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20 gov’t agencies linked to single window next year

TWENTY GOVERNMENT agencies are expected to be fully integrated into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) single window trade facilitation platform by the first half of 2018, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

In a statement yesterday, the DoF said an initial 20 trade-related offices will be linked to TradeNet, the National Single Window (NSW) system, greater than the initially expected 16 agencies.

This is about a third of the 66 agencies which will eventually use the system “progressively over the course of the next two to three years.”

The system allows traders to apply for import and export permits for their shipments at a single transaction window. Products initially covered by the scheme are rice, sugar, used motor vehicles, chemicals (toluene), frozen meat,  medicines (for humans, animals or fish), and cured tobacco.

Agencies included in the system are the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Food and Drug Administration, Bureau of Product Standards, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, among others.

Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said that this is expected “to shorten the processing time of import/export clearances, reduce the number of transactions and required documents to be submitted, and remove red tape that has plagued businesses and citizens when dealing with the government.”

On top of facilitating trade, the program is also expected to increase transparency in customs procedures and improve revenue collection.

The NSW will be then linked to the ASEAN Single Window, a regional initiative that aims to speed up cargo clearances and promote economic integration by enabling the electronic exchange of border documents among the organization’s 10 member-states — which has been installed and is being tested this month.

Mr. Beltran said that the linkage to the ASEAN platform is targeted by December this year.

Of the 10 ASEAN member states, only Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have successfully integrated into the ASEAN Single Window.

Such move is expected to contribute to the improvement of its ranking.

The Philippines was 113th in the latest World Bank Ease of Doing Business rankings, down from 99th last year. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Cry me a bully

Perhaps we had Nelson Muntz wrong all along. The kid who lost his father due to an allergic reaction to peanuts in a candy bar had always displayed leadership traits and a sense of ethics (he once punched Bart for taking credit of others’ work).

Perhaps the real bully is Lisa Simpson.

Am sure many of you had been in this tiresome scenario, which I first pointed out in 2015: “Have you ever had to deal with a female work colleague or family member who, just as the argument got interesting, turned on the tears? Immediately they win. It’s a not-too-subtle form of emotional blackmail. The tears shift the conversation away from reasoning and evidence and you have to stop and feel guilty and compassionate and find the Kleenex and ask if they’re okay and be caring. It’s a neat form of bullying. Most often it is not conscious or intentional, but it still works for all that.”

That was Fr. Dwight Longenecker (The Dictatorship of Sentimentality). Lest we get immediate shrieks of sexism, Longenecker immediately notes that “guys have their own emotional blackmail tricks,” usually in the form of rage.

Attended a good lecture by my friend, guidance counselor Floyd Batongbakal, last week on anti-bullying and there are indeed many facets to it. The lecture kept repeating the need to not belittle the victim of bullying, that rather than asking them to fight back and “be a man,” understanding should instead be given.

I get the “understanding” part.

But I also get this: that in our PC, very eager to emasculate men culture, we have (as the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh points out) made “victimhood” as “the highest form of social currency in our culture.” We’ve “been so zealous and exaggerated in our fight to stop bullying that we’ve made it appear desirable to be bullied.”

And like it or not, Walsh is right: “Everything is flipped on its head now. Kids today want to be the submissive, the persecuted, the pitiful. They wield power by not having power. They put themselves over others by putting themselves under them. They dominate by being dominated. They want pity more than they want to be admired or liked by their peers. They’d much rather be the bullied than the bully. And not because they are selfless and humble — quite the opposite. They are as arrogant and self-obsessed as ever, but also calculated, conniving, and dishonest on top of it all.”

Which leads to what The Spectator’s Julie Burchill calls “the Cry-Bully, a hideous hybrid of victim and victor, weeper and walloper. They are everywhere, these duplicit Pushmi-Pullyus of the personal and the political, from Celebrity Big Brother to the frontline of Islamism.”

