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Return separation pay, viral ex-cop told
Brig. Gen. Niño David Rabaya, director of the Philippine National Police-Retirement and Benefits Administration Service, demanded from viral road rage ex-cop Wilfredo Gonzales the return of the money he received despite his dismissal from the police service. Gonzales was dismissed for grave misconduct in 2018, two years after he retired upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 where he got his separation pay. His dismissal which stemmed from a gun-toting incident he was involved in in 2006 led to the forfeiture of his benefits retroactively. In a press conference in Camp Crame on Monday, Rabaya, said Gonzales is required to bring back to the PNP around P588,000 sending him letters demanding the return of the money, since 2019 but they have yet to get any response from him. “It’s basically his terminal leave or leave credits as he also received ‘three’ year lump sum pension starting 2016 to 2019 but when the PRBS was able to receive the dismissal order, his monthly pension which was supposed to start in 2019 was not anymore activated. So basically he is not anymore receiving pension from us,” Rabaya told reporters. “As a matter of procedure, we are already preparing the demand letter for patrolman Gonzales to return the money. We will be taking civil action against him. We have already referred this to our legal then civil action will be taken against him if he refuses to return the amount,” he stressed. The QC People’s Law Enforcement Board started the conduct of a thorough investigation of the incident upon the order of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. The probe aims to identify the lapses committed by the police during the settlement of the case. Gonzales is currently in hot water after he was involved in a viral altercation with a cyclist in Quezon City on 28 August. He hit the cyclist on his head and even pulled out and cocked his gun. Gonzales said they had already settled the matter in a police station. It was reported that the cyclist paid Gonzales P500 for the damages to his vehicle during the settlement. Gonzales is now facing charges for alarm and scandal filed by the Quezon City Police District. The PNP Firearms and Explosives Office also revoked the License to Own and Possess Firearm, Firearm Registration and Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence of Gonzales. The Land Transportation Office also issued a 90-day preventive suspension on Gonzales’ driver’s license pending the conduct of an investigation on the matter. The post Return separation pay, viral ex-cop told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Forbes Asia fetes start-up enabler
Packworks, a local startup that provides a business-to-business open platform to sari-sari stores was included in Forbes Asia’s 100 to Watch List 2023. The list recognizes companies and startups that are “targeting underserved markets or applying new technologies.” Packworks is one of only nine companies from the Philippines that have made it to the list and one of the nine listed companies from the e-commerce and retail industry. According to Forbes Asia, the final 100 were selected from over 550 submissions and nominations from accelerators, incubators, SME advocacy organizations, universities, and venture capitalists across the region. “We are honored to be recognized by Forbes Asia and included in their ‘100 to Watch List’ for 2023. At Packworks, our mission has always been to empower sari-sari stores through our open platform, and this recognition underscores our commitment to driving innovation in the e-commerce and retail industry,” Packworks co-founder and CEO Bing Tan said. “To every sari-sari store owner, partner, and dedicated team member who has believed in and journeyed with us — this recognition is as much yours as it is ours,” he added. To qualify for the list, companies must have an annual revenue not exceeding $50 million, and have received no more than $100 million in total funding as of 7 August 2023. Tough criteria Metrics such as a positive impact on the region or industry, a track record of strong revenue growth or ability to attract funding, promising business models or markets, and a persuasive story were among the considerations. Packworks will represent the Philippines at the Startup World Cup 2023 in Silicon Valley, USA, in December. It won Ignite 2022’s Startup World Cup x Wildfire Pitch competition in October last year. Packworks was established in 2018 out of a passion project by Tan alongside co-founders Ibba Bernardo and Hubert Yap. The trio started as motorbike buddies before forming a company delivering solar panels to provinces and far-flung places across the country. During their excursions, they saw firsthand the challenges brought by limited access for sari-sari store owners and embarked on developing an application for small store businesses to have a one-app stop for all their needs. Launched as a solution for multinational companies with only a handful of sari-sari store partners, Packworks has rapidly expanded as a platform to ease the supply chain ecosystem, from small sari-sari store owners to wholesalers, distributors, and renowned companies and brands. With about 75 percent of sari-sari stores owned by women, Packworks also works to empower female entrepreneurs. The company raised $2 million in seed funds in August last year and is backed by ADB Ventures, Arise, CVC Capital Partners — Fast Group, IdeaSpace Foundation and Techstars. The post Forbes Asia fetes start-up enabler appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lone Phl, SE Asian entry vies for Venice short film honors
Sam Manacsa’s sophomore film Cross My Heart and Hope to Die, the only entry from the Philippines and Southeast Asia, vies to win the Orizzonti Short Film Competition at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Produced by Chad Angelic Cabigon and Carlo Francisco Manatad, Cross My Heart and Hope to Die tells the story of a girl named Mila who remains unpaid at work. She finds comfort in her love interest’s constant phone calls. But that promise of hope may lead to tragedy and sad love songs. [caption id="attachment_179113" align="aligncenter" width="1391"] BEHIND the scenes of ‘Cross My Heart and Hope to Die.’[/caption] “There are dire consequences in a culture devoid of empathy and morality. But who will be there to witness it and suffer? This chronicles a woman in her struggles, of oppression that stems from a semblance of entitlement and the depths of desperation where it leads to, grasping onto anything that may provide solace,” Manacsa said in a statement. On 30 August, the Consulate General of the Philippines in Milan and some members of the Filipino community attended the film’s world premiere at the prestigious film festival held at Lido de Venezia. Cross My Heart and Hope to Die will go against Marina Alberti’s Aitana, Leila Basma’s Sea Salt, Erenik Beqiri’s A Short Trip, Wissam Charaf’s Et Si Soleil Plongeait Dans L’Ocean De Nues, Nina Gantz’s Wander to Wonder, Margherita Giusti’s The Meatseller, Aldo Luliano’s Dive, Iggy London’s Area Boy, Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani’s Dar Saaye Sarv (In The Shadow of the Cypress), Esteban Pedraza’s Bogota Story, Xandra Popsecu’s Sentimental Stories and Wu Lang’s Duan Pian Gushi (Short Story). [caption id="attachment_179114" align="aligncenter" width="1572"] Jorrybell Agoto as Mila. | PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ‘CROSS MY HEART HOPE TO DIE’[/caption] Manacsa helmed Kung Wala Nang Tulad Natin in 2016. She also served as art director for Whether the Weather is Fine (2021), Sila-Sila (2019) and Never Tear Us Apart (2018). Winners of different categories in the film festival will be announced on 9 September. The post Lone Phl, SE Asian entry vies for Venice short film honors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM appoints INC exec Eduardo Manalo as envoy for OF concerns
