PACC recommends charges vs 12 NHA officials over Yolanda housing

October 9, 2019 | 8:19 pm

THE PRESIDENTIAL Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on Wednesday recommended the filing of administrative charges against 12 officials of the National Housing Authority (NHA) due to alleged anomalies in the P4-billion housing program for Typhoon Yolanda victims in the Eastern Visayas Region. PACC chairperson Dante LA. Jimenez, in a chance interview with reporters, said the case particularly involves projects in Eastern Samar. PACC, in its filing before the Office of the Ombudsman, said the construction of 2,559 units in four municipalities were bagged by a sole contractor, identified as J.C. Tayag Builders, Inc., with a total contract cost of P741.53 million. However, only 36 housing units were completed as of November 2017. “The case of J.C. Tayag Builders, Inc. was also uncovered in a public hearing of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development in September 2017. In spite of this, no legal actions have been taken to bring them to account,” said Mr. Jimenez.—Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

NEA asks PALECO to draft sustainability plan

October 9, 2019 | 8:17 pm

STATE-LED National Electrification Administration (NEA) has called on the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) to come up with a sustainability plan as rehabilitation activities for its power distribution system continues. “We cannot do this all the time whenever they have a problem. PALECO must have a sustainability plan in terms of vegetation management, line clearing and maintenance. Otherwise, the problem would recur always,” said NEA Deputy Administrator Artis Nikki L. Tortola in a statement on Wednesday. In his meeting with the PALECO management on Sept. 26, Mr. Tortola said he emphasized the need for power cooperatives to come up with a sustainability program so that the hard work and efforts extended by the “Task Force Kapatid” would not go to waste. Rehabilitation works for PALECO’s power distribution system will continue as the initial batch of electric cooperatives completed their tasks last month. The second batch of cooperatives from the Visayas is now preparing to be deployed to Puerto Princesa City. “The rehabilitation activities are not finished yet but we are making progress,” NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong said. — Victor V. Saulon

Davao del Norte governor backs down on ‘road clearing’ at Tadeco facility

October 9, 2019 | 8:17 pm

DAVAO DEL NORTE Gov. Edwin I. Jubahib backed down Wednesday on his order to undertake supposed road clearing operations at the entry point of Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc.’s (Tadeco) banana plantations in the towns of Sto. Tomas and Braulio Dujali. A Regional Trial Court in Panabo City issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), according to Tadeco legal counsel Nicolas A. Banga. Also, Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), intervened in the situation. In a social media post, Mr. Piñol confirmed the issuance of the 72-hour court order and that even before it was released, Mr. Jubahib “already relented” to “settle the problem amicably.” The Floirendo-owned company sought the issuance of the TRO after Mr. Jubahib threatened to enter the plantation which, Tadeco said, will jeopardize bio-security measures and facilities. The company said among those that would have been destroyed are the tire dips for vehicles and foot baths for pedestrians, which are intended to block entry of diseases, including the soil-borne Fusarium Wilt or Panama disease. “If successful, the effort of Gov. Jubahib can spell the collapse of our country’s banana industry,” Mr. Banga earlier said. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

DepEd orders closure of Salugpongan schools in Davao

October 9, 2019 | 8:16 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Education-Region 11 (DepEd-11) has ordered the closure of private schools owned and operated by the Salugpongan Ta Tana Igkanogon Community Learning Center Inc. effective Monday, Oct. 7. In a press conference Tuesday, DepEd-11 Spokesperson Jenielito S. Atillo presented the resolution, which cites several violations of the schools supposedly catering to children of indigenous people (IP) communities. An ad-hoc fact-finding committee reported that the Salugpongan does not comply with the curriculum standards set by the DepEd, brought students away from their home without the parents’ consent, and its teachers are not licensed. The resolution also noted that Salugpongan schools have been operating within the ancestral domain of IP communities without obtaining the requirements set by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). Meanwhile, the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the DepEd order. In a statement Wednesday, SOS said, “We cannot consider validity of the DepEd resolution and investigation when they only lent their ears to the false narratives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its paramilitary troops about the Lumad (IP) community schools.” — Maya M. Padillo

