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DILG charter amendment eyed

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A CONGRESSMAN on Monday said Congress could amend the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) charter to include disaster management among its mandates, helping improve inter-agency coordination and disaster mitigation efforts.

Party-list Rep. Rodolfo M. Ordanes also said including disaster management responsibilities under the DILG would be cheaper instead of creating a new, standalone executive agency.

“We do not need a new department to take charge of disaster risk reduction and management (DRMM). We only have to amend the Charter of the Department of the Interior and Local Government by including a DRRM mandate and line bureau with DRRM responsibilities,” Mr. Ordanes said in a statement.

“This way, the DILG Secretary is going to be directly responsible and accountable. The DILG Secretary can coordinate and manage DRRM of all (local government units). Any of the DILG bureaus and offices can be given specific DRRM tasks,” he added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

CAAP on high alert ahead of holiday

BW FILE PHOTO

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said it is deploying additional personnel across all airports as it anticipates air travelers to increase by 10% for the upcoming All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

“CAAP has heightened security across all 44 CAAP airports from Oct. 25 to Nov. 10,” CAAP said in a media release on Monday.

Last year, CAAP recorded 2.1 million passengers traveling from October to November, up 10.5% from the 1.9 million passengers in the same period a year earlier.

The operator of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), said it is teaming up with various stakeholders at NAIA in preparation for the expected passenger influx for the upcoming All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

NNIC also said that it is in discussion with transportation service providers to increase the number of available vehicles for passengers. 

Data from Manila International Airport Authority showed that it has recorded a total of 33.69 million passengers as of August; of this, 18.07 million are domestic passengers while 15.62 are international passengers.

Earlier, Philippines AirAsia, Inc. (AirAsia Philippines) said it had logged more than 50,000 seats sold for the travel period of Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.

Meanwhile, budget carrier Cebu Pacific, operated by Cebu Air, Inc., said it is anticipating one million passengers for the upcoming All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day alone.

Over the weekend, flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced that it is expecting NAIA’s Terminal 2 to get busier beginning Nov. 5 as three other airlines are set to transfer their domestic flights to Terminal 2.

Earlier this month, NNIC said that Terminal 4 of NAIA is scheduled for renovation and upgrade starting Nov. 6.

With this, Cebu Pacific will relocate the operations of its regional brand Cebgo to Terminal 2 from Terminal 4 effective Nov. 7; while AirSWIFT Transport, Inc. will also transfer its operations to Terminal 2 starting Nov. 5.

Boutique airline Sunlight Air will also move its operations to Terminal 2 starting Nov. 6, according to the company’s social media advisory. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

PHL expands program vs hunger

NOEL B. PABALATE/PPA POOL

THE Philippine government on Monday expanded a 2016 program against hunger by enjoining more national agencies as well as international organizations.

Under the joint memorandum circular for the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), the government formed a coalition of 34 national agencies and international organizations in line with its “zero hunger” goal.

The circular created a 14-member steering committee, which will be chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to ensure coordination and accountability for the program’s implementation.

The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) were among the signatories of the circular, which set guidelines to harmonize efforts against hunger. 

“The EPAHP is a convergence program of the national government that aims to help mitigate hunger, ensure food and nutrition security and reduce poverty in urban and rural communities, including marginalized communities,” the DSWD said in a statement.

The partnership was launched in 2016 when the DSWD, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Agrarian Reform united to start the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty.

The program expanded in 2019 and evolved into the current EPAHP.

In his speech at the ceremonial presentation of the circular, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said providing credit and insurance assistance and directly connecting community-based organizations (CBOs) to government feeding programs will be the core of the partnership’s approach.

The DSWD said its anti-hunger programs include the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), regular meals for Centers and Residential Care Facilities, the Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrition Program Food Voucher Program, and the Walang Gutom Program.

