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Supreme Court TRO sought vs Boracay closure

BORACAY workers and residents have filed a constitutional challenge to the closure of the resort island, saying in a Supreme Court complaint that the government’s six-month shutdown violates their rights.
The complaint, filed on their behalf by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) on Wednesday, also questioned the validity of the closure, claiming that President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued the closure order verbally, with no documentation of the executive order released to the public.
The NUPL said in a statement that it also sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the closure.
“Any order he issues, whether verbal of written, that curtails or limits the enjoyment of fundamental rights can never be valid and must be struck down by the court if it finds no statutory or constitutional basis,” it said in the 29-page Petition for Prohibition and Mandamus, adding that the President and several government agencies implemented the closure even though “no executive order by President Duterte for the closure… has been released.”
Mr. Duterte ordered the closure of the island on April 4 to allow for the correction of alleged violations of environmental law.
According to the petition, “the 1987 Constitution does not grant the President the power to close Boracay island to tourists and non-residents” and that “President Duterte’s orders to close Boracay island, and the enforcement thereof, are in violation of the principle of separation of powers.”
It added closing Boracay to tourists and non-residents would be “a violation of their right to travel” and “the right to due process of persons earning a living on Boracay island by depriving them of their livelihood and source of income.”
“The closure is too oppressive to all persons living and working in Boracay,” lawyer and NUPL spokersperson Angelo Karlo Guillen said in a statement.
“The Duterte administration can casually say that it will close Boracay for six months, but that sudden move also means thousands of families will be deprived of income and go hungry. The measure does not take into account their plight. The closure of Boracay must be fair to all,” he added.
The NUPL requested that the petitioners not be identified. It said, however, that the complainants include a sandcastle maker, a driver, and a resident.
Presidential spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said in response to the Supreme Court filing: “While the President respects the Court, we see absolutely no merit for any private party to restrain the closure of Boracay to tourists given that SC itself has previously ruled that Boracay is owned primarily by the state. We see no reason how private persons can allege and prove irreparable injuries, a prerequisite for TRO, given that their stay in the island is by mere tolerance of the State.”
He added: “In any case, the closure is because of the inherent police power of the state to protect the environment in Boracay. Unless a TRO is issued, the planned closure of Boracay to tourists, shall proceed.” — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

DA to help farmers, fisherfolk tap low-cost loans

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to move away from a subsidy system as more easy-access financing becomes available, with the department planning to help farmers and fisherfolk tap low-cost loan facilities.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the organizational requirements for implementing the scheme include provincial loan facilitation teams to assist borrowers.
“We don’t want to experience a situation were there are enough funds but it’s hard for the farmers and the fisherfolk to access them because they were not assisted,” he added.
“This time around, we will train them on financial literacy, we will assist them in their loan documents and I want to set things up so that the farmer will just head to the [provincial facilitation office] and sign the document.”
The initial projects being lined up for loan financing include 20 ice plants for fishing cooperatives.
Mr. Piñol said a potential supplier has estimated that each ice plant would cost P4 million, and the proposed arrangement involves the DA “identifying the cooperatives for them. So the fishermen’s cooperatives will apply for a loan from us to fund the building of their facilities and equipment,” he added.
Spoilage due to lack of cold storage facilities is estimated by the DA to affect up to 40% of the catch landed by fishing communities.
Among the facilities available for tapping are the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund loan program which charges 2% interest.
The Land Bank of the Philippines, which controls the fund, has P4 billion available to lend to farmers and fisherfolk.
The program can lend up to P1 million per individual and P5 million for associations and cooperatives. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