Malacañang on Saturday announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo as Special Envoy of the President for Overseas Filipino Concerns. According to Palace, the same position was given to the Manalo in 2018 under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte from 30 January 2018 to 29 January 2019. The INC is known for its bloc voting system. To recall, INC backed Marcos’ presidential bid in the 2022 national elections, as well as his candidacy for vice president in 2016. Manalo is the grandson of the late INC founder Felix Manalo. He is the eldest son of the late Eraño Manalo, who was INC's executive minister for 46 years from 1963. Aside from Manalo, Marcos named W Group President Norman Vincent Wee as Special Envoy of the President to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Trade and Investments. The post PBBM appoints INC exec Eduardo Manalo as envoy for OF concerns appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gabon’s Bongo aims for third term
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AFP) — Voters here were called to the polls on Saturday for a triple election in which President Ali Bongo Ondimba, scion of a family that has ruled for 55 years, is seeking victory over a belatedly united opposition. Bongo and his main rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, lead a race of 14 candidates vying for the top job in the small oil-rich central African state. The 64-year-old incumbent is seeking a third term after taking office in 2009, succeeding his father, Omar, who died after more than 41 years in power. But as polling day loomed, a storm erupted over a purported conversation between Ondo Ossa and a fellow opposition figure. The conversation — recorded without the pair’s knowledge and disseminated on social media — refer to various strategies “to create a power struggle” and support from other countries. Bongo has accused the pair of treason, saying the remarks reflect a plot to take over with the help of “foreign powers.” At an eve-of-election rally attended by tens of thousands of supporters in Libreville, Bongo charged that the two sought to “destroy this country.” “We won’t let them to do it,” he cried. Onda Ossa, a 69-year-old economics professor who served as a minister under Bongo from 2006 to 2009, was chosen by the main opposition grouping, Alternance 2023, as its joint candidate just eight days before the election. For years, Bongo, who once had ambitions to be a funk singer before being groomed for politics, struggled in the shadow of his charismatic father. In 2016, he was narrowly re-elected with just 5,500 more votes than his rival, who claimed the election had been fixed. The announcement of the results sparked violence in the capital Libreville that left five dead, according to the government. The opposition says 30 people were shot dead by the security forces. In October 2018, Bongo suffered a stroke that sidelined him for 10 months. His prolonged absence stoked claims he was unfit to rule effectively and fueled a minor attempted coup. He returned to work after his convalescence bent on showing himself to be a man of rigor, keen to root out “traitors” and “profiteers” in his inner circle. Visitors and diplomats say that Bongo today is mentally acute but has mobility problems in his right arm and leg. In recent months, he has been busy with foreign trips and a nationwide tour defend his record and pitch himself as an agent of change. As well as voting for a president, Gabon’s 850,000 voters will be choosing candidates for the legislature and local councils. In the days leading up to the ballots, the main opposition parties have cried foul over a last-minute change to voting rules in the legislative race which they say violates the separation of powers. The new move stipulates that any vote for a local deputy will automatically be a vote for that deputy’s presidential candidate. The post Gabon’s Bongo aims for third term appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NCC hailed as model Smart City
With its best practices centered on improving its future residents’ health and well-being, and promoting smart city features, New Clark City, or NCC, was recently hailed by SCI-Japan, a private sector-led, non-profit organization founded by think tank Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting as a model Smart City. Aside from SCI-Japan, media organization Nikkei, in a forum dubbed “Challenge of Japan’s Smart City Initiative Improving Citizen’s Well-being” cited New Clark City for introducing some of the best practices by utilizing well-being indicators for policy design toward sustainable smart city business. “This forum’s key element is how smart cities should be people-centric, which is at the core of the development concept of New Clark City, making it a model on how cities of the future across the world should be planned and developed,” said Hideki Okada, executive director of Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport & Urban Development. A model for future cities From accelerating smart utilities and sustainable infrastructure to conserving biodiversity, Okada highlighted in his presentation what makes New Clark City development a model for future cities. “Since 2016, JOIN, together with our integral partners BCDA and Surbana Jurong, has been involved in the development of New Clark City into a sustainable metropolis for all. And with this forum, we hope to propel more collaborations with the BCDA in the development not just of New Clark City, but the whole of Clark,” Okada added. In 2018, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority JOIN tapped Surbana Jurong of Singapore for the development of New Clark City. Surbana Jurong has been helping BCDA and JOIN with the detailed design standards and guidelines for New Clark City, which includes its detailed urban and infrastructure design and the Public-Private Partnership framework for the provision of utility services such as water and power. For BCDA President and chief executive officer engineer Joshua Bingcang, the state-run organization is putting the well-being and quality of life at the heart of the development of New Clark City. Rising metropolis He added that BCDA is ensuring that the rising metropolis will improve the quality of life of its citizens by utilizing digital technologies and partnering with global experts in creating smart city solutions. “Our vision for the Philippines’ model for sustainable and inclusive cities, New Clark City in Tarlac, will not be possible without JOIN. Along with other global experts, JOIN helped us with the creation of the master plan for