Under the SFP, the agency, in partnership with the LGUs, is providing food in addition to the regular meals to children currently enrolled in child development centers and Supervised Neighborhood Play, as part of the DSWD’s contribution to the early childcare and development program of the government

“As of May 2024, more than P200 million worth of sales and contracts between 122 CBOs and government feeding programs have been generated by strengthening those organizations,” the Presidential Communications Office said.

“The government is also leveraging technology through a Digital Mapping System developed by the UNFAO, allowing connections between organizations and prospective markets, including the feeding programs of the DSWD,” it added.

Self-rated poverty rose to 58% in June from 46% in March, the highest rate since the 49% in June 2008, according to a recent Social Weather Stations poll. Hunger rose to 17.6% in June from 14.2% a month earlier.  — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Gender funding up 16% — DBM

UNSPLASH

THE National Government (NG) has allocated more funding for gender and development (GAD) under the Marcos administration, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

“In terms of the share of the GAD in our National Government budget, it has been increasing from 3% in the previous administration to as much as 16% in the present administration,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said during the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security on Monday.

“We are happy with that development. However, there are still a lot of issues that we have to look into.”

This is in line with Republic Act (RA) No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, which mandates all state agencies and corporations, as well as local government units, to allocate at least 5% of their yearly budget for gender-related programs, projects, and activities.

Around 65% of government agencies have been implementing gender-sensitive infrastructure projects, Ms. Pangandaman said.

“The recent number shows that in 2022, some P4 billion has been allocated for infrastructure budget that is gender-responsive,” Ms. Pangandaman said.

She also noted that around P2.1 billion as allocated in 2022 for social protection including women, youth, and children.

For 2024, the national budget has allocated P83 billion for gender and development, internally displaced persons, and disaster relief assistance. This is an 8.9% increase from the P76.2 billion earmarked last year, according to a document posted at the DBM’s website.

The Budget chief added that the newly enacted Public Financial Management Roadmap for 2025 to 2028, centers on climate, disaster, and gender.

“We are now starting on working on this platform to be able to improve the compliance of our gender budget to our national budget not just in the National Government but also in our local government units,” she said.

Ms. Pangandaman also noted that RA 12009, the New Government Procurement Act, which seeks to modernize and address bottlenecks in the country’s procurement process, includes a gender perspective.

The government has been working on the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the law, which is expected to take effect next year.  Around 60% of the NG’s budget goes to procurement, according to Ms. Pangandaman.

The Philippine government expects to generate financial support and to gain the best practices for its women, peace, and security agenda from participating countries at the conference.

“At this time when women face nontraditional security concerns — such as threats to health security, cybersecurity, and climate change, among others — it is crucial for us to recognize that the future landscape of women, peace and security is no longer confined within the traditional borders of countries and cultures,” Ms. Pangandaman said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Filipino freelancers’ rights bill filed

GLENN CARSTENS PETERS-UNSPLASH

A BILL protecting Filipino online freelance workers by including them into the fold of the Philippine labor code to grant them basic rights provided to traditional workers, has been filed at the House of Representatives.

Filipino freelancers will be guaranteed the right to equitable compensation no less than the country’s minimum wage rate, under House Bill (HB) No. 10930, filed by Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar on Sept. 18.

It will also mandate online work platforms to enroll Filipino freelancers to the country’s state benefits providers, such as Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), Social Security System (SSS), and the Home Development Mutual Fund.

“Since most gig workers in the Philippines are classified as independent contractors, they are technically not covered by the Labor Code of the Philippines. Therefore… they don’t enjoy the basic rights, benefits, and protection that traditional workers do,” the bill’s introductory note stated.

There are about 1.5 million Filipinos registered on international online work platforms, according to the measure, noting that the country is “among the fastest-growing gig market in the world.

“Online platform workers shall have the right to self-organize to collectively bargain and negotiate with online platform providers, and to engage in peaceful concerted activities,” the bill stated, protecting the rights of freelancers to unionize.

