Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 12146

DoJ ordered to look into Nayong Pilipino lease contract

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
Malacañang on Wednesday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the Department of Justice (DoJ) to review the contract lease entered into by Nayong Pilipino Foundation, Inc. (NPFI) with Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. (LRPDC).
“Sinabi po ni Presidente na pina-review niya po iyong kontratang iyan kay Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra ng DoJ,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in an interview with DZMM on Wednesday morning, Aug. 8. (The President said he asked Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra of the DoJ to review the contract.)
“Naniniwala siya na talagang grossly disadvantageous to government po itong kontratang ito at hindi talagang pupuwedeng hindi ma-sanction legally, dahil nga sa kawalan ng bidding,” Mr. Roque also said. (The President believes the contract was grossly disadvantageous to the government and should be sanctioned legally because there was no public bidding.)
On Tuesday, Mr. Durterte fired the entire board of the NPFI.
Sought for comment, Mr. Guevarra said in a text message to Palace reporters that he has already instructed the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to look into the contract.
“The DoJ exercises supervision over the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel. I have instructed the OGCC to review very carefully the previous legal opinion rendered by the agency to Nayong Pilipino Foundation, Inc., which apparently paved the way for the execution of the controversial lease contract with Landing Resorts Corporation,” he said.
The Justice Secretary also said that “this review of all antecedent facts and relevant documents will guide the government in determining the proper course of action with respect to the lease contract.”
For its part, the Public-Private Partnership Center issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying the background of the New Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City project.
“As a PPP project, the New Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City project undertook a market sounding activity (on) February 9, 2017, to gauge the investors’ appetite for the project,” the statement said. “However, (on) October 26, 2017, the former Nayong Pilipino Foundation chairperson Patricia Yvette M. Ocampo wrote a letter to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia informing him that the Board of Trustees of the NPF has approved the withdrawal of the NPF for assistance from the PPP Center for…(the) project.”
“Given that advice from the NPF Board, the PPP Center delisted the project. It is not officially part of the PPP pipeline since October 2017. To date, the NPF has not communicated to the PPP Center any updates since its withdrawal.”

Senator to block tax reform provisions seen to spike up tuition fees

By Camille A. Aguinaldo, Reporter
SENATOR Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said he will block the removal of the 10% preferential tax rate for private non-profit schools under the second package of the tax reform program filed in the Senate.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the senator said the removal of such provisions will lead to increase in tuition and other fees. He said these institutions may be taxed up to 25%, more than double their current rate.
“In the end, the families sending children to school will be bear the burden so the tuition fee will increase,” a statement from the senator’s office quoted him as saying in Filipino.
Under the present system, non-profit proprietary educational institutions receive a preferential 10% income tax rate, together with non-profit hospitals, offshore banking units, and regional operating headquarters.
The Senate version of the bill removed the 10% preferential income tax rate provision in the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) for proprietary educational institutions and hospitals.
Meanwhile the House version of the bill retained the said 10% income tax rate, but provided a condition that the institutions’ performance must comply with the criteria provided by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Department of Education (DepEd), and Department of Health (DoH).
Institutions which fail to meet the standards will have to pay 10% income tax which will eventually increase to 15% and later to 20% at a specified period if the performance remains below standards, the House bill stated.
Sought for comment, Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua, citing the House version of the bill said: “Schools do not need to be scared if their performance is good….If they are performing, nothing will change.”
For his part, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, author of the Senate version, said, “Those are unclear provisions. That has yet to be debated.”
Senate Bill No. 1906 or the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act seeks to gradually cut corporate income tax to 25% from 30% and rationalize the existing investment tax incentives. The said bills remain pending in the committee level.

Nationwide round-up

Ocampo, 3 others declared ‘non-parties’ in case tagging CPP-NPA as terrorist group

PHILSTAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

A REGIONAL court in Manila has declared former leftist Bayan Muna representative Saturnino “Satur” C. Ocampo, United Nations Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, and two others as “non-parties” in a petition filed by the Justice department tagging the communist groups in the country as terrorists.
In a resolution dated July 27, the Manila Trial Court ruled that Mr. Ocampo and Ms. Corpuz, along with National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Rafael Baylosis and former Baguio politician Jose Melencio Molintas, should not be included in the case as the Department of Justice (DoJ) failed to clearly establish their ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).
The resolution, signed by Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar, stated that Mr. Ocampo and Mr. Baylosis are considered non-parties because the DoJ did not indicate their association to the CPP-NPA clearly and “any personal account in evidence thereof must be up-to-date.”
For Ms. Corpuz and Mr. Molintas, the court said “there is nothing in the Petition or its attachments” that points to their being officers or representatives of the CPP-NPA.
Atty. Rachel F. Pastores, legal counsel to Mr. Ocampo and Mr. Baylosis, said in a statement that the DoJ should just drop its petition.
“In the absence of any evidence against them, the DoJ should just withdraw the petition for proscription,” Ms. Pastores said.
“The court order is proof that the case, where allegations have been recycled countless times, reeks with ill-motive and red-tagging,” she added.— Gillian M. Cortez

