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Tisoy leaves trail of destruction

TYPHOON Kammuri, locally named Tisoy, left a trail of destruction as strong winds and heavy rain battered the Bicol region in central Philippines on Tuesday, leaving at least two people dead.

A 59-year-old man died in Baco town in Oriental Mindoro after he was hit by a fallen tree, provincial Governor Humerito Dolor told DZMM radio. Another man died after he was hit by a torn metal roof sheet in the municipality of Pinamalayan, he added.

The victims were clearing their homes when they were hit, Mr. Dolor said. There would have been more deaths “if there was no preemptive evacuation,” he added.

At least 20,000 people were evacuated even before the typhoon struck the province, the governor said.

Legazpi Airport in Albay province was heavily damaged, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said in an emailed statement. Legazpi flights were expected to resume today.

Busuanga Airport in Palawan province also suspended operations due to strong winds and heavy rain, it said.

Thousands were stranded in the Bicol region, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Meanwhile, three people were hurt as the storm hit Samar province and nearby areas, ABS-CBN News reported, citing local officials.

Two residents were injured by storm debris in Santa Margarita town, while another was trapped in a collapsed wall. All three were safe, the ABS-CBN news website said.

Landslides and floods also hit Motiong and Jiabong towns in Samar, and Lapinig and Mapanas in Northern Samar, it added. About 200 families were evacuated from the coastal areas of Calbayog town.

The Agriculture department said more than 200,000 hectares of rice land and almost 26,000 hectares of corn areas were at risk in regions affected by Typhoon Kammuri.

Crops at their reproductive and maturing stages were the most vulnerable due to strong winds and floods. These cover 156,594 hectares of rice land worth P11.6 billion, the agency said.

The department has set aside P250 million to help the agriculture sector, 104,984 bags of rice seeds, 10,811 bags of corn seeds and another P65 million in recovery assistance.

The storm was expected to pass south of Metro Manila, home to about 13 million people and which is hosting thousands of athletes competing at the 30th Southeast Asian Games, according to the local weather bureau.

The storm was seen off the coast of Occidental Mindoro as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday and continued to weaken as it moved west toward the South China Sea, it said.

Weather was expected to improve on Wednesday and the typhoon will be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday afternoon, it said.

Kammuri made landfall near the city of Gubat in Sorsogon province on Monday evening, clocking maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, making it a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

It also made landfall over Naujan, Oriental Mindoro at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. — with reports from Vincent Mariel P. Galang and Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star

BSP watches inflation for policy cue

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) will watch inflation data set to be reported on Dec. 5 to see whether the economy will be ripe for another cut in benchmark interest rates and banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) next monthy, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno told reporters last Monday.

Mr. Diokno had said early last month that the BSP was done with its policy easing cycle for this year after cutting benchmark interest rates by a total of 75 basis points (bps) and banks’ RRR by a total of 400 bps.

“When I said we’re done, we were not expecting na ’yung inflation namin will be very very low. Nag-0.8 (%) tayo (We had a 0.8% inflation in October). So let’s see what will be the actual [inflation for November],” he told reporters on the sidelines of the BSP’s Christmas lighting ceremony on Monday evening.

While October inflation was the slowest in nearly three-and-a-half years, the BSP now expects November inflation to have picked up to 0.9-1.7%, while a poll BusinessWorld conducted late last week yielded a 1.2% median.

“Siguro we’ll look at December and then maybe early January mare-resume namin ‘yung monetary easing,” Mr. Diokno added, saying he was referring to “both” interest rates and RRR.

“Pwedeng by January. We’re looking at the December data. November December [inflation data].”

Benchmark interest rates now stand at 3.5% for overnight deposit, four percent for overnight reverse repurchase and 4.5% for overnight lending, while the RRR is now at 14% for universal and commercial lenders as well as nonbank financial institutions with quasi-banking functions, four percent for thrift banks and three percent for rural lenders.

The BSP’s Monetary Board will hold its eighth and last policy review for this year on Dec. 12.

