UCPB launches PESONet fund transfer service
UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK (UCPB) has launched the Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet) service on its mobile application, allowing clients to transfer funds electronically.
In a statement on Tuesday, the state-owned UCPB said it launched the PESONet service via UCPB Connect, its mobile banking application.
Through PESONet, customers can now send money electronically to over 40 PESONet receiving banks, electronic money issuers and other financial firms.
PESONet collates transfer instructions and processes them in batches, with funds transferred available by the end of the banking day.
The service collects a fee charged to the sender, with the receiver credited with the transferred amount in full.
PESONet is the first automated clearing house (ACH) under the National Retail Payment System (NRPS) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The central bank hopes to shift cash-heavy transactions to digital avenues — which, in turn, should help broaden access to financial services and spur increased economic activity.
In the statement, UCPB Vice-President and Head of Marketing Charina D. Balanquit said the state-owned lender is “one with BSP in its goal to improve the country’s e-payment systems.”
“We commend the BSP for driving and enabling inter-connectivity among participants in the payment ecosystem, and of course, [the Philippine Clearing House Corp.] and our fellow participating banks for making all of these happen,” Ms. Balanquit was quoted as saying in the statement.
Aside from PESONet, UCPB said InstaPay will soon be made available to clients.
InstaPay is another ACH which processes transfers worth P50,000 or less, with the money credited immediately to receivers.
Earlier this month, the central bank, through Memorandum No. M-2018-026, ordered all banks and other institutions it regulates to have electronic banking and interbank transfers in place by Nov. 30.
These services should be offered via InstaPay and PESONet, which the BSP rolled out earlier this year.
UCPB posted a net profit of P2 billion in the first half of the year, little changed from a year earlier after operating income growth was tempered by higher provisioning for loan losses. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal
House hopes to pass budget bill before October recess
THE House of Representatives is committed to have the 2019 budget bill approved on third reading before Congress adjourns on Oct. 12, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said.
“We wanted to pass the budget bill before we go off on recess so we can pass it to the Senate and they can finish it in time for signing before the end of the year,” the Speaker told reporters in a chance interview.
The chamber has been conducting continuous plenary debate on House Bill 8169, or the General Appropriations Act of 2019 since Sept. 19.
“You know I don’t find (continuous session) strange because when I was Undersecretary of Trade, we also used to stay until 2 o’clock in the morning waiting for our turn. And when I was a Senator we also used to do our budget sessions until very, very late,” she said.
She said legislators have informed her of their intent to work late Monday to Wednesday before proceeding to their respective districts for the remainder of the week.
“We used to have budget sessions Thursdays and Fridays but they don’t want to have session on Thursday and Friday because we are nearing the period of filing of candidacy. Many discussions are now going on in the districts,” Ms. Arroyo said.
“I said that’s fine with me, we will not have Thursday and Friday sessions but that means we will have to do overtime on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It seems to be working well anyway,” she added.
The House, as of Tuesday morning, had terminated interpellation on the budgets of the Departments of Finance and Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the President, among others.
The budget of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) was being tackled early Tuesday, but debate was deferred due to the absence of Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux J. Uson, who was also unable to attend the committee-level deliberations.
The chamber is set to deliberate the 2019 budgets of other government agencies, such as the Office of the Vice-President and the Departments of Tourism National Defense. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
DENR backs House legislation to prohibit open-pit mining
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources supports a proposal by Speaker Gloria M. Arroyo to ban open-pit mining, Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones said on Tuesday.
“We believe that we support that bill. In fact, the President has already spoken that he’s not supporting open-pit,” Mr. Leones told reporters in a news conference at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City.
“We welcome this development because when they pass this bill, it will be subjected to various consultations and studies before imposing the ban on open-pit mining. We hope there will be available options for the mining sector without resorting to open-pit mining,” Mr. Leones added.
Ms. Arroyo said that her proposal backs President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s call to ban open-pit mining at his last State of the Nation Address. The proposed bill will include an imposition of excise taxes on non-compliant mining companies.
“In other words, our bill will specifically, will explicitly prohibit open-pit mining as defined and give a grace period to be determined by the DENR during which they pay the tax,” Ms. Arroyo has said.
