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Art & Culture (01/09/19)

Opening show at Silverlens


SILVERLENS welcomes the new year with the show A Paradise Lost, Ryan Villamael’s 7th solo exhibition in the gallery. The exhibit will open on Jan. 12, 6-9 p.m. According to the gallery, Mr. Villamael will be premiering “a new body of work that builds upon his ongoing dialogue with the contentious subject of Philippine History.” The artist’s interest in Philippine history “began when he came across some early maps where the idea of ‘The Philippines’ first started to appear, which at that period could be seen as just a random scattering of nearby islands, with various tribes… that were forced into a single, unified entity by an external power. This set forth more than three centuries of foreign rule that effectively dissolved all but a few links to our pre-colonial.” “This fraught relationship with history” led him to look deeper and “from there begin to piece together a picture that may shed light to how we, as people, ended up where we are today.” Opening concurrently with A Paradise Lost is Watchfire, a group exhibit featuring five artists who have made critical contributions to the development of contemporary ceramics in Asia: Tessy Pettyjohn, Jon Pettyjohn, and Joey de Castro of the Philippines; Shozo Michikawa of Japan; and Alvin Tan Teck Heng of Singapore. The exhibit is curated by Tropical Blaze and Boxplot. For the exhibit, the artists were invited to participate in an anagama wood firing at the studio of fellow ceramic artist Pablo Capati III. Each contributed to the kiln a number of works that had been formed and biscuit fired in their individual studios. The works from this collective endeavor form the exhibition Watchfire, alongside a small number of works from the artists’ studios. A Paradise Lost and Watchfire will be on view from Jan. 12 to Feb. 9 at Silverlens, 2263 Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City.

Pianist Hiyas Hila and the PPO in concert

PIANIST Hiyas Hila

THE Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) under the baton of Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura greets the New Year with the 6th show of its current concert season, this time featuring pianist Hiyas A. Hila as soloist, on Jan. 18, 8 p.m., at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The program consists of Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg; Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op.92. Ms. Hila returns to play with the PPO after her critically acclaimed debut performance as soloist in an all-Mozart concert of the PPO conducted by Mr. Fukumura in 2017. She performs regularly as a solo, orchestral and chamber music artist and has been featured in concerts in the United States, Spain, and the Philippines. Her orchestral appearances include performances with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, and the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra. Tickets to the concert range in price from P400 to P1,500. For inquiries and reservations, call the CCP Box Office (832-3704), TicketWorld (891-9999) or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Leòn Exchange holds 10th online auction


LEÒN EXCHANGE will hold its 10th online auction on Jan. 19 and 20. The auction items can be viewed and bid on through one’s mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. Going under the virtual hammer will be household goods from the home of Anton Roxas, including sofas, chairs, ottomans, and tea tables; and some furniture and accessories from style maven and philanthropist Presy Lopez-Psinakis, including an assortment of cabinets and ceramics. There are also assorted furniture pieces from different sources including Chinese coromandels, sets of Celadon planters, a European chest of drawers, Puyat-style dining table including 14 dining chairs, a carved four-poster bed, and Empire-style double aparador, a Laguna comoda, pair of Brentwood chairs and marble-top table, a Hagabi bench, and much more. There will also be artworks by Filipino masters including Federico Aguilar Alcuaz’s Manila Bay Series (1988), Cesar Buenaventura’s Vendors (1980), Romeo Tabuena’s Barrio Scene, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz’s Portrait of a Lady, Juvenal Sanso’s Landscape, and three “Untitled” Mauro “Malang” Santos paintings from the early 1980s. Contemporary works include Jigger Cruz’s “Untitled” work in oil and dated 2009, Emmanuel Garibay’s “Untitled” work, Marcel Antonio’s Girl with Doll, and Joan Miro’s Picasso y el Reventos. To join the auction go to www.leonexchange.com and register as a buyer. Previews for the lots begin on Jan. 14, at Leon Gallery in Warehouse 14 La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City.

Top 20 administrative and support service firms

Top 20 Administrative and support service firms

How PSEi member stocks performed — January 8, 2019

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

 
Philippine Stock Exchange’s most active stocks by value turnover — January 8, 2019.

How do countries’ largest groups of poor differ from each other?

How do countries’ largest groups of poor differ from each other?