“The Cry-Bully always explains to the point of demanding that one agrees with them and always complains to the point of insisting that one is persecuting them. They really are the very worst sort of modern moaner.”

This isn’t really that surprising when one considers that very little, psychologically, differentiates the bully from the victim.

Scientific American reports that: “We might think that bullies are quite different from the victims of bullying. But those who become either a bully or a victim actually share similar outlooks and have similar difficulties dealing with their environments.”

Thus, “researchers reviewed and analyzed 153 studies and found that both victims and bullies have poor problem-solving skills within social situations.” Finally, “typical bullies have negative attitudes toward others, feel badly about themselves, and most likely grew up in a home with conflict. Victims share much of same, negative attitude, conflict in the family.”

All of this reinforced by social media’s idiocy: Unread? Sloppy thinker? No familiarity with grammar? No problem! Don’t judge. And remember: “if you can’t accept me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best.”

How do you know if you’re a cry bully?

Blogger and professional counselor Ken Wert puts it this way (he uses the term “emotional bully”): You throw fits, you accuse and blame, cry, yell and scream, slam doors and throw stuff, seek passive revenge, exhibit preemptive anger, and constantly bring up the past.

And remember: these “cry bullies” are also operating within today’s #metoo witchhunt, where men’s careers (and lives) are destroyed by mere allegations.

In the workplace, they’re the “praning” ones or the ones so dumb or so drama/sensitive or priggishly self-righteous (ie., like those self-appointed student hall monitors) that even if you’re not a bully you suddenly want to beat (badly) this person up.

But precisely because you can’t (as you shouldn’t), you end up helplessly repressing your anger, leaving you confused, ill, and unhappy at work. And oftentimes, it can even affect the operations of one’s unit or organization.

The point here is: not every bully is that big boorish guy. Bullies can also be that whiny little kid. Or that prim and proper religious school teacher.

Treat them as such.

 

Jemy Gatdula is a Senior Fellow of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations and a Philippine Judicial Academy law lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.

jemygatdula@yahoo.com

www.jemygatdula.blogspot.com

facebook.com/jemy.gatdula

Twitter @jemygatdula

UK police probe second Kevin Spacey allegation

LONDON — British police are investigating Hollywood star Kevin Spacey over a second allegation of sexual assault, the Press Association news agency reported on Wednesday.

London’s Metropolitan Police said it was examining an allegation of sexual assault against a man in 2005 in the Lambeth area of the city.

The alleged victim came forward on Friday, more than two weeks after another male said he was assaulted by the same man in 2008.

Police would not confirm the identity of the alleged assailant, who was named as Spacey by the Press Association.

The American actor is facing numerous claims of sexual assault and harassment, as part of a broader scandal in Hollywood sparked by allegations against mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Abuse claims against Spacey prompted The Old Vic theater to launch an investigation into the actor’s term as artistic director, between 2004 and 2015, receiving 20 claims of inappropriate behavior.

The incidents reported to the Lambeth theater cover a period of 1995 to 2013 and have not been verified, The Old Vic said.

Spacey has been accused of attempting to rape a 15-year-old boy in New York and of making advances on actor Anthony Rapp when he was 14 years old, 31 years ago.

In a separate incident, a US woman claimed her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the actor last year. — AFP

