Nation at a Glance — (05/31/19)
News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.
Argentina’s first steps to independence
In the lower part of South America, Argentina celebrates its National Day every 25th of May. More known as the May Revolution Day, or “Dia de la Revolución de Mayo”, this public holiday commemorates an important moment in the history of the Argentine Republic — when the country kicked off its long transition from a Spanish colony to an independent state.
From their arrival in the 1500s, the Spanish took hold of the area that is now known as Argentina under the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1543, and eventually the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata in 1776. Aside from Argentina, the viceroyalty also included Uruguay, Boliva, and part of Brazil. Buenos Aires served as its capital.
In a discussion on the May Revolution found in premier educational site ThoughtCo.com, Christopher Minster, a professor in Ecuador specializing in Latin American literature and history, recognized that the region became a much-valued territory by the Spanish at that time. These lands “had been steadily growing in importance for the Spanish crown, mostly because of revenues from the lucrative ranching and leather industry in the Argentine pampas.” The colony’s wealth “had made it a target for British expansion.”
Since the British eyed the region, they launched an attack on Buenos Aires in 1806. The attack caused then Spanish viceroy Rafael de Sobremonte to flee the city, leaving the British — under Admiral Sir Home Popham and General William Carr Beresford — capturing Buenos Aires victoriously.
It was at this time that an independence movement began to rise in Argentina.
The following year, an Argentine militia force led by French captain Santiago de Liniers halted the British occupation of the viceroyalty by repelling a renewed attack by the British under General John Whitelocke. Liniers soon became Rio de la Plata’s interim viceroy.
Then came 1808, when Spain was invaded by the forces of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Charles IV, then King of Spain, “was forced to abdicate in favor of his son Ferdinand VII”, while Ferdinand was taken as prisoner in a luxurious confinement in central France for seven years. Napoleon, on the other hand, appointed his brother Joseph to rule Spain.
“Spain desperately tried to keep news of this disaster from reaching its colonies,” Mr. Minster continued. However, the rumors of a French invasion “had been circulating for some time, and several prominent citizens were calling for an independent council to run Buenos Aires while things got sorted out in Spain.”
Soon, the rumors were confirmed, causing an uproar in Buenos Aires days after. This unfolding of events ushered in the week-long May Revolution.
Spanish Viceroy’s Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros tried to keep the status quo, “but on May 18, a group of citizens came to him demanding a town council. Cisneros tried to stall, but the city leaders would not be denied.”
Cisneros held the meeting on May 22. Two days after, a provisional ruling junta was created, with viceroy Cisneros, lawyer Juan José Castelli, and commander Cornelio Saavedra holding office.
Yet, the next day, May 25, “the citizens of Buenos Aires did not want former Viceroy Cisneros to continue in any capacity in the new government.” Therefore, a new junta was formed, the Primera Junta, Argentina’s first independent government led by Commander Saavedra as president.
While the May Revolution initiated Argentina’s move to being an independent state, independence was not fully met until a congress in Tucumán proclaimed the independence of the United Provinces of the Río de La Plata on July 9, 1816. At present, July 9 is observed as Argentina’s Independence Day.
While the National Day is observed all over Argentina, the main center of the celebrations is right in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires. At the heart of the city, hundreds of people flock to Plaza de Mayo — the large town square named after the May Revolution.
Notably, several gatherings take place, such as marches, concerts, public rallies, and meetings. Events usually start around noon until late in the evening, with speeches by government officials being one of the highlights of the celebration.
In addition, special services are held at churches, while plays are being staged at the Teatro Colón, the capital’s main opera house. And, like other celebrations, feasts of traditional Argentine cuisine fittingly complete the festivities. — Adrian Paul B. Conoza
Duterte pitches ‘corruption-free’ PHL
A DAY after the release of the 2019 World Competitiveness Report showing the Philippines partially recovering from a nine-notch fall on a list of 63 economies but still second to the last in Asia and the Pacific, President Rodrigo R. Duterte assured a gathering of Japanese businessmen in Tokyo of a “corruption-free” business environment in which he would meet “in 24 hours” with anyone who has a complaint about “hindrances, obstruction or outright corruption.”