Online work platforms are also required to provide a contract for every working engagement involving Filipinos, it added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

SC asked to nullify Taguig ordinance

PHOTO BY MIKE GONZALEZ

A FORMER Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday asked the high court to nullify an ordinance passed by the Taguig City Council last month that expanded the number of councilor seats in the city to twelve from eight.

Former Associate Justice Dante O. Tiñga said the move was illegal and overstepped the council’s authority.

According to him, the ordinance, enacted on Sept. 16, would increase Taguig’s council seats to a total of 24 across its two councilor districts from 16.

He contended that this adjustment requires a law passed by Congress, as local councils are not empowered to unilaterally increase councilor seats.

He cited three main points: the resolution did not undergo the Constitution’s prescribed three readings, and it lacks the president’s signature. He also cited a decision, in which the SC ruled in the case of Ang Nars Party-List, et al. v. The Executive Secretary (2019), declaring that even a Joint Resolution approved by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President as “void and unconstitutional” as it amended a provision of an earlier law.

The petition also named the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as a respondent for promulgating the ordinance through a resolution, alongside both chambers of Congress for endorsing it via a concurrent resolution.

“The action of the Comelec was based on the Sangguniang Panlungsod ordinance and the sense of the Senate and the House of Representatives via a concurrent resolution. Meaning, we did not act based on capriciousness, arbitrariness, and in a despotic manner but in ensuring that the electorate of the 10 barangays are not disenfranchise[d],” Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia told reporters in a Viber message.

“In several instances, the SC gave us leeway or elbow room just to ensure equal opportunity for all in the conduct of orderly and peaceful elections.”

Taguig City Mayor Maria Laarni “Lani” L. Cayetano did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Arrest of 3 NDFP consultants meant to spoil peace talks

BAGUIO CITY — The negotiating panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) claimed that the arrest of three of their consultants by government security forces was deliberate and are meant to “create hostile conditions to obstruct the peace negotiations.”

The arrests of NDFP consultants Simon Fiaryao Naogsan, Sr., Porferio Tuna, Jr., and Wigberto Villarico, the NDFP negotiating panel on Monday said in a statement, “undermine the peace process and violates the basic principles of mutual respect and accountability.”

“These consultants have dedicated their lives to representing the Filipino people’s interests and are integral in the resumption of peace negotiations.”   

Their arrest, it added, “serve only to foster growing distrust and heightened tensions at a time when space for dialogue is critical.”

The NDFP negotiating panel stressed that the arrest of the three consultants “is yet another in a string of blatant violations by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), signed to provide both parties to the negotiations the conducive conditions to engage without the threat of arrest, killing or harassment.”

The NDFP panel rebuked National Security Council Spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya’s declaration that JASIG is no longer in effect, saying “(the) effectivity of these agreements cannot be simply rescinded through a mere press conference or media statement.”

The NDFP panel insisted that “such agreements are the product of formal negotiations and mutual commitment, rooted in both national and international legal principles, and cannot be undone unilaterally or casually.”   

The termination of an agreement like JASIG requires formal procedures as stipulated in the document signed by both parties in 1995, the NDFP panel added.

Mr. Malaya’s declaration that Mr. Villarico is not an NDFP consultant was also refuted by the NDFP Panel, saying, “in fact, Wigberto Villarico is an NDFP consultant, regularly engaged by the NDFP Negotiating Panel as a key representative from the Southern Tagalog region.  His role is crucial in representing concerns of farmers and workers in the region and in advancing the substantive items in the negotiations including in the process of drafting the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms.”

The NDFP Panel also denounced how NDFP consultants and negotiators “(are) repeatedly subjected to arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and torture,” thus, leading them to believe, “the GRP has made a mockery of its own supposed commitment to peace.”

While the NDFP Panel reiterated its openness to resume negotiations, it said “how can we possibly engage in meaningful negotiations when our negotiators and consultants are subjected to arrests, killings, and torture.”   