Cops hurt from IED set up by NPA; No soldier hurt in camp attack

THREE POLICEMEN were wounded from an improvised explosive device (IED) set up by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sibalom, Antique on Tuesday morning, Nov. 21. Police Officer 3 Gabby Orantes of the Sibalom Police Station was hit on the stomach with shrapnels, while PO3s Michael Alejo and Salvador Cordero were injured on their arms as they took cover and returned fire. According to reports, members of the Sibalom Police Station, led by SPO4 Ricky Ensina, were on board two vehicles on their way to a police operation when they were ambushed along the highway at Barangay Bontol around 9:25 a.m. Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne R. Binag, director of the Police Regional Office-6, said that before the ambush, policemen all over Western Visayas were already instructed to remain on high alert for any attacks by the NPA. “That’s why, we are on the offensives. It’s just that the NPAs are into the use of IED,” he said. The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division had earlier condemned the use of IEDs, noting that “it clearly shows that the CPP-NPA terrorists violates the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, to which the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front, including the CPP-NPA, are signatories to ban the use of landmines.” On the same day before the ambush on the police, an undetermined number of NPAs also fired shots at a military detachment at Barangay Bulalacao, also in Sibalom, located about three kilometers from Bontol village. The military said no one was wounded on the government side. Brigadier General Pio Q. Diñoso, 301st Infantry Brigade commander, said the incident was a clear case of harassment by a desperate rebel group. It was not a retaliatory attack but a diversionary move, he said. “We have been conducting relentless operations in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz. It was an attempt to divert the government troops’ focus,” he said. — The Freeman

PCC clears AC Energy acquisition of Islabio

A UNIT of Ayala-led AC Energy Holdings, Inc. has secured approval from the competition watchdog on its plan to acquire a company with stakes in three biomass projects.

In a decision dated Nov. 16, the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said its mergers and acquisitions office had recommended the favorable decision for AC Energy subsidiary Presage Corp.

PCC said the acquisition by Presage of shares in Negros Island Biomass Holdings, Inc. (Islabio) “does not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market, since it does not appear that the merged firm has the ability and incentive to engage in foreclosure, post-acquisition, and sufficient post-acquisition competitive constraints on the merged firm remains from other market participants.”

Under Republic Act No. 10667, or the Philippine Competition Act, the antitrust regulator should be notified for every merger and acquisition deal whose value is above P1 billion before the transaction is consummated.

Islabio owns shares in three subsidiaries, namely: South Negros Biopower, Inc.; North Negros Biopower, Inc.; and San Carlos Biopower, Inc. The units are engaged in biomass power generation and the sale of electricity.

The deal involves the acquisition by Presage of the outstanding capital stock equivalent to 50,005 common shares of Islabio. Presage will gain control of Islabio and its operating subsidiaries, thus expanding AC Energy’s renewable energy portfolio to include biomass.

“The Commission hereby resolves that it will take no further action with respect to the Transaction,” PCC said in its decision.

The deal comes as AC Energy targets to develop by 2020 up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity, of which 1,000 MW is targeted to come from renewable energy. The company has installed 1,000 MW as of 2016 from a mix of energy resources. — Victor V. Saulon

Miners must weigh NPA ‘taxes’ vs security costs — MGB

MINING COMPANIES that pay so-called “revolutionary taxes” to Communist rebels must weigh such payments against other considerations like additional security spending or disrupted operations, the head of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said.

MGB Acting Director Wilfredo G. Moncano told reporters on the sidelines of the 64th Annual National Mining Safety and Environment Conference in Baguio that miners have a choice of making such payments to the New People’s Army (NPA) or upgrading their own security arrangements.

“That’s the reality. I once worked for a private mining company. It’s a difficult decision. Your alternative is to establish your own security force,” he added.

Since mine sites often lack a strong military or police presence, some mining companies may consider making their own arrangements with local militias.

The militias “are supervised by the government. But that will (still) be a business decision because it will be very expensive to support the hiring of people to secure your mining area.”

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has said that he will shut down mining companies that pay revolutionary taxes to the NPA, which he has informally declared a terrorist organization. He has also broken off talks with them.

Mr. Duterte also expressed his intent to continue a prohibition on open-pit mining, saying that it is harmful to the environment.

Asked for comment, Mr. Moncano said that he does not wish to speculate regarding the President’s final decision.

“(The President) listens to his advisers. Perhaps the decision will be based on science,” he added.

“Open-pit … is only one of the methods for extracting minerals. If the mineral deposit is close to the surface, you cannot mine it by underground methods so it has to be surface-mined.”

Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang of the lone district of Kalinga province said mining firms should serve their communities adequately.