Mr. Duterte is in Japan until May 31 partly for the Nikkei 25th International Conference on The Future of Asia.
“With our sound macroeconomic policies and reforms, we guarantee a competitive and corruption-free — and, I repeat, we guarantee a competitive and corruption-free — business climate, and a highly skilled and fast-learning workforce,” Mr. Duterte said in his speech.
“And as a matter of fact, I place my honor in what we promised to our partners, especially the Japanese and the Japanese people,” he added.
“… [M]ay I just assure you that, during my time… there will be no corruption, and every Japanese investor in my country — however small or however big — I can assure you that if there’s any complaint regarding hindrances, obstruction or outright corruption, let me know. I will give you at any hour of the day or night you can contact any of the Cabinet members or your Filipino lawyers or Filipino workers, and you can ask an audience with me in 24 hours and I will talk to you and just let me know what your problem is and we will kill that problem.”
Mr. Duterte also cited as Philippine priorities in its economic relations with Japan market access for produce like bananas, mangoes and pineapples; deployment of nurses and other health care workers; the Philippines as “a natural choice for Japanese companies looking for the manufacturing base in ASEAN, and aiming to serve the export markets of ASEAN, EU and the Americas, among others”; the Philippines as “an ideal base for high-value knowledge process outsourcing… ventures to support global operations of Japanese companies; as well as greater Japanese participation in the “Build-Build-Build” infrastructure program.
For his part, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in his speech that prior to the event “26 business agreements” were signed with “an estimated investment value of P288.804 billion or $5.511 billion” and expected to generate 82,737 jobs.
The list includes letters of intent with Tokyo Gas to build an inter-island liquefied natural gas distribution network; with Marubeni Corp. to develop infrastructure involving energy resource development, railways and water services; with Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd to “build a new facility for wiring harness and related products for export to Japan and north America”; with Toyota Motor Corp. for “additional investments for further parts localization” under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program; and between Mitsui & Company, Ltd and GT Capital Holdings, Inc. to “develop the Philippine automotive industry”; as well as a joint venture agreement between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the consortium of Meralco PowerGen Corp., Marubeni Corp., Kansai Electric Power Company, Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co. for financing, design, engineering, construction, development and operation and maintenance of electricity distribution in New Clark City, among others.
Last year saw Philippine exports to Japan drop 4.9% year-on-year to $10.322 billion while imports from that country dipped 0.9% to $10.818 billion.
Central bank data showed that foreign direct investment net inflows dropped 4.4% annually to $9.802 billion last year. Investments from Japan, which accounted for 2.2% of the total, went up by 203.5% to $218.91 million last year from $72.13 million in 2017. — with A. L. Balinbin and M. T. Amoguis
Back to square one for Public Service Act amendment
IT’S BACK to square one for the bill amending the 82-year-old Public Service Act (PSA) to lift foreign ownership limits in certain sectors as it will fail to secure final approval with two session days left for the 17th Congress to wrap up its business.
“Walang oras at hindi sinertify (There is no more time and President Rodrigo R. Duterte did not certify it as urgent for approval),” Senator Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, chairperson of the committee on public services, told reporters on Wednesday.
She was referring to Senate Bill No. 1754, or the proposed “New Public Service Law of the Philippines,” which has awaited second reading approval as the chamber prioritized passage of the increase in excise tax on cigarettes, which received such certification from Malacañang on May 28.
She said she will prioritize the PSA amendment in the 18th Congress, which opens on July 22, and that she will include “safeguards” to address concerns on the entry of foreign investors.