New Clark City,” Bingcang said in a video message. Strict open green space Following global standards, New Clark City instituted a strict open green space to the buildable ratio of 60:40, where 60 percent of the area is green, while the remaining 40 percent is buildable. BCDA also makes sure all of the utilities in New Clark City are prescribed to be green and sustainable. In February 2023, BCDA and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan inked a memorandum of understanding for a three-year demonstration project on smart mobility solutions to be implemented in New Clark City and Clark. This will be executed by a group nominated by NEDO, led by Zenmov Inc., a Japan-based information technology solutions provider specializing in the transportation sector, to measure and verify the effectiveness of a transport service system that operates via a cloud-based technology platform. Under the New Clark City master plan, 1.2 million people will live sustainably and inclusively in the metropolis, while the projected employment is over 600,000 workers. The post NCC hailed as model Smart City appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bangladesh court sentences two journalists over plot to kill PM’s son
Two elderly Bangladeshi newspaper editors were sentenced in absentia Thursday over a plot to kill the prime minister's son, charges their supporters say were confected to punish them for supporting the country's opposition. Shafik Rehman, 88, and Mahmudur Rahman, 70, were convicted along with three others in what authorities said was a thwarted conspiracy to kidnap and murder Sheikh Hasina's eldest child while he was based in the United States a decade ago. All five were sentenced to seven years in jail, prosecutor Abdur Rahman Khan Kazal told AFP. Rehman edited two of the country's most popular Bengali weeklies and later became an adviser to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party before his arrest in 2016. Rahman was known as a prominent critic of Hasina's ruling Awami League, which has targeted BNP members with periodic crackdowns and mass arrests over the past decade and was arrested in 2013. Both men were later granted bail to seek medical treatment abroad and have not returned. Friends and supporters of the pair maintain their innocence. The other three defendants have been fugitives since the conspiracy charges were filed and were also sentenced in absentia. Sajeeb Wazed, 52, the prime minister's son, now serves in a senior advisory position to his mother's government. Rights groups and foreign governments including the United States have long raised concerns over efforts by Hasina's government to silence criticism and stamp out political dissent. The 2022 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders ranked Bangladesh at 162, below Russia and Afghanistan. Bangladesh's draconian Digital Security Act, under which hundreds of people have been arrested since 2018, has caused particular alarm. Dainik Dinkal, the country's only remaining newspaper aligned with the BNP, was shut down in February. The post Bangladesh court sentences two journalists over plot to kill PM’s son appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Masculinity with Responsibility’: Who will win the 10th Misters of Filipinas pageant? ?
After months of casting calls and competitions in the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad, Prime Event Productions Philippines Foundation, Inc. formally introduced the 10th Misters of Filipinas official candidates on Sunday evening, 5 August, at the Grand Ballroom of Winford Hotel Manila Resort and Casino. The candidates strutted down the runway in stunning all-white ensembles, showcasing their impeccable ramp skills and physiques in Julius Peggaro swimwear. But the candidates will not just be pageant figures who can strut in swimwear and formal wear. What’s more important is how they can become positive role models to their communities and the country. “That is why the slogan of Misters of Filipinas and Man of the World is Masculinity with Responsibility,” said PEPPS president Carlo Morris Galang. “More than having a handsome face and a gorgeous body, every man who has passed through Misters of Filipinas and Man of the World should have developed a sense of community and have evolved in becoming the best versions of themselves so that they contribute to society. Everyone who became part of our 10 years is just that,” he added. Adding glamour and sophistication to the event were hosts Ryan Tercero, Miss Fitness Super Model World Philippines Kristel Galang and Mr. Fitness Super Model World Philippines Mayko Toledo. “It was a long search for the official candidates, but I am confident that we have a good batch this year,” said Galang. “These men came from various backgrounds such as event hosting, film acting, modeling and other occupations. They will now set off on their journey for the titles that will have the winners competing in various international competitions.” The candidates are hoping to win one of the coveted titles of the competition and follow on the heels of Man Hot Star International 2023 Jovy Bequillo, Mister Runway Model Universe 2022 Junichi Yabushita, Mister Model Worldwide 2018 Carlo Pasion, Mister Universe Tourism 2018 Ion Perez, Mister Tourism and Culture Universe 2018 Yves Campos, Man of the Year 2016 Karan Singhdole and Mister International 2014 Neil Perez. The finals night will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, 17 September, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City. The post Masculinity with Responsibility’: Who will win the 10th Misters of Filipinas pageant? ? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’
US director William Friedkin, who died Monday, will forever be remembered for his Oscar-winning "The Exorcist" in 1973, one of the most controversial horror films of all time that still chills new generations of moviegoers. The taboo-breaking scene of a 12-year-old girl believed to be possessed by the devil, foul-mouthed and feverishly masturbating with a crucifix on her bed, provoked frenzy in audiences and sparked a global debate about the occult in the Catholic Church. "It was shocking," wrote Rolling Stone in 2018, recalling the first reactions. It "had people lining up at the entrances of movie theatres while the exits were soppy with puke from the previous showing." Remarkably for a horror film, it was nominated for 10 Oscars and took home two. Pact with the devil Friedkin, who passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the aged of 87, after suffering health issues in recent years, first hit the pinnacle in Hollywood a few years before "The Exorcist" -- with his stomping, stylish 1971 thriller "The French Connection." Starring Gene Hackman as a cop in gritty, corrupt New York City, the film won five Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture. It was a pearl of the "New Hollywood" wave of socially and politically charged filmmaking associated with emerging directors such as Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. Friedkin was asked to direct "The Exorcist" -- based on a novel inspired by a reported case of possession of a 14-year-old boy -- after other star directors including Stanley Kubrick had turned it down. "I thought it was a film about the mystery