“This issue is both a practical and political obstacle to the ongoing talks, as it threatens not only the safety of the NDFP consultants, negotiators and staff but also undermines the very foundation of trust and dialogue necessary for any productive peace negotiation to continue,” Julie de Lima, NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson said. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Customs intercepts smuggled fuel Davao Oriental

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Customs bureau recently seized five trucks carrying around 238,000 liters of smuggled fuel in Davao Oriental.

In a joint operation with the Philippine Army, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) found five lorries carrying 238,000 liters of unmarked diesel on Oct. 22. The BoC had yet to disclose the value of the unmarked fuel.

Customs authorities use a unique chemical marker to indicate that imported and locally refined petroleum products have been paid the appropriate taxes. This would help avoid smuggling and misdeclaration of fuel products.

“Based on the intelligence information from the 10th Infantry Division, fuel suspected to be unmarked was being smuggled in Tarragona, Davao Oriental. Several tanker trucks were observed in the area, raising suspicion of smuggling activities,” the agency said.

Authorities received reports that a vessel, identified as Aquaman 3, moved offshore following the transfer of fuel into lorry trucks headed toward Mati in Davao Oriental. The lorries were caught at a checkpoint.

Tests conducted on all fuel samples showed a 0% relative marker level, which meant that the fuel products were transported without the proper marking from Customs authorities.

This is referred to as the “paihi” modus, in which larger tankers off-load fuel to smaller vessels to escape tax payments.

Under its Fuel Marking Program, the bureau has marked around 9.89 billion liters of fuel in the first half, translating to P121.72 billion in duties and taxes, according to its mid-year report. — Beatriz D. Marie Cruz

PDEA-BARMM nabs 3 drug den operators

COTABATO CITY — Anti-narcotics agents busted three drug traffickers and closed their drug den in an operation in Barangay Rosary Heights 10 in this city on Saturday.

The cohorts Rodrigo P. Pardillo, Sr. and his son, Rodrigo D. Pardillo, Jr., and Jay-Jay B. Apiag are now locked in a detention facility of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) at the Pedro Colina Hill Area in Cotabato City.

Gil Cesario P. Castro, director of PDEA-BARMM, told reporters on Monday morning that the three were immediately arrested after selling P149,000 worth of crystal meth (shabu) to their non-uniformed agents and policemen in a tradeoff.

Mr. Castro said the operation was laid with the help of the Cotabato City Police Office and barangay officials. The drug den of the three now detained shabu dealers was immediately locked by PDEA-BARMM agents, now guarded by barangay officials and volunteer community watchmen. — John Felix M. Unson

Suspect in 2019 Laguna murder arrested in Lanao del Sur

STOCK PHOTO | Image by rawpixel.com from Freepik

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro regional police will turn over to the Laguna Provincial Police Office a suspect in the brutal 2019 murder of a resident of Biñan City, arrested by policemen and soldiers in Barangay Buadi Didingun in Taraka, Lanao del Sur last week.

The detained suspect, a Maranao, was implicated in the killing of Karl Laurence Demerey in Biñan City in June 2019.

Two other accomplices, also Maranaos, had been arrested one after another by operatives of the Biñan City Police Office after the incident.

Brig. Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, told reporters on Monday that the operation was assisted by troops from the Army’s 5th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Eduard L. Sia-ed.

Mr. Macapaz said the suspect voluntarily yielded when combined personnel of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office and the Taraka Municipal Police Station and soldiers from the 5th IB arrived at his hideout in Barangay Buadi Didingun and showed him a warrant for his arrest from the Regional Trial Court Branch 152 in Biñan City in Laguna, signed by Judge Jaime F. Banatin.

Mr. Macapaz said they will endorse him, through the police in Laguna, to the court that ordered his arrest. — John Felix M. Unson

Peso recovers on dovish Fed bets

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO rose against the dollar on Monday amid expectations that the US Federal Reserve would adopt a dovish stance at its policy review next week.