BUT RRR CUTS DONE FOR 2019
Asked about the possibility of another RRR cut towards yearend, however, Mr. Diokno told reporters: “Closed na ’yun (It’s closed).”

“I’m ahead of schedule… [to cut the RRR by] 2023 to single digit,” he said, referring to the end of his term in July that year.

He added that monetary authorities are now watching how the economy has so far been absorbing RRR cuts, saying: “… we don’t know the impact yet” and noting that the latest cut of 100 bps that was announced late in October and which took effect at the start of this month “will effectively release about a hundred billion” into the system.

Latest BSP data showed that money supply in October edged up by 8.5% to P12.1 trillion, picking up from September’s 7.7% expansion.

Credit growth, however, slowed to 9.3% in October from September’s 10.5%.

Mr. Diokno said that the slower loan growth might be due to policy tightening done by the BSP last year in a bid to rein in successive multiyear-high monthly inflation rates.

“’Yung growth kasi siguro partly ‘yung tightening nung 2018 (Slow loan growth could be partly due to the tightening in 2018 totaling 175 bps)… As I said, monetary policy works with a lag. So may impact talaga ’yun, kaya nga we started unwinding (It really has an impact, that’s why we started unwinding),” he explained. — LWTN

Gov’t hints of changes to water service deals

CHANGES could be in the offing for contracts between Metro Manila’s water service concessionaires and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra signaled on Tuesday.

Mr. Guevarra told reporters via Viber message that the contracts contained some provisions “onerous” for the government.

The review followed President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order in April for the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to look into all government contracts with companies and other countries.

Mr. Guevarra had said then that “priority contracts for review include concession agreements on public utilities and foreign loan contracts,” adding that “target provisions are those perceived to be onerous, one-sided, disadvantageous to the government, and/or contrary to public order or public policy.”

“Upon instructions of the President, the DoJ reviewed the 1997 water concession agreements of the MWSS with Maynilad (Water Services, Inc.) and Manila Water Company (Inc.) and found a dozen provisions that were deemed onerous or disadvantageous to the government and the consuming public,” Mr. Guevarra said on Tuesday.

“Most notable were the prohibition on government interference in rate-setting and the provision on indemnity for possible losses in the event of such government interference.”

Last Friday, a Manila Water disclosure announed the ruling of the Permanent of Court of Arbitration in Singapore for the government to indemnify the company some P7.39 billion “for actual losses suffered by it” from June 1, 2015 to Nov. 22, 2019 “on account of the Republic’s breach of its obligations” in not implementing tariff increases.

The government was also ordered to pay 100% of the amount paid by Manila Water to the court and 85% of the company’s other claimed costs.

The OSG in a statement last Friday said the award to Manila Water “is not yet final and executory.”

“The OSG is studying all the remedies available to the Republic in assailing the Award,” it said.

In October last year, the Singapore High Court upheld the arbitral award of at least P3.4 billion to Maynilad for losses from March 11, 2015 to Aug. 31, 2016 due to the refusal of MWSS to implement Maynilad’s tariff adjustment for 2013 to 2017 which included recovery of corporate income tax payments.

“The DoJ also found the extension of these contracts to 2037 irregular, considering that the extension was granted 12-13 years before the original expiration of the 25-year concession agreements in 2022,” Mr. Guevarra said on Tueday.

He said certain recommendations to the President were adopted by the Cabinet in its meeting last Monday and that “the president will make his public statement on this matter very soon.”

MWSS in October 2009 and April 2010 has approved the 15-year extension of the Concession Agreement of Manila Water and Maynilad, respectively, or until 2037, years before their 25-year contracts expire in 2022.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo on Tuesday confirmed in a statement that Mr. Guevarra gave an update on his review of government contracts in Monday’s Cabinet meeting.