“Ipa-priority ko but with certain provisions that will have to be amended,” Ms. Poe said, citing the need to address concerns about the entry into utilities of businesses based in countries with which the Philippines has territorial disputes or which could prove anti-competitive for local businesses.
“Pero ako, (But) I support it, eventually, na magkaroon talaga ng (that we have a new) Public Services Act kasi (because the existing one is) outdated na rin ‘yan; we just have to put safeguards in.”
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said in an interview with DzMM on Wednesday that the proposed PSA amendment is among measures that should be prioritized in the second half of Mr. Duterte’s term. “’Yung hindi namin mahabol ngayong hanggang next week, katulad nung Public Service Act, palagay ko ‘yun ang isa sa mga mahalaga (Bills that we will fail to approve till next week, like the Public Service Act amendment, I guess that is one of the priorities).”
The bill will amend the PSA, or Commonwealth Act No. 146, by providing a clearer definition of “public services,” which had been used interchangeably with “public utility.” In effect, it will narrow down public utilities to sectors engaged in the transmission and distribution of electricity, and waterworks and sewerage pipeline distribution system.
If enacted, the measure will lift foreign equity restrictions particularly on telecommunication and transportation service providers. The 1987 Constitution allows operation of public utilities that are at least 60% Filipino-owned.
HOPE FOR TOBACCO EXCISE TAX HIKE
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday concluded the period of interpellation on SB 2233, which proposed to increase excise tax on cigarettes P45-60 per pack by 2023, and by 5% every year thereafter.
The chamber will resume plenary discussions on the bill on Monday for second- and third-reading approval.
Bills certified by Malacañang as “urgent” allows the Senate to approve the measure on second and third reading on the same day.
Its counterpart measure, HB 8677, proposed a P37.50-45 per pack increase by 2022, and by four percent annually thereafter. It bagged final-reading approval in the House of Representatives in December last year.
Cigarettes are at present levied P35 pack after Republic Act No. 10963 increased it to P32.50 in January 2018 from P30 previously, and then to P35 in July. The rate is scheduled to go up to P37.50 in January 2020.
The Department of Finance estimates the Senate version to generate an estimated P15 billion in revenues in the first year of implementation, lower than the P30.1 billion targeted under its original proposal of abruptly raising “sin” tax on cigarettes to P60. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Pre-merger information exchange restricted
BUSINESSES moving towards merger or acquisition should not exchange confidential business information until their deal has been approved, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said in an April 11 guidance posted recently on its Web site.
In that guidance, PCC’s Mergers and Acquisitions Office said that “[p]rior to the commission’s approval of a transaction, it is crucial for the notifying parties to remain independent firms in the market and refrain from, among others, exchange of confidential business information.”
“A pre-merger exchange of confidential business information between notifying parties may constitute premature consummation of the transaction punishable under Section 17” of Republic Act No. 10667, or the Philippine Competition Act.
“Such pre-merger exchanges can… be regarded as an anti-competitive agreement prohibited under this Act.”
Under that law, a transaction that meets the thresholds and does not comply with notification requirements will be considered void and parties concerned subject to an administrative fine of 1-5% of the value of the deal.
PCC prescribed six measures “to prevent inappropriate dissemination of confidential business information, to ensure that competition is protected during the review process and to safeguard competition in case the merger or acquisition does not take place, is delayed or modified…”
The commission said it “strongly discouraged” notifying parties from consulting or employing the same counsel regarding a transaction, including preparation of notification forms and any other submissions to the PCC.
Authorized representatives and contact persons designated by a notifying party in its notification form must be different and independent from those designated by the other notifying party, it added.
In addition, information necessary for due diligence must be “narrowly tailored and reasonably” related to a specific due diligence or pre-merger integration planning issue.
In cases where confidential business information must be exchanged for due diligence and pre-merger integration planning, parties should employ third-party consultants that limit dissemination and use of such information within the parties’ businesses. “The group of individuals who will assemble, review, and analyze sensitive and other confidential data under certain protocols and prior to regulatory approval or consummation of the deal should not include any personnel responsible for competitive planning, pricing, or strategy,” the guidance added.