of faith... but I didn't set out to make a horror film," Friedkin was quoted saying in The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. "But by now, I have accepted that it is." His film was followed by four sequels, based on the same novel but without Friedkin's participation, together grossing more than $600 million worldwide. A television series began in 2016. Real power Friedkin was born in Chicago in 1935. His mother was a nurse and his father held several jobs, from merchant seaman and semi-professional softball player to discount-clothes salesman. He singled out viewing in his twenties of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941) as having a radical impact. "It changed my life," he said in a 2014 interview published on the website of respected US critic, Roger Ebert. "It made me understand that film was an art form and a unique way of storytelling that I had never considered". Friedkin started working in television as a runner and then directed TV shows before making his own documentary in 1962, "The People vs Paul Crimp", about a real-life death row prisoner. The film would contribute to Crimp's death sentence being commuted, convincing Friedkin of "the power of cinema", he told AFP in an interview in 2017. In 1967 he made his first feature, "Good Times", a musical starring the popular pop duo Sonny and Cher. Eclipse from the A-List After his heyday in the 1970s, came a spectacular fall from the Hollywood A-List. It was his ambitious "Sorcerer" (1977), that would prove Friedkin's undoing. After a difficult shoot that went wildly over budget to cost $22 million, the film bombed at the US box office, grossing just under $6 million. It was also eclipsed by the first installment of George Lucas's "Star Wars", released at the same time. Amongst his other flops from a total of about 20 features was "Cruising" (1980) with Al Pacino as an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer in New York's S&M scene. But "Killer Joe" in 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as a man plotting to kill his own mother, brought renewed critical praise. In 2018, decades after his most famous hit, Friedkin revisited the themes of "The Exorcist" with the documentary "The Devil and Father Amorth", about a priest performing an exorcism in Italy. "The life of a filmmaker is one film to another," Friedkin told the LA Times in 1989 about how he picked himself up after his career had taken a tumble. "There's a great reward when you connect with the public and people are lining up around the block to see your film. But the real joy is making the film." Friedkin was married four times, the first time to one of France's top actresses, Jeanne Moreau. The post William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SC junks celebrity doctor’s appeal
The Supreme Court on Tuesday disclosed that it has dismissed the appeal of celebrity doctor Joel Mendez to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeals affirming the seven-year jail term slapped against him by the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City for violating the provisions of Republic Act 8282 or the Social Security Act of 1997. In a six-page resolution dated 31 July 2023, the High Court’s First Division did not give merit to Mendez’s claim that the CA’s Former Special Eight Division — through Associate Justices Edwin Sorongon, Sesinando E. Villon and Marie Christine Azcarraga-Jacob — committed grave abuse of discretion when they outright dismissed his petition. This stemmed from the petition of Mendez before the SC invoking anew “extrinsic fraud” on the part of his lawyer in seeking reconsideration of the CA’s ruling. The doctor claimed that the failure of his former counsel to attend scheduled hearings for his presentation of evidence and his counsel’s failure to inform him of the hearings and that his presence was required during the proceedings were tantamount to “extrinsic fraud.” Extrinsic fraud refers to “fraudulent act of the prevailing party in litigation committed outside of the trial of the case, whereby the defeated party is prevented from fully exhibiting his side of the case by fraud or deception practiced on him by his opponent, such as by keeping him away from court; by giving him a false promise of a compromise; or where the defendant never had the knowledge of the suit, being kept in ignorance by the acts of plaintiff; or where an attorney fraudulently or without authority connives at his defeat.” The SC, though, held that Mendez’s contention that the failure to present his side due to his former counsel’s negligence constitutes extrinsic fraud, “is untenable.” “As a ground for the annulment of a judgment, extrinsic fraud must emanate from an act of the adverse party, and the fraud must be of such nature as to have deprived petitioner of their day in court,” said the SC. “The fraud is not extrinsic if the act was committed by petitioner’s own counsel. In this light, we have ruled in several cases that a lawyer’s mistake or gross negligence does not amount to the extrinsic fraud that would grant a petition for annulment of judgment,” it added. Also, the SC stressed that Mendez failed to comply with the 60-day period under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court within which to file the present petition questioning the CA decision, adding that Atty. Marc Anthony B. Antonio, one of Mendez’s former counsels, received a copy of the CA resolution dated 16 April 2019 on 2 May 2019. Mendez alleged that Antonio informed him about the resolution only on 19 June 2019. The court added that Mendez — instead of filing the present petition for certiorari within 60 days from 2 May 2019 — secured the services of a new lawyer and filed the petition only on 8 August 2019, or 98 days after Antonio received the CA Resolution dated 16 April 2019. “As keenly observed by the OSG (Office of the Solicitor General, Mendez blames yet again one of his former lawyers who allegedly belatedly informed him of the receipt of the CA Resolution dated 16 April 2019,” the SC said. “This is a self-serving allegation not supported by any evidence and, thus, deserves scant consideration. A party alleging a critical fact must support their allegation with substantial evidence, for any decision based on unsubstantiated allegation cannot stand without offending due process,” it added. To recall, the CA — in its August 2018 decision — denied the petition filed by Mendez seeking to annul the 18 July 2016 decision of QC RTC Branch 88 Presiding Judge Rossana Fe Romero which found her guilty of violating Republic Act 8282. It did not give weight to Mendez’s contentions, stressing that the SC has previously ruled that a lawyer’s neglect in keeping track of the case and his failure to apprise his client of the development of the case do not constitute extrinsic fraud. Mendez, who owns a chain of dermatology clinics in the country, was sentenced to a jail term ranging from six years and one day as minimum to seven years as maximum by the QC RTC. He was also ordered to pay SSS a total of P1,865,657.50 representing unpaid contributions from October 2011 to January 2013 with an interest of three percent per month from July 2015 until full payment. The post SC junks celebrity doctor’s appeal 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......»»