GOCC commission backs separation of PAGCOR casinos from regulator

THE GOVERNANCE Commission on government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) or GCG has recommended to the President taking casino operations away from industry regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).
The commission said in a statement on Wednesday that the recommendation emerged after a review of 12 state-run firms identified to have competitive neutrality issues.
“The Governance Commission has reviewed the mandates of 12 GOCCs in relation to competitive neutrality issues, as part of its commitment to the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022. Among the 12 is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) which the GCG has recommended to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for separation of commercial and regulatory functions due to its conflicting proprietary activities and regulatory functions,” the GCG said in a statement.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said in October that a sub-group will be created under the Privatization Management Office to draft a privatization plan for PAGCOR’s casinos.
He has said that he plans to put the casinos up for auction this year.
“The Governance Commission will be working closely with the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Department Trade and Industry (DTI) to review the mandates of GOCCs, and recommend and initiate privatization or transfer of regulatory functions to the appropriate government agency,” it added.
The GOCC said that there should be a “level playing field” between state-run firms and their counterparts in the private sector.
The commission oversees 123 operating GOCCs.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia has also noted conflicts in the regulatory and commercial functions of the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
Republic Act No. 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, authorizes the GCG to recommend to the President “dispositive action,” when competitive neutrality conflicts arise. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Renewables could take up to 60% share with carbon tax, subsidies

By Krista Angela M. Montealegre
National Correspondent
RENEWABLE SOURCES can supply a majority of the country’s power requirements by 2040 if the government can implement alternative energy development strategies, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The institute, which assessed the feasibility of various policy scenarios, found that the imposition of carbon taxes and subsidies for renewable power will boost the share of renewable energy to as much as 60% by 2040.
The diversification of the energy mix will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50% at a long-term cost that “is not higher than maintaining current high levels of dependency on fossil fuels,” the institute said.
“The Philippines’ current energy supply mix must be diversified to minimize import dependency on fossil fuels and meet the country’s energy needs,” Md. Alam Hossain Mondal, a researcher at IFPRI and lead author of the study, was quoted in a statement as saying.
“Without diversification, fossil fuel dependency will grow sharply, by an average rate of 7% per year, and CO2 emissions could mount from 43 million tons in 2014 to 144 million tons by 2040,” he added.
Imposing a $10 tax per ton of carbon emitted by 2020 and an additional $10 each decade can bring down power generated by coal-based energy from 2,243 terawatt hours (TWh) under the current trajectory to 1,553 TWh by 2040.
In another scenario, the government could provide subsidies ranging from three to six centavos per kilowatt-hour that will add over 1,000 TWh to the renewable power sector during 2014-2040, which may produce a 35% drop in coal-based power usage.
The carbon tax and renewables subsidy scenarios would lead to a decrease in the share of energy generated by coal-based power plants from about 32% in 2014 to 20% and 17% by 2040, respectively.
Developing energy generation based on new, renewable sources would entail some costs, but researchers noted that those costs are outweighed by the benefits of diversification and reduced greenhouse gases.
The carbon-tax model would lead to “marginal” increases in electricity prices and subsidizing renewables would require an investment of $15.6 billion.
A diversified energy supply can help bolster capacity and ease many of the developmental challenges posed by energy instability, which include high prices, under-investment in generation, reduced self-sufficiency, and expected high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Each of the alternative policy options we examined has implications for energy costs, energy requirements, and the environment,” Mr. Mondal said.
“All these considerations must be weighed carefully to create a plan for investing in the Philippine power sector for long-term sustainability.”