The local unit closed at P58.225 per dollar on Monday, strengthening by 9.5 centavos from its P58.32 finish on Friday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Monday’s session weaker than Friday’s close at P58.40 against the dollar. Its intraday best was its closing level of P58.225, while its worst showing was at P58.43 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged went down to $1.33 billion on Monday from $1.69 billion on Friday.

The peso recovered against the dollar on expectations of a dovish decision by the Fed next month, a trader said by phone.

Four Federal Reserve policy makers last week expressed support for further interest rate cuts, but appeared to differ on how fast or far they believe any cuts should go, Reuters reported.

Three of them, citing the strength of the economy and an uncertain outlook, expressed a preference for going slow, using words like “modest” and “gradual” to describe their views on the right pace for rate cuts.

The fourth, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly, said she feels Fed policy is “very tight” and does not believe that a strong economy, as long as inflation continues to fall, should keep the central bank from continuing to reduce rates.

The remarks provide a small taste of what’s expected to be a broad but closed-door debate of the appropriate path for policy at the Fed’s upcoming policy meeting, on Nov. 6-7.

There was also some profit taking after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas intervened when the peso reached the P58.40 level, the trader added.

Lower global crude prices recently also supported the peso, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

For Tuesday, the trader sees the peso moving between P58 and P58.50 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P58.10 to P58.30. — AMCS with Reuters

Philippine shares inch up on companies’ earnings

REUTERS

PHILIPPINE SHARES inched up on Monday as more companies released their third-quarter results, although trading volume remained thin as the market stayed cautious ahead of the US presidential vote and the release of key economic data next week.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.39% or 29.01 points to 7,343.24 on Monday, while the broader all shares improved by 0.47% or 18.93 points to end at 4,036.20.

“Philippine shares made another recovery after falling in the red intraday as more earnings continue to trickle in while investors get ready for another trading week ahead,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a Viber message.

The PSEi opened Monday’s session at 7,314.42 and dropped to as low as 7,296.03 intraday before recouping its losses at the closing bell.

Companies that released their end-September results on Monday included Manila Electric Co. and BDO Unibank, Inc., among others.

First Metro Investment Corp. Head of Research Cristina S. Ulang said in a Viber message that the PSEi was “flattish… given the peso’s weakness and a string of unknowns like the Philippine third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP).”

The peso closed at P58.225 per dollar on Monday, rising by 9.5 centavos from its P58.32 finish on Friday, according to Bankers Association of the Philippines data.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority will release third-quarter GDP data on Nov. 7.

Markets are also pricing in the possibility of Republican candidate Donald J. Trump winning the Nov. 5 US presidential election, which has pushed up US and local yields, Ms. Ulang added.

Benchmark US Treasury yields climbed to three-month highs last week, reflecting expectations of a potentially less dovish US Federal Reserve as well as possibly increased spending under the next president, Reuters reported.

Bets on Mr. Trump prevailing have risen on prediction markets in recent weeks, with the Republican seen as backing policies including tariffs that could lead to higher inflation.

At 4.23%, benchmark 10-year Treasury yields are up 43 basis points through October.

All sectoral indices ended higher on Monday. Mining and oil rose by 0.89% or 77.14 points to 8,684.12; financials went up by 0.87% or 20.92 points to 2,408.32; industrials climbed by 0.39% or 39.18 points to 9,926.93; property gained 0.28% or 8.17 points to end at 2,857.27; services added 0.2% or 4.50 points to close at 2,246.29; and holding firms inched up by 0.15% or 9.63 points to 6,190.76.

Value turnover declined to P4.13 billion on Monday with 873.27 million shares traded from the P4.2 billion with 729.88 million issues that changed hands on Friday.

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 99 versus 90, while 55 names were unchanged.

Net foreign selling stood at P47.81 million on Monday, a reversal of the P7.61 million in net buying recorded on Friday. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

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