Mr. Leones noted that Mr. Duterte could have issued an executive order but instead entrusted the matter to the House of Representatives.
“While [Mr. Duterte] is very categorical that he really is not supporting open-pit [mining], he’s giving the assignment of amending the mining law to the Congress instead of issuing an executive order,” Mr. Leones said.
“Usually, concerned agencies are required to submit their comments and rest assured that the DENR-MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau) will be actively collaborating with the Congress to make sure that we will be coming up with a very good amendment,” he added.
Mr. Leones also explained the need for exploration in assessing the viability of an area for mining.
“The purpose of allowing exploration is really to determine the viability of mining activities in a certain area. We need to determine the volume of mineral deposits so that we can carefully plan mining activities,” according to Mr. Leones.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (CoMP) said that any imposition of a tax measure could greatly affect the industry.
“It will have a major impact on the industry. Many miners may close,” Rocky G. Dimaculangan, vice-president for communications of CoMP, told reporters in an interview.
“We will continue our consultations with the government on all proposed legislation pertaining to large-scale mining,” according to Mr. Dimaculangan.
He also noted that the Philippines has significant mineral resources, which should not be neglected.
“We are rich in resources… No other country in the world with mineral wealth has chosen to turn its back on the opportunity to make life better for their country by responsibly extracting and mining their resources,” Mr. Dimaculangan said.
Mr. Dimaculangan added that even before a mining company can operate, it has to implement environmental programs in compliance with the laws of the country. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio
Palace certifies as urgent Senate’s anti-‘endo’ bill
MALACAÑANG has asked that Senate Bill 1826 or the Security of Tenure (SoT) Bill be certified as urgent, following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s commitment to abolish “endo,” an employment practice that denies workers a path to permanent status.
In a palace document dated Sept. 21, Mr. Duterte asked Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to “certify the necessity of the immediate enactment” of the SOT Bill.
Malacañang added that the bill needs to pass to “strengthen workers’ security of tenure by prohibiting the prevalent practice of contractualization and labor-only contracting which continue to immerse our workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment.”
Mr. Sotto said in an interview with reporters that the chamber will push for the bill’s passage before Congress adjourns on Oct. 12.
“We’ll do our best to pass it by Oct. 11,” he said.
Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, who chairs the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, added: “We certainly need a law that will not only uphold our workers’ basic labor rights and restore dignity of work, but also a law that will promote quality employment without jeopardizing business operations but rather create more stable jobs for every Filipino.”
The Senator, who is also the author and principal sponsor of the bill, added that the SoT bill will address the interests of both the labor and business sectors.
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello expressed the hope that the law will pass and be implemented promptly.
At a briefing on Tuesday, Mr. Bello said he has a personal timetable of October passage for the bill allowing it to be signed into law by December.
Labor Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod said in a chance interview on Tuesday that the move to certify the bill is “(a step forward).”
Nagkaisa Labor Coalition (NAGKAISA) Chairperson Jose Sonny G. Matula said the process of certification brings the sector closer to the goal of ending contractualization.
“It’s closer than it has ever been but we still have some work to do,” Mr. Matula, who is also the President of the Federation of Free Workers, said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added, “After more than two years, the Duterte administration has finally made a big step towards the fulfillment of a campaign promise.”
Associated Labor Unions — Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) National Executive Vice-President Gerard R. Seno said in a press release, “The moment the SOT bill is enacted into law, there is now a chance for contractual workers to be included in the country’s growing economic growth.”
For his part, Employers Confederation of the Philippines Acting President Sergio R. Luis-Ortiz, Jr. stressed that the passage of this bill could effectively reduce the labor force, adding that employers will be deterred from hiring workers especially for high-demand periods like Christmas.
He added that eliminating contractualization will also put off current and potential foreign investments from the country.
“Many foreign investors are turned off (by the measure),” he said in a phone interview with BusinessWorld on Tuesday.
