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More digitalization needed to achieve ‘scale’ to compete in global markets

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By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter

DIGITALIZATION needs to be expanded further to more areas and more industries to give the Philippines the scale to compete globally, participants at a BusinessWorld Economic Forum panel said on Wednesday.

Mitch Padua, Maya Group chief product officer, said one of those paths to achieving scale is more financial inclusion, which will help drive economic growth.

“It will help build the nation and uplift society. It will bring opportunities and jobs. And at the same time, it will build wealth for our people and our nation,” he added.

“Everyone and everything should be digital right now.  And, when you look at different sectors, be it healthcare, agriculture, government, there are still so many industries that need to be digitalized,” Mr. Padua said.

“Until we’re able to digitize everything, we can’t facilitate global commerce, we can’t really bring that scale down to the global markets,” Mr. Padua said.

“Digitalization is a driving force for greater opportunities and equality. It tends to level the playing field,” Lazada Philippines chief executive officer Carlos Barrera said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority estimates that the digital economy’s share of gross domestic product was 8.4% in 2023.

In terms of gross value added, the digital sector grew 7.7% to P2.05 trillion last year.

“What we really need to do is go to the next level. What we really need to do is to be able to capitalize. A lot of the digital economy right now (involves the) gig economy, provides capability and democratizes things. We need to be able to capitalize on this opportunity,” East West Banking Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jerry Ngo said.

“Filipinos are amazing users of online products and it’s only fair that they also benefit from them. Ten years ago, if you ask anyone, they would hardly have thought of doing business online. It seemed unthinkable,” Mr. Barrera said.

Grab Philippines Country Head Grace Vera Cruz called for a push to bring digital services outside of Metro Manila.

“Over the past years we’ve made significant investments in (going) outside of the National Capital Region and right now it’s becoming a larger part of our business,” she said.

The shift to digital is also now a necessity for businesses post-pandemic.

“All businesses have to go online. So today, there’s pretty much 100% availability of anything,” Mr. Barrera added.

Ms. Vera Cruz also noted that the digital economy should benefit all Filipinos.

“The Philippines is full of digital natives. The question I have is how can we ensure that these digital natives and all of us use technology for the good of everyone,” she said.

“I believe in the Filipino entrepreneurial spirit, that we will work together to solve each problem one by one through digital technology… because of digital technology, no one is left behind. It’s really very important for us to carry one another,” she added.

Google, Temasek Holdings and Bain & Co. said in a report that the Philippines’ digital economy could grow to $150 billion by 2030.

Microsoft, LinkedIn see rapid growth in use of AI tools like ChatGPT

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WORKERS in the Philippines are using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT in their workplaces, in a phenomenon called “Bring Your Own AI” (BYOAI) by Microsoft Corp. and LinkedIn Corp. in their Work Trend Index 2024 report.

According to the report, 83% of Filipinos are practicing BYOAI to the workplace, against the 78% global and 79% regional average.

“A lot of these people use ChatGPT or others, (which are) out on the internet and open. They’re very accessible and there are free versions,” Microsoft Philippines Chief Executive Officer Peter Maquera said in a briefing on Thursday.

Mr. Maquera said companies should harness worker enthusiasm to achieve a more controlled, disciplined, and responsible approach to AI practices, especially in terms of cybersecurity and data privacy.

Mr. Maquera also sees the young Philippine median age of 25 years as a factor behind the rapid adoption of AI.

“It’s not just Generation Z. It’s not skewed, it’s a very broad spectrum,” Microsoft Philippines Head of PR and Communication Josh Aquino added.

Globally, 85% of Gen Z and 73% of Baby Boomers bring their own AI tools to work.

Overall, the study reported that 86% of knowledge workers in the Philippines use generative AI at work, also higher than the 83% regional and 75% global average.

Meanwhile, 55% of Filipino leaders worry that their organization lacks a plan to implement AI, compared to the 60% global average.

The Work Trend Index also noted that employees see AI raising the bar for achieving employment, with 70% of Filipino leaders saying they weight AI skills highly in hiring.

Some 68% of Filipino leaders say they would prefer a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced one without.

“We expect that over the next six years… we will need to upskill ourselves by 68% which means the skills needed to do our same jobs,” LinkedIn Regional Business Head, Growth Markets Atul Harkisanka said.

