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Cebu-Fujian sisterhood pact seen to boost investments, tourism ties

CEBU Province signed a sisterhood pact with China’s Fujian province last week, which is seen to boost investments and tourism cooperation. Cebu Gov. Hilario P. Davide III signed the agreement with Fujian Gov. Tang Dengjie, who was accompanied by the mayors of the cities of Nan’an, Putian, and Quanzhou. Nan’an and Putian are also set to establish friendship city ties with the cities of Mandaue and Danao, respectively. “I am confident that this friendship will propel us forward into sharing knowledge and resources to further spur economic growth in our respective provinces,” Mr. Davide is quoted in a statement. Over the previous weekend, a Cebu delegation led by Mr. Davide went to China for the 20th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), where the governor also signed a memorandum of understanding with Fujian for the joint promotion of the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road between the two provinces.

Bukidnon farms to augment vegetable supply in Metro Manila

AFTER FARMS in the northern Luzon area were devastated by typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut), farmers from four mountain towns of Bukidnon pledged to ship vegetables to Metro Manila to augment supply starting this week, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol.
The commitment, according to Mr. Piñol, was in response to President Rodrigo R. Dutere’s call for sufficient food supply in the nation’s capital, which relies heavily on vegetables coming from the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Autonomous Region.
“Local officials and farmers of the towns of Impasugong, Talakag, Sumilao and Lantapan (IMTASULA) committed to ship starting next week tons of fresh vegetables for Metro Manila to fill up for the expected shortage of the commodity from the Cordilleras because of the typhoon,” Mr. Piñol said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
“An initial shipment of one 20-foot refrigerated van will arrive in Manila on Thursday containing carrots, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage,” he added.
The IMTASULA vegetable production area could ship as much as six containers with 20 tons of vegetables each week.
Mr. Piñol also said that four regional areas of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Mindanao are ready to airlift food supplies to northern Luzon provinces damaged by the typhoon.
“I issued instructions to the DA Regional Directors of Regions IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao) and XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) to consolidate basic food items… Zamboanga Peninsula has been tasked to supply fish and sardines, Northern Mindanao, vegetables while Davao and (SOCCSKSARGEN) fruits, especially bananas,” Mr. Piñol said.
“The DA will also coordinate with poultry producers in Luzon areas not affected by the typhoon to supply dressed chicken. Hog raisers will also be placed on alert to supply meat to the typhoon-affected areas should there be a need for it,” he added.
Actual figures of the damage has yet to be released by the DA, but a P7-billion cost was projected earlier in a worst-case scenario affecting 893,000 hectares of rice farms alone, and P3.3-billion for a moderate projection.
Corn damages in a worst-case scenario may amount to P6.2 billion for about 483,000 hectares of fields, and P4.2-billion for a moderate scenario. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

New NCCC Mall catches fire

THE NEWLY-built New City Commercial Center (NCCC) in Buhangin has caught fire barely two months after it officially opened last July. NCCC Buhangin was supposed to be the second NCCC Mall, next to the NCCC Mall in Matina, which was engulfed by a fire that killed 38 persons in Dec. 2018. “At 12:54 am the fire alarm in the still unopened 4th floor of our mall in Buhangin sounded off and was caught by our workers on site; no custmers were on premise at that time and all workers are safe,” NCCC Public Relations Manager Thea S. Padua said in a statement. Ms. Padua said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) already declared a fire-out and no one was reported hurt. “We are in close coordination with the local government unit and the BFP to determine the origin of the incident,” she said. — Carmencita A. Carillo

Nation at a Glance — (09/17/18)