“You cannot (remove contractualization); we’ll be the only one in the world to do that,” he added, noting that the contracting of services not directly affecting the company’s business is a common global business practice. — Gillian M. Cortez
IPOPHL to offer fast track for patent applicants
THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it will soon offer a fast-track lane for trademark applicants to comply with the Ease of Doing Business law’s mandatory timeline.
In a statement, IPOPHL said its Joint Examination Track procedure will allow a trademark to be granted “much quicker” than the typical eight-month period over the past five years.
Director-General Josephine R. Santiago said the fast-track procedure will require the formation of a group of senior examiners who “will immediately decide on a mark’s registrability on absolute grounds.”
“If it’s allowed by the JET examiners, the trademark application will be published for 30 days to accommodate any opposition. If there is no opposition, it will be deemed registered on the 31st day,” Ms. Santiago was quoted as saying.
Currently, the process for the application of a trademark begins with acquiring a filing date, which follows the submission of requirements and payment to IPOPHL.
The application then undergoes a substantive examination to determine registrability in accordance with the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293.
The IPOPHL has said it has engaged in consultations with the Department of Trade and Industry draw up a provision in the EoDB law’s implementing rules and regulations to accommodate the patent registration process.
Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business law was signed in May and ordered three, seven and 20 days of turnaround for simple, complex, and highly-technical transactions, respectively.
The law was intended to fast-track frontline transactions such as business registrations and permit applications, though several agencies have noted that some of their transactions require longer processing times.
“We will comply with the Ease of Doing Business law, insofar as applicable without sacrificing quality outcomes. And the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines and our obligations under international agreements and treaties are there to ensure this,” Ms. Santiago said.
“IP practitioners have always been our staunch partners. We need to strengthen these partnerships in a time when Filipinos should be using the IP system to be globally competitive in their products and services,” she added. — Janina C. Lim
Senate bill proposes development authority for Philippine Rise
THE Philippine Rise off the Pacific coast of northern Luzon could serve as a source of energy exports once the appropriate technology develops to tap its reserves, according to Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who proposed legislation to create an agency regulating the area’s development.
Mr. Gatchalian, who sponsored Senate Bill 2024 which proposes to create the Philippine Rise Development Authority (PRDA), said in his sponsorship speech: “As the technology to exploit gas hydrates for commercial energy purposes develops over the next decade or two, the Philippines could eventually become an energy exporting powerhouse to rival even the most powerful oil-producing nations.”
Mr. Gatchalian said the seabed of the Philippine Rise, also known as the Benham Rise, holds a “potentially massive treasure trove of rare and precious resources,” including methane gas hydrates.
“Methane gas hydrates, composed of natural gas encased in ice and usually found deep under the ocean in the seabed, are highly touted for their potential as the so-called ‘fuel of tomorrow’,” he said.
The areas being offered under the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP) for exploration by the Department of Energy (DoE) do not include the Philippine Rise.
PCECP allows the government to develop and utilize indigenous petroleum resources under a service contract with qualified domestic and international exploration companies.
The DoE has identified 14 “pre-determined” areas under PCECP: one area in the Cagayan Basin, three in eastern Palawan, three in Sulu, two in Agusan-Davao, one in Cotabato, and four in western Luzon.
In a previous interview, DoE Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos said prospective contractors may nominate areas other than the 14 identified by the agency.
In his speech, Mr. Gatchalian said the country’s claim to the undersea area has basis after 11 years of scientific research and international legal advocacy.
He said the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the claim of the Philippines in 2012 and recognized its sovereign rights over 13 million hectares of the Philippine Rise region as part of the Philippine extended continental shelf.
He said with 11.4 million hectares of the rise already falling within the country’s exclusive economic zone, the recognition brought the entire 24.4 million hectares of the rise under Philippine jurisdiction.
“For context, the land area of the entire island of Luzon is just under 10.5 million hectares,” he said.
He said the bill takes a “responsible, proactive, and forward-looking approach” to developing the natural resources of the Philippine Rise by establishing the needed institutional mechanisms. The measure will facilitate “a coordinated and integrated approach to optimizing the full potential of the rise, while conserving its ecology and resources for the benefit of future generations, he added.
He said the PRDA will be a one-stop shop for all concerns involving the area.
