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World Vision Philippines launches 2024 back-to-school campaign

source: World Vision Philippines

Encouraging children to get one step closer to achieving their dreams is the goal for a humanitarian organization that recently launched its 2024 back-to-school campaign. 

Dubbed #OneBagOneDream, World Vision Philippines aims to raise enough funds to provide learning kits worth P1000 to about 24,000 Filipino children. 

“[This initiative] provides opportunities for people to escape poverty, so they can become better versions of themselves,” Jun N. Godornes, World Vision Philippines’ interim national director said in the July 16 media launch. “It provides opportunities for sustainable change.”

source: World Vision Philippines

World Vision Philippines raised P2.5 million last year, according to Precious Hope T. Basco, its resource development director officer-in-charge. 

The funds, Ms. Basco said, were used to distribute school supply kits for 24,000 children nationwide. 

“We’re hoping to reach at least the same amount this year – or even more,” she said in the same event. 

World Remit, a digital remittances brand, found in 2023 that Filipino families must set aside at least 51% of their monthly income to cover essential school items, including pencils and notebooks. 

According to the report, the average number of children per household is between two to three, and the cost of sending each child back to school is P2,661. 

This year, the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) 2024 price guide for school supplies showed that nearly a quarter (24%) of the stock keeping units (SKUs) have increased prices this year. 

“We increased to P1000 per school kit this year, up from P1000 for every two school kits last year, because school supplies cost more now,” Ms. Basco said. 

The organization’s priority areas include Aklan, Leyte, Cebu, Misamis Occidental, and North Cotabato, she added. 

“We stay until several kids graduate at least from K-12. That already elicits a significant change in the lives of Filipino families,” Mr. Godornes said. 

About 18.6% (7,856,000) of children aged 5 to 24 years were not attending school, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Annual Poverty Indicator Survey of 2023. Of those who were not attending school, 9.9% said the reason was the high cost of education or financial concerns. – Patricia B. Mirasol

Business groups back POGO ban, call economic impact minimal

MORE THAN 160 Chinese nationals who worked for POGO Zun Yuan Techonology, Inc. were deported on May 14, 2024. — PRESIDENTIAL ANTI-ORGANIZED CRIME COMMISSION

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

BUSINESS GROUPS expressed support on Wednesday for the position laid down by the Department of Finance (DoF), which had proposed to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

In a statement, the business groups, led by the Makati Business Club (MBC) said the contribution of POGO investments was equivalent to 0.2% of gross domestic product in 2023, calling it minimal compared with the social costs attributed to the industry.

“The crimes related to POGO investments can hinder growth, affect investor perception, and potentially affect our bilateral and multilateral relations,” they said.

“Recent Senate hearings and statements by NEDA have illustrated that POGOs have been linked to negative externalities, particularly involvement in crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping, and money laundering, among others,” they added.

Citing a report from the Philippine National Police, the groups said that 55% of the 31 cases of kidnapping recorded in 2022 were POGO-related.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has sent a letter recommending a POGO ban to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the Cabinet has yet to discuss the ban.

On Tuesday, the DoF said it is willing to forego taxes from POGOs, which it expects to be offset by investments encouraged by the improvement in business climate if crimes associated with the industry recede.

The DoF estimated that the reputational risk from POGOs costs the government P55.36 billion in forgone investments.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has said its estimate of foregone revenue if POGOs are shut down is P20 billion a year.

The Senate is investigating crimes linked to POGOs, which are mostly Chinese gambling firms that operate online casinos. The chamber is currently weighing a bill banning the industry.

Senate Bill No. 1281 would repeal all laws, executive orders, and other rules that allow online gambling.

The signatories to the statement are the MBC, the Management Association of the Philippines, Alyansa Agrikultura, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, the Foundation for Economic Freedom, the Institute of Corporate Directors, the Justice Reform Initiative, and the UP School of Economics Alumni Association.

Cruise visa waiver seen as means of unlocking China visitor market

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THE Cruise Visa Waiver program is viewed as pathway to tapping Chinese visitors, who are turning to other destinations in the region that are visa-free for them, an industry official said.

