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Expanded livelihood aid sought for transport workers, small businesses amid EDSA rehab

Motorists deal with heavy traffic along EDSA in Makati City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE government has been urged to expand livelihood assistance to transport workers and small businesses likely to be affected by the impending year-long rehabilitation of the Epifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA) this April.

Federation of Free Workers President Jose Sonny G. Matula said the government must proactively protect transport workers, such as drivers and conductors, by expanding programs like EnTSUPERneur, which provides up to P30,000 in livelihood assistance.

He also cited the Tsuper Iskolar of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which offers skills training and scholarships.

“Clear communication, financial support during disruptions, and consultation with workers’ groups are also essential to ensure their rights and welfare are upheld during this period of transition,” he said in a Viber chat.

He also encouraged the National Capital Region branch of the Labor department to communicate with affected workers.

“Stakeholders warn that without immediate government intervention, prolonged disruptions could deepen the financial strain on an already vulnerable workforce,” the labor group leader added.

Geoffrey P. Labudahon, national coordinator of Riders-Sentro, said transportation network vehicle systems workers would be negatively affected by the rehabilitation of EDSA.

“Longer trips mean longer time to drop off, fewer delivery jobs can be completed, and more time is needed to finish each order,” he said in a Viber chat. “Fuel consumption and maintenance costs will also increase because vehicles experience more wear and tear in heavy traffic.”

This could also delay deliveries and cause a rise in complaints, which could lead to account suspensions or terminations of riders.

He also noted riders may not have a choice but to reroute, resulting in more penalties as any deviation would be noticed by applications.

The Department of Transportation and the Metro Manila Development Authority said last week the rehabilitation of Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare would take a year up to a year and a half.

Transportation chief Vivencio B. Dizon assured motorists last week they will be amenable to delays if they do not reach a plan that would fit all, especially motorists and commuters.

The rehabilitation is expected to address structural deterioration and improve the overall condition of the infamously congested highway.

Around 300,000 to 400,000 vehicles pass through EDSA daily, with an estimated 1.6 million commuters relying on various modes of transportation along EDSA.

Gov’t to send troops to Myanmar

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT will send soldiers, medical personnel, and search rescue and retrieval teams to Myanmar after it was hit by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed over 1,600 people, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

In a statement, the OCD said the team of 114 personnel will be sent to Myanmar on April 1 and will be deployed for two weeks to support those affected by the quake.

The 7.7-magnitude quake hit Myanmar on March 28, considered to be one of the biggest in the last century and has crippled airports, bridges and highway amid an ongoing civil war that has displaced millions, Reuters earlier reported.

The military government said on Sunday that the quake’s death toll has climbed to 1,644, with nine people dying in neighboring Thailand.

The Philippines will send 31 personnel from the Department of Health, 80 personnel consisting of light Urban Search Rescue teams from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metro Manila Development Authority, and Apex Mining Corp./First Gen-Energy Development Corp. search, rescue, and retrieval teams.

The team will also include two personnel from the OCD and Philippine Air Force Contingent Commander Lieutenant Colonel Erwin Diploma.

Myanmar had requested emergency search and rescue teams (with K9 or SAR dogs), medical assistance teams, medicines, medical equipment, emergency first aid kits, mobile generators, water sanitation kits, solar-powered lights, among other supplies, according to the OCD.

“We stand in solidarity with Myanmar during this difficult time,” Philippine Defense Secretary and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairman Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro said in the same statement.

“The Philippines is ready to respond to the urgent needs of our neighbors, and we are mobilizing resources to provide assistance as quickly as possible.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Keep plant shutdown on track, DoE told

BRENDAN O'DONNELL-UNSPLASH

A PHILIPPINE SENATOR has called on the Department of Energy (DoE) to ensure that the scheduled shutdown of natural gas power plants remains on track and would not be extended.

“We recognize that preventive maintenance is critical to deter unplanned downtime, which adversely affects businesses and inconveniences energy consumers. We are hoping that the DoE would be able to ensure that this activity would not cause undue loss of power,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Sunday.