This aligns with the surge of demand for AI in the hiring market. Mentions in LinkedIn job posts grew 17%, and 142 times more users globally added AI skills to their profiles as of last year.

However, Mr. Harkisanka said six of the top 10 in-demand skills remain soft skills.

Mr. Harkisanka cited the Philippines’ high mobile penetration and proficiency in English.

“We need to collaborate and communicate in teams and put on our creative hats to think when the tools and AI technologies do part of our jobs,” he added. 

The study accompanying the index “AI at work is here. Now comes the hard part,” is based on a survey of 31,000 people across 31 countries analyzing hiring trends on LinkedIn, trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity data points, and research with Fortune 500 customers. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

WEF sees PHL digital economy benefiting from ASEAN DEFA

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THE Philippines’ growing digital economy can benefit from cross-border collaboration through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), the World Economic Forum (WEF) said.

“The Philippines’ economy has the potential and already is one of the leading forces when it comes to areas like e-commerce,” WEF Head Regional Agenda Asia Pacific Joo-Ok Lee said during the BusinessWorld Economic Forum.

“There’s a very strong service sector within the Philippines that would have a stronger impact on the digital economy and cross-border collaboration.”

In 2023, ASEAN leaders agreed to start negotiations on DEFA, the world’s first major region-wide digital economy agreement, in response to increasing digital transformation and the digital divide.

“By 2025, ASEAN should be integrated with a harmonized set of rules and regulations governing the digital economy and also within the nine elements that exist within the agreement to adapt towards the changing digital economy,” he said.

These pillars are digital trade; cross-border e-commerce; payment and e-invoicing; digital ID and authentication; and cross-border data flow and data protection; online safety and cybersecurity; cooperation on emerging topics; talent mobility and cooperation; and competition policy.

Mr. Lee, citing WEF, said that if DEFA is concluded an estimated $1 trillion gross merchandise value can be achieved by 2030.

He also cited high expectations for the Philippines as it chairs ASEAN summit meetings in 2026, giving it a key role in the key stages of ratifying or implementing DEFA.

Citing Google’s e-Conomy SEA Report 2023, Southeast Asia’s revenue from the digital economy was reported at $100 billion and is projected at $600 billion gross merchandise value (GMV) by 2030.

This is driven by online engagement, a young tech-savvy population, and a rise in e-commerce and financial services.

However, Mr. Lee said that the Philippines should not be complacent even with the region-wide digital economy in good health, citing the need for reskilling, upskilling, and talent development “to make sure that generative artificial intelligence… doesn’t disrupt and destroy jobs.”

In terms of cybersecurity, he added that even without DEFA, there is already a need for cross-border collaboration.

“It’s just that DEFA provides a framework of how they can coordinate the different approaches within ASEAN across different countries and how to really build a mechanism towards a stronger joint cyber security protection,” he said.

With the backing of the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, the WEF is supporting the ASEAN DEFA negotiations with the ASEAN Digital Economy Agreement Leadership project (ASEAN DEAL).

The key areas of this project are providing an online depository of all previous relevant digital economy agreements (DEAL Depository), an annual business survey, and capacity building. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Stocks up on bargain hunting after two-day drop

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PHILIPPINE SHARES rebounded on Thursday as investors picked up cheap stocks following the market’s two-day decline and despite the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish tone.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained by 0.79% or 52.77 points to end at 6,659.99 on Thursday, while the broader all shares index rose by 0.37% or 13.34 points to finish at 3,537.29.

“This Thursday, the local market rose by 52.77 points (0.79%) to 6,659.99 as investors hunted for bargains after a two-day decline,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research and Engagement Officer Mikhail Philippe Q. Plopenio said in a Viber message. “However, ongoing economic headwinds such as the peso’s depreciation and the Fed’s hawkishness kept many on the sidelines.”

“Philippine shares bounced back as the minutes from the Fed’s May meeting confirmed the central bank’s concern to watch inflation,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan likewise said in a Viber message.

The peso closed at P58.13 a dollar on Thursday, down by seven centavos from the previous day.

Meanwhile, US Federal Reserve officials at their last policy meeting said they still had faith that price pressures would ease at least slowly in coming months, but doubts emerged about whether the current level of interest rates was high enough to guarantee that outcome and “various” officials said they’d be willing to hike borrowing costs again if inflation surged, Reuters reported.

