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Marcos orders whole-day processing of imported goods

MANILA INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has ordered round-the-clock processing of imported goods to ensure their continuous flow.

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) and Department of Agriculture (DA) should ensure there are enough workers who process shipments 24/7, the presidential palace said in a statement, citing his meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council – Infrastructure Sector Group.

There should be a full-day processing of shipments since they all enter the country 24/7, he said at the meeting.

“In this business, there’s no afterhours,” Mr. Marcos said. “It’s ready 24/7. So, let’s not put an extra team, let’s just keep it running.

The council had proposed that Customs and the Agriculture department come up with a shifting schedule to ensure 24/7 operations across government services related to logistics and supply chains.

There should be continuous inspections, clearance and payment processes to reduce costs and time, particularly on the x-ray scanning operations of the Customs bureau and the DA office that inspects refrigerated vans, according to the group, based on the palace release.

Sabin M. Aboitiz, council strategic convenor and president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc., presented the recommendations at the meeting.

Also present during the meeting in Malacañang were council members International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Chairman Enrique K. Razon, Jr. and First Pacific Co. Ltd. CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Most delays in Customs processing occur in pre-Customs and post-Customs processes, according to 2022 study conducted by the bureau.

Reasons behind delays include broker-related issues such as missing documents, weak internet connection and high volume of shipments in and out of Manila, the capital. — KATA

Aghon damage runs up to P1B

STRONG winds and heavy rains from Tropical Storm Aghon knocked down this tree in front of the Minor Basilica and Parish of St. John the Baptist in Taytay, Rizal on Sunday. No one was hurt when it crushed two parked vehicles. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

DAMAGE to agriculture and infrastructure caused by “Aghon” (international name: Ewiniar), the first tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, has exceeded over P1 billion, disaster officials said Thursday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 19 cities and municipalities declared a state of calamity due to the typhoon damage, with at least eight people reported killed.

Infrastructure damage from the typhoon reached P942.5 million in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon or Region 4A), the region immediately south of the capital Manila.

Add to that P85.6 million worth of damage to agriculture in the adjoining region south, Mimaropa (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan or Region 4B), the NDRRMC said.

Aghon affected a total of 152,266 people or 41,105 families in six regions, including Region 3 (Central Luzon), just north of Manila; Region 5 or Bicol; Region 7 or Central Visayas; and Region 8 or Eastern Visayas.

The destruction wrought by Aghon affected 7,000 houses, 752 of which were totally destroyed.

The typhoon exited the country on May 29, but the NDRRMC said 600 typhoon victims are still staying at evacuation centers, while 2,220 others are forced to take shelter elsewhere.

Also, six areas are still suffering from power outages. Air and sea travel cancellations have kept 142 passengers stranded to date as NDRRMC reported that a damaged seaport in Central Visayas remained non-operational due.

EL NIÑO WEAKENS, BUT…
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC quoted the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that the El Niño weather pattern, which has caused droughts in the Philippines, continued to weaken “but impacts such as hotter and drier conditions still persist.”

On Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. personally gave several provinces in Davao Region close to P60 million in financial assistance to help them cope with the effects of El Niño.

Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental each received P10 million, while Davao del Sur got P19.52 million, according to a press release from his office.

Over 1,000 families in the region have been affected by the weather phenomenon, whose damage to agriculture nationwide had hit P9.5 billion based on a May 21 statement from the Agriculture department.

Davao Region has not declared a state of calamity due to El Niño, but it has logged P49.58 million worth of agricultural losses, the palace said, affecting 1,344 farmers and fisherfolk.

Meanwhile, the Social Welfare department provided P10,000 in financial assistance to 10,000 target beneficiaries in Davao del Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental, it said.

“The same beneficiaries received rice assistance from the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez,” it added.

The Philippines is now a few months away from the filing of candidacies for the 2025 polls.

Group hits US drone deployment

MILITANT group Bayan Muna raised a howl on Thursday over the deployment of US drones in the country, saying it violates the 1987 Constitution which bars the posting of foreign military forces in Philippine territory without a treaty concurred to by the Senate.

The US has deployed MQ-9A Reaper drones in the Philippines at its behest to “provide reconnaissance and surveillance” support to intelligence sharing operations between the two nations, a United States Marine Expeditionary Force spokesperson told US-based defense forum US Naval Institute News.

“The deployment of US Reaper drones in the Philippines is a blatant violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Bayan Muna Executive Vice President Carlos Isagani T. Zarate said in a statement.