Indonesia to promote Mindanao economic ties with trade exposition in October

DAVAO CITY — Indonesian officials said they hope to expand trade links with Mindanao by inviting businesses to participate in this year’s 33rd Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) in Tangerang, Indonesia on Oct. 24 to 28.
TEI focuses on business-to-business (B2B) matching and tourism and investment promotion.
“We are expecting more wholesalers and business owners so that the business (ties) will last… We can also arrange site visits,” Indonesian Consul General Berlian Napitupulu said in a media briefing.
Last year, TEI had around 26,000 visitors, including a “few businessmen” from Manila, Davao, and Zamboanga. The top five products in terms of transaction value were coal, coffee, essential oils, food and beverages, and palm oil, while the biggest export partners were Laos, India, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Italy.
“This year, we are hoping that we can bring in more (from the Mindanao) business sector,” Mr. Napitupulu said noting that the overall TEI 2018 target is 28,000 visitors from 125 countries and $1.5 billion worth of transactions.
DAVAO-BITUNG RORO
Meanwhile, the Indonesian diplomat said consolidators from Davao and Indonesia are needed to resume the Davao-Bitung roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) shipping service.
“We need consolidators because the potential is here and there but not consolidated. We need a consolidator from both sides, Mindanao and Indonesia. The vessel will not work if there is not enough load,” he said.
The RoRo cargo service, launched on April 30, 2017 by President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, initially covered the Davao-General Santos-Bitung route with a 500 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessel operated by Philippine firm Asian Marine Transport Corp.
However, with minimal cargo load demand, the vessel was replaced by an Indonesian-flagged boat, the Gloria 28, with a capacity of 256 TEUs. The Gloria 28 made only one voyage last year.
“Basically the problem is the load. This is just the beginning so volume is still low,” Mr. Napitupulu said.
He noted that potential remains high with various products that could be shipped, such as cement and pre-fabricated concrete from Indonesia, and agricultural and consumer goods from Mindanao.
Mr. Napitupulu added that at present, the cost of shipping between Surabaya and Davao, which are more than 2,000 kilometers (km) apart, is cheaper than the 640-km Davao-Bitung route.
“I don’t know if all businesses in Mindanao know the situation… Gloria 28 is waiting and everybody is waiting. We have to save this,” he said. — Maya M. Padillo

Closing smarter — not harder

I transferred recently from PwC US to PwC Philippines in October 2017. Since then, I have gotten to know many talented and highly skilled individuals within the firm and in various sectors here in Philippines and in Southeast Asia. They have assisted me with my acclimation and taught me a lot, both personally and professionally. For this, I am grateful.
Last Friday, I met a group of friends for happy hour. I saw one of them looking exhausted. When I asked her why, I got a consensus response of ‘it’s month-end’! I was dumbfounded. It seems like that one statement explains it all.
Companies in the Philippines struggle during the month-end and year-end process, with employees having to work diligently to meet challenging deadlines. I did not quite understand why companies in the Philippines experience this, while companies in the US do not.
I surmise that Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in Philippines are under significant pressure to drive productivity improvements and maximize the return on organization’s resources. These organizations could benefit from reengineering the closing process — or what we call “SmartClose.”
SmartClose is a methodology created by PwC that offers a fresh approach to closing and reporting.
It involves a comprehensive top-down examination of every aspect of business reporting from strategy to IT integration and process management. Based on the results of the diagnosis, it streamlines and optimizes systems, processes, and organizational structures, thereby delivering significantly faster and more reliable business information and creating competitive advantage.
In this article, I will share with you suggested value-added lessons learned during my tenure with US and Philippine clients.
Focus on value. First, ask yourself: “Does this process add value to my organization?” Here, you can determine if your organization needs SmartClose to fix its closing problem. The strategic vision for most organizations’ accounting closing and reporting process is to reduce overall workload. Doing so allows the organizations to shift efforts towards more value-adding activities such as: decision support, process and business risk management, and value-added analysis.
Intimately know your processes. Even process owners are surprised by the tasks performed by their colleagues. Sometimes, subject matter experts in finance discover hidden details, inconsistencies, workarounds and fixes that occur every day. The most common alternative is to capture the core elements of the closing process through process mapping sessions and validation. This approach is useful when analyzing the closing process.
Place responsibility on the process. In every closing process, employees spend a considerable amount of time reworking errors, rewriting reports, and preparing reclassification and adjusting entries. Root causes need to be identified and addressed to mitigate future risks. For example, by referring to systems and processes together and giving the process the same inanimate quality, stakeholders become more open to discussing issues they encounter. This approach places responsibility on the process, not the process owner.
Mark unessential tasks. Many improvements fall into the “stop-doing-it” category. Examples include multiple layers of review, immaterial adjusting entries and analysis, producing unused reports, coding errors at the source, and last-minute processing. The SmartClose approach helps to identify which processes to eliminate and those requiring improvement. Understanding the difference will have an impact on streamlining the closing process. A faster, smarter close can be a challenge; it requires commitment from all stakeholders involved.
Aim to do it right the first time. Finance people have always been the target of a joke referring to our ability to spot and correct errors. Other people stretch the joke further by saying “It’s in our DNA.” This talent can be utilized in performing other essential tasks such as analyzing management reports and developing financial trend analysis rather than spotting errors. However, based on my experience, 30% of overtime spent during the closing process was caused by transactions being posted incorrectly at the data source. Management needs to enforce a “do it right the first time” attitude. They need to develop a formal issue escalation process and proactively manage issue resolution. It’s also advisable to measure the department’s ability to provide correct information during initial data entry and to review the historical reconciliation issues in detail to identify the root causes of the erroneous entry. Applying SmartClose will help you achieve first-rate quality in your closing process and eliminate the need to analyze them again.
Empower your employees. Some employees will quickly adopt the process and become the champions of your SmartClose initiative. They are the ones that show enthusiasm and curiosity to try something new, generate good ideas in the working sessions, and are willing to change. Empower these individuals regardless of their staff level and make sure that they continue to play a critical role during future working sessions, especially during implementation to achieve the new target operating model.
Transform knowledge. Begin your transformational campaign with training. A one-hour introduction to SmartClose prepares the team for action and creates a common language critical to successful working sessions. Use this time to introduce the standard templates and documentation tools prior to beginning the effort. Make the training interactive and lively. Create your own training style and own the closing process.
There is no quick fix to achieving a faster, smarter close. It takes commitment among all stakeholders involved. Success requires determination and attention at all levels within the company. Management needs to set the tone at the top and ensure stakeholders’ buy-in. At the top of the organization, the CEO and CFO must make smart close a priority to ensure that closing and reporting objectives are achieved.
The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Services Philippines Co. Ltd. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.
 