Manila Water declined to comment while Maynilad officials did not respond to requests for comment. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Congress targets ratification of 2020 budget next week

By Charmaine A. Tadalan Reporter
and Beatrice M. Laforga

THE HOUSE of Representatives and the Senate expect ratification of the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 by next week to enable enactment before the year ends, key legislators said separately on Tuesday, while the Budget department has begun the process of crafting the 2021 spending plan.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Isidro T. Ungab of Davao’s 3rd District said the body’s secretariat completed on Monday its review of the Senate version of the 2020 national budget, in time for his meeting yesterday with his counterpart, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara.

“The House Appropriations secretariat just finished studying yesterday the figures in Senate’s GAB as approved on final reading. I presented these findings to the House bicameral conference committee panel and will proceed to discuss the details with my Senate counterpart, Sen. Angara,” Mr. Ungab said in a mobile phone message on Tuesday, referring to the general appropriations bill (GAB).

“We will be working this week despite the inclement weather.”

The House approved House Bill No. 4228, or the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020, on third and final reading on Sept. 20, while the Senate approved its version on Nov. 27.

The 18th Congress aims to submit the budget to President Rodrigo R. Duterte for signing ahead of its Dec. 21, 2019- Jan. 19, 2020 break in order to ensure yearend enactment.

Pressed for a target, Mr. Ungab said, “Hopefully, ratified na by next week to give time for printing.”

‘FEW POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT’
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III confirmed the timetable, saying: “We’re on track.”

“I understand in the bicam(eral conference committee), there will be very few points of disagreement. Tingin ko baka… (I think) on the week of the (Dec.) ninth, baka mai-ratify namin (we may be able to ratify the 2020 budget),” Mr. Sotto told reporters in a briefing in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday.

Mr. Sotto said that, so far, Mr. Angara has not flagged any major contention that could delay passage of the 2020 national budget.

“Ang sabi lang niya sa akin (Mr. Angara told me) ‘everything’s fine, all is well, everything’s fine’,” Mr. Sotto said, adding that he does not expect the House to again make changes after ratification — a controversy that contributed to delayed enactment of the 2019 national budget.

“I don’t expect Speaker (Alan Peter S. ) Cayetano and the Chairman of Appropriation to do something like that.”

Mr. Duterte signed the 2019 budget on April 15, but vetoed some P95.3-billion appropriations deemed unconstitutional, reducing its total to P3.662 trillion.

A review of the Senate Committee report, shared by Appropriations Vice-Chairman Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda of Albay-2nd District, showed differences in Senate and House appropriations for the Department of Transportation (DoTr), Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

House Bill No. 4228 allocated P146.04 billion to the DoTr, P529.75 billion to the DPWH and P88.92 billion to the DoH; while the Senate provided P120.32 billion, P536.58 billion and P100.49 billion, respectively.

WORK ON 2021 BUDGET BEGINS
And with work on the proposed 2020 national budget in the homestretch, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has instructed government offices to start crafting their spending plans for 2021.

The DBM released the national budget call for 2021 through the national budget memorandum no. 133, dated Nov. 29, that was signed by Acting Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.

In a text message, Mr. Avisado said the Development & Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) will convene on Dec. 11 to discuss the proposed national budget for 2021 and review macroeconomic and fiscal targets.

Under the budget call, the DBM said it will maintain a cash budgeting system (CBS) that forces state offices to spend their allocations on time by limiting project obligation of such funds to within the fiscal year, compared to two years in the previous practice.

“In the third year of the transition towards CBS, there will be greater focus on ensuring the implementation-readiness of proposals through better procurement planning, programming of projects and activities, and coordination among agencies,” it explained.

The DBM also cited the need for closer coordination between officials of national and local government offices to make sure that national plans and projects are relevant to the grassroots and that local plans and projects adhere to national priorities.

“The Department Secretary/Head of Agency shall be held accountable in ensuring that its budget proposals have undergone the proper RDC review process with a duly issued endorsement,” DBM said in the memorandum, referring to regional development councils that have both national and local government representatives.

Asia Disclosure Index 2019

Asia Disclosure Index 2019

Bourse expects more maiden listings in 2020

THE PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE, Inc. (PSE) hopes to increase the number of initial public offerings (IPOs) to six next year amid improved market conditions, PSE President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Monzon told reporters on Tuesday.