It scored the government for skirting the Constitution by permitting US military deployments under the two nations’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The US military did not specify the command detail and the number of drones currently deployed on a rotational basis.

Mr. Zarate said the government should “immediately withdraw its request for the deployment of drones” to assert the country’s independence and sovereignty.

The entry of Reaper drones shows the country’s susceptibility to being dictated upon by other countries, he added. “This is a clear example of the neocolonial relationship between the US and the Philippines… with our government allowing foreign powers to dictate our foreign and defense policies,” he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Makati tops 80% of revenue target

BUILDINGS are seen from the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Makati City, Dec. 4, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

MAKATI City said on Thursday it hit slightly over 80% of its revenue target for 2024 after collecting more than P14.77 billion as of April.

In a statement, Makati City Mayor Mar-len Abigail “Abby” S. Binay-Campos said that as of April, the city has already collected P14.77 billion of its P18.40 billion revenue target for the year.

“Our robust revenues provide us with the financial stability we need to continuously implement programs that go well beyond the basic needs of our constituents,” she said. Last year, the city surpassed its revenue target by 39% without hiking tax rates.

City Treasurer Jesusa E. Cuneta said the city collected almost P8.2 billion in business tax and P5.2 billion in real property tax.

The Business Permit and Licensing Office of the city said 1,820 new businesses have registered in the first quarter of the year. The total combined capital investment is worth more than P16.30 billion.

A total of 34,203 businesses renewed their permits in the same period. Registered total gross sales amounted to over P1.80 trillion.

Makati’s total budget for 2024 is P21.10 billion, with the Social Development sector taking a chunk with a P10.40 billion allocation.

The city allotted P4.50 billion for education, P4.10 billion for health, and P1.80 billion for social welfare.

Earlier this year, Ms. Binay-Campos said her administration has plans to reduce real property tax and other local taxes. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

BSP pushes digital payments

REUTERS

THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has launched the Paleng-QR Plus program in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

In a statement, the central bank said that the city rolled out the program after passing an ordinance in March promoting digital payments.

This would encourage digital payment transactions in public markets, public utility vehicles, and business establishments, it added.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said that the program would help business owners and customers “expand their digital financial footprint.”

“This will give them access to a wider range of financial services such as credit, savings, insurance, and investment,” he added.

BSP Regional Operations Sub-sector Managing Director Rosabel B. Guerrero said this would also “promote financial inclusion and uphold the interest of financial consumers.”

The BSP also conducted the “Piso Caravan” with member banks of Ciudad San Fernando Bankers Association and e-money issuers. The initiative allows the public to replace unfit banknotes and coins with fit currency or electronic money.

As of end-February, there were 68 local government units (LGUs) that launched the Paleng-QR program or issued policies in support of it. These include three in the National Capital Region (NCR), 50 in Luzon, nine in Visayas and six in Mindanao.

In 2022, the program was first introduced by the BSP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). It is part of the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion from 2022 to 2028.

It aims to promote the “acceptance of digital payments among market vendors, community shopkeepers, and tricycle operators and drivers in all cities and municipalities in the country.” — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

DPWH completes 3 road projects

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported Thursday the completion of three road improvement projects worth over P80 million.

Two of these construction works are farm-to-market road projects in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur that “a more convenient and cost-effective way to transport products or services,” the DPWH said. One of them also connects two villages of the town.

The third completed project is a 2.07-kilometer road section in Barangay Sto. Tomas, Maria Aurora in Aurora Province.

“This… is part of the DPWH effort for efficient road connectivity through construction and maintenance,” DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said in a statement.

“Prior to the completion of the project, unpaved roads become muddy and slippery during rainy days and dust covers the area during the summer season, affecting health conditions of locals and livestock,” said DPWH Regional Director Ronnel M. Tan. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

3 suspects yield P6.8-M drugs

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

COTABATO CITY — Anti-narcotics agents seized P6.8 million worth of “shabu” from two men and a woman entrapped in Barangay Cabingan in Marawi City on Wednesday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Bangsamoro region reported Thursday.

PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) Director Gil Cesario P. Castro said the suspects did not resist arrest during the buy-bust operation. Charges in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are now being prepared for filing against them, he said.

Gen. Prexy D. Tanggawohn, regional police director, said the arrest was made possible through the help of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong, Jr., and Marawi City Mayor Majul U. Gandamra. — John Felix M. Unson

P1.2-B PhilMech inventory flagged

THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) has flagged the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) over its unrecorded inventories worth P1.2 billion, resulting in inconsistencies in its financial statements.