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

First-half current account gap shows more pressure in store for the peso

By Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan, Reporter
THE COUNTRY’S current account balance reversed to a deficit in the second quarter, largely under the weight of a growing merchandise trade gap, making the first-semester shortfall hit the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) full-year forecast and signalling more pressure ahead on an already beleaguered peso.
The peso — which for much of this year been hitting its weakest value against the dollar in about 12 years, making it one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies — on Friday firmed 0.18% from the preceding day to P53.97 against the greenback, but was still eight percent weaker year-to-date.
The current account deficit stood at $2.9 billion in the second quarter, compared to a $157-million year-ago surplus, a development BSP on Friday attributed to a growing trade-in-goods deficit.
The current account provides a snapshot of the country’s overall economic interaction with the rest of the world covering trade in goods and services; remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFW); profit from Philippine investments abroad; interest payments to foreign creditors; as well as gifts, grants and donations to and from abroad.
TRADE IN GOODS WEIGHS
“This development was due to the higher trade-in-goods deficit and the lower net receipts in the primary income account [consisting of OFW remittances and profit from investments abroad], even as the trade-in-services and secondary income [gifts, grants and donations to and from abroad] posted increased net receipts during the quarter,” Redentor Paolo M. Alegre, Jr., head of the BSP Department of Economic Statistics, said in a media briefing at the BSP complex.
The country’s merchandise trade deficit widened 41.76% to $12.9 billion in April-June from $9.1 billion posted in 2017’s counterpart three months, as imports of goods grew 16% while outbound sales fell 1.7% in that period.
Import growth was fuelled by bigger purchases of semi-processed raw materials for electronics as well as manufactured goods like iron, steel and chemicals.
“Demand for imports rose, driven by increasing domestic production and consumption,” said Mr. Alegre.
He said exports declined due to “lower shipments of mineral products, fruits and vegetables, sugar, and coconut products” that more than offset a 2.6% growth in exported manufactured goods.
Trade-in-services meanwhile grew 40% to $2.8 billion in the second quarter from $2 billion a year ago, fueled by “higher net receipts registered in technical, trade-related and other business services, manufacturing services and computer services, which largely came from business process outsourcing (BPO) transactions”.
The primary income account slid 21.9% to $613 million from $864 million over net payments on investments that quarter, more than offsetting the 2.1% rise to $6.5 billion in the secondary income account
This puts the first-half current account deficit to $3.1 billion from $133 million in the same period last year, touching central bank’s forecast for this year, which BSP Managing Director Francisco G. Dakila, Jr. said in the same briefing will now have to be reviewed.
IMPACTING INFLATION
Economists warned that the wider deficit, resulting from bigger infrastructure investments, could weigh further on the weakening peso and, in turn, inflation that has lately been hitting multiyear highs.
“Certainly, the widening of the country’s trade deficit is partly attributed to the government’s ‘Build Build Build’ program. It may be viewed as the cost that we have to pay in order to establish the infrastructure necessary to achieve faster and more sustainable economic growth in future. In this perspective, the increase in the country’s trade gap may be less worrying,” Land Bank of the Philippines market economist Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan said in an e-mail when asked for comment.
“However, there are some challenges associated with a wider trade deficit. Topping the list is the possibility of prolonged elevated inflation due to persistent peso weakness. The rise in trade deficit is one of the major factors behind the peso’s depreciation. If the peso continues to decline, imported goods become more expensive in local currency terms, resulting potentially in higher inflation,” he explained.
“While moderate inflation is good, prolonged elevated inflation may weaken the economy by undermining domestic demand.”