“We wouldn’t have this [issue] if all of the mining companies did their fair share… That’s the key issue here but as long as the government and the people feel that they’re not getting their fair share from the income of those big mining companies, this will not end,” he added.

“(Paying revolutionary taxes) is really not allowed. Whether you pay or not, it’s really not allowed… But some are maybe forced to do so,” he added. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Boston streak ends, Westbrook shines as Thunder roll

LOS ANGELES — The Boston Celtics’ 16-game winning streak came to an end with an upset defeat against the Miami Heat on Wednesday as Russell Westbrook won his duel with Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City’s rout of Golden State.

Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters were the stars for Miami as the Heat claimed a 104-98 win in front of their home fans to stun Boston.

Dragic scored 27 points while Waiters added 26, including a crucial pair of late three-pointers, as the Heat held on for a 104-98 win.

Miami improved to 8-9 with the win while Boston fell to 16-3. It was the first loss for the Celtics since they succumbed in the opening two games of the season.

In-form Celtics star Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, had an off-night by his recent standards, finishing with a relatively modest 23 points.

Irving missed all three of his three-point attempts and made only 11 of his 22 field goal attempts.

Boston had trailed 63-79 at the end of the third quarter but stormed back to get within one point at 91-90 in the fourth.

However, back-to-back three-pointers from Waiters gave Miami a seven-point cushion which was good enough to see them home.

Elsewhere Wednesday, there was litte Thanksgiving cheer on show in Oklahoma City as the Thunder gave former hero Durant and the Warriors a rough ride in front of their home fans.

Durant, who left the Thunder in 2016 in a blockbuster move, was subdued as former team-mate Westbrook piled on 34 points in a 108-91 win.

Durant’s entrance to the arena before the game was greeted with a hail of boos, and tensions almost threatened to boil over late in the game as Westbrook and Durant went forehead-to-forehead in a heated exchange.

Golden State were always chasing the game after trailing 65-48 at halftime.

Westbrook was backed with hefty performances from Carmelo Anthony with 22 points and Paul George with 20 points.

New Zealander Steven Adams had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds as OKC improved to 8-9.

Stephen Curry led the scoring for the Warriors (13-5) with 24 points. Durant finished with 21 points.

In Cleveland, LeBron James produced a devastating late scoring burst as the Cavaliers rolled to their sixth straight win in 119-109 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

James scored 23 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, a run which included 18 straight to break the Nets’ resistance at QuickenLoans Arena.

James made four three-pointers with six rebounds and five assists as the Cavs improved to 11-7 to continue their climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

The two sides had been evenly matched at 77-77 heading into the final quarter before James’ scoring spree tipped the game in the Cavs favor.

Kevin Love had 18 points with 10 rebounds while Dwyane Wade also weighed win with 18 for the Cavs.

Jae Crowder added 14 points while Kyle Korver came off the bench to chip in with 12 points.

Brooklyn, who fell to 6-11 with the loss, had four players in double digits.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the scoring for the Nets with 20 points while Joe Harris had 18 points. — AFP

The art and act of marrying fairy tale and tragedy

Dance
La Luna Roja
Nov. 25 and 26
Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium,
RCBC PLAZA, Corner Ayala & Buendia Aves., Makati

By Nickky Faustine P. De Guzman,
Reporter

HOW DO YOU tie together two dances — flamenco and ballet — that are totally opposite? La Luna Roja (The Red Moon) will answer this question when it goes on stage at RCBC’s Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Makati on Nov. 25 and 26.

The first ever full-length flamenco-ballet to be staged in the Philippines, La Luna Roja will seamlessly blend ballet and its traditional fairy story with the fierceness and fire of flamenco, which is associated with raw emotions and passion.