Nationwide round-up

October 9, 2019 | 8:15 pm

SC warns parties against public comments on VP election protest case

THE SUPREME Court has again reminded the parties of Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to refrain from discussing the electoral protest filed by the latter before the public. SC Public Information chief Brain Keith F. Hosaka, in a mobile-phone message to reporters, said they are reiterating the warning based on the sub judice rule, which prohibits parties from commenting on a pending case. Mr. Hosaka also declined to give further comments, noting that the report on the recount is “confidential” and that the SC justices are carefully studying it. Mr. Hosaka announced on Tuesday that the court did not take action on the report submitted by Associate justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa on the recount in the three pilot provinces of Iloilo, Negros Oriental and Camarines Sur. “The case remains pending and is still being deliberated by the members of the tribunal,” he said. Mr. Marcos filed the election protest in 2016 after losing the vice presidential race to Ms. Robredo. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Saudi Arabia lists 19 public decency offenses subject to fines

SAUDI ARABIA has identified 19 offenses to public decency punishable by fines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday. The DFA advised Filipino travelers to Saudi Arabia to follow the new regulation, which will primarily be implemented by the Saudi police. “The new regulation helps ensure that travelers to Saudi Arabia are reminded of laws that concern public behavior,” the department said in a statement. The offenses include immodest clothing, public display of affection, taking photos or videos of people without permission, playing music at a residential area without permit or at prayer times, non-removal of pet excrement, littering in non-designated areas, and spitting. Others are writing or drawing without authorization on public transportation vehicles and walls, wearing clothing that promote discrimination, porn or drug use, and skipping waiting lines, among others. The penalty for first time offenders range from 50 to 3,000 Saudi riyals; while repeated violation will have a fine of 100-6,000 Saudi riyals.–Charmaine A. Tadalan

Nation at a Glance — (10/10/19)

October 9, 2019 | 8:14 pm

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

FamilyMart: Authentic Japanese ‘konbini’ experience

October 9, 2019 | 2:28 pm

FamilyMart is one of the biggest convenience store brands in Japan, and the only homegrown one among the top three in the country. Owing to its wider network, especially in Asia—such as China, Taiwan and Vietnam—it is also now the second largest in the world, and the Philippine market is seen to play a continuing role in this growing success.

With Davao businessman Dennis Uy’s Phoenix Petroleum completing a buyout of Philippine FamilyMart CVS Inc. (PFM)just last year as part of the company’s strategic growth and expansion into relevant sectors and market segments, FamilyMart is revitalized and re-energized—poised to strengthen its own niche in the local convenience store sector.

“We are aiming to be more relevant to the market we believe needs to be served,” says PFM general manager Bernard Suiza. That market is a new category that FamilyMart would like to count itself in, which it has dubbed “convenience food retailing.” It seeks to cater to the demographic of extremely busy urbanites who end up eating daily meals outside of the home—from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to the snacks in between. An increasing number of city dwellers are also opting for transitory homes within the metro, such as dorms and apartments, and they are seeking alternative and better food establishments for daily sustenance.

FamilyMart’s best-selling Famichicky chicken fillet

Pivot to food

While still making other everyday offerings easily available, FamilyMart has zoomed in on food. This is being more faithful to the role that the brand plays in its strong markets such as Japan, where commuters treat convenience stores or “konbini” as a haven for daily sustenance. “This is the pivot to food that we are embarking on here in the Philippines—going back to the essence of what ‘konbini’ is, which is hearty, home-cooked meals,” explains Suiza. He articulates this strategy as “ready to eat, ready to heat, take and bake” food.

This entails a stronger focus on edible items in terms of variety, flavor, as well as quality. Thus, an integral part to achieving this is having a hot kitchen in each FamilyMart store. Such feature sets FamilyMart apart from other convenience stores and the usual food that they offer. “Our hot meals are served freshly cooked and prepared,” notes Suiza. While they will also offer ready-to-eat or microwaveable meals, fresh meals will be a trademark that FamilyMart hopes will create and sustain loyal following.