Dirty brew
Harmony with the communities where San Miguel Corp. — which gained fame for its renowned beer — has put up its energy plants is not what the company is projecting, as most plants have been the subject of massive complaints from residents. According to a survey by think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, most of the complaints are related to the effects on the environment of the projects. For instance, in 2017, communities and civil society organizations launched the Break Free 2017 campaign to oppose the expansion of fossil fuel industries at the project site of SMC’s Limay Coal Power Plant. Residents of Limay, Bataan complained of being exposed to the emissions of the then 300-megawatt, or MW, coal plant and the 140-MW plant of the Petron Bataan Fuel Refinery. The groups’ claim that the plant’s testing operations may have resulted in ash spills was found to be accurate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which issued a Cease and Desist Order. Before SMC acquired the Masinloc power plant in 2018, the plant was already subjected to opposition, which led to delays in its operation during the 1990s. Environmentalists, farmers, and fishermen at the time staged protests, claiming that contaminated water from the plant would reduce the fish catch. The Masinloc power plant was then owned and operated by state firm National Power Corp. and was billed as the solution to the long brownouts that Luzon suffered daily. Using his emergency powers, then-President Fidel Ramos endorsed the quick construction of the project, displacing over 1,000 individuals in the process. It was then discovered that the plant produced over 385,000 tons of ash yearly, putting local communities’ health at risk. The previous owners of the Masinloc power plant claimed to have spent over $1 billion for its realignment to make it more environmentally friendly. SMC considered the power asset as allowing them to increase their footprint in clean coal technology. There were then also complaints from residents whom CEED said were directly impacted by some of SMCGP’s coal power plants. The residents alleged harassment and intimidation by various individuals for them to give up their properties. In 2016, SMCGP proposed to construct and operate its Limay Power Station in Limay, Bataan. A portion of the power plant site was thereafter fenced off by private individuals who claimed to have sold the property, and people were prohibited from entering or accessing the crops they had planted in the area. The situation was the same in Sariaya, Quezon in 2018, after SMCGP proposed the construction of a circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in the municipality. In Mariveles, Bataan, where SMC’s Mariveles coal-fired power plant units 1 to 4 will rise, residents found themselves ousted from the property they were living on, through rights, at the peak of the Covid-19 lockdowns by alleged landowners claiming the property had been sold. SMC’s mining business is also facing its fair share of opposition. Its Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., or DAMI, was granted a coal development and production operating contract in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat by the Department of Energy back in 2002. The contract included the 17,000 hectares of collective land that the SMC mining companies planned to explore. San Miguel Energy Corp. acquired full ownership of DAMI, which was owned by a group headed by businessman Ben Guingona. DAMI has coal mines in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, in areas known for being rich in mineral deposits. DAMI’s projects in South Cotabato were opposed by environmental advocates, the local Catholic diocese, and the host communities, due to environmental and encroachment concerns. DAMI uses the strip mining method, a form of open-pit mining that is forbidden by South Cotabato’s 2010 environment code. The provincial board of South Cotabato rejected a resolution that would have endorsed DAMI’s mining operations since it violated South Cotabato’s ban on open-pit mining. The provincial board, however, moved to amend the code and lift the ban. Local officials are now under fire as they kept residents unaware of SMC’s tree-clearing operations. South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., in response, vetoed the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining. The classic sound bite of the company of leaving no one behind is hard to discern from the way SMC treats communities it considers as getting in the way of its massive projects. The post Dirty brew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Property developer invests P64 billion to build Grand Westside Hotel
Megaworld Corporation has allocated P64 billion to build the Grand Westside Hotel in Paranaque’s Westside City. Envisioned as the country’s biggest hotel, the first tower of the 19-story buildings is scheduled for completion this year and the second by 2024. Construction is expected to conclude before 2023 ends. The 1,500-room property will offer various room types, including queen suites (up to 48 square meters), twin suites (up to 48 square meters) and executive suites (up to 48 square meters) and twin and queen suites (up to 35 and 37 square meters) designed for specially-abled guests. It will also feature four function rooms that, when combined, can accommodate up to 300 people. Additionally, it will house four dining outlets, including an all-day dining restaurant with a capacity of nearly 250 guests. [caption id="attachment_163850" align="aligncenter" width="1386"] ROOM at Grand Westside Hotel.[/caption] The hotel’s amenities include an expansive pool area, a children’s pool, a gazebo, a fitness gym, massage rooms and outdoor seating. It will also have a two-level retail and commercial space covering 1,995 square meters. Grand Westside Hotel is Megaworld’s 19th hotel property and the second homegrown hotel brand within Westside City. It is the fourth resort complex within Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s Entertainment City project, following Solaire Manila, City of Dreams and Okada Manila. Megaworld is the only Philippine real estate development company to earn a “Hall of Fame” distinction as “Best Developer” after winning the Outstanding Developer Award at the Property and Real Estate Excellence Award by FIABCI Philippines for three straight years (2015, 2016 and 2017). The company was also named the “Best Developer” at the prestigious Philippines Property Awards by PropertyGuru for three consecutive years (2016, 2017 and 2018). The post Property developer invests P64 billion to build Grand Westside Hotel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Janella Salvador stars with Thai actor Win Metawin in new movie
