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Analyst advises Manila to beef up defense against China aggression

Philippine Coast Guard personnel documents a Chinese Coast Guard vessel shadowing the Philippines’ resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. — REUTERS

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz and John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporters

WORKING for peace in disputed waters would require the Philippines to ramp up its military modernization to deter China’s increasing aggression in the South China Sea, a renowned analyst said on Wednesday.

“The chance for peace is higher if the Philippines actually beefs up its armed forces for more credible self-defense, sustains its joint patrol activities in the South China Sea, and broadens its alliances with other friendly nations,” GlobalSource Partners country analyst Diwa C. Guinigundo said in a brief.

Citing a statement from the United States (US) Indo-Pacific Command, Mr. Guinigundo noted that the Philippines may invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the US if China’s harassment results in the death of a sailor or military personnel.

“It will indeed be uglier if cooler heads do not prevail, and raw force is deployed outside the perimeter of international law,” said Mr. Guinigundo, a former central bank deputy governor.

In an earlier brief, Mr. Guinigundo said the Philippines may experience a major power crisis if it cannot exploit oil and gas reserves in the South China Sea due to Chinese aggression.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea, a body of water known to have untapped oil and natural gas reserves.

The Philippines is looking to conduct more joint patrols with the United States after the two countries executed military drills with Japan and Australia last month.

“During joint patrols with other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) claimants in the South China Sea, or with other friendly governments of Japan, Australia or even India, if China should take the offensive, such an aggressive and emboldened act could definitely escalate the maritime disputes,” Mr. Guinigundo said.

CHINA ODA
Interviewed in Manila on Wednesday, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo said the Philippines is still open to forging official development assistance (ODA) deals for government projects with China despite heightened tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.

“We also open with China, but late we have not received that many offers (for ODA projects) from China on this,” he said.

The Marcos government has withdrawn from loan negotiations with China for three major railway projects worth at least P228 billion amid worsening tensions over their sea dispute.

Last week, the Philippines and Japan signed loan agreements to equip the Philippine Coast with modern equipment and scholarships for Filipinos.

Manila and the Japan International Cooperation Agency signed loan deals worth ¥250 billion (P93 billion) for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway and the Dalton Pass East Alignment, which will link San Jose City in Nueva Ecija to Aritao in Nueva Vizcaya, both in northern Philippines.

FILIPINO TOP BRASS DENIES ‘NEW MODEL’
Meanwhile, former Vice Admiral and chief of the Philippine military’s Western Command Alberto B. Carlos on Wednesday denied striking a deal with a Chinese envoy or any foreign diplomat on a “new model” on handling the situation in the South China Sea.

At the Senate National Defense Committee hearing looking into an alleged wiretapped conversation and disinformation drive launched by China, Mr. Carlos said he only had a short “casual and informal” telephone conversation with a “Colonel Li” from the Chinese Embassy in Manila in January on how to ease tensions amid blocked resupply missions in Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin.

“I did not forge any agreement at the level and magnitude that would bind our two countries for the long term and redefine foreign policy,” he said. “I have not compromised the country’s territorial integrity. I have not given up our sovereign rights and entitlements.”

The former commander also denied consenting to having their conversation recorded.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message from reporters seeking comment.

Beijing earlier threatened to release the transcript and recordings of a conversation supposedly between Mr. Carlos and a Chinese diplomat about a new model agreed upon over the shoal in which the Philippines would deploy fewer vessels in resupply missions to its troops stationed there.

Mr. Carlos said he would be willing to divulge his conversation with Colonel Li from the Chinese Embassy in a closed-door executive session with senators.

He added that the supposed embassy official reached out to him last Monday through text message, but he did not respond to it.

LPA develops, may bring rains as dams near critical levels

Commuters use their umbrellas during a downpour along Taft Avenue, Manila, July 13, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter

A CLOUD cluster outside of the Philippine area of responsibility (LPA) has developed into a low-pressure area (LPA), while water levels in Angat Dam and some others reached their critical levels, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday.

Addressing the climate forum of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), state weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz-Galicia said that the LPA was last seen 1,255 kilometers east of southeastern Mindanao.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that it will develop into a tropical depression after emerging in the waters east of Luzon,” she said.

If the weather disturbance develops into a tropical depression, it would be named “Aghon,” marking it as the first of the year.