Last week, the DoE announced that South Premiere Power Corporation (SPPC) and Excellent Energy Resources Inc. (EERI), jointly owned by Meralco PowerGen, San Miguel Global Power, and Aboitiz Power, will be conducting scheduled maintenance from March 29 to March 31.

The energy department also called on Luzon consumers to implement energy conservation measures throughout the weekend to ensure sufficient supply.

Mr. Gatchalian added that the DoE should closely monitor the scheduled maintenance of the power plants to ensure that they will be completed on time.

He said that consumers should practice energy efficiency and conservation measures to “help shore up the available energy supply and prevent power interruptions.”

“Such conservation efforts would also generate savings for consumers,” he added. — Adrian H. Halili

Boracay tops family getaway list

Local and foreign tourists are seen in Puka Beach in Boracay, Aklan, April 6, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

MORE FILIPINO FAMILIES are looking to travel locally this summer, with Boracay and Manila topping the list of family-friendly getaways this season, according to digital travel platform Agoda.

Filipino families showed a 39% higher preference for domestic over international travel, based on Agoda’s accommodate search data for check-in dates between April 15 to June 15.

Boracay remains the top summer destination among Filipino families with its wide range of kid-friendly resorts, data showed.

“With its gentle waves, soft white sand, and wide range of kid-friendly resorts, the island provides an ideal setting for children to enjoy the waves while parents unwind by the shore,” Agoda said.

Manila was the second most preferred destination with its educational attractions, theme parks, and interactive exhibits. Its shopping malls also feature indoor play areas, cinemas, and family-friendly dining spots.

Filipino families also chose Cebu as their local summer getaway, driven by its famous historical sites and outdoor activities, Agoda said.

Other kid-friendly destinations among families include Bohol and Batangas, both known for their nature-inspired destinations and activities.

“Beach and nature destinations like Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, and Batangas, alongside all-time favorites like Manila, offer both adventure and relaxation for kids and parents alike,” Michael Hwang, country director for the Philippines at Agoda, was quoted as saying.

The rankings were based on the total number of accommodation searches for families with at least one child.

As of January, the Philippines has earned over P65 billion in tourism revenues, exceeding pre-pandemic levels or the P43 billion recorded in Jan. 2019, data from the Tourism department showed. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Ginebra wins P66-M tax case

THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) ruled in favor of Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (GSMI), which claimed it was “erroneously and illegally” charged P66.38 million in excise tax.

GSMI sought P66.38 million in tax refund, paid for the period starting Jan. 23, 2020, to Feb. 9, 2020. This amount reflects the excess of the basic excise tax computed using the new rates, under Republic Act 11467. The said law increased the excise tax on distilled spirits to P42 per liter from P24.34.

The company argued the amendment did not take effect until Feb. 10, 2020, after the law’s publication in print.

The CTA Third Division, in a ruling publicized on March 21, said the law did not take effect on Jan. 1, 2020, the prescribed date in the law, as it was only published in print in the Official Gazette on Feb. 10, 2020.

“The publication requirement for Republic Act No. 11467 was complied with only on February 10, 2020, when the law was published in printed form in the Official Gazette,” the 24-page ruling, penned by Associate Justice Marian Ivy F. Reyes-Fajardo read.

It also noted a digital circulation does not meet the publication requirement of laws, citing a Supreme Court ruling.

The court ordered the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to refund P66.38 million in excise taxes paid under protest.

GSMI paid this amount under protest on Dec. 29, 2020, after the BIR issued a Notice of Discrepancy and an Amended Notice of Discrepancy assessing deficiency excise tax.

The alcohol company brought the case to the tax court after the BIR failed to resolve its claims for refund. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Cops seize P1-M drugs in Zamboanga City operation

LOREN BISER-UNSPLASH

COTABATO CITY — Plainclothes policemen and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized P1 million worth of crystal meth (shabu) from a male dealer entrapped in Barangay Guiwan in Zamboanga City on Friday night.

Officials of the Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) confirmed on Sunday that the suspect is now detained, to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Brig. Gen. Roel C. Rodolfo, director of PRO-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said the suspect was immediately arrested after selling more than a hundred grams of shabu, costing P1 million, during a tradeoff in a roadside motel in Barangay Guiwan in Zamboanga City.