That meeting was held before data showed the pace of consumer price increases beginning to cool again in April, yet reflected what US central bank officials since then have said is increased uncertainty about the path of inflation and monetary policy.

“Investors are now awaiting weekly jobless claims and new home sales data for April,” Mr. Limlingan added.

The majority of sectoral indices ended higher on Thursday. Holding firms rose by 1.4% or 81.81 points to 5,922.75; property went up by 1.22% or 30.88 points to 2,562.74; industrials climbed by 0.94% or 86.41 points to 9,270.46; and financials increased by 0.24% or 4.95 points to 2,009.01.

Meanwhile, mining and oil declined by 1.28% or 122.95 points to 9,440.09, and services went down by 0.32% or 6.43 points to 1,997.81.

“Among the index members, Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. was at the top, rising 5.94% to P10.70. JG Summit Holdings, Inc. lost the most, dropping 3.78% to P31.80,” Mr. Plopenio said.

Value turnover rose to P6.36 billion on Thursday with 791.21 million shares changing hands from the P5.36 billion with 1.34 billion issues traded on Wednesday.

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 100 to 94, while 37 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign buying stood at P248.74 million on Thursday versus the P644.63 million in net selling seen on Wednesday. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

Peso drops vs dollar on Fed meet minutes

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THE PESO weakened against the dollar anew on Thursday as minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting this month affirmed their cautious policy outlook.

The local unit closed at P58.13 per dollar on Thursday, weakening by seven centavos from its P58.06 finish on Wednesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Thursday’s session weaker at P58.15 against the dollar. Its intraday best was its closing level of P58.13, while its weakest showing was at P58.30 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged went down to $1.265 billion on Thursday from $1.29 billion on Wednesday.

“The peso weakened anew after the latest Fed minutes affirmed the hawkish policy guidance by various Fed officials,” a trader said in an e-mail.

As a result, the dollar generally strengthened against other currencies, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

The dollar hovered near a one-week high on Thursday after its biggest daily percentage gain this month against a basket of peers a day before as minutes of the last Fed meeting revealed a willingness to raise interest rates among some officials, Reuters reported.

The dollar index, which tracks the currency against six major rivals including sterling, the euro and yen, was a whisker higher at 104.93 after gaining 0.28% the day before.

Federal Reserve officials at their last policy meeting said they still had faith that price pressures would ease at least slowly in coming months, but doubts emerged about whether the current level of interest rates was high enough to guarantee that outcome and “various” officials said they’d be willing to hike borrowing costs again if inflation surged.

“Participants… noted that they continued to expect that inflation would return to 2% over the medium term,” according to the minutes of the April 30-May 1 meeting, but “the disinflation would likely take longer than previously thought.”

While the policy response for now would “involve maintaining” the Fed’s benchmark policy rate in the current 5.25%-5.5% range, “various participants mentioned a willingness to tighten policy further should risks to inflation materialize in a way that such an action became appropriate,” the minutes said, employing a modifier not included in the usual set of words — like some, many, and most — used in the minutes to give a sense of how many officials voiced a particular opinion.

For Friday, the trader said the peso could rebound again ahead of the US retail sales report.

The trader sees the peso moving between P57.95 and P58.20 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P58.05 to P58.25. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Philippines may get first storm this year as low-pressure area spotted

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By Adrian H. Halili and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporters

A LOW-pressure area (LPA) in southern Philippines is expected to bring rains to the country at the weekend and could develop into a storm — the first this year — according to the state weather bureau.

It was spotted 670 kilometers east of Davao City at 3 p.m. on Thursday and will be named “Aghon” when it becomes a tropical depression on Friday, weather forecaster Ana Clauren-Jorda told a news briefing.

“By Sunday, it is possible to intensify and become a tropical storm,” she added.

Southeast Asia including the Philippines is dealing with a heatwave as record temperatures forced schools to close.

Millions of Filipino students had been asked to stay home after the Education department canceled face-to-face classes. Students have had to switch to home-based learning.

Ms. Jorda said the potential typhoon would probably bring rains over Eastern Visayas, Caraga and parts of southern Luzon even if it is expected to stay offshore.

The provinces of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Northern Samar may also experience heavy rains at the weekend.

