The Philippines ranked 29th out of 243* countries and territories in the biannual Conflict Index by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED). The index uses four indicators of conflict that rate how deadly a country is.
Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, October 14, 2024.
By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter
SEVEN of 10 Filipinos will not vote for candidates perceived to be supporting of China in next year’s midterm elections amid escalating sea tensions with Beijing, according to a poll by Pulse Asia Research, Inc.
The poll, commissioned by think tank Stratbase ADR Institute, showed 73% of Filipinos said they would not support pro-China candidates, while 5% said they would support pro-China candidates. About 23% of Filipinos were undecided.
Pulse Asia interviewed 1,200 Filipinos on Sept. 6 to 13 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.
“Many Filipinos feel that China’s actions, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, directly challenge our sovereignty and undermine our nation’s interests,” Victor Andres C. Manhit, the think tank’s president, said in a statement.
“This prevailing view is driven by both patriotic sentiment and a desire for leaders who will prioritize the Philippines’ long-term security and prosperity,” he added.
He said electing pro-China candidates could lead to policies compromising Manila’s sea claims and economic interests.
Only 1% of Filipinos see China as a trusted partner in national development, while 79% saw the United States as the Philippines’ most trusted development partner, according to the poll. About half of Filipinos said Japan is Manila’s top ally.
About 7% of Filipinos said China is a beneficial economic partner for the Philippines, while 66% backed the US as the country’s top economic partner, followed by Japan with 43%, Australia with 32% and Canada with 31%.
“These countries have proven to be dependable allies, not only in ensuring regional stability but also in fostering economic growth,” Mr. Manhit said.
Based on a July Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll commissioned by Stratbase, 60% of Filipinos said measures including joint patrols and military exercises with “allies, friends and partners” were enough in dealing with the Southeast Asian nation’s sea dispute with China.
“The Pinoy voter is notoriously known to decide only a few days before election day,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo Policy Center, said in a Messenger chat. “So, this anti-China sentiment can still change.”
“These results seem to suggest that Beijing’s effort to win the hearts and minds of Pinoys is failing.”
He said candidates this year would likely use the poll to stir anti-China sound bites and slogans, but are unlikely to offer sound national security solutions.
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week pressed Southeast Asian leaders and China at a regional summit to speed up negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea, while accusing Beijing of harassment and intimidation.
A 2016 arbitral ruling that voided China’s claims in the South China Sea said Scarborough shoal is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen. China has controlled the shoal since 2012.
The Philippines has been unable to enforce the ruling and has since filed hundreds of protests over what it calls encroachment and harassment by China’s coast guard and its vast fishing fleet.
Maria Ela L. Atienza, who teaches political science at the University of the Philippines, said the worsening tensions with China and allegations of espionage and crimes involving Chinese operators of online gambling operations in the Philippines have made these anti-China sentiments more apparent.
“We should not underestimate those forwarding Chinese interests as they may have a lot of resources that can affect the campaign and eventually the results of the elections,” she said in a Viber message.
THE Philippines doubts China’s intention to negotiate a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea although Manila is looking forward to continuing discussions, according to its top Defense official.
While Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. had approved “good-faith discussions” with China over the long-delayed code, he doubted Beijing’s sincerity, Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo “Gibo” C. Teodoro, Jr. told reporters on Monday. “Right now, honestly speaking, I do not see that.”
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday called for swift agreement on a code of conduct for the South China Sea based on international law, after escalating confrontations in the strategic waterway where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually.
China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The Philippines has complained of Chinese vessels’ use of water cannon, collision and ramming tactics to stop resupply and patrol missions in disputed waters.
The maritime code, which could help avoid such confrontations and prevent conflict, has been mooted for years, and talks led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have made slow progress.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez called out Russia for allegedly blocking a consensus statement by Southeast Asian nations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, saying Moscow has no authority to “meddle” with the region’s affairs.
“Russia should not have blocked the ASEAN statement,” he said in a statement. “Moscow has no business meddling in disputes in this part of our region.”
A United States official who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused Russia and China of blocking a proposed statement of the 10-member ASEAN for the 18-nation East Asia Summit in Laos, objecting to the draft’s language, according to a Reuters report.
Mr. Rodriguez, a member of the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee, said the Russian move showed it agrees with Chinese intrusion into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, including “bullying, harassment and ramming of Philippine vessels, their crew and Filipino fishermen.”
