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Senators reject toll hike until regulator fixes RFID problems

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

PHILIPPINE senators on Monday urged the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to halt further toll fee increases at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) until it resolves issues about faulty radio-frequency identification systems (RFID).

“Before you approve petitions to increase toll fees, it has to be justified and you have to fix these problems,” Senator Rafael T. Tulfo told a Senate committee on public services hearing. “These services need to be improved before increases are made.”

TRB Executive Director Alvin A. Carullo told senators they consult Board members including the Department of Transportation, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Public Works department before approving any toll increases.

The TRB earlier approved higher toll for the North Luzon Expressway that took effect on June 4.

Under the new toll matrix, motorists passing through the open system will pay an additional P5 for class 1 vehicles, P14 for class 2 and P17 for class 3 vehicles.

The open system covers Balintawak, Caloocan City to Marilao, Bulacan. The closed system is from Bocaue, Bulacan to Sta. Ines, Mabalacat City, Pampanga including Subic-Tipo.

For the closed system, motorists who pass through NLEX end to end between Metro Manila and Mabalacat City will pay P27 more for class 1 vehicles, P68 for class 2 and P81 for class 3 vehicles.

“The regulator should protect us all, but if they allow the rate to increase without looking at the service, what is the use of the regulator?” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said at the hearing.

“We should also look at the performance of the regulator other than the performance of the operator,” he added.

In April, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), which operates NLEX, said it would spend about P10 billion to implement a barrierless toll system and cashless transactions.

MPTC is the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Supreme Court asked to rule on how ‘Cha-cha’ vote should be counted

SENATOR Robin Padilla on Monday asked the Supreme Court to rule on how the Senate and House of Representatives should vote on proposed constitutional changes. The senator, who heads the committee on constitutional amendments, thinks they should vote separately. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

A SENATOR on Monday sought the Supreme Court’s (SC) “authoritative declaration” on whether the two chambers of Congress should vote jointly or separately in proposing changes to the 1987 Constitution.

Senator Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla, who heads the committee on constitutional amendments, asked the tribunal to clarify whether the Senate and House of Representatives should jointly convene as a constituent assembly.

The constitutional question has been debated for years and the Senate earlier issued a manifesto saying the votes of its members on Charter change (“Cha-cha”) would get diluted if these are jointly counted with the House.

The former action star said the High Court should explain whether the three-fourths vote requirement of the Constitution for changes to go through refers to the Senate and House voting separately or as one chamber.

“For a long time — 37 years — there has been a debate on how to amend or revise our Constitution,” he separately told reporters in Filipino after filing the petition.

Mr. Padilla said the framers of the Constitution have said the intent had always been separate votes by the Senate and House.

He also asked the court to rule on whether the Senate and House should convene together when calling for a constitutional convention to amend the Charter.

Mr. Padilla in a separate statement said he was “unable to carry out [his] functions as committee chairman” because of the ambiguous Charter clause.

He gave copies of his petition to Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra, Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, among other parties.

In February, Mr. Padilla filed a resolution seeking separate voting by both Houses to amend the Constitution.

Mr. Escudero last month said the Senate would put Charter change on the back burner. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

CREATE MORE bill reaches Senate plenary

BW FILE PHOTO

A PHILIPPINE senator on Monday sponsored in plenary the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) bill, which seeks to lower taxes on domestic and foreign companies to 20% from 25%.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who heads the ways and means committee, said Senate Bill No. 2762 would remove the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services to essential services such as janitorial, security, financial consultancy, marketing and human resources.

He added that high-value domestic market enterprises with a capital of more than P20 billion would be eligible for VAT zero rating on local purchases, VAT exemption on imports and duty exemptions on imports of capital equipment, raw materials, spare parts and accessories.

Under the priority bill, registered business enterprises would also be entitled to a 100% additional deduction on power expenses incurred in a taxable year, up from 50% under the Tax Code, to address high power costs.

The responsibility of processing VAT refund claims will be transferred to the Department of Finance from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to cut delays.

It will also allow local companies to implement a work-from-home setup for up to 50% of their workforce to cut costs.

The House of Representatives passed the CREATE MORE bill on final reading in March.

“While the CREATE law lays the foundation for tax and incentive reforms, the CREATE MORE bill aims to build on this foundation by offering enhanced and more targeted incentives to further drive investment and economic recovery in the Philippines,” Mr. Gatchalian said.

“It is not merely an update of policies; it is about creating a more dynamic future that is more responsive, more supportive and more capable of fostering growth and innovation in the Filipino people.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Bill for athletes pushed

The House of Representatives is seen at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A HOUSE of Representatives committee on Monday approved a bill that seeks to exempt from tax donations to athletes representing the country in international sports events.

Under the consolidated bill endorsed by the ways and means committee to the plenary, also covered by the exemption are prizes given by brands and companies.