“We had four IPOs (this year). I’m hoping to have maybe six (IPOs),” Mr. Monzon said when asked for his outlook for 2020.

The PSE saw four listings this year: Kepwealth Property Phils, Inc. in August; Axelum Resources Corp. and AllHome Corp. in October; and Fruitas Holdings, Inc. last week.

That was an improvement from 2018 when the bourse had just one IPO: that of D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc. which raised about P8.15 billion.

Mr. Monzon said he believes the fundamentals are better heading into 2020, considering “very good” projected gross domestic product topping six percent and inflation that has been brought back within the central bank’s 2-4% target after last year’s successive muliyear highs that averaged a near-decade-high 5.2% for 2018.

Mr. Monzon said the only reason the stock market has not taken off this year is better prospects at the fixed-income market.

MORE ON DEBT FOR NOW
“I think what’s happening is a lot of the money that used to go to equity are all in fixed-income ngayon (now),” he told reporters.

“If you will look at the listing history of PDEx (Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.), this is one of their best years. A lot of corporate bonds, bank bonds. So all the capital raising activities were focused on them because of the lower interest rate.”

The PDEx breached the P300-billion mark in bond listings as of November, well above the P256.4 billion raised in 2018.

“That’s the challenge next year. It’s still very attractive to issue debt instruments, but I’m hoping that because they’ve been issuing a lot of debt instruments (this year), hopefully their debt capacity has already reached the maximum. In which case, they have to go to equity again,” Mr. Monzon said.

Also yesterday, the PSE signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Securities and Exchange Commission to be the bourse’s exclusive partner in promoting an Environment, Social and Governance (ESG)-based framework for its PSE Bell Awards.

“The MoA we signed today seals our commitment to our shared objective of growing a healthy capital market by fostering the adoption of ESG by publicly listed companies as a measuring tool for institutional investors and asset managers,” PSE Director Edgardo G. Lacson said during the signing ceremony at the PSE Tower in Bonifacio Global City in the City of Taguig. — Denise A. Valdez

Court issues TRO vs auction of AboitizPower unit’s properties

ABOITIZ Power Corp. said on Tuesday that the court had issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of its subsidiary Luzon Hydro Corp. (LHC), stopping the municipality of Alilem in Ilocos Sur from auctioning off the unit’s real properties.

“AboitizPower was informed that the Regional Trial Court of the Province of Ilocos Sur has issued a TRO enjoining the Municipality of Alilem from selling at public auction LHC’s real properties located in Alilem, Ilocos Sur for a period of twenty (20) days. Parties were also ordered to submit their position papers with ten (10) days,” the listed energy company told the stock exchange.

The court issuance came after LHC filed a petition for prohibition and mandamus, with prayer for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, to stop the municipality from auctioning its real properties in Alilem.

Before LHC’s filing, it received a notice of real property tax (RPT) delinquency from the Office of the Municipal Treasurer of Alilem seeking to collect a total of P446,029,609.46 in unpaid RPT and accrued penalties from 2002 to August 2019.

“This was followed by a warrant of levy, and a notice of publication and auction sale covering the real properties of LHC, consisting of industrial machineries and buildings,” AboitizPower said.

Before Alilem’s notice of RPT delinquency, LHC had a standing offer to the provincial government of Ilocos Sur that it is willing to pay RPT computed in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order (EO) No. 60, series of 2018. The offer of payment was rejected.

EO 60 allows the reduction and condonation of RPT and penalties assessed on power generation facilities of independent power producers under build-operate-transfer contracts. The reduction and condonation cover all liabilities for RPT, including any special levies accruing to the special education fund for calendar year 2017 and past years.

On Tuesday, shares in AboitizPower slipped by 1.72% to P34.20 each. — Victor V. Saulon

Central Visayas wage orders now under review by NWPC

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in the Central Visayas, or Region 7, said two minimum wage hikes for separate categories of workers have been decided by the region’s wage board, with the decision awaiting review at national level.