Ben Line Agencies Director and Vice-President for Marine Agency Services Terence L. Uytingban, said that China was a big market even before the pandemic.

“The Chinese are a visa-required nationality (in the Philippines) … they cannot join the cruises without a visa waiver or without holding a visa (for the ports of call),” Mr. Uytingban said.

“So, it really is a problem because visa-required nationalities such as Chinese and Indians have to apply in advance,” he added.

He said that China is one of the biggest markets for the Philippines, especially for short cruises, due to China’s proximity.

He added that world cruises often do not permit certain nationalities to embark due to visa restrictions, which has caused the Philippines to lose out on potential visitors.

On Tuesday, the Department of Tourism (DoT) announced the launch of the Cruise Visa Waiver program, which is expected to increase the number of cruise ship arrivals, contributing to the DoT’s goal of boosting foreign tourist arrivals and enhancing the overall tourism experience aligned with the National Cruise Tourism Development Strategy and Action Plan, the DoT said.

Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco said the program is meant to facilitate the entry of visa-required nationals on cruises.

The waiver is single-entry and valid for up to 14 days. It is not convertible to other types of visa.

Mr. Uytingban said that the new policy removes the uncertainty for affected nationals considering cruises.

“It gives assurance to the cruise lines and to the cruise passengers that there really is an accommodation policy in the Philippines that allows cruise passengers to embark on the vessels and enjoy the Philippines,” he said.

“I think it will be a big step forward because other countries already have it, so we are slightly lagging. This puts us makes us on par with other countries that already have similar arrangements,” he added.

This year, the Philippines is projected to receive 117 port calls carrying over 118,000 cruise passengers, up from the 123 port calls and over 101,000 passengers in 2023.  — Justine Irish D. Tabile

NGCP declares yellow alert over Luzon grid

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THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) declared a yellow alert over the Luzon grid, the first such declaration in over a month, citing the tripping of a natural gas-fired power plant.

In a statement on Wednesday, the grid operator said the yellow alert was in force between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday after the tripping of the San Gabriel gas-fired power plant in Batangas, which has a capacity of 417.4 megawatts (MW).

Available capacity was 13,198 MW while peak demand was estimated at 12,028 MW.

The alert was lifted at 4 p.m. after demand proved lower than expected.

A yellow alert is issued when the supply available to the grid falls below a designated safety threshold. If the supply-demand balance deteriorates further, a red alert is declared.

A total of 1,652.7 MW was unavailable to the grid, including the output of 15 power plants on forced outage and six running below their rated capacity.

The Luzon grid was last placed on yellow alert on June 5 while red alert on June 2. To date, the grid was under red and yellow alerts for 11 and 32 days, respectively. 

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it has advised the participants of its Interruptible Load Program to be on standby “in case the situation escalates to red alert.”

“We urge the public to implement energy conservation and efficiency practices to help manage overall demand. We will give updates as soon as needed,” Meralco Spokesperson and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said in a statement.

In a statement, the Department of Energy (DoE) said it is closely coordinating with the NGCP and the generation companies to manage demand.

The DoE “is also urging electricity consumers to exercise judicious use of their electricity during this period to help manage the overall demand.”

Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara has said that the department expects the power situation to improve with the addition of new capacity. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Chicken prices expected to fall in August

REUTERS

POULTRY raisers said that chicken prices may drop by late August after they hit a “record” P250 per kilogram in Metro Manila markets.

“The increased chicken prices are only temporary because raising chickens is fast… (it is possible) there will be a continuous drop in late August,” United Broiler Raisers Association President Jose Feliciano told reporters this week.

According to Department of Agriculture price monitors, whole chicken in National Capital Region markets sold for between P190 and P250 per kilogram as of July 15.

“P250 per kilo is a record… Other sellers are trying to take advantage of the supply situation,” Mr. Feliciano added.

Last month, whole chicken prices in Metro Manila markets sold for between P160 and P220 per kilogram.