“The 15-member Board of the PRDA will be chaired by the President of the Philippines and will include representatives from pertinent cabinet departments and technical agencies,” he said.
A provision of the bill provides that no “proposals, plans, programs, projects or activities involving the Philippine Rise Region including, but not limited to, marine science research, exploration, and exploitation, whether conducted by Filipino and foreign nationals, shall be carried out… without the clearance of the [PRDA].”
He said since the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of National Defense, and the National Security Council are represented on PRDA’s board, “we can be sure that the well-publicized past instances of unauthorized research in the area will not be repeated.” — Victor V. Saulon
Bukidnon vegetable supply line may be made permanent
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to make its emergency shipments of low-cost vegetables from Bukidnon to Metro Manila more permanent but needs to work out the logistics bottlenecks, Undersecretary Jose Gabriel M. La Viña said.
In an interview with the BusinessWorld on Monday, Mr. La Viña said, “We’re hoping to make it permanent… Bukidnon has 30,000 hectares available (for) highland vegetables. It can also produce strawberries. It’s only a question of bringing the produce to the market.”
The DA operated a TienDA Malasakit temporary market on Friday and Saturday at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) compound in San Andres, Manila, in which farmers directly sold low-cost produce from Bukidnon, including carrots at P95 per kilo, cabbage at P70 per kilo, chili peppers or sili at P80 per kilo, refined sugar at P49 per kilo, and cardava banana or saba at P17 per kilo.
The market sold P2 million worth of vegetables, according to Mr. La Viña, who noted that the vegetables were still sold at below prevailing market prices despite the cost of transportation. Metro Manila’s traditional vegetable growing areas are in Northern and Central Luzon.
“The long-term [solution] there is really to arrange for cheaper transport… DA is planning to buy two boats,” according to Mr. La Viña.
“Do we do it ourselves or do we negotiate with shipping companies? Produce that is not immediately perishable can go by land but perishables should be airlifted,” Mr. La Viña added.
“The problem is moving around. The food is not in the right place. The demand is here, the food is here, and we have [more than] 7,100 islands. It’s a logistical problem,” according to Mr. La Viña.
A grassroots technology development non-government organization (NGO), Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT), said it welcomes the tapping of Bukidnon produce as an alternative to imports.
SIBAT Deputy Director Shen R. Maglinte said tapping alternatives to imports minimizes the drain on dollar reserves.
“Our traditional producing areas (Benguet, Ilocos region) were hit directly by typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut). It’s just a matter of whether the volume provided by Bukidnon will be enough for the additional market or whether Bukidnon’s traditional markets are deprived of supply,” Mr. Maglinte said in a mobile message.
“If it’s the strategy to reduce imports, well and good… Despite calamities, our local producers can be kept afloat despite storm damages… second, we can avoid deficits at least in this case in the balance of our trade as we would not be spending our dollar reserves to buy the imports,” Mr. Maglinte added.
Agricultural damage caused by Ompong, which crossed Northern Luzon and hit parts of Central Luzon, has been estimated at P26.77 billion.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) said that it has allocated P1.65 billion in potential payouts to farmers affected by Ompong.
“We have allocated sufficient funds to help farmers recover their investment after Ompong damaged their farms. It’s important that we give timely assistance so farmers can replant quickly and bounce back from their losses more easily and that we will have a stable food supply,” PCIC President Jovy C. Bernabe said in a statement.
Incoming typhoon Paeng, however, is expected to be experienced in Northern Luzon this Friday, according to weather bureau PAGASA which may also raise tropical cyclone warning signals by Thursday.
Meanwhile, Mr. La Viña also called for proper irrigation and the organizing of farmers into cooperatives, as well as lessening the number of vegetable traders, in order for farmers to earn more profit.
“The more traders you have, the less income of farmers…Without irrigation, without organizing the farmers, without contiguous lands, we cannot mechanize. Yung drying, milling, dapat sa farmer na iyon [but] you cannot do it without a coop. If you have that, you’ll earn more money,” Mr. La Viña said.
Mr. Maglinte, however, said that not all cooperatives in the country become successful, and it should also be assured that farm mechanization should not displace farm workers.