Maynilad wins P5.73/cu.m. tariff hike

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has obtained an increase of P5.73 per cubic meter (cu. m.) in water tariffs for Metro Manila’s west zone, which the company is offering to impose on a staggered basis.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the water concessionaire’s listed shareholders Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and DMCI Holdings, Inc. said Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) approved Maynilad’s rate hike for the fifth rate rebasing period, which covers 2018 to 2022.
“To mitigate the impact of the tariff increase on its customers, Maynilad offered to stagger its implementation over a four-year period,” the listed companies said.
The start dates and the staggered rate increases are as follows: Oct. 1, P0.90; Jan. 1, 2020, P1.95; Jan. 1, 2021, P1.95; and Jan. 1, 2022, P0.93. The current average basic water charge is P32.48 per cu.m.
MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Lester N. Ty said Maynilad asked for P11.04 percu.m. but the agency had to remove the corporate income tax (CIT) and some expenses from the computation.
“We removed the CIT that’s why we were able to bring it down further,” he said in a phone interview.
“The total increase would have been smaller but that would mean a ‘one time-big time’ rate hike in October,” he added. “Instead of that, we staggered it but there’s an issue about the cost of money involved.”
The listed companies noted that the approved tariff increase did not include Maynilad’s corporate income tax, which an appeals panel upheld in Maynilad’s favor in a final award dated Dec. 29, 2014 in its arbitration with MWSS.
“Neither does the tariff increase reflect the compensation that Maynilad is entitled to claim from the Republic of the Philippines… pursuant to Maynilad’s call on the Republic’s letters of undertaking which was upheld in an international arbitration between Maynilad and the Republic,” they added.
“While Maynilad has agreed to implement a partial (excluding the CIT) and staggered increase, Maynilad has indicated that it would exercise all legal remedies available to it to preserve its entitlement to the CIT,” they said.
Mr. Ty said the reason for the exclusion of the CIT, including the computation of foregone revenue, is because these are the subject of pending cases at the Supreme Court.
“There won’t be any effect or slow down in any of the capex [capital expenditure projects] of Maynilad but we basically asked them to remove the Kaliwa [dam] concession fees and just asked them to consider that in the next rebasing,” he said.
Kaliwa Dam is a proposed project giving Metro Manila another source of water aside from the Angat dam. The government has yet to finalize the funding source for the project.
Mr. Ty also said that some of Maynilad’s operating expenses were removed to arrive at the final rate.
Maynilad is the agent and contractor of MWSS for the west zone of the greater Manila area. It serves certain portions of Manila and Quezon City, as well as parts of Makati City.
Separately, the MWSS regulatory office approved an increase in Maynilad’s foreign currency differential adjustment (FCDA) to P0.37 per cu.m. from P0.26 for the fourth quarter of 2018.
For Manila Water Co., Inc., the agency approved an FCDA decrease to P1.56 per cu.m. from P1.58. The rate hike will start in October.
The adjustment was based on an exchange rate of P53.43 to the dollar, and P0.48 to the yen.
Mr. Ty said the reason for Manila Water’s FCDA decrease is its loan mix of 30% in dollars and 70% in yen. For Maynilad that mix is 92% and 8%, in favor of the dollar.
“The US dollar appreciated vis-a-vis the peso while the yen depreciated but minimally,” he said.
Maynilad residential customers using 10 cu.m. or less can expect an increase of P0.35 per month in their water bills. The corresponding increase for those consuming 20 cu.m. and 30 cu.m. are P1.31 per month and P2.68 per month, respectively.
For Manila Water customers, the decrease will be P0.12 for those using 10 cu.m. or less. The corresponding increase for those consuming 20 cu.m. and 30 cu.m. are P0.27 per month and P0.55 per month, respectively.
FCDA is a tariff mechanism that accounts for foreign exchange losses or gains arising from the payment of concession loans and foreign currency-denominated borrowings of the MWSS. It also factors in the loans of the concessionaires for service expansion and improvement of its services. — Victor V. Saulon

Poultry output seen growing as incomes rise in emerging Asia

RABOBANK said that it expects poultry production in Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the Philippines (VIIP) to grow in the next five years, driven by higher incomes and increased dining out.
“This growth pattern is supported by the significant millennial population in VIIP, who not only have a comparatively higher income but also are more likely to dine out and try different food options. These preferences will further boost the growth in food service,” Rabobank Consumer Foods Analyst Umesh Madhavan said in a statement late Thursday.
“In VIIP, consumption preferences are increasingly gearing towards snacking and convenience. The growing acceptance of eating out and food delivery are proof of the changing behavior,” according to Mr. Madhavan.
The Dutch bank’s Animal Protein Senior Analyst Ben Santoso said that much of the growing demand for poultry-based foods will be serviced by smaller outlets, thugh imports could erode margings for VIIP poultry growers.
“Poultry producers therefore need to fine-tune their strategies to secure long-term margins and market share. A key would be to invest in the food service channel either by developing the competence to be fully engaged in consumer-facing outlets or by establishing partnerships,” according to Mr. Santoso.
“For example, chicken fast-food kiosk chains appear well-suited to win in the changing consumption landscape of VIIP as they tick all the boxes when it comes to accessibility, infrastructure and direct consumer interaction,” Mr. Santoso added.
Rabobank research said dressed chicken output has increased by 8.7% on a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) basis between 2007 and 2017, with growth rates in Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas at 12 to 14%, accelerating over the last two years to as much as 60%.
CALABARZON, Western Visayas, Zamboanga, and Northern Mindanao which posted CAGR of below 10% during the period, may have picked up to between 12 and 15% in the last two years.
“Besides capital and technical know-how, the further-processing industry has relatively low barriers to entry. We expect new entrants (both foreign and domestic) to commoditize further-processed poultry products and to tigthen margins,” Rabobank said.
“With more slaughtering capacity coming online, we expect more ready-to-eat ambient products to emerge, seeking higher margins. The expansion of convenience stores as outlets for processed products may also be seen as another way to protect market share and margins,” it said. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

