions for loan remittances and membership dues,” the DepEd said. “It is well within its authority and even incumbent upon DepEd to look into the complaints made by its employees and to ensure that their welfare and rights are protected,” it added. DepEd, however, said that while a memorandum sought the list of ACT Union members, separate requests were also made for the list of members of other unions, organizations, and associations of teaching and non-teaching personnel availing of the APDS. “There is simply no effort or intention to purposely target members of ACT Union,” it added. According to DepEd spokesperson and Undersecretary Michael Poa, teachers’ groups and organizations are collecting membership dues through APDS. “The APDS is the facility used for salary deduction in relation to statutory contributions, as well as loan remittances and membership dues,” Poa said. “Currently, hindi connected ang HR systems natin nationwide. Our HROD is looking to connect not just APDS but all HR Systems,” he added. Poa said the memorandum does not simply ask for a list of all ACT Union members as is being projected. “It is requesting for a list of ACT Union members that are availing of the APDS. Meaning it’s already in our records. So it’s important to put things in the proper context — meaning that this was being requested in relation to the APDS,” he said. “It is particularly important to update the APDS because usual ang complaints that employees are being wrongly deducted membership dues, or hindi tama ang deduction ng loan remittances,” the DepEd official added. The post DepEd memo doesn’t target any group appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Escudero backs proposed air passenger rights
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero stressed it’s about time to pass a law that would institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights and urged for stiffer penalties on violators amid the rising customer complaints against poor airline services. "Similar measures had been filed in previous Congress but nothing happened. It is about time that we in the 19th Congress should look into this seriously and hopefully pass the necessary legislation," Escudero said. The current Congress, according to Escudero, should look into legislating the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, a proposal that was backed by the Civil Aeronautics Board during Wednesday's hearing conducted jointly by the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Public Services, chaired by Senators Nancy Binay and Grace Poe, respectively. During the hearing, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he is mulling a measure that would institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill Rights in order to protect the public from any abuse by airline companies. Dela Rosa also asked CAB about its position in pushing the institutionalization of 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, Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal as she cited the violations and penalties provided in the 71-year-old Republic Act 776 or the "Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines" have not been revised and limits the fine to P5,000 for each violation. On the other hand, the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights was not legislated but contained in the Joint Administrative Order 1 of the then Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Trade and Industry in 2012. The Airline Passenger Bill of Rights specifically tries to resolve passengers’ complaints, including delayed or canceled flights without appropriate warning, lost luggage, and overbooking of flights. It also covers pre-flight issues, such as misleading fare advertisements. The post Escudero backs proposed air passenger rights 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......»»
GCash crashes anew amid probe on possible glitch
Virtual wallet provider, GCash, suffered another glitch Saturday morning, even as the National Privacy Commission was making its announcement to conduct an in-depth investigation of the glitch last 10 May 2023 which forced the temporary halt of GCash’s app operations following complaints by GCash users on social media regarding money losses from their accounts. On Saturday rants of irate subscribers filled social media platforms Twitter and Facebook when they weren’t able to open their accounts, airing concerns that funds on their GCash accounts might be compromised. At about 11:39 a.m., GCash on its official Twitter announced that the GCash app was temporarily unavailable, apologizing for the inconvenience to subscribers. “GCash assures you that your account and your funds are safe. We are working on restoring the services as soon as possible,” he said. The app was accessible again after a few minutes of temporary glitches. Deeper probe Also on Saturday, the NPC said it is investigating a potential personal data breach involving compromised accounts of GCash, in light of the temporary halt of GCash app operations last Wednesday. “The NPC’s Complaints and Investigation Division has been closely monitoring this incident since 9 May 2023 amidst circulating reports of GCash users on suspicious transactions on their GCash accounts, to determine the existence of a breach and its extent, and whether there are any other violations of the provisions of the Data Privacy Act of 2012,” said NPC commissioner and chairperson Atty. John Henry D. Naga. He said on Friday that the NPC had issued a notice to explain, and an order addressed to G-Xchange Inc., the company managing GCash, requiring GXI to appear before the NPC for a clarificatory meeting and to provide additional information and documents. During the meeting, Naga said GXI presented information to the NPC about their own investigation and the measures that they have taken to speedily address the incident. Verify claims He said the Privacy Commission will issue another order instructing GXI to provide further information and documents to enable an independent assessment and verify the claims presented by GXI on the supposed phishing being the cause of the glitch. He then assured the public that all necessary steps have been made by the NPC to protect the rights of GCash clients as data subjects. “The NPC is committed to safeguarding the privacy of all individuals and will continue to provide guidance on how the public can better protect themselves from violations of their data privacy rights, even as these threat actors are also becoming more sophisticated in the pursuit of their criminal design,” stated. He further emphasized, “The NPC will diligently exercise its powers under the law against any party found to be in violation of the Data Privacy Act.” The post GCash crashes anew amid probe on possible glitch appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Revilla demands better e-wallet services after GCash glitch