In a Viber message to BusinessWorld, PhilMech Director Dionisio G. Alvindia said: “PhilMech’s accounting department has already derecognized P1.08 billion or 93% of the tagged unrecorded inventory. The remaining 7% or ₱87,431,506 are being prepared to be adjusted this June 2024.”

CoA auditors noted the unrecorded inventories of donated agricultural machinery resulted in the overstatement of the agency’s inventories and understatement of maintenance and operating accounts.

“The ‘unrecorded issued inventories’ pertain to the already received, possessed, and donated Property, Plant and Equipment (PPE) to rice farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), which were affected by the ‘record timing difference’ in recognizing the releases of those PPEs in our financial books of accounts,” explained Mr. Alvindia.

State auditors noted that a total of 1,855 donated machinery in the form of tractors, rice mills, and harvesters, among others, worth P1.2 billion has already been donated to farming cooperatives and local government units despite remaining in the agency’s year-end inventory account.

CoA recommended that PhilMech direct its accounting department to “implement and streamline control processes” to properly settle the inventory transaction of donated machinery.

PhilMech’s mandate is to commercialize and mechanize the domestic agriculture sector’s postharvest mechanisms to reduce agricultural product losses.

CoA also flagged PhilMech’s low disbursement rate of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund’s (RCEF) mechanization program.

“The foregoing benefits notwithstanding, gaps in the implementation of the Program were noted such as low disbursement rate of 7.62% or ₱388.58 million of the ₱5.10-billion total cash allocations received for FY (Fiscal Year) 2023,” the audit agency said.

Mr. Alvindia said the low disbursement rate is due to incomplete billing documents filed by suppliers of agricultural machinery.

“The target disbursements did not materialize as expected, but we are now accelerating the disbursements of funds at the close of this first semester to P19.8 billion, or more than 76% of the total obligated amount, to be disbursed for prior year payables,” he added.

RCEF receives P10 billion a year from collected rice tariffs. Of the total, it sets aside P5 billion to fund farm mechanization. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

‘Men in white’ draw attention in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY — The Diocese of Baguio declared on Thursday that men roaming the city and parts of Benguet province in white robes or cassocks while seeking donations for the church are not in any way connected with the Roman Catholic Church.

The diocese said its offices have been flooded by queries about these “men in white” who call themselves members of “Filipino Katoliko,” which is “not affiliated with any Diocese or Religious Congregation or Institute of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.”

These men in white reportedly show potential donors a letter claiming that the Filipino Katolikos are raising funds for the construction of their new church building in Bigaan, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur since their old building has been affected by a road widening project.

“In this connection, we are knocking at your kind and benevolent heart to share with us your blessings through VOLUNTARY DONATION,” read part of the same solicitation letter.

In its Facebook (FB) pages, Filipino Katoliko and Filipino Katoliko Missionaries, the group posted photographs where some members with white folders paid courtesy calls to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, Baguio City Police Chief Col. Francis Bulwayan and Mayor Romeo Salda of La Trinidad, Benguet.

In a post on its FB page, the Filipino Katoliko said they have no intention of creating confusion or disrespect to the existing denominations and the whole of the Roman Catholic Church or other Christian and Catholic churches.

In another letter, a certain Bishop Pedro P. Fenis, Jr. stated that they are soliciting heartily-given donations, of any kind for their congregation and missionary works. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Lawmaker pushes bigger funding for PHL Carabao Center

THE GOVERNMENT should look to increase the Philippine Carabao Center’s (PCC) budget to revive the domestic dairy industry post-El Niño season, a congressman said Thursday.

Increasing the country’s dairy production output and further developing the industry requires a budget increase for the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and PCC, he added.

“For now, only around P89 million has been allotted for the research and development of the National Carabao Development Program under the Philippine Carabao Center, and around P274 million has been allotted for their Herd Build-up of genetically improved Dairy Buffallos,” Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said in a statement in Filipino.

The programs under the PCC will provide essential breeding services to dairy farmers and enhance agricultural buffalo facilities, improving dairy production output.

“The Herd Build-up program is set to bolster local dairy stocks and local milk production through a series of strategic initiatives,” Mr. Lee said. “Additional funds will facilitate the procurement of new dairy buffalos [and] enhance local production at PCC-operated nucleus dairy buffalo farms and agistment farms.”

Providing further funding to the PCC would ensure that research on “minimizing the impact of extreme weather conditions” on domestic carabaos would continue.