No reason to panic over inflation, economic managers say

ECONOMIC managers said current inflationary conditions do not amount to a “major” crisis and added that they are confident that an Executive Order expected in the next few weeks will stabilize prices by next month.
“We are not in a major crisis. It may be a serious problem for some people, but for the nation in general it’s not a major crisis,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told reporters yesterday at the Senate.
Senator Loren B. Legarda, who chairs the Senate committee on Finance, sought a briefing on inflation from economic managers on Friday amid ongoing budget hearings.
Consumer prices rose 6.4% year-on-year in August from 5.7% a month earlier and 2.6% a year earlier. Inflation averaged 4.8% in the first eight months of the year, well above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target range.
Asked whether inflation will have any impact on the proposed 2019 budget, Mr. Dominguez said: “I don’t think so.”
“We have a lot of tools that are available to us… monetary and non-monetary tools,” he added.
The economic managers recommended inflation-mitigating measures to President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is expected to sign an Executive Order this month to implement them.
These include the immediate release of 4.6 million sacks of rice from National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses, authorizing the NFA Council to import five million sacks of rice to arrive next month and another five million early next year; streamlining the licensing procedures for NFA rice imports; facilitating the distribution of imported fish to wet markets; the formation of teams of law enforcement officers and farmer groups to monitor the transport of rice from ports to NFA warehouses to retail outlets; providing cold storage for chicken; setting up outlets where growers can offer their produce directly; and the expedited release of essential food items from ports.
The economic managers are also banking on the immediate passage of the Rice Tariffication bill that would liberalize private importation of the staple grain.
Mr. Dominguez, who sits on the central bank’s Monetary Board, also said the board, which sets rates, will not be holding any emergency meetings ahead of the scheduled gathering on Sept. 27.
“It was decided that there will be no off-cycle (meeting). You really think we are panicking? You are panicking, not us. That’s why you have to have perspective,” he said.
Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno meanwhile told reporters separately that once the measures are implemented, inflation could return to the 2-4% target range as early as the fourth quarter.
He said that fish, rice, meat, and vegetables accounted for 2.4 percentage points of the 6.4% headline rate in August.
“We have drafted administrative measures which the President is studying… (Prices will) normalize. We feel that it will normalize in the fourth quarter and then we’ll be back to the 2-4% range by next year. It will be reduced by 2.4 points… most likely by the last quarter,” he said.
“We are confident that it will go back to that, especially if oil prices normalize,” added Mr. Diokno.
“People are characterizing it as runaway inflation. To me that’s irresponsible. Runaway inflation means no one is in control… where even the central monetary authorities have no handle of what’s going on.”
Mr. Dominguez added: “You have to take a long view of inflation. When you take the long view, you will realize that we are the administration with the second-lowest peak inflation rate since Cory (Aquino). You have to take a long view. Not every bump you are going to take is going to be a major crisis.”
They presented government data indicating that President Corazon C. Aquino’s government experienced peak inflation of 21.2% in August 1991, followed by 13.9% in February 1994 under the Ramos administration; 10.7% in January 1999 for the Estrada administration; 10.5% in August 2008 for the Arroyo administration; and 5.2% in October 2011 for the government of Benigno S.C. Aquino III.
Mr. Diokno added: “We have seen higher inflation in the past. It’s irresponsible to characterize what’s happening as runaway inflation. Let’s not panic.” — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