Justice chief wants DoJ hold order power

THE JUSTICE secretary is hoping that Congress will pass a law granting the Department of Justice (DoJ) the authority to stop people under preliminary investigation from leaving the country.
DoJ Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, in a text message to reporters on Wednesday, said while they welcome the Supreme Court’s (SC) recent approval of the Precautionary Hold Departure Order (PHDO), he hopes that “(C)ongress will enact a law that will directly empower the SOJ (secretary of justice) to restrict the right to travel of persons under preliminary investigation for very serious offenses, subject to constitutional limitations.”
The SC on Tuesday approved the PHDO, to be issued by courts, which will prevent persons in cases involving crimes where the minimum penalty is at least six years and one day from departing the Philippines even before they are formally charged.
The PHDO should be filed by a prosecutor with a regional trial court.
SC spokesperson Theordore O. Te said on Tuesday that the prosecutor must prove upon application of the PHDO that “There is a high probability that the subject will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of crime against him or her.”
The PHDO would be valid until the court decides to recall it or upon paying a bond, to be determined by the court.
Last April, the high court declared that the Justice secretary has no right to issue hold departure orders or watch list orders by ruling that DoJ Circular No. 41 is unconstitutional. — Gillian M. Cortez

Iloilo City councilor wants coordination office for national infra projects

AN ILOILO City councilor has proposed the establishment of a permanent office that will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH) on the implementation of national government projects. Councilor Ely A. Estante Jr., chair of the committee on engineering, construction, and public works, said this recommendation is part of their report following the probe on delayed road projects in the city. “When does the local government have a say? In the design and prior implementation as well as in the monitoring of ongoing projects as mandated by Section 27, Section 2, and Section 26 of the Local Government Code,” Mr. Estante said. He added that project delays could be avoided if there is proper coordination and consultation between the local government and DPWH prior to the implementation of the projects. — Louine Hope U. Conserva
>> See related story on DPWH cracks down on Iloilo City contractors behind schedule

Iloilo City to survey waste generation of barangays to strengthen segregation policy

ILOILO CITY — The city government will conduct a survey on the waste generation of barangays to strengthen the implementation of segregation and reduce the collection of mixed wastes.
General Services Office (GSO) head Joren F. Sartorio said they have tapped the University of the Philippines and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) for the conduct of the Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS).
“It will be a random sampling to determine the present waste generation of the barangays,” Mr. Sartorio said in an interview.
The GSO is now in the process of procuring the materials and is targeting to start the survey by the third or fourth week of August.
Mr. Sartorio said they are already strictly enforcing the “No Segregation, No Collection” policy among institutional waste generators such as malls, factories, and warehouses.
However, garbage collectors still haul in mixed wastes from households.
“Waste segregation should start from the households,” the GSO chief said as he appealed to barangay officials to assist them in the campaign to reduce mixed wastes.
Around 300 tons of mixed wastes are collected in the city daily.
“If we segregate it, 50% is biodegradable and 25% is recyclable. So that will leave us about 25% residuals,” he said.
Residual waste is suited for landfills. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

60 PRDP projects in Mindanao completed

DAVAO CITY — Sixty infrastructure projects in Mindanao out of 171 approved under the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) have been completed, based on the PRDP June report.
The completed projects had a total cost of P1.83 billion.
Of the remaining projects, 77 are ongoing with a budget of P5.8 billion and 34 are under the procurement stage with an allocation of about P976.43 million.
On the enterprise development component, or the Investment in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity Component (I-REAP), Mindanao got 97 projects with a fund of about P551.39 million.
The PRDP report said the program has so far provided an annual income increase of 15.2% to 27% for beneficiaries.
Under the I-REAP, a 16% increase in production area and 56% increase in volume of products sold to the market were also reported.
Engr. Danilo T. Alesna, PRDP Mindanao deputy director, attributed the increase in income and productivity to the comprehensive planning for the implementation of the projects.
“The PRDP does not allow a project to get implemented without the value chain analysis and the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan,” he said.
The two requirements compel local government units to identify a commodity and come up with projects that will increase the productivity and income of beneficiaries on that.
Majority of the projects are farm-to-market roads, which have reduced travel time on average by half and hauling cost by 13%, while increasing movement of people and goods by 189%, using the 2014 baseline.
“Because they saw the need for farmers to have a better way of bringing their products to the markets, LGUs decided to focus on the development roads,” said Mr. Alesna.
The PRDP — the successor and scaled-up version of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) that ended in 2013 — was implemented nationwide in 2014 as part of development interventions, especially for those affected in the Visayas by super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) that struck in November 2013. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