Increased funding would also be used to construct dairy farms with facilities that allow imported carabaos to acclimatize to the country’s weather.

“We cannot afford to import cattles used for dairy without proper acclimatization facility… because many of it dies during the importation [process],” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

There is a need to increase funding for government dairy agencies for the country to attain milk sufficiency, said Mr. Lee. “There are currently 2.6 million cows in the country but only 27,000 are used for dairy. On the other hand, there are 2.8 million carabaos but only 19,000 are dairy types.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Private Funding Speeds up PH Aviation Projects – CAAP

CLARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Private funding through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have contributed to speeding up aviation projects across the country, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Tuesday. 

“Pag pumasok ang private sector, malaki po ang capital investment na naitutulong nila para mas mapaganda ang paliparan [When the private sector is involved, the bigger capital investment helps in ensuring a great airport],” CAAP Deputy Director General for Administration Danjun Lucas said during the  Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas.   

Private funding is not limited to the improvement of airport facilities, but it also includes technology from different private sectors, he added.  

“Airport projects through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme address problems in lack of public funding and delay in improvement procurement,” Mr. Lucas added. 

The Public-Private Partnership Center report shows that 11 of PPP aviation projects are in the pipeline, 3 projects are operational, 2 are under construction, and 3 are under pre-construction project classification.    

Among the pipeline projects are:  

  • Upgrade, Expansion, Operations and Maintenance of Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental 
  • New Bohol International Airport Project 
  • Operations, Maintenance, and Upgrade of the Kalibo International Airport in Aklan 
  • Rehabilitation, Expansion, Operation, Maintenance of the Iloilo International Airport 
  • Rehabilitation, Operation, Maintenance and Expansion of Puerto Princesa International Airport in Palawan 
  • Laoag International Airport Development Project in Ilocos Norte 
  • New Surigao Airport Project 
  • Development, Expansion, Operations and Maintenance of Sayak Siargao Airport 
  • MRT 7 Airport Access-North Line Project 
  • Operation & Maintenance of the Francisco B. Reyes Airport and the New Busuanga Airport in Palawan 
  • Operations and Maintenance of the Bicol International Airport Project 

Projects that are operational:  

  • Cagayan North International Airport Project (Lal-lo Airport Project) 
  • Clark International Airport Expansion Project, Operation and Maintenance 
  • Mactan-Cebu International Airport Project 

Projects that are under construction:  

  • Caticlan Airport Development Project in Aklan 
  • Clark International Airport Expansion Project – Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) 

Projects that are under pre-construction: 

  • New Manila International Airport (Bulacan International Airport) 
  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Public-Private Partnership Project 
  • Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) Project

– Edg Adrian A. Eva

SolGen seeks to maintain cooperation, dialogue, and peace in ASEAN waters

ASEAN Coast Guard Forum at Davao City | Source: https://shorturl.at/MPL7P

The importance of maintaining cooperation, dialogue, and peace was emphasized by Solicitor General Mernardo Guevarra in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Coast Guard Forum last Wednesday. 

“ASEAN’s approach to consensus-building and mutual respect for each other’s processes has effectively prevented conflicts from arising in our region,” Mr. Guevarra said. 

It is expected that the dialogue in the forum will further yield cooperative arrangements and other protocols that would maintain the peace and stability in the region.  

Mr. Guevarra also thanked the ASEAN member-states for their cooperation in maintaining the peace and order of the waters within the region. 

“It is in your everyday patrolling the seas, consistent conduct of law enforcement activities, and aiding distress to mariners at sea that the purposes of the Convention are realized,” he said. 

Mr. Guevarra expressed that the Philippines will always uphold its maritime rights amid the formidable challenges but will always prefer peaceful resolution than conflict. 

“Peace and adherence to international law are values that are writ large in the Philippine Constitution,” he said. 

He also highlighted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s statement at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue: 21st Asia Security Summit in Singapore last Friday.   

Mr. Marcos emphasized the three constants that ASEAN should consider amidst the challenges in international landscapes: 

  • Sovereign equality of states must remain sacrosanct 
  • ASEAN and ASEAN-led processes must remain central 
  • The rule of law and integrity of multilateralism must prevail

Philippine Coast Guard Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan, forum chairman, said that the forum is valuable for the Philippines as we face geopolitical challenges. 

The ASEAN Coast Guard Forum will be held until June 8. The participant countries will further discuss maritime security, which includes the safety and security in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). – Edg Adrian A. Eva

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