‘MEDDLING’
The East Asia Summit is an annual forum led by ASEAN, seen as an avenue for multilateral dialogue on issues concerning the region. The regional summit was originally composed of ASEAN member states, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and Korea in 2005. The United States and Russia joined in 2011.
Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov said the ASEAN declaration had not been adopted because of “persistent attempts by the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to turn it into a purely political statement,” according to a transcript of his response to a media briefing on Friday, published on the website of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This prompted Laos, which hosted this year’s East Asia Summit, to issue a unilateral statement on concerns involving the South China Sea, according to Mr. Rodriguez.
Laos Prime Minister and East Asia Summit Chairman Sonexay Siphandone said there is a need to “enhance mutual trust and… self-restraint in the conduct of activities” in the South China Sea, urging countries to “avoid actions that may further complicate the situation” in the water body, according to the chairman’s statement of the 19th East Asia Summit published on ASEAN’s website on Oct. 13.
He pushed for a “full and effective” implementation of a 2002 regional conduct code in the South China Sea, an agreement aimed at reducing tensions and conflict among claimant states.
“Given that China is closely allied with Russia, it comes as no surprise already that it is one with the People’s Republic of China in blocking the statement on the South China Sea,” Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a lecturer at the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“Russia is undoubtedly meddling in regional affairs” by helping China consolidate and achieve a “more solid and strategic position” in Southeast Asia.
Russian and Chinese flexing could hurt the Philippines’ sea claims, Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Messenger chat.
“If both Russia and China has influence on ASEAN, it might become more and more hostile to our multilateral efforts to protect our West Philippine Sea claims,” he added, referring to areas of the disputed sea within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
The idea of a maritime code was first agreed between China and ASEAN in 2002, but the process of creating it did not start until 2017.
Mr. Marcos at last week’s summit pressed Southeast Asian leaders and China to hasten negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea. “There should be more urgency in the pace of the negotiations of the ASEAN-China code of conduct,” he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio with Reuters
A SENATE committee on Monday asked a Pasig City trial court and Quezon City trial court to allow televangelist Apollo C. Quiboloy and his cohorts to attend a Senate hearing looking into allegations of child abuse and human trafficking against him and his church.
In separate letters to Pasig City Presiding Judge Elma Mendoza Rafallo-Lingan and Quezon City Presiding Judge Noel L. Parel, the Senate committee on women, children, family relations said the religious leader should be allowed to attend the Oct. 23 hearing.
“The committee respectfully and formally requests your honor to allow the above mentioned individuals to appear before the committee,” according to the letters signed by Committee Secretary Gemma G. Tanpiengco.
In April, the Pasig court ordered the arrest of Mr. Quiboloy for qualified human trafficking, while a Davao City court issued an arrest warrant for child sexual abuse. The Supreme Court in May ordered the transfer of the Davao child sexual abuse cases to the Quezon City trial court.
Mr. Quiboloy, who claims to be an “appointed son of God,” was arrested after weeks of police search. He is wanted for child sexual abuse and human trafficking in the Philippines.
He was indicted in a California district court on Nov. 10, 2021, and a federal warrant had been issued for his arrest.
The church leader is also wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US on charges of sex trafficking and bulk cash smuggling.
The Senate committee in March ordered his arrest for failing to attend hearings looking into the crimes.
Last week, Mr. Quiboloy filed his certificate of candidacy for senator in next year’s midterm elections.
The celebrity evangelist, who has denied the charges, is followed by millions of people in the Philippines, where the church has political influence. He is also the spiritual adviser of ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, who heads the Senate committee, earlier noted that for someone facing multiple charges, Mr. Quiboloy had the audacity to run for senator. “Let us not elect lawbreakers as lawmakers.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez
By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
BROTHERS Erwin and Bienvenido “Ben” T. Tulfo are the top senatorial bets of Filipinos for the 2025 midterm elections, an October survey, conducted after the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC), found.
Market research firm Acquisition Apps, Inc. reported that ACT-CIS Rep. Tulfo maintained his lead with 62.33% of respondents saying they would vote for him, up from 58% in September.
His brother, Ben, who is a broadcaster and media executive, tailed Rep. Tulfo in the overall ranking with 49% voter preference after he filed his CoC, up from 42.96%.
“The Tulfo brothers have this image that they will fight for you,” President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Xavier D. Peñaflor told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the survey launch in Makati City.
He noted the brothers have a strongman personality close to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which makes them appealing to voters. Filipino voters, he said, still look for such personality in potential leaders.
The Tulfo brothers are also “relatable” and “pro-people,” as exemplified by their social media presence, Mr. Peñaflor said, which added to their appeal.
