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No provision in budget bill allowing sweeping of GOCC funds, senators say

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By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE SENATE’S approved P6.352-trillion national budget does not feature a provision allowing the National Government to sweep unused funds of government-owned or-controlled corporations (GOCCs), senators said on Wednesday.

Senator and Finance Committee Chairperson Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe-Llamanzares said senators deleted a proposal allowing the use of these unused funds, similar to a provision in the 2024 budget that allowed the transfer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) P90-billion fund to the Treasury.

“It (proposal) was deleted in the National Expenditure Plan (NEP) from the very start. That’s why I don’t see it in our version,” she said in a news briefing.

A provision in this year’s national budget authorized a cash sweep from government GOCCs. The Supreme Court last month blocked the transfer of P29.9 billion, the last tranche of PhilHealth’s P90 billion in excess funds,to the Treasury.

The excess PhilHealth funds would have been used to support unprogrammed appropriations worth P203.1 billion, which would support state health, infrastructure and social service programs.

Senators approved its version of the national budget on Tuesday with no amendments raised during plenary.

“No, we will make sure that it (sweeping GOCC funds) will not happen again especially with PhilHealth because we would want PhilHealth to increase their participation in all the medical expenses of each Filipino mandated by the Universal Health Care Law,” Deputy Senate Majority Floor Leader Joseph Victor G. Ejercito told a separate news briefing on Tuesday.

He earlier criticized PhilHealth seeking a bigger budget next year after declaring P89.9 billion as excess funds, while millions of poor Filipinos find it hard to pay their medical bills.

The Senate’s final version of next year’s spending plan cut the PhilHealth’s budget to P64.42 billion from P74.43 billion as proposed in the counterpart House bill, based on a copy sent to reporters on Wednesday.

The Department of Health is allocated a budget of P285.51 billion next year, higher than the P217.388 under the NEP.

Senators also restored a previously slashed P10-billion funding from the P50-billion allocation for the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization in 2025.

The Department of National Defense will also get a P266.28 billion budget amid Manila’s rising tensions with China in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will also get an additional P600 million next year raising its budget to P33.06 billion from P32.46 billion proposed under the NEP.

China and the Philippines have been at loggerheads over confrontations near disputed features in the South China Sea, with Manila accusing China’s coast guard of aggression and Beijing furious over what it calls repeated provocations and territorial incursions.

Senators also retained the House-introduced P733.2-million budget of the Office of the Vice-President (OVP), a drop from P2.06 billion under the NEP.

“From what we see, the OVP is capacitated because in their total budget, they can use P600 million for social programs,” Ms. Poe said.

She said the agency did not file any formal request to increase its budget.

Legislators are set to start discussions to reconcile the two versions of the national budget in a Bicameral Conference Committee on Thursday.

This will include tackling allocations for the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), or the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) financial assistance program to workers whose income falls below the poverty threshold.

“In the Senate version, the AKAP became additional funding for the senior citizens retirement pension, additional funding for the college assistance, childcare assistance and for livelihood programs,” Ms. Poe said in mixed English and Filipino, after the Senate agreed to boost the monthly pension for senior citizens to P1,000 from P500.

The Senate approved budget earmarked P245.84 billion for the DSWD, slightly higher than the P226.67 billion proposed by the Budget department and the Executive. The House had approved an allocation of P313.26 billion for the agency.

“If I’m not mistaken, we will finish the bicam by December 9 and I know that the target date for the President to sign the budget is by the 19th,” Ms. Poe said in Filipino, saying that Congress was on track to follow this target.

PHL, UAE ink energy, AI, digital economy deal

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PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said his government had secured agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) covering energy, artificial intelligence (AI), and the digital economy.

Mr. Marcos, fresh from his one-day working trip to the Arab nation, said: “We look forward to the implementation of several bilateral agreements in culture, energy transition, legal cooperation, artificial intelligence and digital economy.”

The two nations will also work for the improvement of government activities, visa waiver for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports, and investment cooperation, he added.

Before his trip, the Presidential Communications Office said Environment Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga was participating in discussions with the UAE regarding an agreement on preventing leakage of plastic waste into the oceans.

It also said the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chair Victorino “Ino” M. Manalo will sign a cultural cooperation deal with the UAE government.

The UAE is the Philippines’ 18th largest trade partner with their total trade hitting $1.88 billion in 2023, according to the Trade department.

It said Manila’s exports to the UAE reached $341.97 million, while its imports from the Arab nation stood at $1.54 billion.

Mr. Marcos said he invited his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to visit the Philippines “in the coming months to continue our dialogue and to explore further areas of cooperation.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Bill postponing BARMM polls hurdles House panel

A HOUSE of Representatives committee on Wednesday approved a measure seeking to postpone the general elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by a year to 2026.