Separately, Agriculture Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano said that the increase may be attributed to a rise in production costs.

He cited “The cost of production (mainly) imports of feed additives,” as well as diseases hitting the poultry flock.

As of July 12, two municipalities in Pampanga had ongoing cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza or bird flu, according to the Bureau of Animal industry.

“Our concern is that the people should be able to buy affordable food,” Mr. Savellano said.

Mr. Savellano also described the high price of chicken as temporary. — Adrian H. Halili

PHL expected to miss out on wave of technology investments if skills lag

REUTERS

THE PHILIPPINES will have to build up its contingent of graduate-level workers to attract investment from companies working with advanced technology, industry officials and academic said. 

In a briefing on Wednesday, Louis P. Alarcón, head of the Microelectronics Department at the University of the Philippines, said neighboring countries have been scooping up investments in advanced technology.

“Our severe lack of graduate-level manpower is limiting our ability to attract investments in advanced technology areas, as these investments seem to pass us by,” Mr. Alarcon said.

He cited the recent announcement of Microsoft Corp. and Amazon Web Services investments in Malaysia. Microsoft and Nvidia Corp. have also announced ventures in Indonesia, while Apple has invested in Vietnam.

According to Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. President Danilo C. Lachica, only 10% of the approximately 800,000 graduates each year in the Philippines are engineers.

“However, most of these are in construction … and even if they are ECE (electronics and communication engineering) graduates, they do not necessarily go to the semiconductor industry,” he said.

“Some of them go to telecommunications and business process outsourcing companies … but what our members are really saying is that there’s not enough supply,” he added.

He said Taiwan produces 10 times more engineering graduates than the Philippines.

Board of Investments (BoI) Executive Director for Industry Development Services Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa noted the decline in the number of those enrolling in engineering courses.

She said that there is a need to educate students on the opportunities in the electronics track and cited the need to fund scholarships for the information technology-savvy.

Earlier this year, the BoI announced a target to turn out 128,000 engineers for the semiconductor industry.

“The main strategy for achieving 128,000 by 2028 is really looking at the specific requirements in the industry and then mapping out interventions, particularly at the technician, undergraduate, and doctorate levels,” she said.

To address the need for a skilled workforce, especially in integrated circuit (IC) design, Mr. Alarcon said the government needs to create a national graduate program in IC design, as well as a national faculty fellowship program, a national research fund, and a national center for IC. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Peso strengthens on US rate cut bets

THE PESO hit a new near two-month high against the dollar on Wednesday on growing expectations of a September rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.

The local unit closed at P58.295 per dollar on Wednesday, strengthening by nine centavos from its P58.385 finish on Tuesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

This was the peso’s strongest close in almost two months or since its P57.97-a-dollar finish on May 28.

The peso opened Wednesday’s session stronger at P58.33 against the dollar. Its intraday best was at its close of P58.295, while its weakest showing was at P58.40 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged went down to $1.24 billion on Wednesday from $1.42 billion on Tuesday.

“A softer dollar lifted the region’s currencies including the peso on the back of US rate cut bets and risk on sentiment overnight,” Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said in a Viber message.

The dollar was broadly weaker on Wednesday after a modest but short-lived boost following better-than-expected US retail sales data, as traders focused on the prospect of Federal Reserve rate cuts as early as September, Reuters reported.

The dollar index ticked marginally lower to 104.19. Investors have fully priced in a rate cut from the Fed come September and are expecting more than 60 basis points worth of easing by the yearend.

Dovish comments from the US central bank chief also boosted the peso, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

“Most players have squared their positions ahead of the Fed speakers overnight,” a trader said by phone.

For Thursday, the trader and Mr. Ricafort said they see the peso ranging from P58.20 to P58.40 per dollar. — AMCS with Reuters

PSEi rebounds as investor sentiment improves

The lobby of the Philippine Stock Exchange in Taguig City, Sept. 30, 2020. — REUTERS

SHARES rose on Wednesday as growing expectations of interest rate cuts in the United States and positive prospects for the Philippine economy boosted sentiment.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.3% or 20.62 points to end at 6,687.71 on Wednesday, while the broader all shares index improved by 0.24% or 8.69 points to finish at 3,594.62.