“Its most important provision is that it exempts donations toward their training one year before the competition,” Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda said in a statement.

The committee approved the measure after gymnast Carlos Edriel P. Yulo won two gold medals in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

His historic double gold medal win has been celebrated across the Philippines, with businesses showering the athlete with gifts, including cash and a new house.

Mr. Yulo is only the second Filipino athlete to win an Olympic gold, after weightlifter Hidilyn F. Diaz-Naranjo in Tokyo in 2021.

The House is looking at doubling its cash prize for the gymnast to P6 million, Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez told reporters. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Infra damage hits P4B

A VEHICLE is seen on top of a jeepney in Barangay Del Monte in Quezon City on Thursday, a day after torrential rains caused flooding in Metro Manila. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

INFRASTRUCTURE damage from Super Typhoon Carina has hit more than P4 billion, according to the Philippines’ disaster agency.

In an 8 a.m. report on Monday, the agency said 54 structures worth P4.18 billion were damaged. It earlier said at least 48 people died.

Farm damage has reached more than P2 billion, while damage to the fishery sector hit P413 million. The number of affected farmers and fisherfolk climbed to 57,388.

More than 52,000 hectares of crops were damaged, with rice accounting for almost 48,000 hectares.

Eleven irrigation systems were damaged.

Affected people have reached 6.22 million, about one million of whom were still staying in evacuation centers, it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Tolentino quits PDP party

FRANCISTOLENTINO.PH

SENATOR Francis N. Tolentino has quit the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), citing differences in foreign policy including the sea dispute with China.

“The party’s inclination on bilateral dialogue concerning these matters, while having merit, may not fully align with the principles established by the 2016 Hague ruling and might weaken our position in the international arena,” he said in a letter to the PDP President Senator Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla on Monday.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.

A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s claim over the waterway for being illegal. Beijing has ignored the ruling.

Mr. Tolentino said Manila should boost ties with its global partners instead of relying on bilateral dialogue.

“Given this fundamental divergence, I feel it is necessary for both myself and the party to take this step,” he said. “This will allow for a more cohesive and unified approach within the party on this critical issue.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

LDF studying aid access

THE PHILIPPINES is looking at whether monsoons that cause heavy flooding in local communities could give the country access to aid from the United Nations Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“The access modalities are still to be defined by the board when it is able to assume that legal personality,” Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga told a Senate foreign relations hearing on Monday. “However, extreme weather has already been made part of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports.”

She said the board would set parameters on what type of monsoons would merit access to the Loss and Damage Fund.

The Philippines was selected to host the Loss and Damage Fund board at a meeting in Incheon, South Korea in July.

Ms. Yulo-Loyzaga earlier said access to the fund would aid Manila’s disaster response efforts, especially in Philippine coastal communities affected by rising seas. 

Last year, developed countries, mainly responsible for most of the world’s carbon emissions, pledged about $700 million to the LDF. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Philippines, Mongolia to boos ties

TOP ENVOYS from the Philippines and Mongolia on Monday agreed for their countries to explore partnerships in agriculture, tourism and education.

In a speech in Mongolia after meeting with Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo cited the need to boost trade between the two nations, especially after Mongolia reached upper middle-income economy status this year.

“The minister and I discussed ways to promote trade between our two economies, including the establishment of ties between our business communities, and the potential for further cooperation on areas ranging from tourism to agriculture to education, particularly English language training,” he said, based on a transcript of his speech sent to reporters via WhatsApp.

The Philippine government aims to reach upper middle-income status by 2025. An upper middle-income country has a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $4,466 to $13,845.

The World Bank classifies the Philippines as a lower middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $3,950. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Resolving right-of-way issues key to timely completion of railway projects

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

According to Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, 47% of the relocation orders for nearly 700 power facilities to address right-of-way (ROW) issues in railway projects have been completed as of Thursday. 

“We are here to collaborate with Meralco to ensure smooth implementation of our rail projects,” Mr. Bautista said in a Business Review Meeting last August 1. 

He added that the collaboration with the electric distribution utility company will help the Department of Transportation (DOTr) reach its deadline for rail projects. 

“We want Meralco to be on board so we can efficiently solve right-of-way issues and accomplish these projects as soon as possible.”  

Last April 2, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the Administrative Order (AO) 19, creating the inter-agency committee to address the ROW issues in railway projects. 

Under AO 19, the Inter-Agency Committee for ROW Activities for National Railway Projects (Committee) was tasked to create an “efficient and collaborative mechanism to streamline the process of land acquisition necessary for the implementation of all railway projects.” 

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), the Philippines’ first underground railway system, is one of the projects experiencing troubles with ROW issues.  

By 2029, the MMSP is aimed to be partially operational, but this goal is contingent upon addressing challenges with ROW. 