“Not all coops in the Philippines, majority are beset by mismanagement. There are two shades of mechanization, one is cost benefit, and the downside is displacement of labor and the farm working sector. Cooperative management of facilities and equipments is still one tract to pursue and its success would depend on the reliability of management,” Mr. Maglinte said.
“In our case we would want a balance, that while you mechanize and achieve efficiency in production, farm workers (sector that has no land but is involved in production as planters, harvesters) should not be displaced and their traditional scope of work substituted with other farm-base income generating means,” he added. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio
Trillanes posts bail after Makati court orders arrest
SENATOR Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Tuesday afternoon posted a P200,000-bail before the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 after his arrest at the Senate.
Mr. Trillanes’s rebellion charge was effectively reinstated after President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Aug. 31 invalidated the former mutineer’s 2011 amnesty in connection with the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, 2006 Marine Standoff, and 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege, after allegedly failing to file an application showing his admission of guilt.
“Natalo po ang demokrasya sa araw na ito (Democracy died today),” the Senator told the media yesterday shortly after news broke out that the trial court hearing his rebellion case approved the Justice department’s request of a warrant of arrest and hold-departure order against the senator.
Mr. Trillanes added: “Pinakita na namin lahat ng ebidensya kontra sa kanilang mga kadahilanan. Pero nilabas pa rin itong warant of arrest na ito.” (We showed all the evidence against their [basis to invalidate my amnesty]. But still they issued this warrant of arrest.”
“Binigyan ako ng amnesty, pitong taon na ang nakalipas. Ito ay maliwanag na pang-iipit ni Duterte sa mga kritiko niya sa politika,” he also said. (I was granted amnesty, in effect for seven years. This clearly shows Duterte’s harassment of his political critics.)
Trillanes is the second senator critical of Duterte’s drug war to be detained. Leila de Lima has been behind bars since February 2017 on charges she says were concocted to silence her.
Ms. De Lima was detained over her alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prison illegal drugs trade when she was still justice secretary in the previous administration. Her supporters, including not a few in the international community, say she is being persecuted for being critical of Mr. Duterte’s drug war.
Ousted Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, also a critic of Mr. Duterte, was unseated from the Supreme Court in June for failing to fully declare the required financial statements when she applied for the post.
Mr. Trillanes returned to the Senate later that day after posting bail.
In his order, Makati RTC Branch 150 Judge Elmo M. Alameda set initial presentation of prosecution evidence on Nov. 21, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Mr. Alameda said the Court is “morally convinced of the sufficiency and legality” of Proclamation No. 572, voiding Mr. Trillanes’s amnesty, as the Aug. 30, 2018 Certification signed by Lt. Col. Thea Joan N. Andrade confirms the claim that the Senator did not file his application form.
“As can readily be gleaned from the answers given by the counsel of Sen. Trillanes it has now become glaringly clear that Sen. Trillanes failed to substantiate his claim that he filed his application for amnesty,” the order read.
The order also read: “Since Sen. Trillanes cannot produce the copy of the official application form for amnesty which he purportedly filed with the DND Amnesty Committee containing the admission of guilt expressly made, it can be safely stated here that Sen. Trillanes failed to comply with the minimum requirement of expressly admitting his guilt for the offenses committed during the Oakwood Mutiny and the Manila Peninsula incident,” it read.
In 2011, Branch 150 dismissed Mr. Trillanes’s rebellion case in connection with his involvement in the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege, after then President Benigno S.C. Aquino III granted amnesty for him and other mutineers.
Mr.Trillanes also has a pending case at the Makati RTC Branch 148 over his coup d’etat case for his involvement in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.
Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said in a statement: “The issuance of warrant to arrest Senator Trillanes based on Proclamation No. 572 is an assault to the whole Philippine justice system. Humantong na tayo sa punto na mismong mga korte natin ay nagiging kasangkapan na ng administrasyong Duterte upang gipitin ang mga kalaban sa pulitika (We have reached the point where our courts are used as an instrument by the Duterte administration to corner his political enemies).”
Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. for his part said: “The court has spoken. As the President has said, we will respect the decision of the judiciary.” He added: “Whatever Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has to say can be addressed to the court. Let us stop the drama by press con and allow the legal process to take its course.”