“Traditionally, a ballet is renowned for expressing its art form through the telling of a story. Everyone has been delighted by ballets like The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, and Sleeping Beauty. Flamenco, on the other hand, has traditionally consisted of performances without a story, just the outpouring of raw emotion. But, I asked myself, what if we channeled that vortex of raw emotion into a story? This is why La Luna Roja marries the traditional storytelling style of ballet with the captivating and powerful emotions of flamenco,” said the dance’s choreographer and creator Emma Estrada.

La Luna Roja revolves around passion, love, revenge, curse, and tragedy in a tale of a village put under the curse of the red moon, thanks to a vindictive sorceress (played by theater actress and flamenco dancer Tami Monsod). Like the spindle in Sleeping Beauty or the apple in Snow White, the red moon will provide the magic in the storytelling.

“The story starts out as a typical ballet. There is a village, a villain, a curse, and the sacrifice of star-crossed lovers. However, as a fairy tale with a distinctly flamenco flavor, La Luna Roja pushes the boundaries, exploring complex themes and bringing to light to emotions not addressed by traditional ballets,” said Ms. Estrada.

It is a dark and fiery fairy tale on unrequited love and emancipation at the cost of a true love’s sacrifice, all told through the flamenco dancers’ fiery expressions.

“In the spirit of the more traditional ballet, I wanted our first flamenco ballet to have a fairy tale feel. It would be a story that happened a long time ago in a land far away, a story filled with magic and a touch of mystery associated with flamenco,” said Ms. Estrada. “However, I felt that none of the stories used for ballet resonated with flamenco. Traditional fairy tales were very black and white. The villain was evil for no reason and the hero had no flaws. There were no innocent victims in a fairy tale. The prince always came on a white horse and everyone lived happily ever after. This was not flamenco. Flamenco was born from the gypsies that were themselves reviled as villains. And so flamenco speaks about real struggles and real suffering.”

In traditional flamenco, not everyone gets a happy ever after, and not all who are pretty are good and kind. “Flamenco should have its own fairy tale. So I created La Luna Roja, a fairy tale filled with magic but also with struggle, desire, fury, love, sacrifice and redemption,” she said of her work.

Directed by theater and film actor-director Leo Rialp, the show features guest artists from Spain, led by acclaimed flamenco dancer Javier Martos who plays the male protagonist, Jamil. The live music, meanwhile, is provided by the guest Spanish flamenco musicians Sergio Gomez (singer), Jose Cortes (percussion), and Ruben Campos (guitar).

Also in the cast is Angel Gomez, a professional flamenco dancer and teacher, together with members of the Grupo Nuevo Flamenco, composed of students of flamenco.

One of the biggest challenges in mounting the show, said Ms. Estrada, was drawing out the duende (passion) in her students.

“Filipinas by nature are gentle and sweet. I saw the fire and strength of character in each of my student, but that fire was stifled by years of proper upbringing. The greatest challenge and greatest reward for me was bringing out that fire in them, to convince them to give themselves permission to be authentic, to strip away their masks and years of upbringing, to bare their souls and celebrate their true emotions,” she said.

“The Filipinos are taught to be mahiyain (shy). We walk around with a smile on our face and never give true vent to our feelings. Flamenco provides Filipinos with freedom to be who they are and the liberty to express what they truly feel. Flamenco is the ideal outlet for emotions, grief at the loss of a loved one, frustration at work and family, unrequited love… all these can be expressed through flamenco,” she said.

The show is presented by Fundacion Centro Flamenco, which Ms. Estrada started in 2002 to celebrate the rich heritage of Spain and the Philippines, and where teachers and artists of Spanish music and dance can share and promote their culture. Through its performing arm, the Grupo Nuevo Flamenco, the group has presented and promoted flamenco here and the rest of Asia.

Ms. Estrada said she wanted Filipinos to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

At the end of the show, Ms. Estrada said she wants the audience to learn three things: that flamenco is “an enthralling art form,” it is an emotional dance, and it is something we should be happy and proud of.