Those who will be given access to confidential business information must be properly identified and strictly monitored.
If the counsel discovers sharing of confidential business information not in accordance with these guidelines during the waiting period, such counsel should instruct the parties to stop the information exchange immediately and inform the PCC on how the information was used, and the extent of information exchanged.
As of May 27, the PCC had received 184 merger transactions by local and international companies cumulatively worth P2.86 trillion, approved 171 of them and blocked one deemed anti-competitive. — Janina C. Lim
Rockwell Land eyes P10-B sales from new residential projects
By Arra B. Francia, Senior Reporter
ROCKWELL Land Corp. will be launching residential projects that could generate over P10 billion in sales for the year, including its first horizontal development in Laguna.
The Lopez-led property developer announced on Wednesday that it is set to launch Rockwell South at Carmelray in Canlubang, Laguna in the fourth quarter of the year. The 63-hectare project is a joint venture with the Yulo family’s Carmelray Property Holdings, Inc. and San Ramon Holdings, Inc.
“We will initially offer over 250 lots ranging from 650 to 1,000 square meters each, carrying the signature vision of Rockwell and featuring generous open spaces and amenities residents can indulge in,” Rockwell Land President and Chief Executive Officer Nestor J. Padilla said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting in Makati yesterday.
A square meter is priced at about P30,000 to P40,000, with the entire project seen to deliver net revenues of P3.9 billion.
Rockwell South at Carmelray will be developed in four phases. For the first phase, there are 252 lots for sale, while house-and-lots will be offered for the second phase to be launched in 2020. The company plans to offer townhouses in 2021 for the third phase, and mid-rise condominiums for the fourth phase in 2024.
“We’ve always wanted to have a variety of products for Rockwell Land. We’ve been doing vertical for the past 20 or so years. Speaking to our clients, it’s a product they’ve been wanting us to get into so we found this would be a perfect opportunity,” Rockwell Land Senior Vice-President Valerie Jane Lopez-Soliven said in a briefing after the stockholders’ meeting.
The company will also unveil an eight-tower, mid-rise residential complex in Bacolod which is expected to generate P8 billion in total sales. The 10.9-hectare project will also house retail and activity areas.
Only two towers will be launched in September. This is seen to generate about P2 billion in revenues. Units are sized from 36-100 sq.m., priced at P110,000-120,000 per sq.m.
Rockwell Land is also set to launch Benitez Suites in Quezon City by November, with sales expected to hit P2.8 billion.
Another project to be unveiled in the third quarter is the second tower of East Bay Residences by Rockwell Primaries in Sucat, Muntinlupa, after the company has already sold 86% of the project’s first tower. This is expected to post another P2.7 billion in sales.
“After several launches in the second half of 2019, we are optimistic about more geographic growth in the years after that will allow us to create new Rockwell communities in new markets, including one in Central Luzon,” Mr. Padilla said.
With several projects in the pipeline, Rockwell Land sees P16 billion in reservation sales this year, seven percent higher than 2018’s P15 billion.
Rockwell Land has committed to spend P12-14 billion in capital expenditures this year to support its project development. About 15% of the project will be for expanding its land bank.
Shares in Rockwell Land firmed up 1.48% or three centavos to close at P2.06 apiece on Wednesday.
URC on track for 7-9% sales growth this year
UNIVERSAL Robina Corp. (URC) is tracking a high single-digit topline growth for 2019, as the company banks on the recovery of its coffee business alongside the expansion of its other food and agro-industrial businesses.
The Gokongwei-led food and beverage company said on Tuesday it is looking at a 7-9% increase in sales this year, as its instant coffee business shows “very strong growth momentum.”
URC President and Chief Executive Officer Irwin C. Lee said the company launched three new instant coffee products last January to address gaps in the market, following an assessment of why the segment underperformed in previous years.