DoLE in Region 7 said in a statement Monday that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-7) has set new rates for minimum wage earners and domestic workers in Central Visayas.

DoLE Regional Director Salome O. Siaton said that the wage orders have yet to be published. She added in the statement, “Such increase is still subject to the review by the NWPC (National Wages Productivity Commission) and must be approved thereafter by the Secretary.”

Wage Order No. ROVII-22 sets the wage increase for daily prescribed salaries of workers in the private sector while Wage Order No. ROVII-D.W. 02 provides the new minimum wage rates for domestic workers.

According to Ms. Siaton, the wages were set according to a classification defined in RTWPB 7’s last wage order which took effect on Aug. 3, 2018, grouping cities and municipalities in the region by class.

“The reclassification of the wage structure is in line with the thrust of the Board to rationalize the wage structure in the Region. Of course, we did it after taking into account all the recommendations of stakeholders present during the public hearings and consultations conducted.”

Wages for non-agriculture minimum-wage employees in the private sector are set by location. Such workers in Class A cities and municipalities or the Expanded Metro Cebu Area (the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga and the municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, and San Fernando), will now receive P404 daily. Agricultural workers in this category will get P394.

The corresponding rates for Class B (Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay in the province of Negros Oriental; and Bogo and Toledo in the province of Cebu and Tagbilaran in Bohol), will be having a daily wage rate of P366.00. Workers in the agriculture sector will have a take home pay of P361.

Class C non-agriculture workers from all other municipalities are to receive P356.00, while agricultural workers will receive P351.

RTWPB 7 Board Secretary Grace G. Carreon said that the new minimum wage for domestic workers also varies by location. The last wage order issued for domestic workers took effect on April 13, 2017.

She said in a statement Monday, “From the existing P3,000.00 minimum monthly pay, domestic workers or the kasambahay employed in the Cities and First Class Municipalities should now be paid P5,000.00 monthly and those working in other municipalities should now receive not less than P4,000.00 per month from… P2,500.00 (previously).” — Gillian M. Cortez

Property valuation bill passage seen aiding 2020 infrastructure projects

FINANCE SECRETARY Carlos G. Dominguez III urged the Senate to pass a real property valuation reform measure in time to address right-of-way-issues that could delay infrastructure projects in the pipeline for 2020.

In a statement Tuesday, Mr. Dominguez said he hopes the Senate will act on its version of the Real Property Valuation Reform bill which the House of Representatives approved last week in the form of House Bill (HB) No. 4664.

Aside from resolving right-of-way issues, a common source of delay in public works where the government has agree with landowners on an appropriate level of compensation, Mr. Dominguez said the measure will generate additional revenue for local governments, “stimulate the real estate market” as well as attract investment.

During recent committee deliberations, Representative Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda of the second district of Albay said right-of-way acquisition will continue to delay the implementation of “Build, Build, Build” projects without a credible valuation system.

The measure proposes the use of a uniform schedule of market values (SMVs) for right-of-way acquisition, to adopt a real property valuation standards on par with international standards and develop a single valuation for the taxation of land transactions, among others.

Mr. Salceda, who chairs the House committee on ways and means, said the case of Evergreen Manufacturing against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ran from 2000 to 2017 due to lack of agreement on valuation.

Infrastructure delays in 2019 due to the late passage of the 2019 budget have been blamed for dampening economic performance.

On the sidelines of an event in Parañaque City on Wednesday, Rep. Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento of the first district of Samar said a court administrator at a recent committee meeting promised to designate courts in various parts of the country to specialize in right-of-way issues.

“Maglalagay ang court ng specific branch to address ‘yung right of way issue (courts will be designated to address the right-of-way issues)… That was the commitment to us by the court administrator,” Mr. Sarmiento said in a chance interview.

HB 4664 represents the third package of the administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP).