Radio reports in Central Mindanao on Sunday stated that the operation was laid out with the help of confidential informants.

Mr. Rodolfo was quoted in radio reports as saying that the PRO-9 has an unrelenting anti-narcotics campaign supported by local executives and vigilant residents in all cities and provinces under its jurisdiction. — John Felix M. Unson

Samsung expected to invest over $1 billion in first half

REUTERS

THE PHILIPPINES is hoping to approve over $1 billion worth of investment by South Korea’s Samsung group within the first half, the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs said.

“Right now, what is under process is the one from Samsung, which is over a billion dollars,” Secretary Frederick D. Go, who heads the agency, told reporters on Friday.

“I believe they are rushing the inter-agency discussions,” he added, noting that he hopes the process will be completed within the first half.

He said incentives are governed by the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act for investments under P50 billion.

“Once you are over P50 billion, it is open. So that has to be processed because there’s no exact definition of incentives,” he said.

“They have asks, so we have to process those asks,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said the Philippine side is still waiting for more concrete updates from the US regarding the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC).

“It is still on. But we are still waiting for more concrete updates from their side,” he said.

He said the Philippines is waiting for a US plan to fund the feasibility study of a flagship project of the LEC, the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas cargo railway.

“It is being funded by Sweden and the US. That is what we are waiting for,” he added.

The LEC is being undertaken via a trilateral agreement among the Philippines, the US, and Japan.

Part of a broader collaboration supported by the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, it aims to strengthen connectivity among strategic sites in Metro Manila, Batangas, Subic, and Clark.

“But the LEC is our project. And there is so much interest from so many countries apart from the US and Japan. We have interest from the UK, South Korea, Australia, Sweden, and Canada,” Mr. Go said.

He said that the leaders of the Philippines and the US are expected to meet in May. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Healthcare services outsourcer Omega plans to increase Philippine staffing to 5,000

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

OUTSOURCED medical services provider Omega Healthcare Management Services Private Ltd. said it is planning to increase its workforce in the Philippines to 5,000, citing growing demand for healthcare outsourcing services.

Omega Healthcare Country Head Santosh Kesari told BusinessWorld that the company currently employs 2,800 professionals in the Philippines.

“Omega Healthcare plans to double its workforce to 5,000 employees by 2026, reflecting confidence in the growth trajectory of the healthcare outsourcing industry,” Mr. Kesari said.

“This expansion underscores the company’s commitment to leveraging the skilled Filipino workforce to deliver high-quality healthcare support services to clients worldwide,” he added.

According to Mr. Santosh, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telehealth solutions, which has led to a shift to remote consultations and digital health management.

“Several factors contribute to the rising demand for remote healthcare services, including technological advancements, patient preference for convenience, and the need for cost-effective healthcare delivery,” he said.

“This trend underscores the importance of scalable, remote healthcare services to meet evolving patient needs,” he added.

Challenges faced by healthcare providers are also pushing them to avail of various outsourced services.

In particular, he said that healthcare providers face stringent regulatory compliance, escalating operational costs, and the imperative to enhance patient outcomes.

“Outsourcing non-core functions like medical billing, coding, and revenue cycle management allows organizations to focus on patient care while ensuring compliance and operational efficiency,” he said.

“Specialized outsourcing firms offer expertise in navigating complex healthcare regulations, mitigating risks, and reducing administrative burdens,” he added.

Amid growing demand, he said that the Philippines’ strong pool of nursing professionals and medical coders will solidify the Philippines’ standing as a key player in global healthcare outsourcing.

He cited competitive operational costs and cultural compatibility in understanding Western healthcare systems, and ability to service international clients.

However, he said that healthcare providers outsourcing healthcare services in the Philippines face challenges in talent retention and data security.

“High global demand for healthcare professionals can lead to attrition, necessitating continuous investment in employee engagement and development,” he said.

“Ensuring compliance with international data protection standards requires robust cybersecurity measures and ongoing staff training,” he added.

To support the growth of the industry, he said that the government can extend tax benefits and provide grants for technology upgrades, invest in specialized training programs, streamline compliance processes, and ensure alignment with international healthcare standards.