Patricia T. Regala is a senior manager with the Management Consulting Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Services Philippines Co. Ltd., a Philippine member firm of the PwC network.
+63 (2) 845-2728 local 3235
patricia.regala@ph.pwc.com

Australian nun ordered to leave PHL

AFP

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) has ordered Australian missionary Patricia Fox “to leave the Philippines within 30 days from receipt of this order,” the agency said in a statement Monday.
BI noted in its statement it had issued the order that day, adding that the bureau’s board of commissioners “forfeited” Ms. Fox’s missionary visa “due to her involvement in partisan political activities.”
BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente heads the three-member board, which also includes Associate Commissioners J. Tobias Javier and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri.
Mr. Morente was quoted in the statement as saying that Ms. Fox “was found to have engaged in activities that are not allowed under the terms and conditions of her visa.”
BI detained Ms. Fox last Monday on President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order, as Mr. Duterte himself subsequently acknowledged, citing her “violation of sovereignty” through her affiliation with activist groups.
A day earlier, a leader of the Party of European Socialists, Deputy Secretary-General Giacomo Filibeck, was barred in Cebu, on his way to attending an assembly by the party-list group Akbayan.
For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said: “We stand by the Bureau of Immigration’s order to forfeit Sister Patricia Fox‘s privilege of holding a missionary visa and to leave the Philippines. Investigation has been conducted and was determined that the Australian missionary violated the terms and conditions of her visa. Consequently, the same must be forfeited.”
In her statement, Ms. Fox said she was “surprised as I had thought the process was that I would have 10 days to put in a counter affidavit to answer the charges.”
She also said, “I am still hoping for a chance to explain how I see my mission as a religious sister and maybe the decision can be reconsidered.”
Her lawyer Jobert I. Pahilga said the BI order “was issued without due process of law and in violation of Commissioner Morente’s order for Sister Pat to contest the charge within ten (10) days from receipt of the supplemental report of the Intelligence Division.”
“The State through the BI has no right to cancel her visa without giving her the opportunity to contest the report of the Intelligence Division and to be heard on her defense. Sister Pat thus intends to challenge the order by filing a Motion for Reconsideration with the BI. She will also be filing her Counter-Affidavit to refute the allegations that she has engaged in partisan political activities,” Mr. Pahilga also said.
In his statement, opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said: “This deportation of a 71-year-old, ailing nun is most deplorable. The act is not a sign of strength, it is in fact a sign of weakness. Harassing human rights advocates and faith-based organizations and individuals may succeed in the short run but it will eventually fail. Gestapo-like tactics will only strengthen the people’s resolve to resist. Hitler’s 1,000 years of the Third Reich ended just after a few years.”
Mr. Pangilinan’s Liberal Party ally Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said in part,” In the 16th Congress, I filed Senate Resolution No. 260 to ensure that the freedom of expression of foreign nationals is not curtailed.”
“I will file a resolution once again to investigate possible abuses in the deportation of foreign nationals,” Mr. Aquino also said. — with Arjay L. Balinbin, D.A.M. Enerio