“At present, LGUs prepare the SMVs, which is just one of many conflicting values currently used for various government purposes and private transactions. SMVs are also often outdated and set without standard technical procedures, leading to an eroded real property tax base for LGUs,” the Finance department said in its statement. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Ayala purchases 15% stake in YSH for $108.6 million

AYALA Corp. (AC) said yesterday it has already paid the first tranche of its $237-million investment in Myanmar’s Yoma Group.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday, the listed conglomerate said it has concluded its $108.6 million worth acquisition of outstanding shares in Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings, Inc. (YSH).

“(AC and YSH) have closed the first tranche of the placement of shares, with AC having been allotted shares equivalent to 14.9% of the outstanding shares of YSH and having paid the price therefore. The Singapore Exchange has approved the listing of the shares allotted to AC,” it said.

AC is acquiring a total of 474,680,104 shares in YSH priced at $0.3265 each, which represents 20% of the company.

The concluded deal between AC and YSH is the first of two tranches. The second tranche will be worth $46.4 million to represent 5.1% of the YSH’s outstanding shares.

AC said the purchases of YSH shares are subject to the approval of the Singapore Securities Exchange Trading Ltd.

Aside from the deals with YSH, AC’s investment in the Yoma Group also involves acquiring a 20% stake in First Myanmar Investment Public Co. Ltd. (FMI), a publicly listed firm in Myanmar.

The company said the investment in FMI will be in the form of an $82.5-million convertible loan, where VIP Infrastructure Holdings Pte. Ltd. will be its investing entity. The deal will be subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Myanmar.

When AC announced its venture into the businesses of Burmese tycoon Serge Pun last month, it said the transaction is part of its “strategy to pursue international expansion opportunistically.”

“As a diversified conglomerate in Myanmar with overlapping interests in real estate, power, financial services, automotive, and health care, YSH and FMI (Yoma Group) will serve as Ayala’s main platform for strategic investments in Myanmar,” it said.

Shares in AC at the local bourse shed 9.50 points or 1.13% to close at P831.50 each on Tuesday. — Denise A. Valdez

DTI could offer perks for domestic manufacture of new 9-seater PUVs

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is considering an additional program to support the domestic manufacture of small and affordable eco-friendly public utility vehicles (PUVs).

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told reporters at a forum on Tuesday that the target cost for class 1 Eco-PUVs is less than P1 million.

“Para may cheaper alternative (To offer a cheaper alternative) — one that we can sell below P1 million — so operators have options when they need bigger or smaller vehicles,” he said.

The class 2 vehicle supported by an earlier program cost about P1.5 to P1.6 million, he said.

Class 1 vehicles carry at least nine passengers, while class 2 vehicles carry at least 22.

Support would come in the form of incentives depending on the number of units produced.

He said that there have been proposals from Toyota Motor Philippines, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., and Hyundai Philippines.

The additional program was created to support manufacturing, Mr. Lopez said, as well as to address operators’ concerns about the prices of Eco-PUVs.

He added, however, that the larger vehicles make more money for operators.

“Kikita din sila doon kasi mas marami kang pasahero… mas malaki ‘yung revenue mo. Bigger vehicle eh. Ganoon din naman ito, smaller vehicle — mas mura. (They will make a profit with large vehicles because they will have more passengers and more revenue. It’s a bigger vehicle. The trade-off is that the smaller vehicle is cheaper).”

“So the payback periods (for the two types of vehicle) will probably approximate each other.”

The program is expected to launch by the first quarter of 2020, and may be combined with the earlier program for larger vehicles. — Jenina P. Ibañez

PETA’s season final is anthology that tackles stories of HIV/AIDS

THE ARTS can influence our thoughts and actions in the face of a disease.

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)is closing its 52nd theater season with Rody Vera’s anthology drama Under My Skin, from Feb. 7 to March 22 at the PETA Theater Center as part of its Acting on HIV campaign. The show is done in partnership with LoveYourself and The Red Whistle.

UNAIDS country director Dr. Louie Ocampo stressed that the Philippines is the country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the world. UNAIDS said the Philippines had an estimate of 70,000 cases at the end of 2018.