This strategy also means FamilyMart will be focusing on key urban areas in the Philippines where there are dense populations of BPO employees, office workers, condo dwellers, and other similar types of urbanites. As such, its concentration of stores will be in areas such as Makati, Bonifacio Global City and Quezon City. According to Suiza, they are currently embarking on expansion in these areas. In fact, the
largest FamilyMart branch in the whole world will also be inaugurated in Manila soon—a 400-square-meter store at the ground level of the new UDENNA Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Classic Japanese donburi with a Pinoy twist: pakbet, caldereta and pork sisig rice toppings

Authentic “konbini” experience

Aiming to be a daily sanctuary for Filipinos, FamilyMart stores in the Philippines are undergoing a facelift by way of a more youthful, vibrant and engaging design. The food counter will naturally be the central area of the retail space, and its menu will ensure that there is an exciting variety of authentic Japanese cuisine, as well as Filipino favorites.

PFM is working closely with FamilyMart Japan for research and development (R&D) of the menu and offerings. Also coming into play is valuable synergy with other business units within PFM’s parent group, Udenna. Well-loved Filipino restaurant brand Conti’s will provide expertise in commissary production of meals, while Chelsea Logistics through its wholly owned affiliate Worklink will provide vital supply chain support.

Little but thoughtful touches will make the Japanese “konbini” experience even stronger. The trademark entrance chime of FamilyMart stores in Japan, for instance, will soon be played in its Philippine counterparts. Its international best-selling Famichiky breaded chicken fillet has also been slowly introduced to the local market, gradually gaining cult following among Filipino foodies.

Further making the case for a stronger food and drink line-up, and in line with the booming beverage market, Suiza adds that FamilyMart will soon be launching its own signature brewed coffee blend in partnership with another iconic Japanese brand, UCC.

All these improvements aim to make the local FamilyMart experience more distinct and memorable; true to the authentic Japanese experience of “konbini” while offering the daily conveniences that today’s generation of discerning Filipino consumers want and deserve.

Boysen partners with QC government, DepEd for anti-dengue drive

October 9, 2019 | 2:16 pm

In response to the Department of Health’s (DOH) declaration of a national dengue epidemic with the continued rise in cases and deaths from the disease, leading Filipino paint manufacturer Pacific Paint Boysen Philippines Inc. has partnered with the local government of Quezon City and the Department of Education (DepEd) for a city-wide, school-based anti-dengue drive.

The public-private initiative spearheaded by Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte dubbed “Operation Deng-Go-Away, Mag-Amok Laban saLamok”, aims to contribute tomosquito vector control in Quezon City through clean-up and rehabilitation of public schools and daycare centers utilizing a revolutionary new anti-insect paint from Boysen.

Boysen Bug Off is a breakthrough anti-insect paint that can kill Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which are the primary dengue virus-carrying mosquitoes in the Philippines. The product is approved by the DOH Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and possesses the Green Label for Environment Seal from the Singapore Environmental Council.

It has been tested in laboratories in Europe, the United States, Thailand and the Philippines, and has proven compelling results in effectively combating deadly insects such as dengue-carrying mosquitoes, all while being safe for humans and animals.

Boysen VP Johnson Ongking, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Payatas C Elementary School Principal Dr. Juan Amormio D. Cabardo, and DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Natividad Bayubay

“Boysen recognizes the need to support the nationwide campaign to curb the rise in dengue infections and believes cooperation between the government and private sector is an essential strategy in addressing this health crisis,” said Boysen vice president Johnson D. Ongking at the inaugural school-painting event at Payatas C Elementary School in Barangay Payatas.

Barangay Payatas is identified as one of those with the highest reported number of dengue cases in Quezon City. Boysen supplied 100 gallons of anti-insect paint applied by volunteers from the local government as well as teachers, students, and other members of the local community.

“Our participation in this important activity is part of our corporate social responsibility efforts and commitment to the welfare and well-being of the communities where we operate, Quezon City being one of them,” added Ongking.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte leads the ceremonial painting of Payatas C Elementary School with the revolutionary Boysen Bug Off anti-insect paint

The Quezon City government is slated to paint 21 more public schools within their jurisdiction in the following months.