Approved by the House suffrage and electoral reforms panel, the bill consolidated various measures seeking to defer BARMM’s first regular elections to May 11, 2026 from May 12, 2025, according to a copy obtained by BusinessWorld.

Subsequent elections are scheduled to be held on the second Monday of May 2029, and every three years thereafter, the bill stated.

The proposed law was filed by congressmen to give the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) time to address governance and administrative issues arising from a Supreme Court (SC) decision excluding Sulu from the autonomous region. The high tribunal rejected a petition seeking a reversal of the decision on Tuesday.

Mt. Province Rep. Maximo Y. Dalog, Jr., who heads the House suffrage and electoral reforms committee, said the bill would be taken up by the plenary “either in the first or second week of December.”

The Philippine government enacted the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2018 following a multi-year peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. It mandated the creation of the BTA to serve as an interim regional government, which was established after its ratification in 2019.

The BARMM government’s lawmaking power is vested in a parliament, with members hailing from the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Tawi-tawi, and Sulu. It was set to be composed of 80 members, of which 40 are political party representatives and eight are sectoral representatives.

The remaining 32 seats are allotted for BARMM’s congressional districts. Sulu province was slated to have seven districts up for grabs before the SC ruling.

“This resetting is crucial to ensure a just and credible electoral process for the first and historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections,” Member of Parliament Don Arbison Loong said in a statement provided to the House suffrage and electoral reforms panel.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is vested with the authority to appoint new 80 interim members of the BTA while no successors have been elected, according to the bill. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Reforms to improve credit rating

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THE PHILIPPINES’ international long-term credit rating could be enhanced to “A-levels” once fiscal reform measures pending in Congress, such as amendments to the mining fiscal regime and taxes to the domestic capital markets, are passed, a congressman said on Wednesday.

Congress could approve the pending bills before yearend, Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda said, which could help the country’s macroeconomic conditions be “more favorable” for investments.

“I believe that the Big Three [credit rating agencies] will eventually upgrade our rating to A-levels once we pass fiscal reform in mining and the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act, which will also expand our capital base,” he said in a statement, referring to S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s and the Fitch Group.

“The Senate has already advanced both measures, and I think we might agree on versions for both before Christmas,” he added.

Reforms to the country’s tax structure have been a priority for the Marcos administration amid a tight fiscal space due to borrowings made during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

S&P Global on Tuesday affirmed as “BBB+” the country’s long-term credit rating, an arm’s reach away from the “A” level sought by the Marcos administration while increased to “positive” from “stable” its outlook due to the Philippines’ strong growth potential. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

USAID, Ayala unit boost HIV services

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THE UNITED States Agency for International Development and Ayala Healthcare Holdings (AC Health) have inked a deal to expand health services on treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Philippines, according to the US Embassy in the Philippines.

“Supported by funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the partnership will develop, test, and scale approaches to improving and expanding HIV care and prevention services in the Philippines,” the agency said in a statement, citing a partnership signing event on Nov. 27.

The embassy said the partnership would tap into the private sector’s resources and technical-know-how to work on expanding telehealth services and providing free HIV self-testing kits.

“This collaboration brings us closer to bridging gaps in HIV prevention and testing, ensuring these critical services reach more communities nationwide,” AC Health Chairman Fernando M. Zobel de Ayala said at the partnership signing event, based on the embassy’s statement.

Based on data from the Department of Health, the country averages about 53 new daily cases of HIV from young Filipinos. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Pass environment bills, group says

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RIGHTS OF NATURE PH launches ‘Rescue Lakes, Rivers, and Oceans’ initiative to protect key water ecosystems and push for the passage of Rights of Nature Bill.

The initiative is supported by 28 different organizations and coalitions, led by the Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI), Caritas Philippines, Diocesan Social Action Center Calapan, Katutubo Kabataang Umuugat sa Kabundukan ng Sierra Madre, Silang Sagip Kalikasan, and Renacimiento Manila.

“The ‘Rescue Lakes, Rivers, and Oceans’ campaign is more than just a movement; it is a collective call to protect the environment for the survival and well-being of all communities,” PMPI said in a statement.

During a two-day general assembly, Rights of Nature PH called on lawmakers to prioritize several key environmental legislations, notably the Rights of Nature Bill. This bill seeks to recognize the intrinsic rights of ecosystems, ensuring their protection for future generations.

The bill is also said to be crucial for the country’s response to the climate emergency.

The environmental group also pushes for other legislations like local and national declarations of “State of Climate Emergency,” systemic protection of environmental human rights defenders, and the signing and ratification of the universal declaration of ocean rights.