Bangsamoro unity

A CEREMONIAL presentation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was held on Aug. 8 at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex inside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) Office of the Regional Governor Compound in Cotabato City. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Implementing Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal (2nd from left) called on everyone “to unite, cooperate, and act as one body so that our journey for peace, justice, and development shall be ours in our lifetime.” Present at the ceremony were leaders and members of the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), top officials of the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao, lawmakers, leaders of civil society groups, representatives of various sectors in the region, and officials of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

Aug. 9 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

“INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (IPs) are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. They have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live,” writes the United Nations as it observes today, Aug. 9, the annual International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. “Despite their cultural differences, indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples,” it added. The UN cites that there are about 370 million IPs in the world in 90 countries. While they make up less than 5% of the world’s population, they account for 15% of the poorest.

Nation at a Glance — (08/09/18)

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

FIBA U18: Batang Gilas in knockout quarters match

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Philippine national youth team is halfway through its goal in the FIBA U18 Asian Championship after completing a sweep of group play to notch a direct pass to the quarterfinals of the tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Going 3-0 in Group B, Batang Gilas got a one-day break as it awaits its opponent for the knockout quarterfinals today at the Stadium 29 in Nonthaburi. It is a situation that the team was angling to be in even before it left for Thailand, seeing it as a good springboard to jump from in advancing in the competition.
“Our goal is to win each game so we’ll get the best possible standing after the group stages,” said Batang Gilas coach Josh Reyes in the send-off for the team hosted by staunch supporter Chooks-to-Go last week.
“We play three games in the group stages then we cross over with the other group, then that will be a knockout match. But if we don’t finish number one, then we expect to play maybe six to seven games in the week-long tournament. That’s just how the tourney is,” he added.
Batang Gilas surely worked hard to get in the position it is, dominant in its first two games over Lebanon, 75-53, and United Arab Emirates, 92-49, before showing great resolve amid a tough challenge from China in the end game to win its final group assignment, 73-63, on Tuesday to make its way into the next round.
True as billed, 6’10” Filipino-Nigerian AJ Edu has been a boon to the Philippine U18 team’s cause, leading the squad with averages of 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.7 blocks.
Sean Ildefonso has been solid as well with 13 points per game while Italy-based player Dalph Panopio has been all-around for 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and two steals.
Seven-foot Kai Sotto, meanwhile, is norming 12.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
In the quarterfinals today, Batang Gilas could either face Chinese Taipei or Bahrain, which were to play in a knockout playoff match later yesterday to determine which of them get to advance to the quarterfinals.
Chinese Taipei finished second in Group D with a 2-1 record while Bahrain wound up at third in Group C with a 1-2 card.
Joining the Philippines as an early entrant into the quarterfinals were Iran (3-0) from Group A, Australia (3-0) from Group C and South Korea (3-0) from Group D.