Light to moderate rains is expected over Quezon province, the rest of the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions.

Ms. Jorda said the LPA might intensify into a severe tropical storm as it leaves the Philippines. Tropical cyclone wind signals may be raised over the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions.

The weather bureau said the weather disturbance might move northwest until Saturday, then southeast by Sunday. The storm may move toward the eastern section of the Visayas and Luzon.

“The possibility of a landfall in the mentioned areas is not ruled out,” she said.

Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. warned of possible floods and landslides in areas with heavy rains.

The weather bureau expects 10 to 13 tropical cyclones to enter the country from June to November.

The Philippines lies along the typhoon belt in the Pacific and experiences about 20 storms each year. It also lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a belt of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes strike.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has approved a proposal to gradually return to the old academic calendar given extreme heat in the summer.

Classes will start on July 29 this year and end on April 15, 2025, the presidential palace said in a statement on Wednesday.

EL NIÑO AID
Meanwhile, Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay has filed a resolution asking the Senate to look into the government’s contingency plans for heavy rains under La Niña.

“It is necessary for the Senate to determine the planned response of government agencies to ensure the country’s preparedness in addressing the effects of the La Niña phenomenon,” he said in Senate Resolution No. 1034, which she filed on May 22.

More provinces in southern Philippines have received aid worth millions of pesos after they were hit by El Niño, which the government said has hit more than 300 towns.

Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, among the poorest provinces in the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao, got P10 million each during a visit by Mr. Marcos, the presidential palace said in a statement.

Mr. Marcos also handed over P10 million each to the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

During a program in Tawi-Tawi on Thursday, the President also distributed P10,000 in cash assistance to several beneficiaries. He also gave the same amount to people during his visit to Maguindanao del Sur later in the day.

Mr. Marcos earlier said he would visit provinces hit by El Niño to understand the needs of affected sectors including farmers and fisherfolk.

Arjan P. Aguirre, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said Mr. Marcos is expected to be more active in activities that would directly benefit ordinary Filipinos such as aid distribution as the campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections nears.

“He will focus on issues that are more aligned with the majority, more relatable to their current standing and more achievable changes that immediately and directly benefit them,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.  “It is strategic as well as pragmatic given our rich history with the populist style of governance.”

The Bangsamoro region, which is under a state of calamity, is still affected by El Niño, Mr. Marcos said in Tawi-Tawi.

The country’s El Niño task force said 374 cities have declared a state of calamity due to the weather pattern, which has caused P9.5 billion in farm damage.

The government expects fewer local governments to be added to the list because the country is at the tail-end of El Niño, task force spokesman Jose Maria “Joey” M. Villarama II told a news briefing.

“Even if El Niño is not yet finished, we have to prepare for La Niña because this is more destructive in terms of agriculture,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

He urged local government units to start identifying areas prone to floods and other hazards and beef up flood control projects. — with John Victor D. Ordoñez

Senate chief favors better collection over new taxes

Senate President Francis G. Escudero — SENATE PRIB

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

NEW PHILIPPINE Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero on Thursday said he favors improving tax collection over new taxes.

“[Finance] Secretary [Ralph G.] Recto and I are on the same page,” he told reporters. “No. 1, improve collection first before imposing new taxes… No. 2, prevent leakages in government and make sure every peso is spent wisely.”

Mr. Escudero said he is set to meet next week with Mr. Recto, who also shuns new taxes under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

The Senate on Monday approved on final reading a bill that seeks to impose a 12% value-added tax (VAT) on digital services provided by companies with no physical presence in the Philippines.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who sponsored Senate Bill No, 2528, earlier said the measure would allow the state to collect “the tax that we ought to be collecting from nonresident digital service providers.”

He has also filed another bill that seeks to transfer the duty of handling VAT refund claims to the Department of Finance’s Revenue Operations Group to address delays under the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

“By optimizing the existing tax system and enhancing compliance, the government can boost revenues without imposing new burdens,” Security Bank Corp. Chief Economic Robert Dan J. Roces said in a Viber message.

“Minimizing wasteful spending and ensuring judicious use of public funds through improved transparency and oversight will optimize resources and build public trust,” he added.

Mr. Recto in March said imposing new taxes could increase smuggling and illegal trade since tax rates are already high.