Meanwhile, during the general assembly, representatives from various groups expressed concerns over anthropogenic activities impacting water ecosystems.

Bea Dolores, co-founder of Renacimiento Manila, expressed concerns over what she described as ‘destructive’ projects in Pasig River and Manila Bay.

Nature-based solutions are needed that are humane and climate-appropriate, which will help reduce the effects of climate change and preserve our heritage, she added.

The controversial Kaliwa Dam has also received condemnation from a youth indigenous group over aggression in indigenous territories “Nagkakagulo sa komunidad ng mga katutubo dahil sa mga hindi katutubo o dayuhang nagpupunta sa kanila dahil sa mga proyektong kanilang pinapasok… Malaki na ang naapektuhan ng Kaliwa Dam sa kasalukuyan [There is unrest in the indigenous community due to non-indigenous or foreign individuals coming to them because of the projects they are undertaking… The Kaliwa Dam has already significantly impacted them at present],” Kristel C. Quierrez, youth advocate of Katutubo Kabataang Umuugat sa Kabundukan ng Sierra Madre said.

Panelists at the assembly also emphasized the need for continuous dialogue with government agencies and holding corporate entities and public officials accountable for environmental destruction.

They also urged Environment Secretary Maria Antonia ‘Toni’ Yulo-Loyzaga to engage directly with environmental advocates as she continued to refuse, emphasizing the need for transparent leadership.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

Violence against women rooted in history

FREEPIK

VIOLENCE against women (VAW) has long existed in the Philippines because of colonization, according to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on Monday.

“Violence against women is deeply rooted in our culture and being colonized as a country,” PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla told reporters in Filipino at the launch of the 18-day campaign to end VAW.

“Empowered women were killed because they were considered impediments to colonizers,” she said. “There’s a history behind this.”

Highlighting this year’s theme, “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras! [End VAW, Now is the Time!]”, Ms. Valdeavilla said that she wants to raise awareness about the history of women in the country to help end the violence. “Kung alam mo paano nagsimula, alam mo paano tatapusin [If you know how it started, you’ll know how to end it.]”

In a statement by Ms. Valdeavilla last October 18, she mentioned that during the pre-colonial era of the Philippines, men and women were treated as “nearly equals.” When the colonizers ruled, women were “subjugated, denied education, confined to homes, and disciplined toward subservience”.

“Most of the empowered women perished in this dark part of the Philippines’ colonial history, which also marked the beginning of the impunity to commit violence against women or gender-based violence (GBV),” she said.

According to the data from the Philippine National Police, 11,585 cases related to violence against women were reported last year, wherein 8,055 cases were filed under the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act or Republic Act (RA) 9262, 2,791 cases under the Anti-Rape Law, and 59 counts under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (RA 7877).

In addition, cases under the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) reached 473 reports. Meanwhile, 207 recorded cases were under the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act..

Ms. Valdeavilla added that although the statistics show a significant number, many cases remain unrecorded because victims choose not to file a complaint. “The statistics are only an indication of how many cases were reported,” she said.

She added that some factors that contributed to these unrecorded victims were fear of causing family problems, fear of cutting ties with the offender, who is usually the main provider of the family, and shame. — Almira Louise S. Martinez

MENRE to facilitate RE dev’t in Bangsamoro area

FREEPIK

THE Department of Energy (DoE) will be transferring functions in facilitating renewable energy (RE) resources in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE).

Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla and MENRE Minister Akmad A. Brahim signed a transition agreement to formalize the collaboration between the two governments for the smooth transfer of administration, application, and development of RE in the Bangsamoro area, according to DoE’s statement on Wednesday.

Section 8, Article XIII of the Bangsamoro Organic Law grants the Bangsamoro Government the authority “to explore, develop, and utilize natural resources, including renewable energy sources within the Bangsamoro region.

Inland waters that are a source of energy for areas outside the BARMM are co-managed by the BARMM and the national government.

The DoE-Renewable Energy Management Bureau (DoE-REMB) will continue to provide capacity building support to the Bangsamoro Government, the department said.

“Through DoE-REMB, we commit our full assistance to MENRE to facilitate its full assumption of the powers, functions, and responsibilities delegated to the DoE under the Renewable Energy Act, including those powers, functions, and responsibilities pertaining to the REMB, and other regulations that applies to the BARMM,” Mr. Lotilla said.

Transition activities will be completed by both parties by the end of December or until an agreed upon later date by both parties.