Senate sets end-Jan. deadline for budget approval

THE Senate will seek to ratify the P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019 within two weeks after resuming session next week after Malacañang called on Congress to pass the measure “at the soonest possible time.”
In a mobile phone message to reporters on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said a meeting among the senators will determine the timetable for the national budget’s third-reading approval in the Senate.
“We have a meeting with all the members of the Senate to discuss the approval of the budget. It is only then can we ascertain the dates of its approval. But definitely we will try to finish it as ratified in two weeks,” he said.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto said the target is to pass the budget by the end of January.
“We concur with Malacañang’s call. Except the House transmitted the GAB to us one month late. The Senate is doing it best considering the predicament they painted us in,” he said in a mobile phone message
Presidential spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo warned Congress on Monday that further delays in passing the national budget will affect the release of funds for the salary increases of soldiers, policemen, teachers, and civilian employees of government.
He also urged Congress to set aside “partisan considerations” and to focus its attention on the general appropriations bill (GAB), or the national budget.
Congress adjourned on Dec. 13 with the national budget still awaiting second reading approval. Senators have cited the delayed transmittal by the House of Representatives of the GAB as the reason for the delayed passage.
Failure to pass the bill before the end of 2018 resulted in a reenacted budget in 2019, which the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has warned that it may lead to delays in the government’s implementation of new public works project.
Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, one of the vice chairs of the Senate committee on finance, pointed out a reenacted budget was the better option compared to a national budget filled with the so-called “pork.”
He added the Senate was not “playing partisan politics,” but rather it was closely examining the national budget to get rid of “unreasonable appropriations.”
“A pork-laden budget is far worse than a delayed or re-enacted one. Scrutinizing the national budget to get rid of excessive, unconscionable, unreasonable and irregular appropriations is not playing partisan politics,” he said.
“The national budget is the lifeblood of the country. Therefore, we must see to it that we do our role in making sure it serves its purpose and not just stuff the pockets of some insatiably greedy politicians,” he added.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the salary increase of government workers should not be used as a “bargaining chip” to put pressure on Congress to rush the approval of the 2019 national budget.
He added that the salary increase could still go ahead despite a reenacted budget since the resolution signed by then President Benigno S. Aquino III specifically stated that the salary increase should be implemented in four tranches up to 2019.
“Given the controversies surrounding the proposed 2019 budget, it behooves us in the Senate to really dig deeper and scrutinize each and every item in the budget,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Congress is set to resume session next week on Jan. 14, Monday. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

Palace approves urgent certification for P60 tobacco tax

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte approved a proposal of the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Finance (DoF) to impose a P60 tax per pack of tobacco and P40 per liter of alcohol.
“The recommendation of the Department of Finance and [the Department of Health] is that this bill should be certified as urgent,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a briefing, referring to Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao’s Senate Bill No. 1599 that proposes to increase the cigarette tax to P60 per pack.
On alcohol, Mr. Panelo said the DoH and the DoF proposed to raise the tax to P40 per liter.
In a statement, Mr. Panelo said: “This is a key public health measure to reduce deaths and disabilities due to tobacco and alcohol consumption and, at the same time, a revenue measure to fund the universal health care program.”
The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law increased the excise tax on tobacco to P32.50 from P30 in January last year.
Senate Bill No. 1599, which Mr. Pacquiao filed in October 2017, is still pending with the Committee on Ways and Means.
Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, chair of the Senate committee on health, filed a similar bill that sets the tax rate for cigarettes at P90 per pack.
The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading in December proposed measures increasing the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products.
House Bill No. 8677 proposes to increase the excise tax on cigarettes by P2.50 annually until it reaches P45 per pack in 2022, and by 4% annually thereafter.
The bill states that the excise tax on cigarettes will be raised to P37.50 from P35 in July 2019; P40 in July 2022; P42.50 in July 2021; and P45 in July 2022.
On alcohol products, House Bill No. 8618 proposes to raise the excise tax on distilled spirits to 22% from 20% ad valorem tax on the net retail price (NRP) per proof and a specific tax rate of P30 per liter from P23.40 in 2019, which will then be increased by P5 every year until it reaches P45 in 2022. Beginning 2023, the tax rate will increase by 7% annually. — Arjay L. Balinbin