“I want Filipinos to see flamenco for what it is today and shatter any pre-conceived notions [they may have] about the art form. Also, I hope that our emotions reach the audience. After all, that is the essence of flamenco, uncovering raw emotions and exhibiting it without shame to the audience. Finally, I want the audience to be proud of the Filipino,” she said.

Tickets to La Luna Roja range in price from P1,000 to P2,000 and are available through Ticketworld.

Just for laughs

Show
Laugh it Off
Nov. 27, 8 p.m.
Eclipse Entertainment Lounge, Solaire Hotel and Casino

By Zsarlene B. Chua,
Reporter

FANS of stand-up comedy please, well, stand up as Prime i Events presents Laugh it Off, a one-night show featuring several comics: American Paul Ogata, Malaysian Rizal Van Geyzel, and the country’s own Alex Calleja on Nov. 27 at the Eclipse Entertainment Lounge in Solaire Hotel and Casino.

“International shows such as Laugh it Off brings out the best of my talents to show the world that we are likewise funny. It helps promote stand-up comedy which is a growing form of entertainment worldwide,” Mr. Calleja said in a press release.

Known for “blending comedic neurosis and hilarity taken mostly from personal experiences,” Mr. Calleja recently placed second in Laugh Factory’s (a chain of comedy clubs in the United States) “Funniest Person in the World” contest held in Finland last year.

Mr. Calleja will be joined onstage by Paul Ogata, an American comic from Hawaii whose brand of humor is mostly about the “stupid people of the world while also poking fun of himself with self-incriminating innuendos.”

He has headlined shows all over the world including Tokyo and Sydney, and won in the 32nd Annual San Francisco International Comedy Competition which puts him in the company of Dana Carvey, among other comedy greats.

Mr. Ogata visited Cebu two years ago for a performance but this will be his first time performing in Manila and, if his Cebu experience is anything to go by, he expects the Manila audience to be just as warm and loud.

“When I was in Cebu two years ago, the crowd was amazing, but they made me eat balut (fertilized duck egg) after the show. I’m expecting the Manila crowd to be just as warm and I know how hospitable Filipinos are and I know they will be louder, but hoping for no balut pranks from the producers just pancit, lechon, inasal, and adobo (noodles, roast pig, barbecue, and vinegar stewed pork and chicken),” he said in the press release.

Malaysian comedian Rizal Van Geyzel also joins Mssrs. Ogata and Calleja in the one-night show. Mr. Van Geyzel is known for his comedic presence “that lands between the profound and the absurd with a dose of an honest form of humor.” He debuted at the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival where he was handpicked to host 22 shows together with Douglas Lim.

Aside from the comics, Laugh it Off will also feature the mentalist Justin Pinon who is said to accurately read people’s minds.

“We all have problems in our lives and stress is a never-ending issue of people. We think that this form of entertainment is the best value money can get,” said Dilip Budhrani, founder of Prime i Events, in the release.

Tickets for Laugh it Off cost P2,500 (reserved seating) and P1,800 (free seating). For ticket inquiries, call 0920-971-7055 or 0917-570-3057.

Star Wars a perfect escape in a ‘dark’ era

MEXICO CITY — Need a break from reality? In a few short weeks, you can once again get lost in a galaxy far, far away, where a great adventure will take place.

For actor Mark Hamill, the man behind Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker for four decades, the blockbuster space saga offers the perfect escape.

“History repeats itself. We are in a very dark era and people need that escapism,” Hamill told a press conference in Mexico City, where he was promoting Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which hits screens worldwide in December.

“Whether they want to go to Hogwarts or the Land of Oz or Middle Earth, it’s a great place to go to forget about your troubles,” he added.

For director Rian Johnson, the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas is one of the few things that still offers the world a positive message — and remains relevant.

“No matter what the landscape is or what’s happening… Star Wars is much more powerful than any direct political analogy ever could be,” he said.

Written and directed by Johnson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi — the eighth installment in the franchise — picks up where The Force Awakens left off two years ago, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) looking to Luke to teach her about The Force.