DTI seeking authorization to buy rice from foreign gov’ts

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is seeking to import an additional 150,000 metric tons of rice under a government-to-government scheme, saying that the process will take less time than an open tender.
In a statement Friday, the DTI said one of its agencies, the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), has proposed to ship in up to 150,000 metric tons, equivalent to 3 million bags of rice, to supplement the inventory held by the National Food Authority (NFA).
“DTI is tapping the bulk procurement expertise of PITC, the country’s premier government-controlled trading corporation, to bring in more rice through government-to-government procurement,” the DTI said.
Currently, only the NFA is authorized to conduct government-to-government transactions.
The DTI and the PITC were asked to comment on how they intend to obtain authorization for such imports, but had not replied at deadline time
“NFA’s strategy to flood the market with affordable rice is laudable, but an open tender scheme might take a longer time to implement. PITC, if tapped, will implement strategies that will be effective in bringing down the price of rice even before the imported rice reaches the country,” the PITC said.
“By flooding the market with imported rice, hoarders will be left no option but to release their supply in market and eventually stabilize the price of rice,” it added.
The PITC’s announcement comes a few days after the interagency NFA Council has approved last week the importation of 250,000 MT to be auctioned under an open tender.
The proposed 150,000 MT is expected to arrive in December when prices typically rise due to holiday demand.
Over 1.3 million MT has been approved so far for importation — with about 805,200 MT to be brought in by the private sector and 750,000 covered by government-to-government and open tender schemes.
The DTI said a decision is pending from the NFA Council.
The department said it will be selling the rice at at least P27 per kilo.
It said PITC’s track record includes helping bring down the cost of medicine in the 1900s and 2000s. — Janina C. Lim

Foreign debt down 0.4% at end-June

BSP
OUTSTANDING foreign debt declined at the end of June as companies and the national government paid down their obligations, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.
External debt was $72.2 billion at the end of the first half, down 0.4% from a year earlier.
The total was also down 1.4% compared with the end-March level of $73.2 billion.
Outstanding external debt combines all foreign currency-denominated borrowing from foreigners by Filipino individuals and companies and the national government.
The central bank said on Friday that the government and companies paid down $2.4 billion worth of overseas liabilities, consisting mainly of private-sector short-term bank liabilities.
Net principal repayments amounting to $246 million and the decline in foreign investments in local debt instruments totalling $309million further contributed to the decline in the external debt stock, the BSP added.
In terms of currency mix, some 61.5% of the overseas borrowing was in dollars, with 12.9% in yen.
Debt as a share of the economy dropped to 22.5% from 23.5% a year earlier, sustaining a decline over the past two years.
The economy grew 6% in the second quarter, and 6.3% in the first half, well below the government’s 7-8% target band for this year.
“The country’s level of external debt has continued to decline in recent years,” the BSP said. “[This] may be attributed to prudent debt management ans Philippine corporate borrowers’ deleveraging… in order to minimize [foreign exchange] risk.”
Gross international reserves totaled $77.5 billion at the end of June, equivalent to 6.4 times the country’s short-term liabilities.
Some 83.2% of the debt had medium to long-term maturities averaging 17.1 years.
Government borrowing was $38 billion at the end of June, up from $37.5 billion a year earlier.
Debt held by private firms was $34.2 billion, down from $35 billion a year earier.
Loans issued by multilateral and bilateral creditors were little changed at $23.9 billion, accounting for 33.1% of total outstanding debt.
The government plans to borrow P888.23 billlion this year from domestic and foreign sources. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Super-Typhoon Ompong off Northern Luzon, expected to strengthen

TYPHOON Ompong has placed Cagayan and northern Isabela under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) # 4 as it heads closer to the regions, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported as of 5 pm, Friday.
“Isabela now is the number one projected to be affected with 1.57 million (individuals) and then the province of Cagayan with 1.2 million,” National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Spokesperson Director Edgar L. Posadas said in a press briefing, Friday.
He added, as of 8 am today, Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) is expected to affect a total of 5.2 million individuals from Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Autonomous Region and Central Luzon.
PAGASA, in its 5 pm update, reported Typhoon Ompong slightly accelerated, moving Northwest at 30 kph. It was last spotted 340 km East Northeast of Casiguran, Aurora.
Typhoon Ompong is expected to make landfall in Cagayan-Isabela area early Saturday morning, between 1 to 3 am.
The state-owned agency has placed a total of 13 provinces under TCWS # 3, namely Babuyan Group of Islands, southern Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, Northern Aurora and Quirino.
Typhoon Ompong now has maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gusts reaching up to 255 kph.
The state-owned agency, meanwhile, raised TCWS # 2 in other Luzon provinces: Batanes, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, southern Aurora, and northern Zambales;
And TWCS # 1 in Southern Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon incl. Polillo Is., Northern Occidental Mindoro incl. Lubang Is., Northern Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias and Ticao Islands, and Northern Samar.
The Typhoon had also enhanced the Southwest Monsoon which will bring gusty winds with occasional moderate to heavy rains over Visayas.
The NDRRMC, as of 6 am today, said 2,298 families from Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera Autonomous Region have been covered by the preemptive evacuation.
In its last report, the Council said the around 4,000 passengers, 637 rolling cargos and 46 vessels have been stranded in port areas.
The Manila International Airport Authority, for their part, had cancelled flights on Friday (29), Saturday (51), and Sunday (12), as of 5 pm.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 (FRIDAY)
NAIA Terminal 1
Xiamen Airlines (MF)