The Senate is set to continue floor debates on a bill that will overhaul the pension system for the military and police by requiring them to contribute 7% of their monthly income. The National Government will contribute double the rate.

Mr. Escudero said they would scrutinize the bill to ensure it does not lead to revenue leakages.

A House of Representatives bill that seeks to amend the fiscal regime for the mining industry is being tackled in technical working groups in the Senate before they get sponsored in plenary.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines earlier said the mining industry is overtaxed.

“This (improving tax collection) is the right thing to do to lessen the burden on citizens who are already plagued by higher inflation and interest rates,” Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., said in a Viber message. “Adding new taxes will be a drag to the economy.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Escudero opposed a proposal to restore the National Food Authority (NFA)’s power to import and sell rice at subsidized prices during emergencies, which he said could worsen corruption. He added that the Department of Agriculture (DA) could handle rice imports and sales.

“The system must be fixed so that anomalies and corruption can easily be caught,” Mr. Escudero said in Filipino. “Any corruption, we must remember, is an added cost to what we will pay for rice.“

The House approved the bill on final reading on Tuesday. It will amend the Rice Tariffication Law, which gave private traders full control over rice imports. The Senate has yet to tackle the proposal.

The law, enacted in 2019, deregulated rice imports, allowing private parties to import at a tariff of 25% on grain brought in Southeast Asia.

Bill eyes ban on Chinese apps including TikTok, cites security risks

MAY GAUTHIER-UNSPLASH

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

A CONGRESSMAN on Thursday filed a bill that seeks to ban social media platforms and entertainment apps registered in countries in conflict with the Philippines.

The measure will bar these platforms from being used by “foreign adversaries” to manipulate Filipinos,  Manila Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr. said in a statement.

“With the rising tension between China and the Philippines, the government must take positive preemptive action to ensure that we protect our citizens from manipulation and misinformation campaigns using social media — from any foreign adversary country,” he said.

The lawmaker said apps such as TikTok, which has 49.9 million active users in the country, could be banned.

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, may put sensitive user data, like location information, into the hands of the Chinese government,” Mr. Abante said in the explanatory noted of House Bill No. 10489.

TikTok, a short-form video-sharing and social media platform, did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

Mr. Abante said ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok “reveals a connection to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government that cannot be overlooked.”

 “We need to take a preemptive action to prevent the clear and present danger of foreign adversary-controlled companies operating in the Philippines with the purpose and capability of harvesting data from unsuspecting subscribers,” he added.

Tensions between the Philippines and China have worsened in the past year as Beijing continues to block resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal, where Manila grounded a World War II-era ship in 1999 to assert its sovereignty.

A United Nations-backed tribunal based in the Hague in 2016 voided China’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea for being illegal.

House Bill 10489 will authorize the Philippine President to label any foreign country as adversarial, letting him ban the distribution of any apps owned by “adversaries.”

Under the measure, a foreign adversary is a country that directly threatens the Philippines’ national security and territorial integrity.

Filipinos who distribute and operate banned apps face a jail term of 6 to 12 years and a fine of P5 million to P10 million.

Mr. Abante said he drew inspiration from India’s ban on Chinese applications including TikTok in June 2020 after increased border tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.

Bill delaying barangay and SK polls aligns with SC ruling — congressman

PEOPLE line up outside the Commission on Elections office in Quezon City on July 8 to register as voters for the supposed Dec. 2022 barangay and youth council elections. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE BILL seeking to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) aligns with a Supreme Court (SC) decision that previously declared a similar delay unconstitutional, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte, Jr. said on Thursday.

Discussing House Bill No. 10344 over the phone with reporters, Mr. Villafuerte said: “We respect the Supreme Court decision 100%. The Supreme Court decision states that it does not preclude Congress from further amending the law on barangay elections.”

He explained that his proposed measure supports not only the SC decision and the Constitution but also the Local Government Code by “complying with the three-year term” of barangay officials. These officials were elected last October, with the next elections already set for December next year.

He clarified that his proposed measure does not seek to extend the current term of the officials but rather harmonize the barangay election cycle, as the 2022 BSKE was postponed to 2023 by virtue of Republic Act No. 11935.