Meron din issues like property owners na ayaw nila ‘yung MMSP dumaan sa ilalim ng kanilang property [Some property owners do not permit the MMSP to operate under their property,”] Mr. Bautista said on a press conference last March 7. 

“We are doing our best to convince property owners, all things considered, that their concerns are already factored in,” DOTr Undersecretary for Rails Jeremy S. Regino added. 

DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan said in a forum on July 16 that the subway reached a ‘significant progress’, marking the completion of the project at 14.48% as of May 31. – Almira Louise S. Martinez

US says moves in Middle East aimed at de-escalating tensions

SUPPORTERS of Hamas and Hezbollah take part in a protest condemning the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah top commander Fuad Shukr, in Sidon, Lebanon, Aug. 2, 2024. — REUTERS

WASHINGTON — The US is deploying additional military might in the Middle East as a defensive measure with a goal of de-escalating tensions in the region, a White House official said on Sunday.

Regional tensions have increased following the assassination on Wednesday of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tehran a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander from the Lebanese group Hezbollah. Both groups are backed by Iran.

There are mounting fears that Israel’s war against Palestinian militants in Gaza, which began last October after attacks on the Jewish state, could escalate into a wider Middle East conflict. Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel for Mr. Haniyeh’s killing in the Iranian capital, and they, together with Hezbollah, have vowed revenge. Israel has not claimed or denied responsibility.

US President Joseph R. Biden will convene his national security team in the situation room on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East, the White House said, adding that he would speak with Jordan’s King Abdullah as well.

US news service Axios reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterpart from Group of 7 countries that Iran and Hezbollah could start attacking Israel as early as Monday, citing three sources briefed on the call. But Mr. Blinken, according to Axios, said it was unclear how Iran and Hezbollah would attack and did not know the exact timing.

When asked about the report, the State department referred to a readout of the call, where it said the ministers discussed “the urgent need for de-escalation in the Middle East.”

The Pentagon said on Friday it would deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the region.

“The overall goal is to turn the temperature down in the region, deter and defend against those attacks, and avoid regional conflict,” Jonathan Finer, the White House’s deputy national security adviser, said on CBS’ Face the Nation program.

The U.S. and Israel are preparing for every possibility, Mr. Finer added.

There was a “very close call” of regional conflagration in April, Mr. Finer said, when Iran launched an attack on Israeli territory with drones and missiles after what it called an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Syrian capital.

The US wants to be prepared should that situation rise again, Mr. Finer added.

In a call with his Israeli counterpart, the Pentagon said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated the United States’ support for Israel’s security and “right to self-defense against threats from Iran, Lebanese Hizballah (Hezbollah), Houthis, and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups.”

Mr. Blinken spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday and emphasized “the importance of all parties taking steps to calm regional tensions, avoid further escalation, and advance stability,” the State department said.

‘PRUDENT PLANNING’
Mr. Biden on Saturday expressed hope that Iran would stand down despite its threat to avenge Mr. Haniyeh’s killing.

The US on Wednesday urged its citizens who wish to leave Lebanon to start making plans immediately.

“This is no prediction about future events. It is prudent planning for them and for our government,” Mr. Finer said on CBS.

The British government advised its nationals to leave Lebanon. Canada told its citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, saying the regional conflict endangers security.

Mr. Haniyeh’s death was one in a series of killings of senior Hamas figures in the Gaza war — with nearly 40,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry — and it fueled concern of a wider Middle East conflict.

Hamas said it has begun a “broad consultation process” to choose a new leader to replace Mr. Haniyeh, who was the face of the group’s international diplomacy.

The US and international partners including France, Britain, Italy and Egypt continued diplomatic contacts seeking to prevent further regional escalation.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, will travel to Iran on Sunday in a rare visit to discuss regional developments with his Iranian counterpart, Iranian state media reported.

Violence continued on Sunday in the Palestinian territories.

At least 25 Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Sunday in an Israeli strike targeting two schools that were sheltering displaced people near Gaza City, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.

Another strike hit a tent inside a hospital compound in central Gaza, killing at least five people, Gaza health officials said, after another round of talks ended without result. — Reuters

New Zealand scraps clean and green policies to boost flailing economy

SULTHAN AULIYA-UNSPLASH

WELLINGTON — New Zealand’s green credentials are at risk as the government rolls back environmental reforms in a bid to boost a flailing economy and fulfil promises made to its voters.

Since taking power last year, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s center-right coalition announced it will reverse a ban on oil and gas exploration, push the pricing of agricultural emissions back five years and encourage more mining.

This is part of a government shift in priorities towards increasing exports to support an economy that grew just 0.3% in the year to March 2024, its lowest growth for the same period since the pandemic hit in 2020, and that has a current account deficit at 6.8% of gross domestic product.

Exports make up nearly a quarter of New Zealand’s economy.