In its statement, advocacy group Human Rights Watch said in part: “The arrest today of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is part of the persecution of critics of the Duterte administration, the latest in the relentless campaign to silence those who dared to challenge the president’s murderous ‘drug war.’”
The group also said, “Senator Trillanes has proven to be the biggest thorn in the side of President Duterte.” — reports by Elijah Joseph C Tubayan, Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Arjay L. Balinbin, and AFP
ANZ cuts 2018 PHL GDP growth forecast to 6.5%, citing inflation
ANZ Research once more scaled down its growth forecast for the Philippines, citing the volatile global environment coupled with rapid domestic inflation.
The bank cut its 2018 growth estimate to 6.5% in its fourth quarter report published yesterday. This is lower than the 6.6% forecast announced in August, which was earlier scaled down from a 6.8% estimate issued earlier.
“[A] combination of domestic and external developments is weighing on the region’s growth prospects. This slowdown is also coming at a time of solid growth in the US, a divergence that will impact capital flows into the region,” ANZ said in the report.
“Growth in the Philippines should also be impacted albeit more moderately.”
Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 6% in the three months to June as household spending cooled. This brought first-half growth to 6.3%, well off the pace from the government’s 7-8% 2018 target range.
Across the region, growth may lag expectations in the context of a widening trade war between the United States and China, as well as country-specific factors like surging commodity prices.
“Inflation in the Philippines reflects a combination of the impact of tax reforms, above-potential growth and higher rice prices,” the bank said.
Prices of widely-used goods rose by 6.4% in August, a nine-year high and well above the 2-4% target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on the back of food supply issues as well as rising global oil prices.
Economic managers have drafted an executive order that aims to speed up the distribution of rice, vegetables, meat and fish to the public to temper rising costs, while the central bank is readying another tightening move on Thursday to rein in inflation expectations.
The BSP has raised benchmark interest rates by 100 basis points (bp) since May. A BusinessWorld poll last week showed that economists expect a 50bp rate hike this week, amid threats that the impact of typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) would further drive up prices of produce.
“In the Philippines, a sustained uptick in CPI (consumer price index) inflation underlines market concerns that the central bank is running further behind the curve and supports the argument for another 75bp rate hike this year,” ANZ said.
The bank sees Philippine inflation averaging 5.1% this year, up from the 2.9% average in 2017 and beyond the 4.8% average for the first eight months.
In response, ANZ expects additional tightening moves from the BSP between September and December to bring benchmark yields to the 4.25-5.25% range.
By 2019, price increases will ease back to within the target range and average 4%. ANZ then sees the BSP keeping rates steady until mid-2020, according to its latest forecasts. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez
Duterte’s approval, trust ratings fall in Pulse Asia’s September poll
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s trust and approval ratings fell considerably in a September poll by Pulse Asia released on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo and her allies in the opposition Liberal Party (LP) presented an initial roster of senatorial candidates for next year’s midterm elections. Ms. Robredo also expressed confidence in the LP’s election chances, amid the party’s poor showing in the last three senatorial polls so far conducted by Pulse Asia.
DUTERTE’S DECLINE
“The overall approval and trust ratings of President Rodrigo R. Duterte declined between June and September 2018,” the polling group said in its latest Ulat ng Bayan survey on the country’s top officials and their institutions. Mr. Duterte’s approval rating dropped 13 points to 75% (from 88% last June) and his trust rating dropped 15 points to 72% (from 87% last June).
The survey identified several “national and international developments” around the time it was conducted Sept. 1 to 7. Topping the list of those issues is Proclamation No. 572 voiding the 2011 amnesty for opposition Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, and economic developments including the 6.4% inflation last August completed that list.
For her part, Ms. Robredo had a one-point dip in her approval rating of 61% in September, while her trust rating was unchanged from June at 56%.
In their initial ratings in this year’s Pulse Asia polls, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto II registered a 73% approval and 66% trust; Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio, 42% approval and 33% trust; and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 19% trust.
