Palace signs into law measure cutting red tape from energy projects
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act, which seeks to streamline the permit-issuing process for power generation, transmission, and distribution projects.
Senate gearing up to conduct investigation into water crisis
SENATE President Vicente C. Sotto III has filed a resolution calling for an investigation into Metro Manila’s water crisis.
Franchisers project 25% revenue growth in 2019
THE Philippine Franchise Association, Inc. (PFA) said it expects industry revenue to grow 25% in 2019, driven by growing purchasing power, the spread of jobs outside cities and the continued growth of homegrown brands.
DA opposes lifting of safeguards vs Indonesian coffee mix
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it cannot grant an Indonesian request to remove the special safeguards (SSG) on coffee mixes, noting that a surge in imports has harmed domestic coffee producers.
Bus operators want wage scheme to pay drivers more
BUS operators said one of the flaws of the part-fixed and part performance-based salary scheme being enforced by the labor department is the failure to recognize the need to pay bus drivers more than conductors.
DA to provide loans for coconut water sellers
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will provide funding for poor families and out-of-school youth willing to sell coconut products in Metro Manila, as a means of supporting coconut farmers beset by weak copra prices.
House official says Duterte being set up to fail by senators in budget impasse
HOUSE Majority Leader Fredenil H. Castro of the 2nd district of Capiz, said the budget actions of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and Senator Panfilo M. Lacson represent “maneuvering” to cause President Rodrigo R. Duterte to fail.
Rice inventories increase 19.24% on eve of tariffication
THE inventory of rice held by households, commercial entities and the government rose 19.24% year on year as of Feb. 1, to 2,141.23 thousand metric tons (MT), with volumes held by households, the largest category, declining, while the National Food Authority’s (NFA) holdings rose nearly 400%, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday.
World Bank expert says gov’t needs more budget flexibility
MOVING away from line-item budgeting allows government agencies to become more efficient, World Bank Lead Governance Specialist Lewis Hawke said.
Whither the implementation of the new UHC Law?
THE ENACTMENT of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law marks a watershed in the Philippine health sector. It is a culmination of reforms in health care financing, spanning 26 years under the old Medicare, 16 years under the national health insurance program (NHIP) and eight years under a so-called universal coverage or Kalahatang Pangkalusugan. Can we expect a transformation of the way we pay, access treatment and deliver health care? Expectations are huge and require veering away from path dependency, with decisions and systems design bound to traditional frameworks, capacities and systems.
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Racist — and colonial
TO BELIEVE and argue that black people are inherently violent or that all Jews are money-grubbing scoundrels is to presume that race is the determinant of certain vices and virtues. It is nothing but racism, and those who harbor that presumption qualify as racists.
Congress should investigate un-Filipino activities
Perhaps because a bunch of local musicians decided to give the National Anthem the “We are the World” treatment. Perhaps because some Filipinos began to think we’re actually Americans and feel nothing of jazzing up the “Lupang Hinirang.”
Water surplus vs water shortage
In terms of water supply for the Philippines and many other tropical countries, we have a mixture of news. First the good news -- we have too much rain water yearly, floodings damage lots of public and private properties, crops, and drown or kill many people.
Advancing gender equality in the Philippines: A crucial balancing act
HERALDED by the hashtag #balanceforbetter, International Women’s Day 2019 arrives March 8 with the call to create a gender-balanced working world. Balance, while important to all, is particularly relevant to women who -- much more so than their male colleagues -- are often expected to strike a balance between career building and homemaking, between bringing home a paycheck and bringing up the children, and even between compassion and ambition.
Aces look to bounce back after ‘embarrassing’ loss
THOROUGHLY defeated in their last outing, the Alaska Aces look to redeem themselves when they return to PBA Philippine Cup action today at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
First-round UAAP volleyball action ends this weekend
AN eventful first round of women’s volleyball in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines comes to an end this weekend with all competing teams seeing action and looking to build momentum heading into the next round.
Kaya FC-Iloilo celebrates effort after big AFC Cup win over Home United FC
HELD to a draw in its 2019 AFC Cup debut, Kaya FC-Iloilo came back solid in its second game, lording it over Home United FC of Singapore, 5-0, in their Group H match on Wednesday at the Panaad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City.
Loman top bills first-ever Brave CF Manila event
BRAVE COMBAT Federation stages its first-ever Manila event today with world bantamweight champion Stephen “The Sniper” Loman headlining it.
FM Nelson Villanueva tops Vietnam chess tourney
LA CARLOTA City, Negros Occidental-native Fide Master (FM) Nelson Villanueva, a former Rizal Technological University (RTU) Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City standout, ruled the just-concluded 9th HDBank Cup International Chess Tournament 2019 held at the Rex Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last Wednesday.
Go For Gold skateboarding holds regional championships
THE 2019 Go For Gold Philippines Skateboarding Regional Championships will embark on a quest to discover the most talented Filipino skaters in the country.
MPBL: Quezon City halts Makati’s winning run; San Juan prevails
THE Quezon City Capitals picked a perfect time to snap the Makati Skyscrapers’ 15-game winning run -- and it happened at the start of their MPBL Datu Cup best-of-three quarterfinals series late Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Federer and Nadal roll into quarters at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS -- Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal remained on course for a mouthwatering semi-final clash at the BNP Paribas Open with straightforward fourth-round victories in the California desert on Wednesday.