  • MF 819/820 XIAMEN-MANILA-XIAMEN
  • MF 8667 XIAMEN-MANILA
  • MF 818 MANILA-JINJIANG

JEJU AIR (7C)

  • 7C 2305/2306 INCHEON-MANILA-INCHEON

NAIA Terminal 2
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PR)

  • PR 346 MANILA-PUDONG
  • PR 312 MANILA-HONGKONG

NAIA Terminal 3
CEBU PACIFIC (5J)

  • 5J 504/505 MANILA-TUGUEGARAO-MANILA
  • 5J 506/507 MANILA-TUGUEGARAO-MANILA
  • 5J 192/193 MANILA-CAUAYAN-MANILA
  • 5J 821/822 MANILA-VIRAC-MANILA

KLM DUTCH ROYAL AIRLINES

  • KL 807 AMSTERDAM-MANILA

NAIA Terminal 4
AIRSWIFT (T6)

  • T6 837/838 MANILA-BASCO-MANILA

CEBGO (DG)

  • DG 6111/6112 MANILA-NAGA-MANILA
  • DG 6009/6010 MANILA-BASCO-MANILA

SKYJET (M8)

  • M8 816/817 MANILA-BASCO-MANILA
  • M8 421/422 MANILA-SIARGAO-MANILA
  • M8 715/716 MANILA-BUSUANGA-MANILA

TOTAL CANCELLATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 = 29 flights
CANCELLED FLIGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 (SATURDAY)
NAIA Terminal 2
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PR)

  • PR 2196/2197 MANILA-LAOAG-MANILA
  • PR 2198/2199 MANILA-LAOAG-MANILA
  • PR 313 HONGKONG-MANILA
  • PR 347 PUDONG-MANILA

NAIA Terminal 3
CEBU PACIFIC (5J)

  • 5J 504/505 MANILA-TUGUEGARAO-MANILA
  • 5J 506/507 MANILA-TUGUEGARAO-MANILA
  • 5J 196/197 MANILA-CAUAYAN-MANILA
  • 5J 553/580 MANILA-CEBU-MANILA
  • 5J 569/570 MANILA-CEBU-MANILA
  • 5J 451/452 MANILA-ILOILO-MANILA
  • 5J 453/454 MANILA-ILOILO-MANILA
  • 5J 455/456 MANILA-ILOILO-MANILA
  • 5J 487/488 MANILA-BACOLOD-MANILA
  • 5J 475/476 MANILA-BACOLOD-MANILA
  • 5J 489/490 MANILA-BACOLOD-MANILA
  • 5J 651/652 MANILA-TACLOBAN-MANILA
  • 5J 653/654 MANILA-TACLOBAN-MANILA
  • 5J 789/790 MANILA-BUTUAN-MANILA
  • 5J 373/374 MANILA-ROXAS-MANILA
  • 5J 381/382 MANILA-CAGAYAN-MANILA
  • 5J 389/390 MANILA-CAGAYAN-MANILA
  • 5J 961/962 MANILA-DAVAO-MANILA
  • 5J 995/996 MANILA-GENSAN-MANILA
  • 5J 625/626 MANILA-DUMAGUETE-MANILA
  • 5J 647/648 MANILA-PUERTO PRINCESA-MANILA

KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES (KL)

  • KLM 808 MANILA-AMSTERDAM

NAIA Terminal 4
CEBGO (DG)

  • DG 6009/6010 MANILA-BASCO-MANILA

TOTAL CANCELLATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 = 51 flights
CANCELLED FLIGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 (SUNDAY)
NAIA Terminal 3

  • 5J 272/273 MANILA-HONGKONG-MANILA
  • 5J 110/111 MANILA-HONGKONG-MANILA
  • 5J 112/113 MANILA-HONGKONG-MANILA
  • 5J 114/115 MANILA-HONGKONG-MANILA
  • 5J 362/363 MANILA-MACAU-MANILA