Senate to vote on quo warranto

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
SENATE PRESIDENT Aquilino L. Pimentel III on Wednesday said the Senate as an impeachment court would still need to vote on the validity of the quo warranto case on Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno if the Supreme Court decided to nullify her appointment.
In a forum in Manila, Mr. Pimentel said they may proceed with the impeachment trial in case the House of Representatives transmits the articles of impeachment before the quo warranto case ruled against Ms. Sereno.
“If the majority says it was a valid removal, there’s no more need to remove because impeachment is removal. If the majority says it’s invalid then from our point of view, there is someone to remove. We will proceed with the impeachment,” he said.
The SC earlier held oral arguments on the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor-General (OSG) seeking to void Ms. Sereno’s appointment as the country’s top judge due to her alleged failure to fully disclose her wealth. Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio has said the SC en banc may decide on the case by the end of May.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez has said the lower chamber may impeach Ms. Sereno a week or two after congressional sessions resume on May 15.
As the ball is still with the House of Representatives, Mr. Pimentel said the Senate would await the action of the House if the SC issued its ruling on the quo warranto case before the articles of impeachment are transmitted.
“If the Supreme Court should decide on the quo warranto case against the Chief Justice, then let us see whether the House will accept the decision of the Supreme Court, and of course the people, we will see their reaction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Sereno during a forum on Wednesday reiterated that she was ready to face the impeachment trial at the Senate, noting the reluctance of the House to transmit the articles of impeachment even after the President’s orders to hasten the case.
“If they are so sure why are they so hesitant?… I can fully prove in the Senate with both documentary and testimonial evidence,” she said.
In a related development, the OSG has denied the petition of a private citizen asking Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida to initiate a quo warranto case against Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro.
“The argument which the OSG propounded against Sereno does not apply to Justice De Castro since it was Sereno who was appointed as the Chief Justice without the qualifications back in 2012. In view of the above, your request is denied for lack of merit,” the OSG stated in its April 23 letter to Jocelyn F. Acosta as released to the media on Wednesday.
Invoking the same grounds with Ms. Sereno’ case, Ms. Acosta said Ms. De Castro also failed to submit all her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) when she applied for the chief justice position in 2012.