It is expected to make landfall in the Philippine area last night (May 22) or Thursday morning.

She said that the LPA may make landfall over the Bicol or Eastern Visayas areas by Friday or Saturday.

PAGASA also predicted that the LPA could recurve over the Philippine Sea and develop into a tropical depression by Friday or Saturday.

The storm is expected to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas. It had warned of possible flash floods or landslides.

Managers of Angat Dam in Bulacan province are hoping rains would reach at least Quezon province, a critical watershed of the dam.

The water level at Angat Dam was 180.07 meters as of Wednesday morning, below the normal high-water level of 212 meters.

Angat Dam is the main source of water for Metro Manila and nearby provinces, accounting for about 90% of potable water.

The water level for Ipo Dam was below its normal level of 101.1 meters at 99.64 meters, while La Mesa Dam was at 75.16 meters, below the normal level of 80.15 meters.

PAGASA reported that Ambuklao Dam had a water level of 742.39 meters, lower than its normal 752 meters.

Binga Dam was at 566.4 meters and San Roque Dam was at 226.97 meters; both dams were also below their normal operational levels.

Pantabangan and Magat Dam had a water level of 174.29 meters and 177.65 meters, which was lower than the normal level of 221 meters and 193 meters, respectively.

Caliraya Dam had a reservoir water level of 284.81 meters as of early Wednesday.

Earlier, the weather agency said that the country is expecting two tropical cyclones this month as the climate transitions to La Niña.

No restrictions amid low COVID hospitalization rates — DoH

BW FILE PHOTO

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES said on Wednesday that its hospital use rate for COVID-19 remains significantly low and would not recommend any travel restrictions or mask mandate rules yet.

In the same media briefing given by Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Teodoro “Ted” J. Herbosa, the government also shed light on the need to tap the private sector in addressing the rising number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in young Filipinos. 

As Manila’s Southeast Asian neighbor, Singapore, faces another infection wave spurred by a group of variants called “FLiRT,” Mr. Herbosa said Filipinos already have “some level” of immunity against the virus with about 78 million of them having been vaccinated against COVID-19, he said.

“So, no requirement for border control, no requirement for mandatory mask, no requirement for additional vaccination,” Mr. Herbosa said. “But we are monitoring the cases.”

He said the DoH is closely watching developments in Singapore, which has logged increasing cases of KP.1 and KP.2 subvariants, which belong to a new family of subvariants nicknamed as “FLiRT.”

“So, we are watching ours,” Mr. Herbosa said.  In the Philippines, he said workers of a private hospital had tested positive for COVID-19.

But “our utilization [rate] for hospitals is still very low for COVID-19,” he said, citing the Health department’s epidemiology bureau.

DoH RACES TO ADDRESS RISING HIV CASES IN YOUTH
Also, Mr. Herbosa said the DoH is eyeing to allow the private sector to sell antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, as the country struggles with rising cases of HIV.

“We are thinking whether we could have a program where we can allow the doctors or a guardian to allow the ARVs to be had,” he told reporters in mixed English and Filipino at Malacañang.

He noted that under the present setup, only the government, through the health-state insurer PhilHealth, can distribute ARVs.

Minors, meanwhile, need parental consent to access the HIV treatment drug, Mr. Herbosa said.

“You can’t buy it from the private sector. The other thing is, probably make it available in the private sector.”

The Health chief said people below 18 years old also need to get consent from their parents to access ARVS.

The Philippines has been recording 55 HIV cases a day mostly among youngsters, the highest in the world, he said.

There are about 59,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country, he noted.

“The ones that are being diagnosed are 15 years old, as young as 15, positive for HIV.”

House approves Divorce bill on final reading

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

THE HOUSE of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading House Bill (HB) No. 9349, a measure seeking to reinstitute divorce as another mode for terminating marriage.

In a 126-109-20 vote, congressmen agreed to reinstate absolute divorce as a resolution for dysfunctional marriages after it was outlawed almost a century ago.

“With the passage of House Bill No. 9349, Gabriela Women’s Party looks forward to a future where all Filipinos have the legal means to escape harmful marriages and rebuild their lives,” Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said in a statement.

The Philippines is the only country in the world besides the Vatican City prohibiting divorce.