NAIA Terminal 4
AIR SWIFT (T6)

  • T6 837/838 MANILA-BASCO-MANILA

TOTAL CANCELLATIONS FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 = 12 flights
Meanwhile, Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls have announced it will not charge overnight parking fees to customers seeking temporary shelters within vicinity.
SM Supermalls:

  • SM City Baguio (official)
  • SM City Rosales
  • SM City Urdaneta Central
  • SM City Cauayan
  • SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown
  • SM City Tarlac
  • SM City Olongapo (Official)
  • SM Megacenter Cabanatuan
  • SM City Cabanatuan Official
  • SM City Pampanga (official)
  • SM City Clark
  • SM City San Fernando Downtown
  • SM City Telabastagan
  • SM Center Valenzuela (official)
  • SM City Marilao
  • SM City Baliwag
  • SM Center Pulilan
  • SM Center Sangandaan
  • SM City North Edsa
  • SM MEGAMALL
  • The Podium
  • SM Center Pasig
  • SM Cherry Shaw
  • SM Mall of Asia Official
  • SM Southmall
  • SM City Fairview
  • SM City Novaliches
  • SM Cherry Congressional
  • SM City Sta. Mesa
  • SM City Manila
  • SM City San Lazaro
  • SM Center Angono
  • SM City Taytay
  • SM City East Ortigas
  • SM City Marikina
  • SM City Masinag (Official)
  • SM City San Mateo -Official
  • SM Cherry Antipolo
  • SM City Bicutan
  • SM City BF Parañaque
  • SM City Sucat
  • SM Center Las Piñas (Official)
  • SM Center Muntinlupa

Robinsons Malls

  • Robinsons Metro East
  • Robinsons Place Cainta
  • Robinsons Place Tuguegarao
  • Robinsons Place Ilocos
  • Robinsons Place Santiago
  • Robinsons Starmills Pampanga
  • Robinsons Angeles
  • Robinsons Place Malolos
  • Robinsons Place Pangasinan
  • Robinsons Town Mall Malabon

The Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, for its part, said the Philippines could experience in diminished vegetable supply such as onion, cabbage, carrots, brocolli and cauliflower due to damage of typhoon Ompong.
“Ang mga gulay sensitive, (example) yung repolyong frozen, so pag frozen tutubo lang yan sa temperate climate, sa Baguio, Benguet. Pag natamaan tayo ng ganon, no amountt of control we can do, bababa yung supply,” SIBAT Deputy Director Shen Maglinte told reporters in an interview on late Thursday.
“We’re still working with 100 percent supply of different kinds of vegetables. I hope it (supply) will not go down to 50 percent given sa damage ng typhoon,” Mr. Maglinte said.
According to Mr. Maglinte, the country may be able to cope up, but this might be through the use of chemicals which would force plants to bear fruits immediately, posing threat to human health.
“You can produce that much pag sobrang chemicals, pesticides. Pepwersahin mo para tumubo. That is bad. You don’t have good quality of food. May supply ka nga but you don’t know how much DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is in your food,” Mr
Mr. Maglinte said that the government has to intervene in order for Philippine crops to generate while withstanding adverse weather and climate change.
“Kailangan imaneobra natin na makatanim. Doon papasok ang government intervention,” according to Mr. Maglinte, noting that a change in the schedule of planting can be a part of the solutions. He also said that subsidy from the government to the farmers would help as cost of production is too high.
In an interview with BusinessWorld, Mr. Rolando O. Abad, Jr, science research specialist 2 of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that a change in cultivation practices would help the agriculture sector to survive climate change, and lessen as well, its contribution to climate change because of the greenhouse gases it emits.
“Mataas yung greenhouse gas emission from agriculture, it is 30 percent. Nakikita ko sa rice that promotes the build up of water, pag umuulan, nagkakaroon ng methane emissions kasi yung biomass ng rice stalks under water, they are emitting methane. Mataas ang emission sa agriculture sector,” Mr. Abad said.
“May mga measures naman na ginagawa, change in cultivational practices,” Mr. Abad said, however, noting that it may take a long time for Filipinos to adapt to new practices.
“Alternate wetting and drying instead na continuous nakababad sa ulan ang mga rice fields, magkaroon ng way na bawasan yung tubig, improvement of irrigation,” he said.
Mr. Abad also said that there could also be a shift to a variety of the product which could adapt to climate change.
“Di naman kailangan ng chemical, change in variety lang. For example, maghahanap ka ng rice variety na less yung requirement nya for water. Mayroon din rice na resistant sya sa baha,” according to Mr. Abad.