“The economic situation for me, is arguably the worst of the set of circumstances that I can remember in my adult life,” Resources Minister Shane Jones said.

“So when the opportunity arose to champion the re-emergence of the mineral sector it was driven by quite a brutal understanding of what our economic situation is,” he added.

The agricultural sector including fishing contributes 5% to the economy, and accounts for about 80% of total exports. The farmers who helped Mr. Luxon’s government come to power had said the environmental policies that the coalition government are reversing would have made dairy and meat too costly to produce.

But while farmers and companies have cheered the changes, environmentalists criticized the coalition for what they said were shortsighted policies.

“They are not looking at both sides of the ledger here, and the economic impacts of wrecking the joint for a few quick bucks for the government of this day, and therefore putting at risk the prosperity of future generations of New Zealanders,” said Nicola Toki, chief executive of environmental organization Forest and Bird.

Last week, the national carrier Air New Zealand dropped its 2030 emissions target, citing delays in new aircraft and the high prices of environmentally friendly fuel. The opposition Green Party said it was concerned that the government’s “low ambition approach to climate change” would encourage more companies to follow suit.

A report from the government Climate Commission released last week said there were significant risks to New Zealand meeting its 2030 and 2035 domestic emission targets and its promised reduction in methane from animals and waste.

It noted any shortfall in meeting these targets would increase the need for more offshore mitigation to meet the nationally determined contribution. Treasury last year forecast mitigation could cost as much as NZ$23.5 billion ($14 billion).

EMISSION RISKS
The government has said it is working on a climate change plan that includes the planting of more trees, increasing renewable energy supply and investing in cutting edge technology to reduce emissions.

Climate Minister Simon Watts said the government expects to meet the 2030 target but admitted more work was needed to meet the 2035 target.

“The Government is committed to meeting our climate change targets, but the way in which we do this will be different to former New Zealand Governments,” he said. “This Government is using a least-cost approach to meet our climate targets. We will not shut down sectors that are boosting our economy and exports.”

Environmentalists, however, say this is not enough.

University of Otago Climate Change Research Network co-director Sara Walton said New Zealand would face significant reputational and financial damage for not meeting the targets.

“It’s more important than ever for companies to be reducing their emissions in order to remain competitive internationally in terms of supply chains,” said Ms. Walton.

After the rural vote helped the three party coalition government sweep to power last year, the government promised to pull agriculture from the emissions trading scheme.

Agricultural emissions would still be taxed from 2030 but rules around protecting “significant natural areas” to support biodiversity are being suspended.

Other sectors the government is targeting are energy and mineral resources.

It has said it would allow oil and gas exploration again, which former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern banned in 2018, in a bid to reduce imports of coal, boost fuel exports and keep energy prices for the public and small businesses low.

The government has also set a target to double mineral exports to NZ$2 billion over 10 years and has announced a stock take of its resources.

It has also proposed a fast-tracked consenting process that would allow the likes of mines to circumvent current resource consents if they can win ministerial approval.

Cindy Baxter, chair of environmental group Kiwis against Seabed Mining, is worried this will allow a controversial seabed mining project to go ahead on New Zealand’s west coast.

“It’s a beautiful piece of ocean with reefs and sea life… which could be absolutely destroyed by seabed mining,” Ms. Baxter said. — Reuters

Number of Chinese couples getting married falls to 12-year low, data shows

UNSPLASH

HONG KONG — The number of Chinese couples who got married in the first half of this year fell to its lowest level since 2013, official data showed, as more young people deferred nuptials amid a slowing economy and a rise in living costs.

The number of marriages in China is closely tied to the number of births, and the decline is likely to upset policymakers trying hard to boost the population which has been shrinking for two consecutive years.

A total of 3.43 million couples tied the knot in the first six months of the year, a drop of 498,000 from the same year-ago period, the data on marriage registrations showed.

Marriage is seen as a prerequisite for having children due to widespread incentives and policies, including a requirement for parents to present a marriage certificate to register their child and receive state benefits.

Many young Chinese are opting to stay single or delay getting married due to poor job prospects and worries about the future as growth in the world’s second largest economy slows.

Marriage rates have been declining in China since 2014. While there was a slight pick up in 2023 due to pent-up demand after the easing of pandemic restrictions, the rate this year is expected to drop to its lowest since 1980, demographic expert He Yafu told state backed newspaper the Global Times.

Reasons for the decline in marriage registrations include a decrease in the number of young people, a higher number of males in the marriageable population versus females, the high cost of marriage, and changing attitudes, Mr. He said.

“The declining trend in China’s birth rate in the long run will be difficult to fundamentally change unless substantial childbirth support policies are implemented in the future to address this challenge,” Mr. He said.

China’s Civil Affairs University announced a new undergraduate marriage program to develop marriage-related industries and culture, drawing scorn from social media users who questioned the need for such a course as marriage rates decline. — Reuters