“We launched (Great Taste) White Caramel and White Crema to satisfy needs of people discovering different taste profiles…. Early results are working, we are beginning to gain back market share,” Mr. Lee told reporters after the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Pasig City yesterday.
Mr. Lee said market share for the coffee business dropped to about 20% last year, but has now started to improve to the mid-20s level.
While the coffee business is leading growth for URC this year, Mr. Lee noted that other food items such as chips, bakery products, chocolates, and noodles are also delivering solid performances.
URC’s brands include Jack N’ Jill, Nissin Cup Noodles, C2, Blend 45, Great Taste, Vitasoy, and Calbee, among others.
Mr. Lee also said the company targets to hold profit margins for the year, which could mean healthy bottom-line growth as well.
“Bottom line is looking good. Our commitment is to hold margins, and by holding margins that means whatever is the topline growth, that will also be the bottom-line growth. But the first quarter has shown that we can do better than that…But I also want to reinvest in the business. If we are making good profits, we will make sure of that,” Mr. Lee explained.
URC earlier said it has allotted P9.1 billion in capital expenditures to expand its business this year. Bulk of the budget will be used for capacity expansion.
So far, the company has already started the P1-billion expansion of its Davao flour mill to 900 tons from the current 300 tons. It is also expanding its sugar mill in Negros Occidental to 14,000 tons from 9,000 tons.
Mr. Lee said URC is also building additional lines for its consumer goods business, after running out of capacity for certain branded snacks such as Piattos and Nova.
URC’s net income attributable to the parent grew three percent to P3.04 billion in the first quarter of 2019, following a seven percent increase in net sales to P33.3 billion.
Shares in URC jumped 2.58% or P4 to close at P159 each at the stock exchange on Wednesday. — Arra B. Francia
Himala: Isang Musikal dominates the 11th Gawad Buhay Awards
THE Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical’s Himala: Isang Musikal dominated the evening, winning eight awards at the 11th Gawad Buhay Awards held on May 28 at Makati’s Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1.
Himala, a restaging of the original Himala which premiered in 2003, bagged the awards for Outstanding Musical Existing Material for a Musical; Outstanding Stage Director for a Musical (Ed Lacson, Jr.); Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Aicelle Santos); Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Bituin Escalante); Best Ensemble Performance for a Musical; Outstanding Lighting Design (Barbie Tan-Tiongco); Outstanding Costume Design (Carlo Pagunaling); and Outstanding Set Design (Ed Lacson, Jr.).
Himala: Isang Musikal is a musical adaptation of the 1982 film starring Nora Aunor and written by Ricky Lee. Set in the small town of Cupang, a girl named Elsa sees visions of the Virgin Mary and becomes known as a faith healer. The poor and sick suddenly arrive in town and seek to be healed by her.
The other big winner was 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live’s Eto na! Musikal nAPO!, an original musical using the songs of the Apo Hiking Society which took home five awards — Outstanding Musical Original Translation or Adaptation; Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Jobim Javier); Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Jon Abella); Outstanding Original Book (Robbie Guevara); and Outstanding Sound Design (Rards Corpus).
Best Play went to PETA’s ’night Mother.
Ballerina, teacher, and choreographer Felicitas “Tita” Radaic (represented by her daughter Sofia Radaic) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ Head of the National Drama Committee of the Philippine Lutgardo “Gardy” Labad were conferred with the Natatanging Gawad Buhay Lifetime Achievement Award.
Performances during the award show included medleys from Ang Huling El Bimbo, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! and Himala, Isang Musikal by their respective original cast members.
The evening concluded with a special song number on the “future of Philippine theater” by children of theater practitioners from Ateneo Blue Repertory, students of Trumpets Playshop and the Don Bosco Tulay Performing Arts Group, and scholars of Philippine Opera Company.