“Divorce is widely recognized as a legal method to dissolve a marriage, yet the Philippines stands alone in not having a divorce law,” Ms. Brosas said in plenary, explaining her affirmative vote for the measure.

Proponents of the divorce bill said the measure would provide legal recourse for married couples in an “irreparably broken or dysfunctional marriage,” HB No. 9349’s fact sheet reads.

Grounds for absolute divorce include psychological incapacity, marital abuse, and irreconcilable differences, among others.

“It is for those who have just and valid causes to be adjudicated by the proper court. It is only an alternative remedy and will not apply to the overwhelming majority of Filipino married couples who have enduring and loving marriages,” Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, Sr. said in a statement.

Those petitioning for divorce will undergo a court process to establish the grounds for absolute dissolution of marriage, determining whether the union between married couples can no longer be reconciled.

Voicing dissent, party-list Rep. Eduardo C. Villanueva said that annulment and legal separation suffice as means of declaring a marriage as invalid.

“We should have realized that annulment and legal separation exist to remedy problematic marriages without rebelling against God,” he said in a statement.

For his part, Leyte Rep. Richard Frank I. Gomez said: “Saying yes to divorce would diminish the extent and seriousness of the commitment to make a marriage decision.”

5 Pinoys aboard Singapore Airlines flight injured

OFFICIALGAZETTE.GOV.PH

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said the five Filipinos on board the Singapore Airlines that hit “extreme turbulence” and made an emergency landing in Thailand are now hospitalized in Bangkok.

“Regarding the query on the five Filipinos affected in the SQ Flight 321, we received information from PE-BKK (Philippine Embassy in Bangkok) that they are still in a hospital in Bangkok. Our Embassy is in touch with them,” DFA Spokesperson Teresita C. Daza said in a WhatsApp message to reporters.

A later report from the Department of Migrant Workers’ Office in Singapore said they were taken to different hospitals for treatment and have been declared in stable condition.

The Filipino passengers included a family of three with a two-year-old male infant. “The infant’s mother is a registered overseas Filipino worker (OFW) staff nurse in the United Kingdom (UK). Her husband has no record as an OFW,” it said.

It said the fourth passenger is a female Singapore-based OFW in the information technology sector who suffered a neck fracture. “Doctors describe her condition as ‘sensitive’ but stable,” the DMW office in Singapore said.

The fifth Filipino passenger is a male who has no record as an OFW.

The flight was enroute to Singapore from London when it encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” 10 hours into its flight, forcing an emergency landing.

A British man died, while 79 passengers were injured. – Chloe Mari A. Hufana and John Victor D. Ordoñez

Gov’t OKs old school calendar

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINE government has approved a proposal to gradually return to the old academic calendar, as extreme weather events including extreme heat have been a major headache for the climate-vulnerable country.

The opening of classes will begin on July 29 this year and end on April 15, 2025, a presidential palace release said on Wednesday, to pave way for a “gradual return” to the old calendar, in which the school year begins in June instead of August and ends in March the following year.

The Department of Education in February ordered the start of the 2024-2025 school year on July 29. It was supposed to end on May 16, 2025.

Schools in many parts of the country had canceled classes in recent weeks amid extreme heat inside the country’s about 4,000 classrooms, which have been underfunded through the years and have failed to adapt to the changing climate according to civic groups.

The Palace, in its press release, said one of the two options presented by Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio to the President during a Tuesday meeting was compelling students to go to school on Saturdays to complete the 180-day school calendar, which Mr. Marcos rejected.

Another option reduces the number of school days to 165 as it does away with Saturday classes, but Mr. Marcos said that would compromise learning outcomes.

“Let’s just lengthen the school days, but let’s not touch Saturdays. So school days will remain the same,” he said in mixed English and Filipino during the meeting, based on the Palace release.

The school year 2023-2024 will end on May 31.

Over 7,100 schools had shifted to remote learning due to extreme heat as of April.

ACT Teachers Party-list welcomed Mr. Marcos’ decision but said “more needs to be done to address the long-standing problems plaguing our public education system.”

“We must continue to push for substantial reforms, including the hiring of more teachers, the construction of more classrooms, and the provision of proper ventilation in all learning spaces,” Rep. France L. Castro said in a statement.