Honorio Banario’s career reinvention continues

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE first Filipino fighter to win a title in ONE Championship, Honorio “The Rock” Banario hit a rough patch but is seemingly back in the groove following a change in how he approaches his career as a fighter.
Now fighting as a lightweight, the former featherweight world champion Banario is taking the ONE arena with renewed enthusiasm, armed with the lessons he learned during a low point in his career.
Lost five straight fights after seizing the featherweight title in 2013, Mr. Banario, 28, said he thought of retiring but eventually reconsidered against it, focusing instead on reinventing himself as a lightweight fighter and picking up a more positive outlook on how he goes about things.
“As a martial artist, it is very important to recreate myself. Everyone was doubting me. It was very hard to keep away from the negativity. But true champions take the negatives and turn them into positives,” said Mr. Banario, who has been fighting as a lightweight since 2016.
“True champions draw strength from defeat. It’s not how hard you fall, but the manner in which you rise again,” he added.
And the change in philosophy has done wonders for him as he has racked five straight victories in ONE, making him one of the fighters on a roll in the promotion.
His last victory came in April this year against Adrian Pang of Australia where he scored a hard-fought split decision victory.
Mr. Banario said much of the resurgence he is experiencing he owes to his team and how it has been encouraging him to continuously work on his game.
“I am very grateful to have a team like Team Lakay. I am happy to be part of it in making history. The good thing about our team is that we are like brothers. We respect each other and we help each other in so many ways. We work as a team and as a family. We are one,” he said.
“I have made it a point to do what I can to improve my grappling. Everyone knows my weakness has always been grappling, but that’s what we do, we focus on plugging those holes and erasing our weaknesses,” he added.
Mr. Banario is once again to take the ONE cage in September where he will co-headline “ONE: Beyond the Horizon” by taking on Amir Khan of Singapore.
The Filipino fighter is looking at the Sept. 8 fight in Shanghai, China, as another opportunity to continue to climb the ladder and put him a position to vie for the lightweight gold.
He, however, acknowledges that it is not going to be easy against Mr. Khan but nonetheless confident that he can perform well as he prepares hard for it and give his all.
“I see the fight as an exciting fight because we are both strikers. I also see it that I am winning this fight,” the amiable Banario said.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout my career, but I am still here. I am still persevering. I am still giving it my all. Win or lose, I will give my best when I step into the ring,” he added.
ONE: Beyond the Horizon is headlined by the women’s straw weight title clash between champion “The Panda” Xiong Jin Nan of China and challenger Smara “Marituba” Santos of Brazil.

Wawrinka and Djokovic advance in Toronto Masters

TORONTO, CANADA — Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic reached the second round of the Toronto Masters on Tuesday, with both men polishing their pre-US Open form.
Wawrinka put his comeback from knee surgery back on track with a 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 comeback win over Nick Kyrgios.
Wimbledon holder Djokovic eased to victory, beating Mirza Basic 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) after the Bosnian replaced original opponent Chung Hyeon of South Korea, who withdrew before the match with injury.
A pair of Canadian teenagers advanced, with Denis Shapovalov dominating Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 6-4 while good friend Felix Auger-Aliassime, who turns 18 on Wednesday, thrilled his home fans as he defeated Lucas Pouille of France 6-4, 6-3.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka put 16th seed Kyrgios out with an impressive display after losing a one-sided opening set.
Wawrinka has been struggling to find his best form since returning to the ATP Tour after two knee operations a year ago and has slumped to 195 in the world ranking.
“I’m looking for confidence. I’m looking for matches,” he said. “I’m grateful I got the wildcard to play directly in the main draw.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match. Winning 1-6, 7-5, 7-5, it’s great for me. Any victory is good to get more confidence.
“I’m happy with the way I’m practicing. I’m really happy with the level and the way I’m moving on the practice court, and I need to find how to put it in the match.”
Wawrinka’s victory in just over two hours avenged a 2015 loss to Kyrgios in Canada, when the Swiss had to retire. That contest was also remembered for Kyrgios insulting his opponent’s girlfriend Donna Vekic.
Kyrgios, with green fluorescent tape encircling each kneecap, quit injured in last week’s Washington quarter-finals, and he was treated in the second set here for his chronically troublesome hip.
The 33-year-old Wawrinka broke late in the second set to level the match, and completed his fight back on a second match point as he also broke in the 12th game of the decider.
“My hip is, obviously, a little bit sore. That’s why I called the trainer on the court. So it’s pretty self-explanatory,” Kyrgios said.
“It’s good to see Stan back, I guess. He’s obviously had a tough 12 months with his injury, and it’s good seeing him back winning some matches.”
Djokovic beats Basic
Djokovic, a four-time winner in Canada, double-faulted while serving for the match to slip into a second-set tie-break, but he finished the job for a second-round spot. “I was struggling to play two or three matches in a row consistently well. So that has changed and obviously feels good.”
Djokovic win in 90 minutes with nine aces; he now stands 36-6 at the event and next plays Canada’s Peter Polansky.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori lost serve five times in a 7-5, 6-1 loss to Robin Haase of the Netherlands.
His defeat was the third in three matches for Japanese players after less than two days of play.
Russian Karen Khachanov reached the second round at the expense of Serb Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-2, while American Sam Querrey beat Adrian Mannarino of France 6-2, 7-5.
American Frances Tiafoe defeated Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, Greek rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas accounted for Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) and 14th seed Fabio Fognini, winner of two of his last three tournaments, beat American Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-4. — AFP

1...12,14512,14612,147...14,237Page 12,146 of 14,237
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube