Palace issues EO strengthening CITEM

November 26, 2024 | 8:50 pm

MALACAÑANG has issued an executive order (EO) strengthening the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) attached to the Department of Trade (DTI).

Executive Order No. 75 reorganized the CITEM Board, which is chaired by the Trade Secretary, including the secretaries of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology, and Tourism as members.

The order also includes the President and General Manager of Government Service Insurance System and a private sector representative to be appointed by the President as members.

The Trade Secretary will remain as the Board’s chairperson, the order said, adding that the election of the Vice-Chairperson and the Executive Director by the CITEM Board from among its ranks shall be in accordance with the relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 10149, the GOCC Governance Act of 2011.

The ex-officio members of CITEM Board may designate their respective alternates who shall be the officials next-in-rank to them, and whose acts shall be considered the acts of their principals, according to the order.

It tasked the CITEM Board to have regular meetings once every quarter.

“The CITEM shall continue to conduct domestic and international trade fairs, selling missions, in-store promotions, and similar projects, activities, and programs, which are aimed at promoting Philippine products and services to the global market,” the order read.

It tasked the CITEM to work with agencies and offices with mandates and functions related to export marketing and promotions and implement trade fairs, missions, and other export promotional activities to showcase Philippine products and services and promote the country’s participation in overseas trade fairs.

The GOCC agency should also implement industry development programs for export products and services, including merchandise and technical assistance programs, according to the order.

It also tasked the agency to generate consumer-level awareness and demand for Philippine products globally through in-store promotion and participation in overseas trade fairs, expositions, and missions.

The order mandated the CITEM to work with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in coming up with a roadmap that will detail the strategic plans and programs to further strengthen the mandates of CITEM, including the establishment of an exhibition facility and permanent showrooms and outlets “designed to host trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, and other similar events.”

Meanwhile, Malacañang also issued an EO creating an Inter-agency Committee on International Humanitarian Law, which will be co-chaired by the Defense and Foreign Affairs departments.

Its members include departments of Interior and Local Government, Justice, Social Welfare and Development, Trade and Industry, and Health.

The committee’s members also include the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Commission on Higher Education, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, and the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

SC upholds Sulu exclusion from BARMM

November 26, 2024 | 8:50 pm

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday denied a petition to reverse the decision of the court on the exclusion of Sulu in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), ruling its decision as final and executory.

The SC en banc maintained its September ruling where it said Sulu is not a part of BARMM after the province rejected the Bangsamoro Organic Law’s ratification.

“No further pleadings will be entertained,” SC Spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting told reporters in a news briefing on Tuesday.

The motion for partial reconsideration was filed by the government of BARMM, and the Office of the Solicitor General among others.

The law, enacted on July 27, 2018, established BARMM as a political entity and its governmental structure. The majority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ratified it, except for Sulu. Sulu filed the petition as it was included in BARMM despite not ratifying the law.

Its inclusion in BARMM violated Article X, Section 18 of the Constitution, which said that “only provinces, cities, and geographic areas voting favorably in the plebiscite shall be included in the autonomous region.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Risks of anti-dynasty law flagged

November 26, 2024 | 8:49 pm

THE government should be wary of legislating an anti-dynasty law as it could undermine the political freedom of both candidates and voters, a congressional think tank said.

In a November report, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) recommended the state to strengthen its voter education drives to help voters elect competent candidates instead of crafting an anti-dynasty law, citing it could infringe on the right to run for public office.

“Instead of restricting voter choice, efforts should focus on improving the capacity to choose voters,” it said. “Voter education programs could, for example, provide detailed information about the functions of elected positions and the responsibilities of elected officials.”

“An informed and responsible electorate would negate the need for restrictive anti-dynastic legislation. Discerning voters would likely not be swayed by the last name of a candidate,” it added.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution explicitly prohibits dynasties from participating in the country’s political system, but an enabling law has never been passed in 37 years.

A group of lawyers, in early 2024, filed a petition before the Supreme Court, urging the tribunal to compel Congress to pass an anti-dynasty law. They alleged that Congress “failed to perform its Constitutional duty to pass such a law.”

“The clamor for legislation to prohibit political dynasties is fundamentally motivated by the desire to promote increased political equality,” the CPBRD said. “The argument is that political dynasties restrict the participation of non-dynastic entities in formal political processes and should thus be proscribed by law.”

But the think tank said crafting an anti-dynasty law is a balancing act, citing that imposing a candidacy ban on politicians’ immediate family members could lead to the selection of distant relatives to maintain political continuity.

While a “stricter” anti-dynasty law, which includes third-degree relatives of politicians, could infringe on the democratic rights of distant family members seeking to run for office, it noted. “An aspiring politician, who may be reasonably talented and well-intentioned, would be disqualified simply because his cousin is in elected office.”

“An anti-dynasty law that imposes restrictions on family members of an incumbent politician up to the second-degree will likely result in alternative political dynasties involving extended families,” it said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Strict rules vs fare surge sought

November 26, 2024 | 8:49 pm

Road-traffic-vehicles — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A DIGITAL advocacy group called on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to enforce strict rules against the surge of passenger fares during the holiday season.

“Every year, TNVS (transportation network vehicle service) passengers have been complaining of fares doubling, tripling, and in some instances even higher than that, during the holiday rush, when the service is much more needed,” Ronald B. Gustilo, national campaigner at Digital Pinoys, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This should stop now and LTFRB should do its job to protect the commuters from insanely high fares during the busiest season of the year.”

The minimum fare for a Sedan-type TNVS is P45, while fare for an AUV/SUV-type TNVS will be P55, according to the LTFRB. Hatchback-type TNVS have a flag down rate of P35.

Government authorities must also investigate and penalize the continued uptick in passenger fares even as transport companies have already onboarded more units, Mr. Gustilo noted.

“This issue has burdened many passengers, even when booking cars during off-peak hours. This is a clear violation of the rules and regulations imposed by LTFRB,” he said.

In July, the LTFRB accredited 14 new transport network companies, which is expected to increase competition in the ride-hailing industry.

Around 23,000 TNVS units are operating on Philippine roads as of April, the LTFRB said earlier. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

P204B raised from fuel markings

November 26, 2024 | 8:47 pm

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Thursday that its Fuel Marking Program has marked 89.35 billion liters of fuel and generated P1.028 trillion in taxes since it started in 2019, and P204.18 billion collected as of October this year.

The fuel marking program was launched in 2019.

Fuel is marked with a special dye to signify tax compliance, while the absence of the dye is considered an indication that the fuel may be smuggled.

“This milestone highlights the significant impact of the collaboration between BoC, SGS Philippines Inc., and SICPA in ensuring fuel integrity and compliance,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.

BoC said this strengthened partnership has also contributed to 84 apprehensions and the filing of 21 fuel smuggling cases, including a conviction for illegal fuel trading.

“With continued efforts to enhance enforcement thresholds, BoC, SGS, and SICPA remain committed to combating fuel smuggling and ensuring fair tax collection across the country,” the Bureau said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Manila Water completes P30.6-M expansion projects in Rizal

November 26, 2024 | 8:46 pm

RAZON-LED Manila Water Co., Inc. said on Tuesday that it has completed two mainline extension projects and a pipelaying project in Rizal worth a total of P30.6 million, allowing the company to expand its coverage in the province.

“Manila Water has been aggressively expanding its service reach in the east zone, especially to underserved communities,” Jeric T. Sevilla, Jr., Manila Water’s communications affairs group director, said in a statement.

Mr. Sevilla said that the completion of the water infrastructure projects would ensure “reliable and quality water access to key areas of Rizal.”

The east zone concessionaire has finished the Metro Royale Phases 1 and 2 Mainline Extension project in the municipality of Montalban amounting to P21.6 million.

For the project, the company has installed over 2,566 linear meters of 100-millimeter-diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) water lines in Metro Royale Homes, along with an additional 130 meters of 100-mm HDPE pipes in the Baltazar Compound in Montalban.

“This further improved water pressure and considerably reduced head loss in the area,” the company said, adding that it has also installed other essential accessories.

The mainline extension project expanded the company’s service coverage in the municipality, adding an estimated distribution volume of 0.27 million liters per day of water. This has allowed over 3,462 residents in Barangay Burgos to enjoy enhanced water supply.

Manila Water has also completed the installation of 747 linear meters of 300 mm HDPE pipes in Sitio Balatik in Binangonan, conveying water from the Cardona Water Treatment Plant.

Through the P9-million project, the company was able to increase its coverage to 2,400 households in the sitio and nearby communities with “reliable and consistent” water supply.

Manila Water serves the east zone network of Metro Manila, covering parts of Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Pateros, Mandaluyong, San Juan, portions of Quezon City and Manila, and several towns in Rizal province.

At the local bourse on Tuesday, shares in the company fell 1.45% to close at P27.10 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Attacks vs BARMM officials condemned

November 26, 2024 | 8:46 pm

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) denounced the recent attacks against Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials, specifically an assault on the Bangsamoro CHR commissioner and a bombing of the health minister’s office.

In a statement on Tuesday, the agency said its region 12 bureau had initiated a Motu Proprio investigation into the incidents.

On Oct. 10, armed assailants attacked the residence of Bangsamoro Human Rights Commissioner Archie U. Buaya in Maguindanao del Norte as captured in security footage. The attack cost the life of Mr. Buaya’s security aid.

In a separate incident on Oct. 12, an unknown perpetrator planted a grenade at the office of Bangsamoro Health Minister Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr. in Cotabato City, causing damage. It did not result in any casualties or injuries.

“Holding these perpetrators accountable is essential to ensuring that communities feel secure and protected within their own spaces,” CHR said. “This issue becomes even more alarming as it threatens to undermine the ongoing efforts to foster a culture of peace in the BARMM Region, especially with their upcoming polls in 2025.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Higher subsidies for college students pushed

November 26, 2024 | 8:45 pm

A PHILIPPINE senator pushed to increase the yearly subsidies given to college students to prevent an increase in students dropping out due to school-related expenses.

“I believe that the P60,000 and 40,000 are the amounts that will incentivize students and cover their expenses to complete the school year,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who heads the Basic Education Committee and a co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), said in a statement.

He flagged a decrease in the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) to P27,000 a year from P60,000 for students from private colleges, while public college students now only get P20,000 from P40,000.

“My take is that the original amounts are designed to prevent students from dropping out so that they could graduate. And that’s what we want—for them to graduate instead of us just giving subsidies and then in the middle of the school year, they just drop out,” the senator said.

Mr. Gatchalian noted that previously, P20,000 of the P60,000 subsidy for students from private colleges was intended to cover tuition while the remaining P40,000 would be used for transportation food, learning materials, among others.

Based on data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), about 37% of students dropped out in 2021-2022. The college dropout rate spiked to 41.03% in the following school year before settling at 29.4% in 2024.

CHED earlier said there are around 200,000 slots for TES every year and the commission had received about 1.6 million applications for grants in 2021 and 2023.

Under the Senate Finance committee report on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget next year, the agency is allotted P60.25 billion. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Gov’t employee caught in Apayao drug raid

November 26, 2024 | 8:44 pm

BAGUIO CITY — A government employee, whom authorities did not name yet, was caught during an illegal drugs raid in his own house in Barangay Lenneng, Kabugao town in Apayao on Tuesday.

The joint Philippine National Police-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU)-Apayao Police Provincial Office, Kabugao town police, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Apayao operation seized an estimated 0.5 grams of illegal drug substance worth P3,400 along with drug paraphernalia, said Director III Derrick Carreon, regional director of the PDEA-Cordillera Administrative Region.

The suspect was taken by the Kabugao police for booking and face illegal drugs charges. — Artemio A. Dumlao

P6.8-M shabu seized in Zamboanga Sibugay

November 26, 2024 | 8:44 pm

COTABATO CITY — Non-uniformed policemen seized P6.8 million worth of crystal meth (shabu) from a dealer entrapped in Barangay Poblacion in Kabasalan town in Zamboanga Sibugay on Monday evening.

Officials of the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Police office and Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey M. Masauding, director of the Police Regional Office-9, separately told reporters on Tuesday that the peddler is now locked in a detention facility, awaiting prosecution.

The suspect was immediately frisked and cuffed by the policemen who had procured from him a kilo of shabu, costing P6.8 million, during a tradeoff in Barangay Poblacion in Kapatagan.

Mr. Masauding said the 50-year-old male suspect, whose name he withheld, in the meantime, while efforts to locate his accomplices in Kabasalan are still underway, is a resident of Arena Blanco in Barangay Mampang in Zamboanga City. — John Felix M. Unson

Guest team HK Eastern takes PBA campaign vs Phoenix Fuel Masters

November 26, 2024 | 7:25 pm

Games on Wednesday
(PhilSports Arena)
5 p.m. – Converge vs Terrafirma
7:30 p.m. – Hong Kong Eastern vs Phoenix

WILL foreign guest team Hong Kong (HK) Eastern take the PBA Commissioner’s Cup by storm like the Bay Area Dragons two years ago?

The HK A1 club certainly hopes so with a crew led by balik-import Cameron Clark and the Bay Area triumvirate of Hayden Blankley, Kobey Lam and Glen Yang mixing it up with the Philippines’ toughest pro teams.

The 6-foot-6 Mr. Clark is on his third stint in Asia’s first play for play league after previously helping NLEX and San Miguel Beer (SMB) to the semifinals of the Governors’ Cup in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Messrs. Blankley, Lam and Yang return to the PBA a couple of seasons after their old Dragons team made a run at the Commissioner’s Cup crown and lost in Game 7 to Barangay Ginebra before an all-time record crowd of 54,589 at the Philippine Arena.

Eastern is also parading HK national team mainstays Leung Ka Hin and Leung Shiu Wah, who are fresh from their FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers Window 2 duties against Gilas Pilipinas last Sunday. Mr. Shiu fired three triples and finished with 11 points while Mr. Ka shot three markers in Hong Kong’s 54-93 blowout loss.

The HK squad, which is also competing in the East Asia Super League, gets its first taste of PBA action tonight in the Commissioner’s Cup tipoff at the PhilSports Arena.

First up for the team coached by Bosnian Mensur Bajramovic is Phoenix Super LPG at 7:30 p.m.

The Fuel Masters anchor their bid on Donovan Smith, a 6-foot-10 Euro leagues veteran who is expected to provide the much-needed inside presence to local stalwarts Jason Perkins, RR Garcia, Tyler Tio, Ken Tuffin, Sean Manganti and Ricci Rivero.

Meanwhile, new-look Terrafirma and souped-up Converge fire the opening salvo in the mid-season conference at 5 p.m.

The Dyip launch their quest two days after sending ace sniper Juami Tiongson and hardworking big Andreas Cahilig to SMB to acquire former scoring champ Terrence Romeo and 37-year-old frontliner Vic Manuel.

Messrs. Romeo and Manuel form a seasoned unit with Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle and Kevin Ferrer. The Dyip, with Raymond Tiongco calling the shots vice John Cardel, also unleash young guns Mark Nonoy and CJ Catapusan for the first time.

The FiberXers aim to sustain the gains from their quarterfinal showing last conference with former NBA player Cheick Diallo as import and former Gilas gunner Jordan Heading joining holdovers Alec Stockton, Schonny Winston, Justin Arana, Alex Cabagnot and Bryan Santos in the fold mid-season. — Olmin Leyba

UE, Adamson battle for the last Final Four seat

November 26, 2024 | 7:23 pm

UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST — FACEBOOK.COM/WEARETHEUAAP

Game on Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
6:30 p.m. – Adamson vs UE

WIN or go home.

That will be the name of the game as the University of the East (UE) and Adamson University dispute the last Final Four seat in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Action erupts at 6:30 p.m. in a knockout set-to for the lone men’s game after the two-round eliminations with the survivor gaining a shot against No. 1 and reigning champion De La Salle University in the semifinals this weekend.

UE, once the hottest team in the league, wasted five chances to get into the Final Four with losses one after another as the stars aligned for Adamson in the nick of time to make the playoff duel possible.

Both were tied with similar 6-8 records, thanks to the Falcons’ 69-55 win over also-ran Ateneo and the Warriors’ 77-67 defeat to the second-seeded University of the Philippines (UP) to end the elims.

So now, the momentum is on Adamson and it’s out to pounce on it to the fullest while UE is still reeling from a costly five-game losing skid.

On top of that, the Falcons are enjoying a knockout experience in their third straight playoff match after ousting La Salle in 2022 and losing to Ateneo de Manila University last year.

UE, for its part, is starving to find an answer to its sudden struggle after an impressive 6-3 start marked by a stunning victory over La Salle.

And for coach Jack Santiago, this is the perfect timing to do that at last with their bid to enter the Final Four for the first time in 14 years up for grabs.

“I still believe we can make it to the Final Four,” he beamed.

Meanwhile, host and last season’s runner-up UP is already sealed to a Final Four duel against No. 3 seed University of Santo Tomas, which snapped a five-year drought with a 7-7 slate.

Like La Salle against either UE or Adamson, University of the Philippines will enjoy a win-once bonus for an inside track to a finals return for the fourth straight season. — John Bryan Ulanday