“Our products such as Boysen Bug Off also illustrate our steadfast commitment to Filipinos for 66 years now to continuously innovate and offer the best solutions for the home and the environment,” concluded Ongking.

European Higher Education Fair 2019 calls on Filipino students to a Journey to Excellence

October 9, 2019 | 12:37 pm

For Filipinos, a chance to study abroad and obtain a world-class higher education remains a dream. But with the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines and the EU Member States’ Embassies, this goal can now become a reality.

On 26 October, the European Higher Education Fair 2019 (EHEF) will take place at the Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City from 11 am to 6 pm.

EHEF will feature more than 30 universities and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and Spain.

This year’s theme, “Study in Europe: EUr Journey to Excellence,” establishes EU’s position as an outstanding center of quality and excellence in higher education. Pursuing postgraduate studies in the EU offers many advantages and possibilities.

The EU is an excellent destination for academic and scientific research programmes, as well as being an ideal atmosphere for scholarly activities. Most EU universities offer specialized and advanced study courses in Engineering, Architecture, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, and Information Technology.

The other tangible benefits of an educational experience in the EU include learning new languages, immersing in diverse cultures, and joining an international network of students and peers.

The EU also provides scholarship schemes to foster student mobility and academic excellence such as the Erasmus+ programme, which encourages students from partner countries to take higher education courses in the EU. This year alone, 66 Filipino students have been awarded Erasmus+ scholarships that will allow them to take MA courses in various EU universities. More than 400 Filipino students have already pursued their academic dreams in several European member states and have successfully made their mark in their chosen fields.

EHEF enables students to interact directly with EU universities and HEI representatives to gain comprehensive information about their study programmes. They can also look forward to country presentations from EU member states and listen to testimonials from EU alumni and past Erasmus+ scholars.

The EHEF is organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, together with EU Member States’ Embassies and Cultural Groups, and in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED),

This year, EHEF gets bigger as it goes to Lyceum University of the Philippines (LPU)
Cavite Campus on 28 October for the fair’s second leg.

Free admission. Interested parties can pre–register online via www.ehefphilippines.com.

Global competitiveness index 2019 ranking

October 9, 2019 | 6:15 am

AFTER figuring as one of the most-improved economies last year, the Philippines fell eight notches to 64^th out of 141 economies in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2019, the Makati Business Club (MBC) said in a press release on Tuesday. Read the full story.

Philippine edge erodes in annual survey

October 9, 2019 | 6:15 am

AFTER figuring as one of the most-improved economies last year, the Philippines fell eight notches to 64^th out of 141 economies in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2019, the Makati Business Club (MBC) said in a press release on Tuesday.

The MBC is the forum’s Philippine partner for the 2019 Executive Opinion Survey conducted March 15-April 30 which is a key component of the yearly report.

The country also slid to sixth place from fifth among the nine Southeast Asian countries covered.

According to the report, each country’s score is based on 12 “pillars of competitiveness,” namely: institutions, infrastructure, ICT adoption, macroeconomic stability, health, skills, product market, labor market, financial system, market size, business dynamism and innovation capability.

The MBC said in its statement that this drop was a result of the Philippines’ overall score falling to 61.9 from 62.1 last year.

“In the global ranking, Singapore took the top spot this year, with an overall competitiveness score of 84.8, outranking last year’s top performer, the United States,” MBC said.

For American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Senior Adviser John D. Forbes, “these results show that the country’s competition never sleeps.”

“The Philippines will need to move faster to reverse the downturn and return to an upward trend,” he said. “We suggest the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) and DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) identify several key short-term strategies to improve next year’s rankings.”

INDICATORS
The country’s biggest drops this year were in the fields of ICT adoption and macroeconomic stability.

In terms of ICT adoption, the Philippines dropped 21 spots to 88^th globally from 67^th, with its score dropping to 49.7 from 54.8.