“The Supreme Court said that postponement is unconstitutional because the right of suffrage, the choice, is violated,” he said. He also noted that incumbent officials will only have two years in public office, which is shorter than what the Constitution and the Local Government Code prescribe. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

NEDA to assist BARMM counterpart

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THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will be assisting its counterpart agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in improving its capacity to assess the effectiveness of projects in the region.

“The agreement we are signing transcends a mere document. It paves the way for learning, sharing, and collaboration among M&E (monitoring and evaluation) practitioners,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan was quoted in a statement on Thursday.

“It equips our institutions with the necessary skills and experience to conduct rigorous impact evaluation studies that will directly benefit our community,” he added.

Mr. Balisacan and Bangsamoro Director General Mohajirin T. Ali signed the memorandum of agreement (MoA) on May 20. The capacity development program will run for a year and three months.

The agreement mandates that the NEDA provide the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) technical training in preparation for impact evaluations.

“The capacity development program [will focus on] on impact evaluation, a key component of the MOA, aims to augment BPDA’s ability to assess local service delivery within BARMM,” the statement read.

“The program will focus on attribution in project or program evaluation, ensuring that interventions significantly contribute to the region’s developmental goals,” it added.

The NEDA and BPDA are also working on impact evaluation studies on key BARMM programs and projects.

The MoA is backed by the NEDA and the United Nations Development Programme’s Strategic Monitoring and Evaluation Project, which seeks to ensure the effective implementation of government initiatives under the Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028 and the Public Investment Plan at both the national and local levels.

The BARMM region was recorded to have one of the slowest growth last year at 4.3% from 6.6% a year earlier. This was far behind the National Capital Region’s 4.9% growth.

The region also has the lowest minimum wage ranging from P316 to P361, or about half of the P610 daily wage in Metro Manila. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

SC penalizes anti-poverty czar

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) has penalized Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Lorenzo “Larry” G. Gadon, a lawyer already disbarred by the High Court, after being found guilty anew of gross misconduct for committing perjury and making accusations based on hearsay.

It adopted the decision of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines — Board of Governors (IBP-BOP) to disbar Mr. Gadon but modified the penalty to a fine of P150,000. He is now ineligible for judicial clemency and cannot restore his lawyer status.

The case stemmed from his having accused former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno of falsifying an order issued by the SC before a congressional impeachment complaint hearing without his personal knowledge or any authentic records to support it.

“The penalty of 150,000 pesos is exorbitant and has no basis in jurisprudence,” he told reporters in a chat group. “The IBP resolution and recommendation is tainted with vendetta.”

Mr. Gadon alleged that the wife of the IBP president at the time the complaint was filed had applied for the position of Justice of the Court of Tax Appeals, which he claimed, “I have successfully opposed.”

But the SC said its findings proved he was motivated by malicious intent to malign and defame Ms. Sereno.

“Gadon knew that he never had any personal knowledge nor any authentic document to support the accusation that Sereno falsified a TRO (temporary restraining order) of the Court. Yet, he still included this in his verified impeachment complaint,” the resolution read.

Mr. Gadon said the decision was “not a big thing” since he is a “retired lawyer for 10 years already” and has no intention to go back into law practice.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. appointed Mr. Gadon as his anti-poverty czar last year.— Chloe Mari A. Hufana

SSS to add e-centers in Batangas

SSS FACEBOOK PAGE

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) will establish two localized e-centers in Batangas at the offices of the Lima Industrial Park and the Lipa City Hall for easier SSS transactions among members in the area.

The SSS signed two separate agreements with Lima Land, Inc. and the city government of Lipa on May 17 for the benefit of 67,000 members working in the areas, the SSS said in a statement on Thursday.

“Since full-time work schedules can be demanding for most of our employed members, we will bring e-Centers directly to their workplaces,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando L. Macasaet said.

“We strongly advise our employed members to check their contributions and loan records regularly to ensure that employers comply with their legal obligations and that their benefit and loan eligibilities will not be compromised,” he added.

The SSS also partnered with the Batangas State University (BatStateU) and the local governments of Tanauan City, Cuenca, and Malvar to register their over 1,000 job order (JO) and contract of service (CoS) workers as SSS self-employed members under the KaSSSangga Collect Program.

“Through this program, they will become eligible for sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, death and funeral benefits under the Social Security Program, as well as loan privileges for immediate financial needs,” said Mr. Macasaet. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

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