Addressing pressure surrounding the role, Ridley told reporters: “I’m just really lucky to play her and I don’t have the fate of the galaxy resting on my shoulders. I’m just in a film that makes people happy.”

As for Hamill, seeing young girls wanting to be like Rey is “heartwarming.”

“It’s a great thing for the empowerment of female characters,” the 66-year-old actor said.

Along with Ridley, the film sees Adam Driver return as Rey’s nemesis Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, and Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron — as well as the late Carrie Fisher in her iconic role of Princess Leia. — AFP

House committee convenes expert panel to consolidate mining bills

THE House committee on natural resources has convened a technical working group to consolidate legislation on mining, ore processing and related environmental issues.

The group will consolidate House Bills 5674, 6259, 2165, 2915, and 3229 authored by Rep. Luisa L. Cuaresma (Nueva Viscaya lone district), Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez (Davao del Norte 1st district) et al., Rep. Erlpe John M. Amante (Agusan del Norte 2nd district); Rep. Joseph Stephen S. Paduano (ABANG LINGKOD Party-list); and Rep. Francisco Jose F. Matugas II (Surigao del Norte 1st district), respectively.

Among the proposals being considered is a study on which areas are appropriate for mining in order to avoid environmental complications.

Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz of the Environmental Forestry Program of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources in the University of the Philippines-Los Baños told the committee the need for comprehensive studies on the impact of mining in watersheds.

“It’s not really trying to prohibit mining in a watershed but trying to prove, really, whether the process of mining in a watershed is good or not,” Mr. Cruz said, noting that the cost, benefits, and environmental impact of mining in the area should be properly assessed.

Lawyer Ronald S. Recidoro, representing the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, said that his organization proposes that the government should fund or offer for public-private partnerships the establishment of ore processing plants.

The Chamber also proposed a surcharge for exporting mineral deposits, as practiced in Indonesia. He said this will incentivize mining companies to put up processing plants while taxing those who cannot.

“We need to find a tax rate that will not kill the industry — something that the miners can live with and will give the government its fair share,” Mr. Recidoro said.

The Chamber also proposed the creation of mining industry zones to help encourage the clustering of processing plants, making them more attractive to investors.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) called for more extensive disclosures on beneficial ownership for mines, particularly for owners or shareholders who are politically exposed.

NEDA also proposed reducing the period of mineral agreements from 50 years to 20 years and mineral processing operations from 30 years to 20 years. — Minde Nyl R. Dela Cruz

Law on refugee rights, martial law lifting top concerns of Marawi residents

THE PASSAGE of a law on the rights of internally displaced persons (IDP), the immediate lifting of martial law in Mindanao, and additional relief assistance are the top concerns raised by residents of Marawi City whose lives have been severely affected by the siege that has left a big part of the city in ruins. These issues were raised at a forum organized by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Wed., Nov. 22, at the Marawi State University. ARMM Governor Mujiv S. Hataman assured participants that the regional government will make sure that the interests and rights of IDPs are protected, starting with the passage of an IDP act at the regional legislative assembly. There are also several pending bills filed before the Senate and the House of Representatives on IDP rights.

ASSESSMENT
Meanwhile, Task Force Bangon Marawi, the overall multi-agency group in charge of rehabilitation, also met on Wednesday to discuss updates on the rebuilding plan. Mr. Hataman said the ARMM government will provide P450 million worth of funds this year and an additional P930 million in 2018. The national government estimates that the rehabilitation would require as much as P50 billion and could take several years to implement. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Chairperson Eduardo D. del Rosario, who has been appointed to head the task force, said during the multi-sectoral meeting that teams have been deployed to assess the damages and losses in 24 barangays which were most affected, while another team will be sent out on Nov. 27 to cover 47 other villages. After the consultation, government officials from national, regional and local government units, the military, police, and multi-sectoral representatives signed a pledge of commitment and support for the long rehabilitation work ahead. — Mindanao Bureau

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