Trillanes still in Senate

OPPOSITION Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Friday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte may order his arrest the minute he leaves the Senate premises despite pronouncements from the military that no arrest will be made.
“Kahit sabihin nila walang order ngayon pero kapag nireport nila ‘pag lumabas ako, sabihin ni Duterte ‘Hulihin ‘yan based on the proclamation,” he told reporters outside his office in the Senate. (Even if the military says there is no arrest order, if they report that I have left the Senate premises, [President] Duterte will say, arrest him based in the proclamation.)
“Galit na galit siya sa akin. Natural na the first opportunity he will get, gagawin niya ‘yan (He’s very angry with me. It’s natural that he will do that the first opportunity he will get,” he added.
He was also advised by his lawyers that his pending cases against the presidential proclamation will be moot if security forces apprehended him outside the Senate.
Mr. Trillanes ditched plans to leave the Senate last Thursday after his car was allegedly tailed by motorcyles when it left the premises for a gas-up.
He also noted the additional reinforcements deployed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) near the Senate premises after his statement last Thursday that he may leave the Senate “quietly”.
Meanwhile, the Makati City Regional Trial Court still has not issued a warrant of arrest and hold departure order against Mr. Trillanes for his rebellion case in connection with the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege.
Judge Elmo M. Alameda of Makati RTC Branch 150 has instead ordered the prosecution to submit within five days its reply to the comment submitted by Mr. Trillanes today through his lawyer Reynaldo B. Robles.
Mr. Robles is likewise given five days upon notice to submit its rejoinder to the prosecutors’ reply. The case will then be submitted for resolution.
At the hearing, Judge Alameda asked Mr. Robles to present the actual application form of the senator for amnesty, saying that the court would not rely on secondary evidence.
Mr. Robles only presented Mr. Trillanes’ Certificate of Amnesty and other affidavits, including media reports showing he has filed an application for amnesty.
Judge Almeda ordered the submission of all affidavits from both camps. He also suggested to Mr. Robles to submit a sworn affidavit of Col. Josefa Berbigal, the officer who administered Mr. Trillanes’ filing of amnesty in 2011.
In an interview with reporters, Mr. Robles maintained that secondary evidence was sufficient to prove that Mr. Trillanes applied for amnesty.
“Well tinatanong lang ‘yung actual application form but ina-allow naman ‘yung presentation ng secondary evidence. Kasi lahat naman tayo ang experience lang natin sa gobyerno, ‘pag nag-apply ka sa isang bagay, normally ang binibigay lang sayo yung claim stub ‘di ba? Ito ‘yung pinaka claim stub, ‘yung certificate of amnesty. (Well the actual application form was just asked but secondary evidence is allowed. Our experience in the government, when we apply for something, normally they would just give the claim stub, right? This is the claim stub, the certificate of amnesty),” he said.
Contrary to Mr. Robles’ claim, Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon said the voiding of amnesty should not be declared by the court.
“Proclamation 572 already declared Proclamation No. 75, the grant of amnesty, as void ab initio…Proclamation 572 is valid…it is not constitutional unless declared otherwise. ‘Yan ang sinusunod namin ngayon (That is what we are following),” he told reporters after the hearing.
“Dahil don, sinasabi natin hindi na natin kailangan hingin nasa korte na i-declare mong void ab initio (Because of that, we are saying that we do not need to ask the court to declare the amnesty void ab initio.),” he added.
Branch 150 dismissed the Rebellion case in Sept. 7, 2011 following the grant of amnesty to Mr. Trillanes and other mutineers.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Sept. 6 filed an urgent motion for the issuance of warrant of arrest and hold departure order against Mr. Trillanes following the presidential proclamation voiding his 2011 amnesty.
On Sept. 13, Makati RTC Branch 148 has also not issued an alias warrant of arrest and HDO against Mr. Trillanes’ coup d’etat over the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003. — Camille A. Aguinaldo and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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