There were no nominations, thus no winners in the following categories: Male Featured Performance in a Play, Outstanding Original Script, and Outstanding Original Musical Composition.
The awarding ceremony, themed “Generations,” was hosted by Carlo Orosa and Kakai Bautista. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
And the winners are…
FOLLOWING is the full list of winners of the 11th Gawad Buhay Awards given on May 28 at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati.
• Outstanding Musical Original Translation or Adaptation — Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! (9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live)
• Outstanding Musical Existing Material for a Musical — Himala: Isang Musikal (The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical)
• Outstanding Play Original Translation and Adaptation — ‘night, Mother (Philippine Educational Theater Association)
• Outstanding Play Existing Material — A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Red Turnip Theater)
• Outstanding Stage Director for a Play — Cris Villonco, A Doll’ s House, Part 2
• Outstanding Stage Director for a Musical — Ed Lacson, Jr., Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Featured Female Performance in a Play — Sheila Francisco, A Doll’s House, Part 2
• Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play — Manila Notes (Tanghalang Pilipino)
• Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play — Sherry Lara, ‘night, Mother
• Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Play — Carlito Siguion-Reyna, A Doll’ House, Part 2
• Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Musical — Aicelle Santos, Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Musical — Jobim Javier, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!
• Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Musical — Bituin Escalante, Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Musical — Jon Abella, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!
• Best Ensemble Performance for a Musical — Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Translation or Adaptation — Ian Lomongo — ‘night, Mother (Philippine Educational Theater Association)
• Outstanding Original Book — Robbie Guevara, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!
• Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical — Dexter Santos, Ang Huling El Bimbo (Full House Theater Company)
• Outstanding Musical Direction — Myke Salomon, Ang Huling El Bimbo
• Outstanding Sound Design — Rards Corpus, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO
• Outstanding Lighting Design — Barbie Tan-Tiongco, Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Costume Design — Carlo Pagunaling, Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Set Design — Ed Lacson, Jr., Himala: Isang Musikal
Pilmico takes full control of Gold Coin
THE agribusiness arm of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) now fully owns Singapore-based Gold Coin Management Holdings, Inc., after purchasing the remaining 25% in the firm for $120 million.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday, AEV said its wholly owned unit Pilmico International Pte. Ltd. will now have 100% ownership interest in Gold Coin following the execution of a separation and settlement agreement with the latter.
This comes less than a year after the company initially acquired the 75% stake in Gold Coin for $334 million. The acquisition cost was based on Gold Coin’s total enterprise value of $550 million. Pilmico will pay a one-time lump sum at the closing of the deal.
Pilmico said the transaction will expand the Aboitiz Group’s animal feeds business within the Asia-Pacific region, since Gold Coin is one of Asia’s largest privately-owned agribusiness corporations. It operates 20 livestock and aqua feed mills across 11 countries in Asia.
AEV earlier said that it will spend $200 million in the next two to three years to expand and upgrade Gold Coin’s facilities. This will be financed by a combination of loans and internally generated funds.
The company has been expanding its overseas footprint since 2014, when it acquired a 70% stake in Vinh Hoan Feeds (VHF) — one of Vietnam’s major aquafeeds producers. It then raised its stake in VHF to 85% in 2017.
Pilmico also acquired a 70% stake in animal feeds manufacturer Europe Nutrition Joint Stock Co. in 2017.
AEV reported a consolidated net income of P3.5 billion in the first quarter of 2019, 27% lower year on year as it was weighed down by non-recurring losses. This came amid a 28% increase in gross revenues to P47.4 billion in the same period.
Shares in AEV jumped 1.2% or 65 centavos to close at P54.80 each at the stock exchange on Wednesday. — Arra B. Francia
ACCA pushes improvements to country’s cloud-first policy
By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter
THE Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA) released on Monday a white paper that proposes fine-tuning of the Philippines’ cloud-first policy, as it said it sees potential in the country to advance the movement of the public sector to the cloud.