“We have always believed in the power of theater to convey important messages to the audience. Theater is a platform that can spark conversation and reflective thinking and action,” PETA Executive Director Beng Santos-Cabangon said at the press launch on Dec. 2 at the PETA Theater Center.

“In the past, PETA has been successful in tackling sensitive topics through theater. Since the early 2000s, PETA has been active in mobilizing and forging strategic partnerships to help further advocacy work,” PETA Artistic Director Maribel Legarda was quoted as saying in a press release. “We believe that theater can be another approach to HIV awareness, be an effective means of public engagement, introspection, and action.”

THE PLAY
Under My Skin is an anthology of stories about Filipinos living with HIV. The stories were based and gathered from the playwright’s friends and relatives, HIV advocates, existing studies on HIV, doctors, and health practitioners.

Playwright Rody Vera intended for the story “to address the misconceptions, the fears, as well as the opportunities for correcting these.”

In a press release, he is quoted as saying “I decided to write in multiple stories that will somehow mirror the overwhelming increase of HIV cases. And yet nobody seems to be as alarmed, thinking that it’s just a ‘gay’ disease.”

The story centers around Dr. Gemma Almonte, an epidemiologist at the Department of Health, who is studying the spread of HIV in the Philippines and hopes to change public perception of the disease and increase society’s compassion for those who have it.

The cases she discusses are those of Dino, a DOTA player who is diagnosed HIV positive after he contracts tuberculosis; Mary Rose, who discovers that her young son contacted a gastro-intestinal infection from the HIV that she passed on to him, after she herself was infected by her husband; and a gay beauty parlor employee who sues his employer for discriminating against those with HIV.

“Under My Skin addresses not only the nature of the disease but also how society views it, their perceived carriers, and the patients,” Mr. Vera says in the release. “It covers medical, political, social and economic factors. It even covers religious and moral issues. Dealing with HIV is not just about dealing with the virus alone.”

Directed by Melvin Lee, the play stars Cherry Pie Picache and Roselyn Perez who alternate in the role of Dr. Almonte. Also performing are Eko Baquial, Miguel Almendras, Mike Liwag Gio Gahol, Anthony Falcon, Gold Villar-Lim, She Maala, Mico Esquivel, Bene Manaois, Lotlot Bustamante, Kitsi Pagaspas, Dylan Talon, Ekis Gimenez, Erold Enriquez, Jarred Jaicten, Joseph Madriaga, Jason Barcial, and Dudz Teraña; with Rachelle Gimpes, Reggie Ondevilla, Roy Dahildahil, and Csai Habla in the ensemble.

There will be discussions with HIV doctors, health practitioners, and representatives from LoveYourself and The Red Whistle after the shows.

“One strength of the material we wish to emphasize is the spectrum of the age and gender that is affected by the epidemic. It demystifies the preconceived notions [about it],” director Mr. Lee said in a mixture of English and Filipino.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
On the days of the performances, audience members can avail of free HIV screening at the theater lobby, and view the Under My Skin photo exhibit by The Red Whistle, done in collaboration with photographer Niccolo Cosme of the Project Headshot Clinic. The exhibit features 200 portraits of people from the theater industry who are HIV/AIDS advocates. Meanwhile, PETA’s official Facebook page will feature a series of informative videos called EduSeries about stories of people living with HIV.

“It’s really essential that education and awareness is supported and pushed because that’s where we begin to find the solution to the problem,” PETA Artistic Director Maribel Legarda said.

“Fear always happens when we don’t know what’s happening. But once we do, we are then armed with a way to deal with the issues in front of us.”

There will be performances from February 7 to March 22 (Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdaysand Sundays at 3 and 8 p.m.) at the PETA Theater Center, No. 5 Eymard Drive, Brgy. Kristong Hari, New Manila, Quezon City.

For tickets and show buying inquiries, contact PETA at petatheater@gmail.com, or TicketWorld at www.ticketworld.com.ph and 891-9999. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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