Filipina actress Janella Salvador and Thai Actor Win Metawin are joining forces for the upcoming film Under Parallel Skies. In an announcement video posted by production company 28 Squared Studios on 18 July, Salvador and Win confirmed details about their collaboration. “We are so excited to announce to you guys that we will be teaming up for the upcoming movie Under Parallel Skies,” Win said in the announcement video. The production company also released sneak peek photos of Salvador and Win while filming. More details about the movie and its premiere date are yet to be announced. The film, to be shot in Hong Kong, will be directed by Sigrid Bernardo, the director of the 2017 romantic-comedy Kita Kita, the highest-grossing Philippine indie film. Salvador, an award-winning Filipina actress-singer, debuted in the hit morning drama Be Careful with My Heart (2012-2014), eventually bagging lead roles in Oh My G! (2015), Born for You (2016) and The Killer Bride (2019 - 2020). She further cemented her place in the Philippine entertainment scene when she played the supervillain Valentina in ABS-CBN’s latest production of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna.” Meanwhile, Win Metawin rose to fame in 2020 with his acting debut 2gether: The Series alongside Bright Vachirawit. He then joined the main cast of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers. The Thai star has also made a mark in the fashion industry. He has deals with multiple lifestyle brands and has graced numerous prestigious fashion magazines. He was also appointed Prada’s global brand ambassador. Win has met his Pinoy fans. In November 2022, the actor came to the Philippines for the first time with the cast of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers for a fan meet. Last June, Metawin returned for a solo fan meet at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. The post Janella Salvador stars with Thai actor Win Metawin in new movie appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SC suspends Trixie Cruz-Angeles for 6 months
For violating the old Code of of Professional Responsibility, former Palace spokesperson Atty. Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles was suspended for six months by the Supreme Court. The CPR governed the conduct of lawyers in the country before it was replaced recently by the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability. In a decision promulgated by the SC's Third Division on 27 March but only uploaded on 18 July, the SC found Angeles and another respondent, lawyer Ahmed Paglinawan, guilty of violating Rule 8.01, Canon 8 of the old lawyers’ code of conduct. "The Court suspends Atty. Rose Beatrix Cruz-Angeles from the practice of law for six months effective upon her receipt of this Resolution, and reprimands Atty. Ahmed G. Paglinawan. They are, likewise, sternly warned that a repetition of same or similar act in the future will be dealt with more sternly," the SC said. The SC, in suspending Cruz-Angeles and reprimanding Paglinawan, said they employed "language, which are grossly abusive and offensive, which are not befitting the dignity of the legal profession" in a pleading she and her co-counsel filed before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court. Complainant lawyer Roderick Manzano had asked the SC in May 2016 to disbar Cruz-Angeles and Paglinawan, accusing them of violating the lawyer's code with their intemperate language in the pleading. The SC, upon receipt of the complaint, referred it to the Commission on Integrity and Bar Discipline of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for investigation and recommendation. On July 2018, the IBP recommended the suspension of the respondents for six months. A subsequent motion for reconsideration was rejected by the IBP but it modified the penalty imposed on Paglinawan to a reprimand. "After an examination of the records of the case, the Court finds no cogent reason to depart from the findings and recommendations of the IBP Board of Governors, as explained in the IBP-CBD's extended resolution," the SC said, adding the respondents "never disputed that they made the subject statements." The SC added that the intemperate language used by the respondents cannot be considered pertinent to the unlawful detainer case and were made for the purpose of "insulting, dishonoring and humiliating" the complainants in the case. "From the foregoing, it is clear that respondents employed language, which are grossly abusive and offensive, which are not befitting the dignity of the legal profession. Hence, the imposition of disciplinary liability is warranted,” the SC said. In 2016, the SC also suspended Cruz-Angeles from the practice of law for three years for being remiss in her duties over a complaint filed in 2003 by Magdalo officer Capt. Cleo Dongga-as. Dongga-as said he engaged the services of Cruz-Angeles for the annulment of her marriage and paid P350, 000 for her services. "Despite constant follow-ups, respondents were unable to produce a petition for annulment, with various reasons being given by respondents for their failure to do so, including that there was no record of marriage which was a false statement as verified by complainant,” the SC Public Information Office said then in announcing her suspension and that of her co-counsel Wylie Paner. -30- The post SC suspends Trixie Cruz-Angeles for 6 months appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ICC greenlights Phl drug probe
The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court has dismissed the Philippine government’s appeal to stop the ICC investigation into the extrajudicial killings and other crimes allegedly committed during the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs. ICC Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut announced the chamber’s decision during an open court hearing in the Netherlands. Also covered by the greenlighted probe are alleged drug-related killings in Davao City from 2011 to 2016 during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s incumbency there as mayor. Reacting to the decision, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, who represents the country before the ICC, said the Philippines cannot file any more appeals to stop the ICC Office of the Prosecutor from probing the alleged crimes. Guevarra said the ICC could indict certain individuals over the drug war killings if there is sufficient evidence. Won’t comply Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, however, said the Philippine government will not comply with any arrest warrants the ICC may issue against personalities within its borders. “We are hospitable but if they (ICC) will meddle, we will not allow it. We have our own justice system that they cannot impede or ignore. They should not try to interfere here,” Remulla had said on Monday. The ICC Appeals Chamber said it rejected Guevarra’s appeal “in the absence of persuasive reasons.” The ICC has no police powers. It can only rely on the cooperation of countries to arrest and turn over wanted persons to its jurisdiction. Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed that as the country does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, the government will not cooperate with its probe or other proceedings. The Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2018, but the court said it still had jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a state party to the Rome Statute from 1 November 2011 up to 16 March 2019, when its withdrawal from the treaty that established the ICC took effect. The government has pointed out that it has been investigating the alleged crimes and that jail terms had been meted out on those found guilty. As a sovereign nation, the Philippines asserted that the ICC could not just inject itself into alleged cases committed in the country. Official government data showed that about 6,200 people died in the course of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, but its critics claimed that as many as 12,000 to 30,000 were killed. Guevarra said the Philippines must agree to the ICC probe. Still, even without government cooperation, he had earlier said that the ICC could proceed with its investigation. The ICC opened its probe in 2019 but suspended it in November 2021 after the Philippine government said it was re-examining the complaints. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had asked to restart the inquiry, saying the Philippine government had not provided evidence it was carrying out thorough inquiries. The ICC authorized the reopening of the inquiry in January 2023. The post ICC greenlights Phl drug probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Raison d’être
Legal eagles are betting that the International Criminal Court will rule today to continue its investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings being pinned on the Duterte administration at the height of its campaign against illegal drugs from 2016 to 2019. That’s to be expected because scuttling the probe would run against the raison d’être, or reason for being, of the ICC. The ICC, of course, has to justify the hundreds of millions of dollars it wastes each year on the bloated paychecks of its judges and prosecutorial staff, who are known to travel like royalty, pretending to be doing something. While the ICC claims to be a bastion of justice, the reality is that its insistence on investigating and bagging former President Rodrigo Duterte, including for his actions as Davao City mayor from 2011 to 2016, feeds its arrogant posturing while blatantly encroaching on Philippine sovereignty. This concern strikes at the heart of the ICC’s legitimacy and calls into question its adherence to the principle of national self-determination. The Philippines, like any other sovereign nation, has the right to manage its internal affairs and address alleged crimes within its own legal framework. Furthermore, the ICC has demonstrated abject bias not only against African countries but also against developing nations like the Philippines. The ICC is nothing more than a schoolyard bully, running roughshod over those it thinks are weak. In fact, many of the cases investigated by the ICC have been in Africa. This perceived bias undermines the credibility of the ICC and calls into question its ability to dispense justice fairly. It is only in recent years that the ICC has ventured to add the Philippines among its targets, precisely to counter criticism of its African bias. The ICC itself needs scrutiny, particularly its judges and the Office of the Prosecutor. What little reputation the ICC had has been thrown out the window by the controversies surrounding its own judges’ lawsuit against the ICC over pay, bringing their complaint before the International Labor Organization. These internal conflicts raise doubts about the independence and impartiality of the institution, further eroding public trust and inviting scrutiny regarding the character of its very judges. The same holds true for its current prosecutor, Karim Khan, specifically for his past role as a defense lawyer for William Ruto, the Deputy President of Kenya, who faced charges of crimes against humanity. Khan’s successful defense of Ruto and his 180-degree turn from defender to prosecutor speaks volumes about the lengths he would go to in order to add shine to his legal star. No doubt, we must consider the implications of his previous role when evaluating his current position as ICC Prosecutor. So, are the ICC judges and its prosecutorial staff worthy of trust, worthy enough to be given the mantle of authority to pass judgment on anyone? The Philippines’ arguments against the ICC investigation into the alleged drug war killings cannot be dismissed lightly. The country has maintained that it did not ratify the Rome Statute that created the ICC, thus it never fell under the purview of the tribunal, like the United States, China and Russia. If Duterte pulled the country out of the ICC in 2018, it was only because the country was a signatory to the statute, which did not amount to anything without the required ratification. The complementarity issue is another significant concern raised by the Philippines. The country has asserted that the ICC should not investigate the alleged crimes because the Philippine government is already conducting its own investigations. The ICC, on the other hand, questions the genuineness of the Philippine government’s investigations, claiming that they are merely a cover-up to protect the perpetrators from accountability. Ultimately, the ICC’s decision on whether or not to proceed with the investigation into the alleged drug war killings in the Philippines will have far-reaching implications, more so for the ICC as it tries to stave off irrelevancy. The post Raison d’être appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nikki de Moura crowned Miss Grand Philippines 2023
Nikki de Moura is the titleholder of the country’s first “golden crown,” following the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 pageant that was held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on 13 July. The 19-year-old beauty queen from Cagayan de Oro City competed against 29 contestants and was crowned Miss Grand Philippines 2023. Aside from securing the crown, she also bagged multiple awards such as the Skin Elements Ambassador, Miss Philippines Airlines, Miss Bench and Miss Photogenic awards. De Moura is no stranger to the world of pageantry and fashion. In 2019, the Filipina-Brazilian beauty queen was crowned Miss Teen Philippines at the age of 15. She was also the Philippines’ representative when she competed in Supermodel Me, ranking second. Cagayan de Oro’s bet will represent the Philippines at the Miss Grand International 2023 in Vietnam this October. A Filipina representative has yet to win the Miss Grand International crown. Nicole Cordoves’ first runner-up finish in 2016 and Samantha Bernardo’s similar first runner-up finish in 2020 are the country’s best placements so far in the pageant. The post Nikki de Moura crowned Miss Grand Philippines 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl energy transition gets backing