“Philippine shares closed in the positive territory as investors continued rotating across the board into names that would be prime beneficiaries of a rate cut,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a Viber message.

“The local bourse rose… due to positive cues from Wall Street overnight, amid optimism towards second-quarter corporate results and hopes of a rate cut soon by the Federal Reserve,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar said in a Viber message.

Wall Street stocks rose and the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time closing high on Tuesday after US retail sales data supported the view that the US Federal Reserve is approaching its easing cycle, reining in inflation while avoiding a recession, Reuters reported.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 742.76 points or 1.85% to 40,954.48; the S&P 500 gained 35.98 points or 0.64% at 5,667.20; and the Nasdaq Composite added 36.77 points or 0.2% at 18,509.34.

“Sentiment was further lifted as some institutions maintained their economic growth projections for the Philippines,” Ms. Alviar added.

The Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund have kept their gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecasts for the Philippines at 6% for this year and 6.2% in 2025, they said in separate reports this week.

The 2024 outlook is at the low end of the government’s 6-7% growth target. Meanwhile, the 2025 projection is below the 6.5-7.5% goal for that year.

For its part, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) trimmed its Philippine economic growth forecasts for this year and in 2025. AMRO sees Philippine GDP expanding by 6.1% this year, slightly lower than the 6.3% in the April report. It also downgraded its 2025 growth forecast to 6.3% from 6.5%.

The Philippine economy expanded by 5.5% in 2023.

Sectoral indices were split. Mining and oil climbed by 4.26% or 366.97 points to 8,964.24; holding firms went up by 1.14% or 65.91 points to 5,831.82; and industrials increased by 0.43% or 39.63 points to 9,171.38. Meanwhile, property fell by 0.34% or 9.24 points to 2,687.80; financials decreased by 0.3% or 6.18 points to 1,994.35; and services inched down by 0.22% or 4.48 points to 2,024.79.

Value turnover went down to P4.22 billion on Wednesday with 694.38 million shares changing hands from P5.4 billion with 352.93 million shares traded on Tuesday.

Advancers narrowly beat decliners, 97 versus 95, while 42 issues ended unchanged.

Net foreign buying rose to P715.58 million on Wednesday from P304.96 million on Tuesday. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

BIR expecting H2 revenue boost from vaping industry

CDC-UNSPLASH

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects to hit its collection target this year, citing encouraging signs of compliance by the vaping industry and the new withholding tax on online sellers.

“(On) what we’re doing in the second semester, I hope that the imposition (of withholding tax) and strict monitoring of vape products, as well as our crackdown on the illicit cigarette trade, will be enough,” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday.

The BIR, which accounts for 70% of government revenue, missed its collection target for the first half, generating P1.36 trillion, below the P1.403-trillion goal set for the bureau.

Starting June 1, the BIR ordered all vape manufacturers to mark their products with revenue stamps to ensure tax compliance.

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of registered vape products and an increase in collections since we started implementing the stamps on vape products,” Mr. Lumagui said.

The BIR expects to collect P3.055 trillion this year.

Mr. Lumagui also said that the recently imposed withholding tax on online sellers will help increase the BIR’s collections in the next six months.

He said that the 90-day extension in complying with the withholding tax delayed the revenue expected to be generated from this tax.

“For us, it’s okay that we were not able to collect immediately. At least we gave our taxpayers a chance to comply with the new system,” Mr. Lumagui said.

In April, the BIR extended the transition period for online sellers to adjust to the withholding tax by another 90 days, or until July 14, at the private sector’s request.

Under BIR regulations, a withholding tax of 1% will be imposed on one-half of the gross remittances of e-marketplace operators and digital financial service providers to the sellers or merchants of the goods and services carried on their platforms.

For their part, online sellers must also register with the BIR to ensure compliance with the new system.