Former Senate President Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III ranked third with 46.50% this month, a slight increase from 44% last month; while reealectionist senators Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with 46.08% and 45.50%.
Mr. Peñaflor said the former Duterte aide Mr. Go has detached himself from the shadow of the former president and is now known for his Malasakit Centers. This allowed him to boost his popularity among voters despite his former boss facing scrutiny over his deadly drug war.
Boxing icon turned lawmaker Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao placed sixth with 42.21%, followed by former Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson with 38.92%. Both politicians ran in the 2022 national elections as presidents but lost.
Also among the Top 12 were Makati Mayor Mar-len Abigail “Abby” S. Binay (36.17%), former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (33.42%), SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta (31.88%), reelectionists Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid (31.67%), and Senator Francis N. Tolentino (31.46%).
DARK HORSE
Mr. Peñaflor said there are three possible “dark horses” in the tight senate race, particularly former senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan (28.29%), Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar (24.92%), and former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” C. Singson (14.67%).
He said Mr. Pangilinan, who is leveraging TikTok, shows a strong social media standing. The survey also showed that Ms. Villar is among the biggest gainers after climbing 8-points to 24.92% from only 16% in September.
Mr. Singson, meanwhile, is considered an “outlier,” Mr. Peñaflor said.
On Senator Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos’ ranking, Mr. Peñaflor said her supporters, especially from her bailiwick in Northern Philippines felt betrayed when she exited from her brother, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s senatorial slate.
“They feel betrayed by her aligning with the Vice President…That’s the reason why she went independent and that’s the reason why she’s number 18,” he told BusinessWorld.
“When we started monitoring this, Senator Imee Marcos was in the top 8…So, we were really surprised that she came down, and it’s related to our current events.”
The survey was administered between Oct. 10-12 via a mobile-based respondent application with a sample size of 2,400 registered voters.
THE Marcos administration has accepted the resignation of National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto D.C. Leonardo, who was linked to the murder of a former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) official.
In a letter addressed to Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Catibayan Remulla, Jr., Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said the resignation of Mr. Leonardo, who is tagged in the murder of ex-PCSO Board Secretary Wesley A. Barayuga, has been accepted “effective immediately.”
Lawmakers including House dangerous drugs panel chair and Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace S. Barbers earlier recommended the filing of murder charges against Mr. Leonardo and retired Police Colonel Royina Garma in connection with Mr. Barayuga’s murder.
Ms. Garma was the PCSO general manager while Leonardo was a commissioner of the Napolcom when Mr. Barayuga was killed. The two have already denied involvement in the alleged murder plot.
Mr. Leonardo is also accused of having involvement in former president Rodrigo R. Duterte’s drug war, which is now a subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe.
In House hearings, Ms. Garma has accused Mr. Duterte of offering cash rewards for every drug suspect killed in his drug war.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) recently urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to submit the findings of the House quad committee probing the drug war to the ICC.
Asked to comment on the proposal, Mr. Bersamin told reporters via Viber: “The Philippines will not return to [the] ICC.”
“Based on this, the [P]resident is not expected to change his mind and now refer the quadcomm matter to the ICC,” he added.
Mr. Bersamin also said in a separate Viber message to reporters that “the Palace will support the filing (of charges) but will leave the decision to file entirely to the Department of Justice or Ombudsman.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
THE 20% discount and value-added tax (VAT) exemption for persons with disability (PWD) apply to the total cost of a group meal if it can be proven that the food is exclusively for their consumption, according to the Department of Justice (DoJ).
“In the purchase of a group meal which is ideally for food sharing, if it can be clearly determined that it was for the exclusive use, enjoyment or availment of only one person who is a PWD, i.e., dine-in transactions, then the 20% discount and VAT exemption should apply to the total amount of the food purchased,” it said in a legal opinion written by Assistant Secretary Randolph A. Pascasio.
Under the rules that enforce the Magna Carta for PWDs, the discounts are limited to the consumption of the person with disability. The DoJ noted that when the law is clear, it must be given its literal meaning and applied without interpretation.
The clarification came after Glenda D. Relova, executive director of the National Council on Disability Affairs, sought guidance from the DoJ regarding the application of the discount in group settings. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
THE Supreme Court (SC) said contract of service workers employed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) are not government employees under the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) jurisdiction.
The top court’s First Division said employees working for PAGCOR in its hotel and restaurant business under a contract of services and job order setup are not covered by the CSC’s law, rules, and regulations.
