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Gender inequality cited as barrier in achieving work flexibility in PHL

UNSPLASH

SOME 53% of women responding to a study said gender inequality is hindering their ability to access flexible work, according to the Avon Global Progress for Women report.

The beauty products company said some 18.6% of respondents also said they were hindered in starting businesses by gender inequality.

In a statement, Avon said respondents cited childcare responsibilities as among the factors obstructing their career and entrepreneurship goals.

“This research shows that we’re still a long way off gender equality. …we need to do more to create opportunities for women to contribute to the economy, participate in work, and realize their potential,” Avon Chief Executive Officer Kristof Neirynck said in a statement.

Global research company Censuswide surveyed 7,000 women from the UK, Italy, Romania, Poland, the Philippines, Turkey, and South Africa. The survey was conducted in December.

Globally, respondents who cited gender stereotypes as a barrier to equal opportunity totaled 89% in the latest sudy, up from 86% a year earlier. Those who perceive representation in business to favor men also increased 5 percentage points to 61% between studies.

Respondents citing gender pay gaps totaled 52% in the latest study, against 46% previously.

Avon, referring to a United Nations study, said women earn a third of the global income generated by labor and estimated that for each dollar earned by men, women earned 51 cents.

According to the Global Gender Report 2022 of the World Economic Forum, the Philippines was 19th out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index.

In the Avon report, women who cited difficulties in rising to senior positions accounted for 57% of all respondents.

WORKPLACE AS A REFUGE
Despite harassment and micro-aggressions in the workplace, some women described work as a place of refuge.

In the Philippines, 44% out the 1,000 respondents said they have seen a colleague who appeared to have suffered signs of domestic abuse, including physical injuries.

About 48.79% were confided in by a colleague about being abused by a partner at home.

The Philippine National Police recorded 13,122 cases of violence against women in 2023, 59% of which turned out to be in breach of the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

PHL may tap Czech help to bolster dairy output

REUTERS

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday that it is seeking to improve dairy and livestock output via a collaboration with the Czech government.

“The Philippines is particularly interested in the Czech Republic’s success in the dairy industry and in water and irrigation management and livestock production,” the DA said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement that the DA will seek Czech assistance in upgrading farming technology, particularly in dairy.

The government is hoping to grow dairy production to 80 million liters per year by 2028.

In 2023, dairy production amounted to 17,850 MT, or about 0.8% of milk demand of 1.94 million MT. The dairy herd was 75,798 head in 2023.

The National Dairy Authority is projecting production to reach 1.98 million metric tons in 2024.

Mr. Laurel added that the DA will also purchase bull sperm for artificial insemination to improve the quality of the herd.

“The Philippines imports almost all its dairy requirements and sources from overseas parent stock for cattle and other livestock,” the DA said.

He added that the DA is also looking to expand the market for agricultural goods from the Philippines within the European Union.

“We have some products ready for export, so market access is also very important to us, especially the European Union, which is one of the best markets in the world for our products,” Mr. Laurel said.

Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny has earlier signed a letter of intent with the DA to collaborate on agriculture and food production.

The agreement also covers water management, aquaculture, science, and research.

“(The Philippines’) aims and ambitions are very similar to what we have in the Czech Republic, where our agricultural sector is also undergoing dynamic changes towards modern technology, innovation, science and research, and the application of their outcomes,” Mr. Vyborny said. — Adrian H. Halili

Peso inches lower vs dollar on expectations of faster inflation

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened slightly against the dollar on Monday on expectations that Philippine headline inflation quickened further in March.

The local unit closed at P56.255 per dollar on Monday, depreciating by 1.5 centavos from its P56.24 finish on Wednesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Monday’s session stronger at P56.17 against the dollar. Its weakest showing was at P56.27, while its intraday best was at P56.125 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged went down to $847.15 million on Monday from $1.18 billion on Wednesday.

“The peso weakened amid local market expectations of a potentially higher domestic inflation in March,” a trader said in an e-mail.

Headline inflation may have accelerated further last month due to higher prices of food, fuel and electricity, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Monday.

Inflation likely settled within the 3.4 to 4.2% range in March, the central bank said in a statement.

If realized, March inflation would be much slower than the 7.6% print recorded in March 2022. The lower end of the BSP’s estimate would also be unchanged from the February rate.

However, the upper end of the forecast would breach the BSP’s 2-4% target range for the first time since November’s 4.1% and mark the second straight month that inflation accelerated month-on-month.

Meanwhile, a BusinessWorld poll of 17 analysts conducted last week yielded a median estimate of 3.8% for March inflation, within the BSP’s forecast range.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will release March consumer price index data on April 5, Friday.

The peso was also dragged down by a generally stronger dollar and higher global crude prices on Monday, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

The dollar was broadly steady on Monday as data showing easing US prices bolstered bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in June, Reuters reported.

The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.3% in February, the Commerce department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Friday, compared with the 0.4% rise that economists polled by Reuters had forecast.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday said the latest US inflation data was “along the lines of what we would like to see,” in comments that tallied with his remarks after the Fed’s policy meeting last month.

Markets are now pricing in 68.5% chance of the Fed cutting rates in June versus 57% chance at the end of last week, the CME FedWatch tool showed. Traders are also pricing in 75 basis points of cuts this year.

The dollar index, which measures the US currency against six rivals, was 0.057% higher at 104.54, close to the six-week high of 104.73 it touched last week.

For Tuesday, the trader sees the peso moving between P56.15 and P56.40 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P56.15 to P56.35. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Incentives considered to attract more green tech IP registrations

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said on Monday that it will offer incentives to attract more applications to register green technology-related intellectual property (IP).

At a briefing for National IP Month (NIPM), IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said the regulator is launching the Green Technology Incentive Program to register technologies that promise sustainable solutions.

“Through this new initiative, we hope to encourage inventors to develop green and sustainable technologies in climate change adaptation, alternative energy production, transportation, agriculture, forestry, emission mitigation, energy conversion, solid waste management, and water and wastewater management,” Mr. Barba said.

“The program will mainly involve a waiver of fees and a prioritized examination for eligible patents, utility models, and industrial design applications. We are in the process of finalizing the guidelines and workflow, and we hope to launch this green program in the middle of 2024,” he added.

Mr. Barba said the NIPM this year hopes to tie IP to sustainable development goals (SDGs), noting that the Philippines has made slow progress in achieving the SDG 2030 targets.

Citing a report from the United Nations, Mr. Barba said that zero progress was recorded in more than 30% of the measurable targets, while some have even regressed to pre-2015 levels, the year when the SDG 2030 was adopted.

“As we cross beyond the midpoint to the deadline, we find that only 15% of the targets are making progress. None of them are halfway towards the desired results,” he added.

Ann N. Edillon, IPOPHL Bureau of Patents director, said that under the proposed program, IPOPHL will waive the fees for filing and first publication, which amount to P4,000 to P5,000.

“That’s still a significant help to startups and business owners. Especially if you can imagine if they have a lot of programs or if they have a lot of innovative creations or inventions,” Ms. Edillon said.

However, she said the program will limit how many applicants can avail of the incentives in order to not overwhelm the system.

“There’s always going to be a cap. And then when we feel that the program is a success and there is a clamor for more, then it’s very easy to have our management renew it,” she added.

Mr. Barba said the incentive system aims to increase the number of green technology applications, which only account for less than 1% of filings.

“So what we want is to incentivize our inventors and creators to create concepts or products that promote green technology,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Philippine shares up on positive US, China data

BW FILE PHOTO

PHILIPPINE SHARES closed higher on Monday following positive economic data out of the United States and China.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi)climbed by 1.1% or 76.28 points to close at 6,979.81 on Monday, while the broader all shares index rose by 0.8% or 28.89 points to end at 3,636.40.

China Bank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo E. Colet said in a Viber message that the local bourse closed higher following US and China data.

“In the US, the February print of the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the preferred inflation gauge of the Federal Reserve, was in line with consensus estimates and slower than the January data. This reinforced bets that the Federal Reserve is on track to cut interest rates as soon as June this year,” he said.

The PCE price index rose 0.3% last month, the Commerce department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said, Reuters reported. Data for January was revised higher to show the PCE price index climbing 0.4% instead of 0.3% as previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the PCE price index gaining 0.4% on the month.

In the 12 months through February, PCE inflation advanced 2.5% after increasing 2.4% in January.

“There was also good news from China where data showed that manufacturing activity expanded for the first time in six months,” Mr. Colet added.

“The optimism in Asia, given the expansion of China’s factory activity at its fastest rate in 13 months, lifted the sentiment at home. This gives hope for the recovery of China’s economy, which would be favorable for our economy as it affects trades and tourism in our country,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar likewise said in a Viber message.

China’s manufacturing activity expanded for the first time in six months in March, an official factory survey showed on Sunday, Reuters reported.

The official purchasing managers’ index rose to 50.8 in March from 49.1 in February, above the 50-mark separating growth from contraction and topping a median forecast of 49.9 in a Reuters poll.

Back home, the majority of sectoral indices rose. Holding firms gained by 1.75% or 113.23 points to 6,574.45; financials increased by 1.5% or 30.65 points to 2,064.92; property went up by 1.4% or 39.33 points to 2,849.14; services climbed by 0.27% or 5.01 points to 1,856.03; and mining and oil rose by 0.02% or 2.07 points to 8,125.37.

Meanwhile, industrials dropped by 0.53% or 48.28 points to 9,051.30.

Value turnover declined to P5.49 billion on Monday with 1.19 billion issues changing hands from the P10.67 billion with 2.44 billion shares traded on Wednesday.

Advancers beat decliners, 96 against 90, while 53 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign buying stood at P464.45 million on Monday versus the P310.52 million in net selling recorded on Wednesday. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

Recent improvements in tax filing process

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often,” said Winston Churchill.  The government has been proving this adage to be true, especially with the significant regulatory updates to taxation, the most recent iteration being the Ease of Paying Taxes (EoPT) Law. It would appear that we should continue to expect changes as Congress is continuously deliberating on new tax regulations, but change must not always be met with resistance; after all, change is a crucial element of progress. To the credit of the government and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, there have been significant efforts to improve the tax system, making compliance, including payment, easier for the taxpayers.

Taxpayers, on the other hand, must keep abreast of developments, not only to ensure compliance with their obligations, but also to be informed of how to go about compliance in the easiest way possible, as recent regulations allow.

As the April 15 deadline for the 2023 Income Tax Filing draws near, it’s a good time to be reminded of the latest developments on tax filing.

TAX PAYMENT VENUE
We begin with one of the most important updates introduced by the EoPT Law, which took effect on Jan. 22. Taxpayers can now file their Annual Income Tax Returns (AITR), either electronically or manually, and pay taxes due thereon through any Authorized Agent Bank (AAB), Revenue District Office, Revenue Collection Officer, or authorized tax software provider.

This above update must not, however, be confused with the requirement for taxpayers mandated to use the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) to file their AITRs electronically and pay the taxes due through the eFPS-AABs where they are enrolled, except in such cases where filing through eBIRForms is permitted.

Looking back, there was a time when taxpayers were required to do their filings in specific Revenue District Offices (RDOs) which have jurisdiction over their businesses. We were all witness to the administrative and logistical challenges this system posed. Thankfully, we are now moving past this chapter.

In 2023, even before the EoPT Law, the BIR, through RMC 32-2023, began to allow taxpayers to file and pay their income taxes through any AABs and RDOs.  With the EoPT Law, this policy has been institutionalized, allowing taxpayers to carry out their obligations efficiently and conveniently.

UPDATED ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEMS
Taxpayers are reminded of the availability of offline Electronic Bureau of Internal Revenue forms (eBIRForms) Package Version 7.9.4.2, which can be downloaded from the BIR’s official website, www.bir.gov.ph or www.knowyourtaxes.ph/ebirforms. Notably, the new eBIRForms provide BIR Form No. 1702-RTv2018C with additional alphanumeric tax codes (ATC) IC, such as IC 101, IC 190 and IC 191 for Regional Operating Headquarters (ROHQs), Offshore Banking Units (OBUs), and Foreign Currency Deposit Units (FDCUs), respectively. Updated 2023 income tax rates were likewise made on BIR Form No. 1700v2018, BIR Form No. 1701v2018, and BIR Form No. 1701A.  Bug fixers were also added for BIR Form No. 1702-MXv2018C.

Meanwhile, BIR Form No. 1701A, otherwise known as the Annual Income Tax Return for Individuals Earning Purely from Business/Profession under the graduated income tax rates with Optional Standard Deduction as the mode of deduction, with the option to avail of the 8% flat income tax rate; BIR Form No. 1702-EX January 2018 (ENCS) v2, or the Annual Income Tax Return for entities EXEMPT under Sec. 30 and Sec. 27 of the Tax Code, as amended, and other special laws with no other taxable income; and BIR Form No. 1700, or the Annual Income Tax Return for Individuals Earning Purely Compensation Income, are now available on the Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS).

As a precaution, taxpayers who are mandated to use eFPS are advised to check the RDO they are registered with to make sure that the abovementioned returns are on the list of tax returns in their eFPS. If not, coordination with the BIR should be made as soon as possible to comply with the requirements of the concerned RDO for the uploading of the returns to the eFPS.

Mindful of the deadline to file the AITR, taxpayers are reminded that eBIRForms is required for taxpayers paying through the assistance of accredited tax agents/practitioners, accredited printers of principal and supplemental receipts/invoices, and those who file a “No-Payment Return,” among others.

While eFPS applies to taxpayers such as large taxpayers, those in the Taxpayer Account Management Program (TAMP), importers and customs brokers, taxpayers enjoying fiscal incentives, the top 5,000 individuals, corporations with a paid-up capital stock of 10 million and above, and those with complete computerized systems, among others.

These recent changes are definitely a welcome development aimed at making the tax processes easier, thus significantly affecting ease of doing business as well, which is commonly a pain point not only for Philippine businesses, but for foreign investors as well.

The enactment of the EoPT Law and the recent improvements within the BIR systems are testament to the government’s commitment to modernizing the archaic processes of the past and making them responsive to the prevailing concerns of the present. While the system is not exactly perfect, it is now easier to comply with tax filing and payment obligations.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

 

Yben R. Rogero is a manager from the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

Marcos urged to keep grounded vessel at shoal

THE BRP SIERRA MADRE, a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines live in as a military outpost, is pictured in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. — REUTERS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should ensure that the World War II-era ship that the Philippines grounded at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea in 1999 remains there amid Chinese pressure to get it out of the disputed shoal, according to a senator.

“The BRP Sierra Madre should remain on Ayungin,” Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement on Monday, referring to the Filipino name of Second Thomas Shoal. “Our troops have been risking their lives to guard that ship and we should not take their sacrifice for granted.”

China has been trying to block Philippine resupply missions to the shoal, accusing the Marcos government of bringing construction materials to fortify the ship.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce goes through. Its claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s expansive claims for being illegal.

A Chinese coast guard vessel on March 23 fired a water cannon at a Philippine boat trying to bring food and other supplies to a handful of soldiers on the dilapidated vessel.

Manila later lodged a protest and said the boat was heavily damaged and some crew injured. It then summoned China’s envoy in Manila to protest “aggressive actions” in the South China Sea.

Last week, Mr. Marcos said his government would enforce countermeasures against “illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous attacks” by China’s coast guard and maritime militia within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the waterway.

Former presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque has said ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China not to bring building and repair materials to troops stationed at the ship.

The deal involved keeping the “status quo” at the shoal but did not entail the ship’s removal.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gan Yu earlier said the March 23 Philippine resupply mission had tried to transport construction materials to the grounded ship.

Ms. Hontiveros-Baraquel said the supposed deal was not surprising Mr. Duterte’s foreign policy pivot toward China.

“Duterte never accorded our 2016 arbitral award its much-deserved respect and reverence, which is why this so-called gentleman’s agreement is not surprising,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

“A decision of such importance would have gone through a thorough policy-making process,” Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada said in a separate statement.

He said his father, former President Joseph E. Estrada, never made a deal with China to have the dilapidated ship removed from Second Thomas Shoal.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva on Monday filed a resolution condemning China’s aggression in the South China Sea, urging the government to come up with countermeasures to assert Philippine sovereignty in the waterway.

In Resolution No. 980, he urged the government to “put an end to the continued aggression” of China in the South China Sea.

Ms. Hontiveros-Baraquel last week urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly condemning China’s aggression at sea.

Under Executive Order 57 published on Sunday, Mr. Marcos ordered agencies to boost coordination on maritime security to confront “a range of serious challenges” to territorial integrity and peace, as the sea dispute with China worsens.

The order does not mention China but follows a series of confrontations and accusations between the two neighbors over disputed areas of the South China Sea.

In a separate statement, Senator and presidential sister Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos said allowing too much foreign interference in the sea dispute could escalate tensions.

Citing section 7 of the order, she said the National Maritime Council’s authority to accept donations, contributions and other grants from domestic and foreign sources could lead to a “trojan horse of foreign interference.”

“Such largesse has been the fuel to never-ending conflicts as we still see in Ukraine and Gaza,” said Ms. Marcos, who heads the Senate committee on foreign relations. “To prevent yet another regional conflict, what we need instead are solutions for peace from those who claim to be our genuine allies.”

The Philippine Senate has approved a bill that seeks to set up maritime zones and territories in the South China Sea and another that aims to attract investments in local defense equipment manufacturing.

Coast guard patrols vital to Chinese control of South China Sea features

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FILE PHOTO

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

CHINA’s coast guard was the dominant state force in disputed waters of the South China Sea last year, holding daily patrols at key features including Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines has kept a dilapidated ship as a military outpost since 1999, according to a US think tank.

Its daily patrols “demonstrate the centrality of the CCG in China’s peacetime operations to assert control over its vast claims in the South China Sea,” the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said in a Mar. 29 report, citing automatic transmission system (AIS) data from Marine Traffic and Starboard Maritime Analytics.

Second Thomas Shoal, Luconia Shoals, Scarborough Shoal, Vanguard Bank and Thitu Island were the five features most frequented by Chinese patrols, AMTI said. “In total, patrols observed in 2023 at these five features amounted to 1,652 ship-days.”

It said the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) has slightly shifted its attention away from Vanguard Bank and toward Luconia Shoals and Second Thomas Shoal, where Manila grounded the BRP Sierra Madre 25 years ago to assert its sovereignty.

Second Thomas, which the Philippines calls Ayungin, is 240 kilometers off the coast of Palawan province and is about 900 kilometers from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese landmass.

AMTI said the CCG’s patrols at Second Thomas Shoal increased to 302 in 2023 from 279 a year earlier.

Chinese patrols at Luconia Shoals, near a major cluster of Malaysian oil and gas operations, also increased to 338 from 316.

Meanwhile, CCG patrols in Scarborough Shoal and Thitu Island fell to 311 from 344 and to 206 from 208 days, respectively. Chinese patrol days at Vanguard Bank also fell to 221 last year from 310 a year earlier, AMTI said.

Scarborough and Thitu, which is part of the Spratly Islands, are both within the Philippines’ 200 nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

The numbers are only a baseline “and that the true number of days patrolled by the CCG is likely higher,” AMTI said.

It added that “CCG vessels are not always observable on commercial AIS platforms, either because their transceivers are disabled or not detectable by satellite AIS receivers.”

Second Thomas Shoal was the site of frequent tensions between Manila and Beijing last year, with the Chinese Coast Guard backed by maritime militia ships blocking Philippine resupply missions for troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last week issued an executive order (EO) ordering agencies to boost coordination on maritime security to confront “a range of serious challenges” to territorial integrity and peace, as the sea dispute with China worsens.

The order reorganized the National Coast Watch Council and renamed it to the National Maritime Council.

The new council is part of the countermeasures that the President has vowed to pursue, National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya told a televised news briefing on Monday.

“Many of our countrymen think that our counter-response or measures are purely military,” he said. “The measures cover [many] dimensions, and this is one aspect of that.”

Fisherfolk group Pamalakaya questioned the creation of the new council, saying it is “redundant and insignificant” because there is already an inter-agency task force handling South China Sea disputes.

“The government agencies belonging to the newly created National Maritime Council are already constitutionally mandated to uphold and protect our national territory and natural resources,” it said in a statement. “Why the need to consolidate these agencies into a council with the sole purpose of maritime security, despite an existing task force with the very same functions?”

Marcos orders new police chief to address emerging threats

WITH a handshake and a tap on the shoulder, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. bids Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil well as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Monday’s change of command ceremony at Camp Crame, Quezon City. At right is Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr.— PHILIPPINE STAR/KJ ROSALES

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday ordered his newly appointed police chief to step up efforts against emerging threats such as cyber- and transnational crimes, and terrorism.

He issued the order to General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, 55, during a change in command ceremony at the police headquarters near the Philippine capital.

Mr. Marbil will replace General Benjamin C. Acorda, Jr. as the head of the 232,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP).

He will serve as police chief until he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Feb. 7, or three months before the midterm elections. He is the third police chief under Mr. Marcos and the 30th since the PNP’s creation in 1991.

Mr. Marbil was the head of the PNP Directorate for Comptrollership. He once led the Eastern Visayas police.

He assumed his post as new police chief amid concerns about deaths related to the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

That there had been at least 10 drug-related killings from Mar. 16 to 23, eight of which were confirmed to have been committed by state agents, according to the Dahas project of the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center.

It recorded 165 drug-related deaths in July to December last year and 29 each in January and February 2024.

Mr. Marcos in December last year extended the term of Mr. Acorda as PNP chief after he turned 56. He was first appointed to the post in April 2023.

Mr. Marbil and Mr. Acorda both belong to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Lawmaker blames vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos for pertussis outbreak

PHILSTAR

VACCINE hesitancy among Filipinos is likely to have caused the ongoing outbreak of Pertussis or whooping cough in parts of Luzon and Visayas, a lawmaker and former health secretary said on Monday.

Speaking to members of the media, Iloilo Rep. Janette L. Garin said that vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos which stemmed from the Dengvaxia controversy in 2017 had caused parents to avoid subjecting their children to state-sponsored vaccines.

“Why in the whole world is it that only in the Philippines was there a pertussis outbreak!” Ms. Garin, who served as Department of Health (DoH) secretary during the presidency of the late Benigno S. Aquino, III, told the media in Filipino.

“The pertussis outbreak is due to the number of people refusing to be vaccinated,” she added.

Quezon City in Metro Manila and Cavite province, south of the capital, as well as Iloilo City in Western Visayas have already declared an outbreak of pertussis as early as last month.

The sharp rise in pertussis cases have also resulted in a number of reported deaths. Last March 16, the DoH reported 40 children dying of the respiratory infection.

The two-dose vaccine against pertussis is commonly administered at government hospitals and health centers for free to children aged as young as 2-6 months and 15-18 months.

Those who missed their vaccinations at these periods can have a one-dose vaccine against whooping cough, called T-dap, at the age of 7 to 10 years old.

Pertussis or whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that causes influenza-like symptoms such as mild fever and coughs lasting seven to 10 weeks after exposure. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Safety of Iraq-based Pinoys sought

BW FILE PHOTO

THE SENATE is bent on conducting a comprehensive review of existing protection mechanisms for Filipinos based in Iraq, which has been saddled with years of conflict and political strife.

Filed by Senator Ferdinand “Robin” C. Padilla on March 14, the proposed Senate Resolution No. 969 seeks an inquiry in aid of legislation with the aim of making refinements to existing measures safeguarding Filipinos in Iraq.

“It is imperative to conduct a comprehensive review of the efficacy of measures in place to safeguard the well-being of Filipino nationals in Iraq, including the evaluation of the country’s overall security situation,” it said.

Last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed a delegation of Iraq officials who asked the Philippines to lift a deployment ban on Filipino workers to aid Iraq’s need for healthcare sector workers.

The Iraq delegation had also invited Philippine Foreign Affairs officials to assess what they called an improving security situation in the country.

In 2021, the crisis level in Iraq reached Alert Level 3, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs to call on Filipinos there to voluntarily return to the Philippines. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Heat can force class suspensions

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE PHILIPPINES’ El Niño Task Force on Monday urged local governments and school heads to consider suspending classes in cases of extreme heat for the health and physical wellbeing of students.

“If students cannot concentrate because it’s too hot, if you are experiencing extreme heat in your locality, it is within your power to shift your face-to-face classes to online classes,” Joey Villarama, the task force’s spokesperson, said in a televised news briefing, citing a Department of Education (DepEd) advisory.

Earlier, nearly a dozen local government units mostly in Western Visayas had suspended classes on April 1 and 2 due to extreme heat conditions. The areas include Iloilo City, Bacolod City on Negros Island, and Roxas City in Capiz.

Also suspending classes until Tuesday were Silay City, Bago City, Isabela, Hinoba-an, E.B. Magalona, and Kabankalan, all in Negros Occidental. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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