Nagkaisa, KMU join forces to protest ‘endo’ on May 1

LABOR COALITION Nagkaisa and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) will join forces on May 1, Labor Day, to protest the government’s failure to end contractualization.
In its unified statement issued on Wednesday, the said labor groups, often cited as being opposites in the political spectrum, rejected Malacañang’s decision to forego the signing of an executive order on contractualization.
The groups also said President Rodrigo R. Duterte was only covering up his lack of assertion to end the labor practice with his recent order to the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for an inventory of companies into labor-only contracting.
“We believe that the President has enough powers under the law to truly end contractualization — if he only wants it; if he will bravely fix the wrong system and let justice prevail; if he truly cares for workers, and not the systematic exploitation of capitalists,” the labor groups stated.
They also expressed their dismay with the administration’s failed promise on the labor practice, noting that they have responded with the government’s requests to draft their own version of the EO on contractualization. “But the President favored DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and DoLE. The President did not even ask our opinion. He himself asked us to study and draft an EO. We gave five versions of the EO. He did not even consult or talk to us,” Nagkaisa chairperson Michael Mendoza said at a press briefing in Manila on Wednesday.
“What the labor sector is pushing for the respect for the security of tenure of the workers. This means giving regularization to many contractuals…. And DoLE should focus on its orders to companies to regularize workers,” KMU chairperson Elmer Labog said in Filipino.
In their draft EO version, the labor groups pushed for direct hiring as the general norm in employment relations. It allowed the Labor Secretary to determine certain activities to be contracted out provided this was consulted with the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC).
They also said the Senate’s Security of Tenure bill would have been easily cleared if an EO from the executive branch would provide a new policy on direct hiring.
DoLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III has said Mr. Duterte would certify the Senate bill as urgent instead of signing an EO.
Asked about labor groups’ plans to file wage hike petitions, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson Alan A. Tanjusay reiterated that they were still monitoring the rising prices of goods and services in the regions before deciding to file petitions.
“We have put up our regional offices to monitor prices. Depending on the labor federations, we will file wage hike petitions even if the one-year prescribed period has not yet lapsed,” he said. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

New DENR undersecretary named

FACEBOOK.COM/POMPEELAVINA

FORMER Social Security System (SSS) commissioner Jose Gabriel M. La Viña was appointed undersecretary of the Department of Tourism (DoT), Malacañang announced on Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said last February that Mr. Duterte had not renewed his appointment of Mr. La Viña and Amado D. Valdez, respectively as commissioner and chairman of the SSS, whose terms of office expired on June 30 last year.
Mr. La Viña served as social media director in Rodrigo R. Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign. He was subsequently appointed commissioner to the SSS, but his stint, along with that of chairman Amado D. Valdez, was not renewed last year.
Sought for comment, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said Mr. La Viña’s appointment is a “presidential prerogative.”
Mr. Duterte signed Mr. La Viña’s appointment papers on Tuesday, April 24.
The President also signed the appointment papers of Benny D. Antiporda as environment undersecretary, Rosario B. Sagadal as commissioner representing the workers sector in the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), and Agnes Alexis L. De Grano also as NLRC commissioner representing the employers.
For its part, the Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines will stage a rally Thursday, Apr. 26 in front of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to support the Social Welfare Department’s budget proposal, as submitted to DBM, for the regularization of 12,000 workers. The group said this also serves as preparation for Labor Day calling for the regularization of all contractual workers. — A.L. Balinbin

‘Increasingly worrying’: PHL ranking in World Press Freedom Index drops

WITH VIOLENCE against journalists in the country described as “increasingly worrying” along with Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan, the Philippine’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index for 2018 by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) dropped to 133 from 127 in 2017.
The index covers 180 countries.
“The Philippines is one of the continent’s deadliest countries,” the RSF said in its report released on April 25, taking into account the work-related deaths of four journalist in 2017.
In addition, the local media environment had also been affected by the leadership of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his anti-drug campaign.
“There have been countless examples of Philippine government harassment of media that voice any kind of criticism of (Mr.) Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’,” the RSF said. “Here again, verbal violence and physical violence are closely linked.”
The RSF had consistently denounced Mr. Duterte, even prior to his assumption of office.
The group had previously called out Mr. Duterte when he made a comment that corrupt journalists are legitimate targets for killings.
The five countries where the freedom to inform face the biggest threats are North Korea, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China.
On the other hand, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland are among the safest places for journalist.
RSF is an independent non-government organization with consultative status with the United Nations, UN Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Council of Europe and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF).
The World Press Freedom Index is based on an online survey with 87 questions, translated to 20 languages and targeted to select media professionals, lawyers and sociologists.
The questionnaire gauges a country’s performance based on pluralism, media independence, environment and censorship, legislative framework, transparency, infrastructure and abuses. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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