“As part of this responsibility, MENRE will ensure that all contracts are managed in accordance with its established policies and guidelines, which are specifically designed to align with the unique needs and priorities of BARMM,” the DoE said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Disqualification case filed vs Cagayan de Oro congressional aspirant

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THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) filed a disqualification case against a congressional aspirant in Cagayan de Oro City over alleged involvement in irregular voter registrations.

The poll body accused the political aspirant responsible for a 44.41% voter registration hike in a village due to his issuance of a village certification.

The village only had 39,359 registered voters on Oct. 30, 2023, which increased to 56,837, as of Nov. 11.

Out of the 21,854 voter applicants, 37.6% used the certification issued by the respondent, who charged a P50 fee per applicant, Comelec said.

“From Respondent’s own statement, he does not always verify, by actually calling either a person in the area or the zone leader who issued the zone clearance, whether the applicants in fact reside in [the village] or in the address as claimed by them,” the 16-page complaint, filed on Tuesday, read.

The aspirant is gunning for a House of Representatives seat to represent the 1st District of Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental.

“Respondent willfully and maliciously employed the fraudulent scheme of issuing barangay certifications even to non-residents of [the village] to influence and induce them to register as voters in the said [village], to purposely give due advantage to his candidacy for the 2025 [National and Local Elections] and [the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections].”

The 2025 polls are set for May 12, 2025. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Aboitiz develops mangrove forest in Batangas

ABOITIZ CONSTRUCTION, Inc., the construction arm of the Aboitiz group, has partnered with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) to develop mangrove forests in Lian, Batangas.

The Mangrove Forest Enhancement Project aims to plant and grow 1,455 mangrove seedlings by 2026, Aboitiz Construction said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The project also aims to achieve an 80% survival rate of the planted seedlings by its completion, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the mangrove forest and its positive impact on the local ecosystem,” it said.

It also seeks to support the Lian Fisherfolks Association and Samahan ng mga Mangingisda sa Sulok, a local community living in the area. This includes mangrove plantation design, nursery establishment, seedling production, and plantation maintenance.

“The Mangrove Forest Enhancement Project not only contributes to the preservation of vital ecosystems but also supports the livelihood of local communities,” Karmine Andrea Ching, senior associate Vice-President for business transformation of Aboitiz Construction, said in a statement.

The partnership was signed last Nov. 12 at the RAFI office in Cebu City. It will be implemented in coordination with the local government and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Lian.

The project adds to the construction firm’s sustainability initiatives. The company earlier planted around 1,300 seedlings in Alaminos, Laguna, Balamban, Cebu, and Claver, Surigao del Norte. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Over P7.5-M cannabis farms in Benguet raided

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BAGUIO CITY — Three marijuana plantations were raided by policemen on Tuesday in remote barangay Badeo in Kibungan, Benguet, netting at least P7.52 million worth of harvestable cannabis.

Benguet police director Col. Joseph P. Bayongasan said the marijuana, planted on a total of 4,700-square-meter plantations were uprooted and burned after sufficient samples were taken for examination by the Philippine National Police Regional Forensic Unit in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The daylong operation was participated into by the 2nd Benguet Provincial Mobile Force Company, Kibungan town police, Benguet Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, and Benguet Provincial Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Division of the Cordillera police and PDEA-Cordillera. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Resignation of BARMM officials after filing CoCs sought

COTABATO CITY — A bloc of political parties has urged Congress to ensure the resignation of Bangsamoro officials once they aspire for seats in the parliament if the 2025 parliamentary election is reset to 2026 via a legislative measure.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Grand Coalition (BGC) said in a statement released on Wednesday that it is unlawful for members of the BARMM parliament and officials of regional agencies to remain in their posts after filing certificates of candidacy for seats in the parliament during the upcoming political exercise.

Senate President Francis G. Escudero and House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez have filed Senate Bill 2864 and House Bill 11034, respectively, as enabling measures for the postponement of next year’s first ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections to 2026.

There is mounting perception, among groups that are not allies of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) that the bills filed by Mr. Escudero and Mr. Romualdez might possibly allow the holdover of BARMM officials who are to aspire for seats in the regional parliament.

The president of the UBJP is the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Ahod B. Ebrahim, the appointed chief minister of the Bangsamoro region.

The BGC, comprised of the regional parties Serbisyong Inklusibo Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), which is a pioneer political party in BARMM that has more than 600,000 documented members and supporters, the Bangsamoro People’s Party, and the Al Ittihad-Ungaya sa Kwagib Nu Bangsamoro, said it is unlawful for appointed government officials to remain in their posts while aspiring for any elective position.

All of the 80 current members of the Bangsamoro parliament are presidential appointees.

The BGC said allowing them to remain in their positions after filing certificates of candidacy would violate restrictions clearly stated in the Philippine Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code. — John Felix M. Unson

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