The case stemmed from a petition filed by job order workers of PAGCOR seeking recognition as regular government employees to enjoy benefits, such as the security of tenure, retirement benefits, and other privileges given to civil servants.
The tribunal ruled that PAGCOR’s job order workers are outside the purview of government employment as defined by existing labor laws and civil service regulations.
It added that there is no employer-employee relationship between the government and job order workers whose services are not considered government services.
The agency hired the petitioners as cooks, waiters, purchasers, pantry aides, and other positions. They signed a contract with PAGCOR for a fixed term but were occasionally renewed. They worked for the agency for a total period ranging from one to 17 years.
When PAGCOR closed its hotel operations at the Goldenfield Complex and relocated to L’Fisher Hotel, both in Bacolod City, it did not renew the individual contracts of the petitioners.
They filed an illegal dismissal complaint before the CSC Regional Office, saying they were regular employees entitled to security of tenure, but the agency junked their complaint for lack of jurisdiction and found that they were job order workers and not government employees based on their contracts. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it has seized around P50.47 million worth of illegal drugs in separate busts recently.
At the Manila airport last Oct. 12, a passenger was found carrying 6.2 kilograms of crystal meth (shabu) valued at P42.16 million, Customs said.
“A South African passenger arriving from Addis Ababa was apprehended for bringing in 6.2 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu,” the BoC said in a statement.
In a separate statement, the bureau said it found 4,891 ecstasy tablets, also known as “party tablets,” worth P8.31 million at the Port of Clark. The shipment came from the Netherlands.
“A physical examination of the shipment revealed one box of espresso capsules and three boxes of coffee beans,” it said, noting that the tablets were concealed among the coffee beans.
Both instances violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, BoC said.
The BoC said it will remain “vigilant against the importation of illegal drugs and hazardous substances into the country,” Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said.
Intercepted drugs in the January-June period amounted to P2.28 billion in total, the BoC said in its midyear report. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
THE INFLUX of foreign investments into the Philippines would create more jobs for Filipinos, a congressman said on Monday, following the wake of a five-month high net inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in July.
“The surge of FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments)… particularly in manufacturing, which is one of the most important drivers of economic transformation, will help us scale up our output and create higher-value products, meaning there will be more and better jobs for Filipinos,” Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe F. Nograles, who heads the House of Representatives labor committee, said in a statement.
The central bank last week reported that FDI net inflows increased by 5.5% to $820 million in July from $778 million in the same month last year. This was the highest FDI inflow in five months or since the $1.366 billion FDI recorded in February.
FDI inflow indicates the value of direct investments made by nonresidents into the country. It is a key source of capital for the economy, which could trickle down to the creation of jobs.
The July 2024 FDI figure mainly coursed through the manufacturing and real estate industries, accounting for 71% and 17% of the total inflows, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Mr. Nograles urged the government to strengthen efforts in addressing barriers that could discourage foreign investments in the country, including taxes, power rates and bureaucratic processes. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
YOUNG Filipinos urged the Philippine government to involve the youth in crafting climate policies, ahead of a regional gathering on disaster risk reduction.
They also urged the government to prioritize putting up schools and other social infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of the changing climate.
In a collective statement sent by UNICEF Philippines in an e-mail, over 50 children and youth aged 10 to 24 said the government should allow the youth to participate in policy-making processes at the local and national levels, through various platforms, such as local councils and schools.
The government should “deliberately and programmatically involve the youth in policy development,” they said.
They called for the creation of child- and youth-led disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), and climate resilient programming, which can “meaningfully engage adults and key stakeholders.”
Authorities should ensure that disaster preparedness activities in communities are “informed by a child and youth lens.”
They urged the government to invest in DRRM and climate education mainstreaming into the curriculum “and develop materials in local languages that integrate environmental protection into disaster risk understanding.”
The government should also increase investment in resilient and inclusive infrastructure for safe schools, hospitals, and evacuation centers, they said.
The youngsters also called for the passage of climate justice legislation to hold industries accountable, citing the Climate Accountability Act (CLIMA) Bill, which seeks to create mechanisms for accountability and reparations from climate polluters.
In the latest World Risk Index, the Philippines, which faces an average of 20 typhoons, remained the most disaster-prone country for a 16th straight year.
The Philippines is currently hosting the five-day Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction which started on Oct. 14.
The conference, which is convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and was expected to draw over 4,000 delegates from 69 countries, seeks to enhance cooperation for the implementation of the goals under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, an international blueprint for the reduction of disaster risks. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