We also need to take decisive actions to address the climate crisis, which is having a devastating impact on our education sector and our people’s lives,” she added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Seize lots of ‘fake Pinoys’ — Barbers

THE GOVERNMENT should take possession of the properties of a real estate firm involved in the P3.6 billion worth of illegal drugs recently busted in Pampanga because its owners had allegedly falsified their Philippine documentation.

The House Dangerous Drugs Committee on Wednesday found that the Chinese owners of a real estate firm acquired 291 titles for parcels of land throughout the country by way of falsifying their Filipino identities.

“If these three are not Filipinos, they are not allowed by law to own lands in the Philippines, neither is [the real estate firm] for not being 60% Filipino-owned” Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers told the House panel. “Land acquisitions by the corporation and by these three Chinese individuals must be invalidated and forfeited in favor of the government.” 

An anti-narcotics sting by the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Customs, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency busted the smuggling and delivery of 530 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, valued at P3.6 billion, through Subic Bay Port to a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga.

The Chinese nationals were found to own 55% of the tagged real estate company, in violation of the 60-40 foreign ownership equity under the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

The land owned by the real estate firm and the Chinese nationals “have amassed [291] titled lands… amounting to hundreds if not thousands of hectares in Nueva Ecija alone,” Mr. Barbers said.

The panel found one of the owners had fabricated his Filipino identity. The rest of the company’s owners had questionable Filipino identification as most of them had registered their birth certificates late, he said.

One of the Chinese owners of the real estate firm already fled the country, according to a file presented by Mr. Barbers. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

PSEi drops as peso stays at P58-a-dollar level

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PHILIPPINE STOCKS declined for the second straight session on Wednesday as the peso stayed at the 58-a-dollar level, weighing investor sentiment.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell by 0.39% or 26.44 points to close at 6,607.22. The broader all-share index shed 0.33% or 11.82 points to 3,523.95.

“The local market extended its decline as the Philippine peso remained below the P58 mark against the US dollar,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar said in a Viber message.

“The peso’s weakening could have many negative impacts on our economy, one of which is the upward pressure it may exert on inflation if this trend persists,” she added.

On Wednesday, the peso closed at P58.06 a dollar, 21 centavos stronger than a day earlier, according to Bankers Association of the Philippines data. Its P58.27 close on Tuesday was the weakest in 18 months.

“Investors remained on the sidelines as many eagerly await US index heavyweight Nvidia’s latest earnings report,” Luis A. Limlingan, sales head at Regina Capital Development Corp., said in a Viber message. “Traders are also anticipating the minutes from the recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting and April’s existing home sales data.”

Most sectoral indexes closed lower. Property lost 1.38% or 35.62 points to 2,531.86, while financials went down by 1.16% or 23.51 points to 2,004.06.

Mining and oil fell by 1.07% or 103.42 points to 9,563.04, while industrials shed 0.17% or 16.33 points to 9,184.05.

On the other hand, services gained 0.89% or 17.84 points to 2,004.24, while holding firms added 0.17% or 9.91 points to 5,840.94.

“Among the index members, Semirara Mining and Power Corp. achieved the top spot, gaining 2.96%, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. was at the bottom, losing 3.15%,” Ms. Alviar said.

Value turnover fell to P5.36 billion, with 1.34 billion shares changing hands. Turnover on Tuesday was 2.95 billion stocks worth P9.8 billion. Losers beat winners 111 to 82, while 50 stocks were unchanged.

Net foreign selling jumped to P644.63 million from P70.56 million on Tuesday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

SSS poised to sue 655 employers

BW FILE PHOTO

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) will file criminal charges against 655 delinquent employers for not remitting P257 million in workers’ contributions.

It has also filed individual criminal charges at the Prosecutor’s Office against four businesses for P15 million unremitted employees’ contributions and penalties, as part of the nationwide Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaigns, the SSS said in a statement on Wednesday.

“SSS previously visited the four employers during RACE operations to remind them to pay the contributions of their workers. However, they failed to settle their contribution delinquencies despite receiving violation notices from SSS,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando L. Macasaet said.

The SSS filed charges against a restaurant business under the name Juanito Galvez, fire extinguisher’s retail-refilling supplier Chedda General Merchandise, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) service provider e-Telecare, and car spare parts importer Cinwha Trading Corporation for depriving their 140 employees of availing SSS benefits or applying for loan programs because of their non-remittance of contributions.