Those covered by the regulation include electronic marketplaces for online shopping, food delivery platforms, platforms to book lodging accommodations, and other similar online marketplaces.

On the other hand, digital financial service providers were given until Oct. 12 to transition to the withholding tax.

The tax will not be imposed if the annual total gross remittances to an online seller for the past taxable year does not exceed P500,000; if the cumulative gross remittances to an online seller in a taxable year does not exceed P500,000, or if the seller is duly exempt from or subject to a lower income tax rate pursuant to any existing law or treaty.

The BIR has yet to estimate how much revenue will be generated from the withholding tax.

To ensure that a withholding tax is also collected from online sellers based overseas, they will have to register in the Philippines as online merchants, BIR said.

Unregistered foreign online sellers will be levied a final withholding tax at a higher rate than the usual withholding tax, BIR said.

Mr. Lumagui also clarified that the withholding tax should not push up prices on online selling platforms.

“This is not like a VAT or value-added tax that is imposed or added to the prices of products. This is just a tax (which advances) income tax,” he said.

Finance Undersecretary Renato E. Reside, Jr. told reporters separately that imposing the withholding tax would help bring the Philippine tax system in line with that of other countries. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Meat costs expected to rise due to high global prices, peso weakness

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) said the price of imported meat could rise due to high international prices and a weak peso.

“We are already seeing the stocks of some major players thinning out,” MITA President Emeritus Jesus C. Cham said via Viber.

The peso closed at P58.295 against the dollar on Wednesday, according to the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Mr. Cham added that the recent signing of Executive Order (EO) No. 62, which cut import tariffs on major food items, could provide predictably for the meat import market.

“Unless the producers manage to overturn it,” he added.

EO 62, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. extended low tariffs on pork and mechanically deboned chicken meat until 2028.

The tariff for pork was kept at 15% for shipments within the minimum access volume and 25% for those exceeding the quota. On the other hand, the rate for mechanically deboned chicken was retained at 5%.

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry, meat imports rose 10% during the five months to May, totaling 524.68 million kilograms.

Mr. Cham said shipments of major meats rose year on year despite the delayed release of quotas for pork and chicken.

“While we expect the quota to be finalized this month, only a few months remain to fully utilize,” he added.

He said that the heightened price of domestically grown pork and chicken may have driven consumers to cheaper imported variant.

“This suggests that the high price of local pork and poultry continue to make imported meat competitive and attractive. The high price of domestically grown meat could be attributed to decreased production and higher costs due to the El Niño,” Mr. Cham said.

According to the Department of Agriculture, a kilogram of domestically grown whole chicken in Metro Manila sold for between P190 and P250 per kilogram. On the other hand, pork belly (liempo) sold for between P350 and P410 per kilo, while pork shoulder (kasim) fetched P300-P380 per kilo.

Pork and chicken were the top meat imports during the six months at 253.55 million kilos and 181.23 million kilos, respectively.

Mr. Cham added that due to the rise in prices, beef is also emerging as an alternative.

“The high price of pork and poultry may have narrowed the gap against beef, making it easier to shift consumption from the former to the latter,” he said. — Adrian H. Halili

Feasibility study for cable car project expected in one year

REUTERS

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said the feasibility study for the Philippines’ first cable car project will be completed in a year, and added that the auction is expected to go the solicited route.

“It will be solicited. We are now working on the planning… The feasibility study needs to be completed first; it will take a year,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing on Wednesday.

The DoTr should team up with the private sector for the cable car project, transport experts said, adding that the project should be positioned as a tourism booster rather than a solution to road congestion.

“Solicited public–private partnerships (PPP) will always be a better choice for the government since they offer a level playing field for all bidders… The solicited route would be the best option. A cable car requires very extensive land right-of-way (RoW) acquisition,” Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on PPP at the technical advisory group Libra Konsult, Inc., said via Viber.

Last week, the DoTr said the cable car system is expected to begin operations by 2028.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said the company has no immediate plans to participate in such an auction but said the cable car system is probably feasible.