In terms of macroeconomic stability, the country’s rank fell to 55^th from 43^rd despite maintaining a score of 90. MBC noted that this pillar includes inflation rate, which has nevertheless been dropping to within the central bank’s 2-4% target from 2018’s successive multi-year highs. In terms of inflation, the Philippines placed third in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines was also the least competitive in terms of health, in which it placed 102^nd as life expectancy slipped to 65.6 years from 67.6 years in 2018.

The country’s highest rankings among the 12 pillars were in market size (31^st), labor market (39^th), financial system (43^rd), business dynamism (44^th), and product market (52^nd).

In terms of specific indicators, the country’s best rankings were in internal labour mobility (7^th), insolvency regulatory framework (9^th), diversity of workforce (9^th) and companies embracing disruptive ideas (10^th).

“We would like to stress the need to foster investments in human capital and matching the benefits of innovation with talent development and a well-functioning labor market,” MBC Chairman Edgar O. Chua said in the statement.

“Innovation in education is key. We should use technology in classrooms and in training grounds. Furthermore, upskilling of workers will help us meet the changing demands of industries.”

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said that the country’s competitiveness can improve with better information and communications technology infrastructure.

“This ranking is comparative, so countries that are better in terms of communications technological advancement would rank higher,” he said by phone.

“We need to adopt the latest advancements in communication technology. DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) needs to exert more effort in improving our infrastructure in communications technology and software.”

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) President Nabil Francis recommended policies to improve the Philippine ranking.

“While the Philippines has made great strides, its regional peers have improved by leaps and bounds in terms of creating a more conducive business environment. Moving forward, it is crucial to put in place sound economic policies that will further boost the investor confidence of European businesses,” Mr. Francis said when sought for comment.

“The ECCP believes that reforms such as the amendments to the Public Services Act and the Open Access Bill are crucial to improve the ICT landscape. Lastly, the chamber remains committed to working closely with the government to create a level playing field, foster competition and further improve the investment and business climate here in the Philippines.”

The proposed Open Access in Data Transmission act now awaiting legislative approval aims to improve data transmission services through the sharing of infrastructure among service providers, while the Public Services Act amendment aims to open the telecommunications and transport sectors to foreign investors. — with Beatrice M. Laforga

Meralco bills rising after 5 straight months of decline

October 9, 2019 | 12:32 am

AFTER five straight months of power rate cuts, average households using 200 kilowatt-hours (kWH) will see their total electricity bill this month to increase by around P9 after Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announced a rise in the overall energy generation charge.

In a statement on Tuesday, the distribution utility said the electricity rate in October will be higher by P0.0448 per kWh to P9.0862/kWh from P9.0414/kWh the preceding month.

Those using 300 kWh, 400 kWh and 500 kWh can expect their bills to go up by P13.44, P17.92 and P22.40, respectively.

“Even with the slight increase this month, following five straight months of decrease, there has been a total downward adjustment of electricity rates amounting to almost P1.47 per kWh since April 2019,” the company said.

Meralco said the generation charge for October moved up by P0.0215/kWh to P4.5406/kWh from P4.5191/kWh because of the smaller net settlement surplus (NSS) refund during the month.

NSS is the remaining surplus or deficit after all market transactions have been accounted for. This accounts for price differences occurring between the power generator and customer locations or nodes because of losses and congestion. It is distributed to trading participants that are entitled to receive a share of the surplus or deficit in accordance with an Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)-approved methodology.

For October, a smaller NSS refund was recorded by the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), hence, the increase from the preceding month. In September, the power rate reduction was in part because of the NSS refund of around P684 million, bigger than the P381 million refund in October.

WESM charges also decreased by P0.5290/kWh after the power supply situation in the Luzon grid improved, with fewer power plants reporting outages. These charges also included the second installment of the NSS refund, as directed by the ERC in an Aug. 1 order.

Meanwhile, the transmission charge for households slightly increased by P0.0249/kWh as a result of higher ancillary service charges.

Taxes and other charges decreased by P0.0016/kWh.

Meralco said its distribution, supply and metering charges had been unchanged for 51 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015. It reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, including the generation and transmission charges.

Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge goes to the system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. Taxes and other public policy charges like the feed-in tariff allowance rate are remitted to the government.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Victor V. Saulon