Sought for comment in his press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said of Mr. Duterte’s ratings: “Well, I believe that’s still a very good approval rating, certainly higher than mine. But anyway, and — certainly still the highest of all the officials surveyed by Pulse Asia.”
In a statement, Ms. Arroyo’s office said in part: “After years of attacks and political persecution, the public (trust) rating of former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is on an upswing with the level of distrust diminishing.”
‘While Speaker Arroyo has always been dispassionate about surveys, she takes them as a snap chat of people’s sentiment. When she was president, she would not let surveys define her work.”
“As Speaker, however, she remains focused and committed to what needs to done at the House of Representatives to carry out the legislative agenda of President Duterte.”
Also sought for comment, Ms. Robredo said of her latest poll figures: “Iyong (The) margin of error, if I’m not mistaken, is ±2.5? So halos static siya (So it’s almost static).”
She added: “Iyong sa atin naman, mas tinitignan natin kung ano ba iyong mga issue surrounding (We’re looking at the issues surrounding [the survey]). Hindi naman tayo kandidato, so hindi naman… iba iyong tinitignan natin ngayon (I’m not a candidate,…so I’m looking at things differently).”
LP’S ELECTION CHANCES
Asked about the LP’s chances, on the other hand, in next year’s midterm elections, Ms. Robredo said, “Maaga pa para pag-usapan ang chances namin. Kasi in the middle of the campaign season, nag-i-iba ang ihip ng hangin.” (It’s too early to tell our chances. Because in the middle of the campaign season, the wind changes.)
“Hindi ako natatakot sa mga numerong ‘yun,” Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said for his part, when asked in a press conference on Tuesday about the LP being practically missing in Pulse Asia’s recent senatorial polls. (I’m not afraid of those numbers.)
“Ibig lang sabihin, kailangan pa tayong magtrabaho,” he also said. (It only means we should work harder.)
The LP held its press conference partly to present its senatorial bets, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno, former House deputy speaker Lorenzo R. Tanada, and reelectionist Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV.
Ms. Robredo said the LP will come up with a full roster by October, before the deadline of the filing of candidacies beginning Oct. 11.
Sought for comment about the LP’s election chances, University of Santo Tomas political-science professor Marlon M. Villarin said via text: “I think the LP, despite their loudness on matters affecting the Duterte administration, remained conservative with their senatorial slate, considering the latest surveys do not favor their ideal team and this is a clear leadership crisis for the LP.”
University of the Philippines political-science assistant professor Perlita M. Frago-Marasigan also said via text when sought for comment: “LP is banking on name-recall but these candidates have yet to create their individual mark in politics and must build a ‘niche market’ if they want to succeed.”
In his response to the Pulse Asia survey, Mr. Sotto said in part: I think the survey reflects the opinion of the people on the Senate. We’re hardworking, we’re efficient, we’re doing our work.” — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras, Arjay L. Balinbin, and Charmaine A. Tadalan
US CEO sentiment dips on trade angst
NEW YORK — Although CEOs for large US companies remain broadly confident on the economy, sentiment took another hit in the third quarter over concerns about US trade confrontations, according to a survey released Monday.
The survey, released a few hours after new US tariffs on Chinese goods took effect, showed a drop in expected hiring and investment, despite a modest increase in the outlook for sales over the next six months.
The CEO economic outlook index, which includes expectations for sales, capital spending and hiring, fell to 109.3 from 111.1 in the second quarter, according to the Business Roundtable, which represents Apple, IBM, General Motors and other US giants.
The findings come on the heels of a Federal Reserve report earlier this month noting that trade concerns had “prompted businesses to scale back or postpone capital investment.”
A special question in the new Business Roundtable survey found 63 % of CEOs said recent tariffs and uncertainty about trade would negatively affect capital investment decisions in the next six months.
Still, all three benchmarks remain high by historic levels.
“I think the negative effects are being masked by the overwhelmingly positive effects of the tax and regulatory policies,” Business Roundtable chief executive Joshua Bolten told reporters.
“Almost none of our companies see it as a positive,” Bolten said of the tariffs.
President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday imposed tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese imports, meaning half of everything the US buys from China is now subject to additional duties. — AFP