The study entitled “From Vision to Procurement: Principles for Adopting Cloud Computing in the Public Sector” identified several points of improvement on Department Circular No. 2017-002 of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), or the cloud-first policy of the Philippines.
“We think the cloud-first policy is a good policy. (But) I think the world has moved on since 2017. Therefore, what I’m noticing is there may be some space for refreshing of some of the thinking behind it,” ACCA Executive Director Lim May-Ann said in a media briefing on the white paper in Makati City on Monday.
The report noted one of the challenges in encouraging the public sector to move to the cloud is the doubt on its data security. ACCA Chair for Public Sector Special Interest Group Jarom Britton, who presented the paper, debunked this belief, noting that a cloud-based system is more secure than relying on data servers.
“If you’re developing a cloud-first policy, first recommendation is expressly recognize the generally greater security offered by cloud-based systems over on-premise systems. There is this perception that cloud is somehow less secure than what the public sector does. If that was ever true, it is certainly no longer the case. I think agencies that are coming up with these cloud-first policies need to help refute that perception,” he said.
Another concern that moving to the cloud poses for the public sector is data classification, or determining which assets are “top secret” and may not be for the cloud.
“Let’s take a look at what information you have, recognizing some of it may not be ready to go to the cloud yet. Some of it may not ever be ready to go to the cloud. But let’s talk about the information that can go to the cloud. Let’s not let that information fall victim to the small percentage of information (that cannot),” Mr. Britton said.
He noted for most government agencies, there are usually three levels of security classification of data, and 80-85% of it are classified at the lowest level and may therefore be moved to the cloud. This easily brings advantage to the government by digitizing a big chunk of its data and moving it out of traditional infrastructure servers.
The report also noted how the movement to the cloud “democratizes” information technology, as it would allow the public sector to have access to the same computing resources that are used by more developed countries.
“We always hear people talk about AI (artificial intelligence), blockchain, IoT (Internet of Things). Well you don’t have AI if you don’t have cloud. You don’t have IoT if you don’t have cloud. You don’t have e-commerce if you don’t have cloud… None of those things could happen unless cloud-computing is facilitated,” Mr. Britton said.
After the publication of the report, ACCA said it looking forward to meeting with the DICT to discuss its findings. A June 27 meeting has been scheduled with the government, Ms. Lim said, which would allow the organization to raise its points to the DICT.
“We’re going to have a workshop with them on the 27th of June to concretize a lot of the implementation policy. For example, we were talking about the accreditation. We’re trying to see whether there’s space to negotiate for a more of a registration (format),” she said, referring to the existing cloud-first policy of the DICT which requires cloud service providers to be accredited by a “Philippine GovCloud.”
“Can the Philippines learn? Can we accelerate a little bit more? I think the Philippines is in a better place to do it, because I found the DICT very willing to negotiate and discuss with the private sector. And the policy is flexible enough to achieve that,” Ms. Lim added.
History on a plate
By Joseph L. Garcia, Reporter
OF ALL the facets of culture and history — think language, clothing, art — food is usually relegated to the sidelines. “It’s always going to be there,” we say to ourselves while it disappears from our tables, replaced by global selections that are easy to prepare, easy to eat, and are easily forgotten. Food does not deserve this position, for it is the fuel that forged revolutions, gave sustenance to communities, and, today, continues to build the nation.
The Diamond Hotel gives honor to Filipino heritage food via a food festival which will run from June 19 to 30, priced at P2,990 nett per person, at the hotel’s Cornice restaurant. For this food festival, they tapped chef and food heritage advocate Christopher Carangian.
Mr. Carangian is the Punong Heneral (Head General) of the Culinary Generals of the Philippines, a collective of cooks, food historians, and members of the academe who strive to preserve native cuisine by listening to elders who teach them lost dishes and techniques.