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the significance of renewable energy and fossil fuels, expressing the Philippines’ keen awareness of climate change, Malacañang said on Wednesday. According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos delivered these remarks when he received a courtesy visit from Mike Kanetsugu, the chairman of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. or MUFG, at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday. “We are also very conscious of our situation in the Philippines wherein we are very sensitive to climate change,” Marcos Jr. told Kanetsugu. “It is very important that we play also a part to move the balance of renewables and fossil fuels more and more in favor of renewables,” he added. Kanetsugu expressed his dedication to supporting the government in facilitating the Philippines’ shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Kanetsugu highlighted the significance of the energy transition agenda of the country and commended the remarkable progress made in energy and infrastructure transition over the last three decades. “Energy transition is a very, very important agenda I consider for this country. We are providing financing, and we work for various transition projects that will contribute to a successful transition of the energy structure [in the Philippines],” he said. MUFG, a financial services company headquartered in Japan, acquired a 20-percent stake in Security Bank Corporation for P36.9 billion in 2016. MUFG commitment As part of its commitment to supporting investments in the Philippines, MUFG collaborated with Security Bank and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Investments in 2018. The objective was to facilitate business matching activities, connecting local Filipino businesses with Japanese investors. In 2017, the company introduced the Interbank Fund Management Service, enabling customers to send remittances without incurring fees. Additionally, MUFG and Security Bank donated P44 million to the Association of Filipino Students in Japan to support the education of students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. To assist in infrastructure projects like the North-South Commuter Railway or NSCR Project and the Metro Manila Subway Project, both funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, MUFG has been providing bank guarantee requirements to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works and Highway. MUFG is involved in trade transactions for government agencies, including constructing the 54.6-kilometer Blumentritt-Calamba section of the NSCR and the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway line project. Improve bureaucratic processes Meanwhile, the President vowed to “improve bureaucratic processes” in the country’s energy sector to attract more investors to the Philippines. Marcos made the statement on Wednesday during the opening of the 24.9-megawatt Lake Mainit Hydro Power Plant, which will provide about 45,000 homes in the Caraga region with less expensive electricity. “I urge the local government to provide all the necessary assistance to ensure the safety and productivity of this hydropower plant,” Marcos said. The Chief Executive noted that the project would “serve as an encouragement to potential investors to invest in the country, especially in the power generation and renewable energy sectors.” He also thanked Japanese investors for bringing renewable energy technology to the Philippines, underscoring that hydropower plants “improve air quality as [they] produce very low carbon emissions during production.” Marcos said the project was a “defining step” towards the country’s goal of providing much-needed power for the people of Agusan del Norte and neighboring areas. He also highlighted the project’s environmental benefits, saying it would help reduce the carbon footprint and improve air quality. “This project was made possible because of the shared commitment we have with our reliable partners in the private sector, both from the Philippines and from Japan,” the President said. This is a “clear manifestation of the trust and support our two nations hold for each other,” he added. The post Phl energy transition gets backing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PHL should favor renewable energy, battle climate change
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the significance of renewable energy and fossil fuels, expressing the Philippines' keen awareness of climate change, Malacañang said on Wednesday. According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos delivered these remarks he received a courtesy visit from Mike Kanetsugu, the Chairman of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (MUFG), at Malacañang on Tuesday. "We are also very conscious of our situation in the Philippines wherein we are very sensitive to climate change," the President told Kanetsugu. "It is very important that we play also a part to move the balance of renewables and fossil fuels more and more in favor of renewables," he added. In response, Kanetsugu expressed his dedication to supporting the government in facilitating the Philippines' shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Kanetsugu highlighted the significance of the energy transition agenda in the country and commended the remarkable progress made in energy and infrastructure transitions over the last three decades. "Energy transition is a very, very important agenda I consider for this country. We are providing with financing, and we work for various transition projects that will contribute to a successful transition of energy structure [in the Philippines]," he added. The MUFG, a financial service company headquartered in Japan, acquired a 20 percent stake in Security Bank Corporation for P36.9 billion in 2016. As part of its commitment to supporting investments in the Philippines, the MUFG collaborated with Security Bank and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Investments in 2018. The objective was to facilitate business matching activities, connecting local Filipino businesses with Japanese investors. In 2017, the company introduced the Interbank Fund Management Service (IBFM), enabling customers to send remittances without incurring fees. Additionally, the MUFG and Security Bank donated Php 44 million to the Association of Filipino Students in Japan, aiming to support the education of students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To assist in infrastructure projects like the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project and the Metro Manila Subway Project, both funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the MUFG has been providing bank guarantee requirements to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The MUFG is involved in trade transactions for government agencies, including constructing the 54.6-kilometer Blumentritt-Calamba Section of the NSCR and the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway line project. The post PHL should favor renewable energy, battle climate change appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»