SSS Vice President for Operations Legal Services Division and RACE Team Coordinator Renato Jacinto S. Cuisia said restaurant owner Juanito Galvez had the highest contribution delinquency out of the four delinquent employers at P11.1 million.

Of this, P4.8 million were unpaid workers’ contributions and P6.4 million were penalties.

SSS records showed that the establishment still needed to remit the SSS contributions of its 35 employees from June 2007 to August 2023, Mr. Cuisia said,.

All four businesses were given multiple opportunities to settle their contribution delinquencies, but the employers did not comply with the Social Security Law, he added.

The SSS previously issued violation notices to more than 1,200 delinquent employers across the country under a RACE operation to remind them of the legal consequences of not remitting their employees’ contributions. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

Peso rebounds on profit taking

PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE PESO appreciated against the dollar on Wednesday due to profit taking after the local unit ended at the P58 level for the first time in more than 18 months in the previous session.

The local unit closed at P58.06 versus the greenback on Wednesday, strengthening by 21 centavos from its P58.27 finish on Tuesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

Tuesday’s finish was the peso’s worst finish in more than 18 months or since its P57.275-per-dollar close on Nov. 8, 2022.

The peso opened Wednesday’s session stronger at P58.15 against the dollar. Its intraday best was its close of P58.06, while its weakest showing was at P58.235 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged went down to $1.29 billion on Wednesday from $1.62 billion on Tuesday.

“The peso strengthened due to profit taking by market participants after the local currency hit an 18-month low,” a trader said in an e-mail.

The peso could have been supported by intervention from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) after its sharp depreciation on Tuesday, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. on Tuesday said the central bank will participate in the foreign exchange market if necessary to smoothen excessive volatility.

For Thursday, the trader said the peso could weaken further due to potentially dovish signals from the US Federal Reserve meeting minutes to be released overnight.

The trader sees the peso moving between P57.90 and P58.15 per dollar on Thursday, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P57.95 to P58.15. — A.M.C. Sy

Top NPA member convicted

A TAGUIG court has found a member of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) guilty of rebellion for attacks against military personnel and communication facilities in Quezon.

In a 56-page decision, Judge Marivic C. Vitor of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 266 sentenced the woman NPA member to a minimum of 10 years to maximum of 17 years and four months in prison.

“Positive identification were categorical and consistent and without any showing of ill motive on the part of the eyewitness testifying on the matter,” the decision said in convicting the woman who led several attacks against military forces that resulted in some deaths and injuries.

The woman pleaded not guilty to rebellion, saying in her testimonies she wasn’t in the vicinity or near Quezon Province when the attacks between Nov. 19 and 25, 2005, happened.

Despite this, witnesses recognized her and some members of the group during the prosecution.

“We stood united once again in the face of sinister terrorists and conquered this menace by our resilience and unity. We will never back down against such evil who continue to destabilize the government and sow discord and division. This is the very guarantee we can give our country and people,” said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla in a statement. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

CHED quizzed over Chinese influx

A PHILIPPINE congressman on Wednesday shifted blame for the influx of Chinese students in Cagayan province from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

During the House panel hearing on the potential national security implications of having 5,334 Chinese students enrolled in Philippine schools, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez said the BI “cannot be faulted” for the entry of these foreigners.

“They (immigration authorities) are merely converting the visa already issued by the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs),” said Mr. Rodriguez, who then berated the CHED for its role in the situation.

“Does CHED monitor?” he asked, as he impressed upon CHED officials the Philippines’ problem with China which is “trying to usurp our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.”

“Based on our data… it is [the] NCR (National Capital Region) with the highest number of Chinese nationals followed by Region II,” CHED Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro said.

Cagayan Province is located in Region II, the administrative region of Cagayan Valley. The province hosts two EDCA sites — Lal-lo Airport and Naval Base Camilo Osias.

Asked why Chinese students are interested in studying in Cagayan Province, Ms. Benitez-Jaro said: “Based on our data, the general categories [are responsible] for pursuing international studies here in the Philippines.”

The “general categories” that attract foreign students into the country include English being a medium of instruction, the quality of schools, and its affordability, she said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

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