Of the dishes served during a tasting held on National Flag Day, May 28, a clear favorite by all was the Pancit langlang of Imus, Cavite. Mr. Carangian, also an in-house food historian of the GMA Network, says that he had looked long and far for this dish, described in Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. While he conjectured that the detailed recipe of the dish (containing eggs, shrimp, chicken, and then chicken stock, all over a bed of noodles) was a favorite of National Hero Jose Rizal, a letter from the author, doctor, and revolutionary to his sister confirms it to be so. Rizal, it seems, favored lightness and balance in his palate, as exemplified in this dish.
A more exotic offering was the Ciento Quinse (115), named after the 115 chilies that went into the dish of jackfruit and seafood from the Chavacano culture in Mindanao (the dish was toned down for Manila palates). Warik Warik, a dish of charred pork, comes from Northern Luzon, and for its outing in Corniche, was stripped of the pig brains that would usually go into it — liver and mayonnaise sauce was substituted in this variation. The dish, apparently, was part of a ritual to call the ancient gods.
This wasn’t Mamma’s table of homecooked loving — this was history staring at you from the plate. It could be surmised that these dishes are fast approaching oblivion simply because of the fast-paced lives we lead today (how many people take the time to char pigs to offer to the gods?), but Mr. Carangian pointed to something else. According to his studies, “Kung sino yung malapit sa Maynila, siya ’yung nawawala (The ones near Manila are usually the ones lost),” he said. By this he meant that the closer a province is to the country’s near-cosmopolitan capital, the easier it is for their traditional dishes to be lost.
As we’ve mentioned above, food is usually ignored in history, perhaps merely to be seen as novelty; a detail of minutiae as to what this person living centuries ago ate and liked. This is an important detail in itself, for in food lies both motivation for and respite from the work of making history. In some cases, food can be nobler than clothing, or even language, in identifying a culture. Mr. Carangian said in a mixture of Tagalog and English, “Food is also a language. The good thing about food is, you don’t have to talk. Just hand it over, and everyone smiles.”
Mr. Carangian is also set to recreate the Malolos Congress Dinner of 1898, used by the early Philippine government to announce its independence, sovereignty, and well, style. The dinner will be paired with fine wine, and costs P5,000 nett per person, slated for June 21. For inquiries, call 528-3000.
Chelsea inks deal with Japan firm
A JAPANESE shipping company Kumiai Senpaku Co. Ltd. will finance the construction and acquisition of a new passenger vessel for Starlite Ferries, Inc., according to the latter’s parent company Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (CLC).
The 98-meter passenger ferry is being built in Hiroshima, Japan by Kegoya Dock Co. Ltd. It is set to be delivered by April 2020.
“The vessel will be the subject of a 20-year Bareboat Charter Agreement between Kumiai’s subsidiary, Southern Pacific Holding Corporation as owner, and Starlite Ferries as Charterer. The Bareboat Charter Agreement comes with an irrevocable obligation for Starlite Ferries to purchase the vessel at the end of the 20-year Charter Period,” CLC said in a statement.
Starlite Ferries and Southern Pacific signed the agreement for the passenger ferry on May 26. At the same time, CLC signed a letter of guarantee in favor of Southern Pacific, in connection with Starlite Ferries’ obligations and undertakings under the agreement.
“Our new strategic partnership with Kumiai underscores our long standing and ongoing commitment to shipping modernization, becoming the country’s prime mover of vital goods, cargoes and people. We look to Kumiai as a leader in Japan’s shipping industry, whose excellence can bring our local shipping industry to global standards,” CLC President and CEO Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy said in a statement.
Kumiai Senpaku had previously financed the acquisition of a 67-meter passenger ferry by CLC subsidiary Trans-Asia Shipping Lines, Inc. The ferry was delivered in November 2018.
To date, CLC operates 16 tankers, 23 RoPax vessels, 11 cargo vessels and 16 tugboats through Chelsea Shipping, Starlite Ferries, Trans-Asia and Fortis Tugs.