“The future of healthcare outsourcing in the Philippines is promising, with anticipated growth in telehealth, artificial intelligence integration, and personalized medicine,” he said.

NTT Marine sees growing demand for PHL submarine cable projects

REUTERS

NTT WORLD Engineering Marine Corp. said it is bullish on opportunities in the Philippines, noting growing demand for connectivity as the economy digitizes.

The company announced the planned launch of its new submarine telecommunications cable laying vessel, CS VEGA II, in April.

This vessel will be Philippine-flagged and will maintain domestic submarine telecommunication cables, including international submarine cables in nearby waters, the company said.

“For the new vessel that we launched, this will enable international submarine cable maintenance as well,”  the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer Mamoru Watanabe told reporters on the sidelines of an event last week.

The company is a partner in the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) which is jointly owned by Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc., Globe Telecom, Inc. and InfiniVAN, Inc.

Eastern Communications parent company Vega Telecom, Inc. is owned by PLDT and Globe.

The PDSCN submarine cable network seeks to enhance connectivity particularly in underserved areas. The project covers a total cable distance of 2,500 kilometers and is considered the longest in the Philippines.

“The opportunity is even more present now because global security is very unstable and a lot of unexpected things (are happening), so demand for submarine cable is increasing. There’s demand from the Philippine side for us to do the laying of submarine cable,” he said.

The company sees an opportunity for submarine cable maintenance in a growing Philippine market, he said.

PLDT Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Menardo G. Jimenez, Jr. said PLDT signed a contract last year with the Japanese company to repair and maintain its submarine cables.

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

NFA targets palay procurement of 880,000 MT

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE National Food Authority (NFA) said on Sunday that it plans to procure around 880,000 metric tons (MT) of palay, or unmilled rice, this year.

The planned volume will allow the NFA to meet its commitment to maintain a minimum reserve requirement of 555,000 MT rice, which is equivalent to 15 days’ consumption, the NFA said in a statement.

The NFA said it also plans to procure 90 new trucks in 2025, with an additional 150 trucks scheduled for 2026.

“These efforts will help address logistical challenges and ensure that farmers, including those in remote areas, have the opportunity to sell their produce to NFA.”

As of February, NFA’s total palay inventory stood at 399,701 MT or nearly 8 million bags. Its rice equivalent was good for eight days’ supply.

Meanwhile, the NFA said it has optimized the movement of rice stocks to reduce logistical costs, saving an additional P172.3 million.

“These cost-cutting measures helped reduce NFA’s deficit, which dropped from P6.097 billion in 2023 to P3.753 billion in 2024,” the NFA said.

The NFA said it appointed 543 new personnel.

“These appointments aim to improve employee morale, productivity, and overall efficiency.”

The NFA also cited the establishment of a fast-lane service for small farmers selling less than 50 bags of palay, and the elimination of re-bagging covering 20% of its total palay procurement, which is expected to save around P215.4 million in operational costs in 2026.

The Department of Agriculture has been calling on Congress to provide funding that will allow the NFA to procure 20% of the harvest to better influence prices.

“We simply cannot fight these battles with one hand tied behind our backs. We need to restore NFA’s powers to regulate rice retail and manage stocks more effectively,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. was quoted as saying in the NFA statement.

To bring down rice prices, the government has lowered tariffs and declared an emergency that triggered the release of rice stocks held by the NFA.

Inflation eased to 2.1% in February from 2.9% in January as rice inflation dropped to 4.9%, the sharpest decline since April 2020. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

World Bank tapped to help design offshore wind green energy auction

WORLDBANK.ORG

By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it has engaged the World Bank to help design the fifth round of the green energy auction (GEA-5) this year, which will focus on offshore wind (OSW) power projects.

“To mitigate risks and uncertainties associated with offshore wind technology, the DoE is collaborating with the World Bank Group for expert guidance and support. This collaborative approach ensures a well-structured and investor-friendly auction,” Energy Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo said in an interview.

Mr. Bacordo said the department is finalizing the auction parameters including the specific OSW capacity and delivery commencement date.