“From a technical point of view, I think it can be done. I think it is an interesting concept. There’s a Malaysian group that approached (us) about that. It looks interesting. I think the technology is there,” Mr. Pangilinan told BusinessWorld recently.

Last year, MPIC entered a partnership with Malaysian infrastructure firm Hartasuma Sdn Bhd. to explore innovative rail services and infrastructure.

The collaboration between the two companies aimed to explore various transportation modes like cable systems for both tourism and urban transport.

“Most mass transport projects pass over existing roads for most of their length, but cable cars are designed to bypass the road network so most of their length will be over RoW, which needs to be acquired. That’s a lot of land acquisition and private proponents would shy away from that,” Mr. Villarete said.

He said the solicited route is better for the project since the government will take primary responsibility for RoW acquisition.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan has disclosed that the cable car route will connect the Taytay station of Metro Rail Transit Line 4 (MRT-4) to Antipolo City.

MRT-4 will cover 12.7 kilometers from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Ortigas Ave. junction to Taytay, Rizal.

The cable project was deemed viable in a pre-feasibility study conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the DoTr said. Bidding for the project is expected to commence by 2026.

While the cable car system is being put forward as a possible solution to worsening road congestion, Mr. Villarete said the cable car system will not do much to address traffic problems.

“It might be very attractive and will surely help in tourism, but a cable car’s capacity is almost the same as cars on ordinary roads. It won’t contribute much to easing congestion,” Mr. Villarete said.

Enrico P. Villanueva, a senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Los Baños Economics Department, said the cable car system, if done well, could become a “tourist magnet,” especially for domestic travelers.

However, former president of the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines Rene S. Santiago has expressed doubts about the project.

“Selling dreams that won’t see the light of day,” he said in a message, citing the previous administration’s proposals for cable car systems in other parts of the country.

Libra Konsult’s Mr. Villarete said the government must ensure RoW acquisition for the project to ensure timely completion.

“The right-of-way acquisition is still problematic. It might be up there in the air, but the government still needs to secure the RoW below it either by land acquisition, rental, or owner’s permission/agreement,” he added.

He said RoW for cable car projects is deemed challenging if the project traverses a built-up area.

“Cable cars are not built to evade right-of-way difficulties because they still requires RoW. I do not think everyone will agree to have a cable car above their homes,” he said.

The government’s infrastructure projects have been hampered by RoW issues, delaying their completion.

A 2016 law authorizes the government to acquire real property needed for RoW or for any National Government infrastructure project through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Gov’t urged to focus on industry, agri development instead of FDI

REUTERS

NON-GOVERNMENT organizations said the government must refocus its efforts on developing domestic industry and raising agricultural output instead of pursuing foreign direct investment (FDI) and relying on food imports.

Discussing his preferred government initiatives ahead of the President’s address to Congress next week, Rene E. Ofreneo, Freedom from Debt Coalition president and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations, said: “We are in the era of import liberalization which made us forget to fix our agriculture, manufacturing, and give our farmers the capacity to boost production.”

He was speaking at a news conference in Quezon City.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is set to deliver his third State of the Nation Address before Congress on July 22.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar has called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to more efficiently use the P30 billion in national rice development funds, and called for a halt to the procurement of hybrid seed, which she said is expensive and has failed to boost rice output.

She filed Senate Bill No. 2601, which seeks to extend the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to support farm mechanization and the supply of seed and fertilizer.

The RCEF, a component of the Rice Tariffication Law passed in 2019, is set to expire by the end of this year. The law deregulated rice imports, allowing private parties to import rice, originally charging them a 35% tariff on grain brought in from Southeast Asia. The tariff has been lowered to 15% regardless of source country.

The Federation of Free Farmers and Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura have opposed the lowering of rice tariffs to 15%, saying that such a move threatens farmers’ livelihoods.

Leodegario Q. de Guzman, chairman of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, said at the same event that the government needs to boost the competitiveness of domestic products. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

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