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas should demand greater transparency and reliability from e-wallet service providers amid reported glitches and unauthorized cash transfers, Senator Ramon Revilla said Wednesday. Revilla urged the BSP to enforce measures to defend consumers against unwanted loss of funds in their e-wallet accounts. The senator’s move stemmed from reports that a massive number of users of the virtual wallet, GCash, operated by G-Xchange Inc., had aired grievances about unauthorized transactions from their digital wallets to other bank accounts, resulting in depleted balances. Revilla cited complaints by affected GCash users about unauthorized online fund transfers while the app was inaccessible until Tuesday afternoon. The GCash app service provider, he said, didn’t even bother to provide a clear explanation for the unauthorized cash transfers. “This can’t be right. The users have the right to know what happened to their money. They earned it. Releasing a statement that their funds will be returned is not enough,” Revilla said. “Can we still be assured that our money is safe?” Revilla said “corporations vested with public interest have a fiduciary duty” to the public that they serve. Some users reported losing as much as P70,000 from their Gcash accounts. Several victims also complained that as many as three unauthorized transactions were made from their accounts in a span of a few hours. Meanwhile, EastWest Bank said it was cooperating with the authorities amid reports of alleged unauthorized cash transfers from GCash to its customers’ accounts. “The bank immediately acted on these reports and initiated an internal investigation. Rest assured that EastWest is cooperating with authorities and other institutions involved in the said report and working towards the immediate resolution of the matter,” it said in a statement. The post Revilla demands better e-wallet services after GCash glitch appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GCash says no funds lost amid complaints of unauthorized transactions
As it is, the app went into maintenance since GCash is currently inaccessible......»»
Sen. Go files ‘Freelance workers’ bill
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed Senate Bill No. 2107, or the “Freelance Workers Protection Act,” which seeks to provide protection and incentives for freelance workers. The measure aims to recognize the rights of freelance workers and ensure that they are protected and adequately compensated for their services. In the explanatory note of the bill, Go highlighted that the number of Filipinos engaging in freelancing as a source of income has been increasing, particularly during the recent pandemic years. “Freelance workers contribute to the growth of our economy in just the same manner as other Filipino workers who are rendering their worthwhile service,” stated Go. However, due to the nature of their services, freelance workers frequently encounter issues like lack of protection and non-payment for services rendered. “Though considered self-employed they should also be subjected to the equal protection and entitlement given to other Filipino workers,” noted Go. Amid these issues, Go said that his proposed measure “can give Filipino freelance workers the right to demand payment for rendered services through any legal channel, impose penalties on dishonest hiring parties, and criminalize failure of compensating Filipino freelance workers.” Under the bill, any hiring party obtaining or retaining the services of a freelance worker shall execute a written contract with the worker before the services are rendered. The bill, if enacted into law, will also require a down payment of not less than 30% of the contract price upon engagement. Freelance workers who are required to work at night shall be paid a night shift differential of not less than 10% of their regular compensation. All freelance workers deployed in dangerous areas must also be compensated with a hazard pay equivalent to at least 25% of the total payment for the period of such deployment. Moreover, the bill also prohibits certain unlawful practices, such as engaging with a freelance worker without a written contract. If passed into law, the Department of Labor and Employment is tasked to investigate complaints alleging a violation of the proposed measure and attempt to resolve the complaint by any method of dispute resolution, including mediation and conciliation. If a violation is found, the DOLE shall issue a notice of violation to the respondent and order the corresponding payment of compensation due to the prevailing party. A member of the Senate Committee on Labor, Go has been advocating for various measures that promote the rights and welfare of workers in the country, recognizing their crucial role in ensuring the Philippines' sustainable path to economic recovery. Earlier this year, he filed SBN 1705 which proposes to increase the service incentive leave of private sector employees; and SBN 1707 which seeks to provide competitive remuneration and compensation packages to social workers in the country. Last year, Go also filed SBN 1183, or the proposed "Media and Entertainment Workers’ Welfare Act", which seeks to provide enhanced protection, security and incentives for media workers through additional health insurance package, overtime and night differential pay, and other benefits. To ensure that those who reside in rural areas lacking job opportunities are taken care of, Go also filed SBN 420, which seeks to offer temporary employment to eligible members of low-income rural households who are ready to perform unskilled physical labor for a period of time. In addition, the senator filed SBNs 1184 and 1191 which aim to further protect the welfare and interest of the country’s delivery service riders and seafarers, respectively. The post Sen. Go files ‘Freelance workers’ bill appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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