Warriors snap Rockets’ streak
LOS ANGELES -- DeMarcus Cousins served as a facilitator before thriving as a battering ram, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 106-104 victory over the host Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Toyota Center.
Woods is Woods
Considering how Tiger Woods has been inconsistent at best through his 2019 season to date, his 22-to-one odds to claim the Players Championship can arguably be described as generous. True, his game appears to be trending upward. And, true, he has prevailed in the tournament twice, never mind its staging two months earlier than its previous slot on the tour calendar. On the other hand, there can be no discounting the depth of the field and his relative standing in it given his advancing age, continued susceptibility to injury, and lack of reps. Just last week, he was forced to sit out the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a neck strain.
Palace: Water shortage ‘could be artificial’
PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said on Thursday the government will look into Manila Water’s service interruptions in Metro Manila, saying the water shortage “could be artificial.”
Law signed on bigger plates for motorbikes to prevent use in crimes
A LAW intended to prevent and penalize the use of motorcycles in the commission of crimes by requiring bigger, readable and color-coded number plates and identification marks has been signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Sison again says Duterte’s demands to resume peace talks unacceptable
COMMUNIST PARTY of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria C. Sison on Thursday again said President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s conditions for the resumption of peace talks are unacceptable.
Duterte orders cops to track down Lapu-Lapu teen’s killers
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately track down the killers of a teen girl in Cebu, whom he said must be illegal drug users given the brutal nature of the crime.
Duterte vetoes bill on Central Luzon investment, infra hub
PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte has rejected the bill creating the Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub of Central Luzon (RICH), citing “substantial fiscal risks” to the economy given its provisions on incentives.
Mayon Volcano continues ‘moderate’ unrest level with 6 steam eruptions recorded Wednesday evening
MAYON VOLCANO in Albay remains at a moderate level of unrest with six phreatic eruptions recorded Wednesday evening.
Cebu Duty Free shops contribute 11% to DFPC sales
THE TWO Duty Free outlets in Cebu contributed 11% to the state-owned Duty Free Philippines Corp.’s (DFPC) $217 million sales in 2018, DFPC Marketing Officer-in-Charge Ma. Lourdes P. Malabuyo said.
Marawi City vice-mayor also facing drug, murder cases
MARAWI CITY Vice-Mayo Arafat Salic, who was arrested at the city hall on March 13 over rebellion charges, is also facing cases relating to illegal drugs and murder, according to military officials.
Measles cases in Bangsamoro region drop, but still at 361 so far this year
THE MINISTRY of Health (MoH) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reported 361 confirmed measles cases from Jan. to March 10 this year, a significant drop from 1,260 cases in the same period last year.
Davao City coastal road segment eyed for opening by end-2019
A PORTION of the P19.8 billion Davao City Coastal Bypass Road Project, which started construction in 2017, is expected to be partially opened before the year ends.
Nation at a Glance — (03/15/19)
News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.
Peso weakens in ‘muted’ trading session
THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Thursday amid “muted” trading as market players await catalysts.
Shares decline anew amid lack of fresh catalysts
STOCKS RETREATED on Thursday as investors remained on the sidelines amid a lack of fresh leads.
Dev’t planners turn cautious on outlook
STATE ECONOMIC MANAGERS on Wednesday slashed gross domestic product (GDP) expansion targets for this year and 2020, citing 2019 constraints from the delayed enactment of the national budget that will make it “very difficult” to catch up with spending which, in turn, could even push growth to an eight-year low.
Duterte fails to break deadlock over budget
LEADERS of the Senate and of the House of Representatives failed to mend their differences over the ratified P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 during a meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Malacañang on Tuesday evening.
Year-to-date car sales down even as they steady in Feb.
A SLIGHT ANNUAL PICKUP of automobile sales in February was unable to send year-to-date performance into positive territory, according to latest joint data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association that were e-mailed to journalists on Monday.
Ayala hikes capex to P262B for this year
AYALA CORP. (AC) is ramping up its spending to P262 billion in 2019 to further support the expansion of its property and telco businesses, while also growing its energy, infra, and health units.
AC Industrials takes control of German firm
THE industrial unit of Ayala Corp. (AC) has acquired a controlling stake in German auto services provider C-Con Group, as it looks to improve its end-to-end engineering, design, and manufacturing services.
Water firms urged to build new tunnel from Angat
STATE AGENCY Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) is asking Metro Manila’s two water concessionaire to build a P3.2-billion tunnel that will convey water from Angat dam at times when the capital’s sole water source has excess capacity.
Lopez-led First Gen’s attributable income rises to $221 million in 2018
FIRST GEN Corp. posted a 65% increase in its 2018 net income attributable to the company’s equity holders to $221 million (P11.6 billion), with the added boost from its new gas-fired power plant plus other factors such as lower interest expense, the Lopez-led company told the stock exchange on Wednesday.
Canon Philippines targets to triple net sales by 2025
Zsarlene B. Chua