SEIPI confident of hitting 2018 export growth target

THE Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) said it is confident it will hit its 2018 growth target for electronics shipments.
“I believe we’ll hit our forecast,” SEIPI President Danilo C. Lachica said in a mobile message on Monday.
Latest data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) show that electronic exports in the 10 months to October period grew 5.20% year-on-year, which is below the 6% growth target.
The 2018 target was considered conservative after shipments grew 11% in 2017 to $32.7 billion.
SEIPI had expressed concern last year over the trade tensions then between the United States and China — two major destinations for the country’s electronics shipments.
To push exports, the group last year partnered with Angers French Tech, a community of French start-ups, to take advantage of opportunities in France, which is touted as a fast-growing export destination.
The partnership, sealed under a memorandum of understanding, will also result in the establishment of a French Pavilion in the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Convention and Exhibition this year.
The group also rolled out last year its Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS) and road map which identified the top products and technologies that the industry will focus on in the next five years to attain its goals.
PATHS’ implementation is expected to boost industry investment to $1.5 billion in 2020, $3 billion in 2025 and $5 billion in 2030, as well as increase export sales to $40 billion in 2025 and $50 billion in 2030.
Official PSA export statistics are due for release in February. — Janina C. Lim

15 new barangays entitled to share of IRA

FIFTEEN NEW BARANGAYS are now eligible to receive a share of national government revenue, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
“The Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) shares of Local Government Units (LGUS) for FY 2019 have been adjusted following the creation of 15 new barangays through various laws,” the DBM said in a statement on Tuesday.
Some 43,618 LGUs nationwide will share in P575.52 billion worth of IRAs this year. Each LGU’s share is determined by its population and land area, as well as the principle of “equal sharing.”
Seven of the 15 new barangays are in Navotas City, and three are in Ilocos Norte.
In 2017 three laws were enacted, to divide barangays into independent LGUs: Barangay North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS) Proper, Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran, and Barangay NBBS Dagat-Dagatan. Another law also splits another barangay in Navotas to barangay Tanza 1 and 2, and another creating barangay Tangos North, and Barangay Tangos South.
In the same year, barangay Dumalneg in Ilocos Norte was divided into barangay Cabaritan, barangay Kalaw, and barangay Quibel.
A 2018 law also created new barangays in Misamis Oriental: barangay Poblacion 2 and Poblacion 3 in the municipality of Villanueva.
Three separate laws also created new barangays in Ifugao province, Mountain Province, and Lanao del Sur: barangay Liwon in the municipality of Asipulo, barangay Pudo in the municipality of Natonin, and barangay Upper Pugaan in the municipality of Ditsaan-Ramain, respectively.
IRAs are automatically appropriated every year, and most LGUs — especially those outside Metro Manila — rely largely on these funds to finance their projects as they struggle to finance their operations through real property tax and business tax.
IRAs are equivalent to 40% of national taxes collected three years prior to the planned fiscal year, as mandated by Republic Act No, 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991.
LGUs are required to prioritize the use of IRAs for “basic services and facilities,” particularly those devolved by the Health, Social Welfare and Development, Agriculture, and Environment departments, as well as other agencies of the national government.
They are also mandated to appropriate in their annual budgets no less than 20% of their IRAs for “development projects,”
On top of the IRAs, some LGUs also receive special shares in proceeds of national taxes mandated by various laws, such as the share in tobacco excise tax revenue for tobacco-growing regions. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

DA tells chicken growers to raise farmgate prices to avoid losses

AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said poultry growers should increase farmgate prices of chicken by P10 weekly from the current P38 per kilo to prevent them from exiting the industry.
“I left them with the appeal that once and for all, they should agree among themselves to protect themselves. Prices at farmgate have fallen to P38 in some areas and the farmers are losing. So my suggestion a while ago is that they should agree to increase the farmgate price by at least P10 every week until such time that it hits a level where they are not losing money. If we do not address this problem, some of the small players might leave the business and in a few months, we might have a shortage of chicken,” Mr. Piñol told reporters on the sidelines of a livestock and poultry stakeholders’ meeting with government officials on Tuesday.
Mr. Piñol said that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will review the volume of imported chicken as it might exceed the absorptive capacity of the market.
Mr. Piñol said the volume of imported chicken increased by 50 million kilograms (kg) from a year earlier and 16 million kg remains in cold storage as of today. Eighteen million kg of domestic chicken is also in cold storage, according to Mr. Piñol.
“The strategy of big players is to dress their chicken and keep it in cold storage at times when prices are low, but now cold storage facilities are full, there is no place to put product. They keep bringing in chicken, and prices have fallen,” Mr. Piñol said.
Mr. Piñol said that according to stakeholders, banks have been lenient in lending money for poultry raisers without considering the supply in the market.
“There is an oversupply of chicken, stakeholders admit it. One of the things they cited is easy access to bank financing, and everybody now would like to go to into the poultry business because the banks have money and they aren’t actually checking out the supply situation,” Mr. Piñol said.
Mr. Piñol added that he is hoping negotiations with Singapore to start importing Philippine chicken, vegetables, and pork will help curb oversupply.
Mr. Piñol said an increase in farmgate price will not trigger an increase in the market price of chicken as the DA, with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) setting a suggested retail price (SRP) of P50 above the farmgate price.
“We are not expecting the retail price to go up because there is an SRP. In fact, and retail price now is violates the agreed SRP where the computation was farmgate price plus P50. What that means is that if farmgate is P38 now, retail should be P88, which no one is following,” Mr. Piñol said.
The DTI is set to conduct wet market rounds to monitor prices, Mr. Piñol said. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Customs on the lookout for Africa Swine Fever in pork

THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) will be on the lookout for pork products potentially contaminated with African swine fever (ASF).
In a statement on Tuesday, the BoC said that it has alerted the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on the possible entry of contaminated pork products after receiving reports of their entry into South Korea and Japan late last year.
“To safeguard against the epidemic, Bureau of Animal Industry Officials and Port of NAIA District Collector Mimel M. Talusan initiated more briefings and information dissemination to Customs NAIA frontliners of Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to strengthen their vigilance against the African Swine Fever,” the statement read.
“Customs NAIA will continuously coordinate with regulating agencies to secure the borders against entry and exit of prohibited, regulated goods to protect the swine industry,” it added.
An inter-agency meeting between BoC-NAIA and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) was held on Jan. 7 to brief line officials on the possible entry of pork affected by the African Swine Fever Virus.
Countries that have reported cases of ASF include: China, Belgium, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine.
In September and October 2018, cases of pork products contamination began surfacing in Southeast Asia after cases of contamination were recorded in South Korea and Japan in dumplings and sausage products.
According to the BAI, the Philippines has 40 million live hogs with a potential value of P2 billion.
The BoC said that only safe meat products accompanied by import permits or Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Import Clearances will be qualified for release from Customs. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Usman crop damage exceeds P1 billion mark

AGRICULTURAL damage caused by tropical depression Usman exceeded a billion pesos, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday.
According to the latest update from the DA Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DA) unit, agricultural damage now amounts to P1.18 billion, affecting 25,240 metric tons (MT) worth of crops over 62,231 hectares, with damage being felt by 56,108 farmers and fisherfolk.
Damage to rice fields was valued at P1.06 billion affecting 21,738 MT worth of crops, over 55,945 hectares and affecting 48,630 farmers in Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Capiz, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar.
Corn damage amounted to P27.59 million, with lost production at 286 MT over 5,737 hectares affecting 4,576 farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon.
Damage to high-value crops amounted to P56.99 million, affecting production of 3,216 MT, over 649 hectares of and 2,556 farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar.
Damage to livestock was estimated at P16.78 million, affecting 256 farmers in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar.
Damage to fisheries was estimated at P15.37 million, affecting 90 fishermen in Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon.
Damage to agricultural facilities was P500,000 in small-scale irrigation projects in Camarines Sur and Sorsogon. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Palace calls Andaya bluff on 2019 gov’t salary hike

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday dismissed House Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya, Jr.’s threat to seek Supreme Court intervention if the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) fails to implement a scheduled salary increase for government employees by Jan. 15.
In a briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said: “Let me read to you the text of Secretary [Benjamin E.] Diokno: ‘It’s elementary. The salary level authorized in the 2018 budget covers the third tranche of SSL (Salary Standardization Law) ‘only.’ The fourth tranche is provided for in the 2019 President’s budget.’ So, since the 2019 budget [has] yet to be approved and we are operating under a reenacted budget — 2018 — necessarily logically there is no legal basis for giving the fourth tranche. It’s just, common sense.”
“Secretary Diokno is saying, go ahead and sue. It’s a free country,” he added.
Mr. Panelo also said the Executive Branch is unperturbed by Mr. Andaya’s threat. “In fact, he is being dared to file it. Do your worst and we will do our best.”
On the alleged “insertions” in the 2019 budget, Mr. Panelo said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has cleared Mr. Diokno.
“Oh, yes, because it’s very clear. ‘What insertions,’ he said, adding that government agencies have good information on which projects require funding.
“There is no such animal as insertion; there are only amendments. When the measure reaches the House, they can only amend. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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