“These details are being meticulously determined to align with the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, and crucially, after thorough consultations with stakeholders regarding port and grid readiness,” he said.

While the capacities to be offered are still not set, the DoE is on track to launch GEA-5 by the third quarter, according to Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.

“We are checking the transmission assets needed by the front runner OSW projects, as well as the potential port (to support) their construction,” she said.

Ms. Guevara said that the terms of reference for GEA-5 will be different from those of the previous auctions.

The DoE is currently assisting 16 OSW proponents who are projected to deliver more than 16 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity from offshore wind power projects.

GEA-5 is expected to facilitate market access for OSW developers, ensuring long-term demand for their generation capacities and keep them on track to generate the first kilowatts by 2028.

To date, the government has awarded 92 OSW contracts with a potential capacity of around 69 GW.

Mr. Bacordo said that the DoE and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Department of Transportation (DoTr), are “actively progressing” on port repurposing.

He said that a memorandum of agreement is being finalized to clarify that the DoE will handle developer queuing, while PPA will manage port upgrades and tariffs.

“The DoE’s role in queuing OSW developers directly facilitates private sector participation in utilizing these soon to be developed ports,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DoTr is supporting OSW initiative through the Asian Development Bank’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (ADB-IPIF) for two ports.

“The Negros Occidental port is exploring ADB’s Project Readiness Fund (PRF) for detailed engineering design, and Southern Mindoro port will proceed under a design-build approach within the IPIF,” Mr. Bacordo said.

In other development, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has deferred some of the transmission projects of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) as further deliberations are needed.

“Given the pending issues that needed to be addressed, the resolution of the matter was deferred for further deliberation with instructions/directives issued to the relevant units,” the ERC said in a notice.

Among the projects applied for by NGCP in 2021, those that are still pending approval are the P13.30-billion Nagsaag-Santiago 500-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line Project, the P18.96-billion Western Luzon 500-kV Backbone Project Stage 2, the P6.83-billion Cabanatuan-Sampaloc-Nagsaag 230-kV Transmission Line Project, and the P2.39-billion Buang-La Trinidad 230-kV Transmission Line Upgrading Project.

The ERC has yet to decide on the P3.57-billion Nivel Hills 230-kV Substation Project in the Visayas.

In Mindanao, approvals are still being sought for the P610-million Agus 6-Kiwalan-Lugait 69-kV Transmission Line Upgrading Project, the P1.03-billion Maco-Tagum 69-kV Transmission Line Project, the P5.89-billion Sultan Kudarat-Tacurong 230-kV Transmission Line Project, and the P885.40-million Opol Substation Bus-In Project.

“We just need some items verified and updated because this set is tied to other ongoing projects. Then, it will be submitted for deliberation again,” ERC Chairperson Monalisa C. Dimalanta said when asked for further details on the deferral.

Metro Pacific Agro targets milk output of 10 million liters

REUTERS

METRO PACIFIC Agro Ventures, Inc. (MPAV), a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC), said its dairy business is targeting to produce 10 million liters over the next two years.

Milk production of Metro Pacific Dairy Farms breached 1 million liters last year, MPAV President and CEO Jovy I. Hernandez told reporters.

The dairy business is expected to produce about two million liters of raw fresh milk this year, he noted.

“By 2027, we should be delivering 10 million liters,” he said.

Mr. Hernandez said Metro Pacific Dairy Farms, which has partnered with Israel’s LR Group on a P2-billion integrated dairy facility, is on track to be fully operational this year.

Currently, the dairy business has a herd of about 1,000 cows.

The dairy unit was producing 500,000 liters of raw fresh milk when it started.

Mr. Hernandez said the dairy business is awaiting the arrival of 220 dairy cattle from Australia by May.

“We’re now moving some of the non-milking herd to become milking.”

In 2022, MPIC bought a controlling stake in The Laguna Creamery, Inc., which sells products under the brand name Carmen’s Best, for about P200 million.

The Philippines currently imports about 99% of its dairy requirements.

The government aims to boost local production to 80 million liters per year by 2028, to increase the share of domestic product to about 5% of demand. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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