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DoE considering new norms for energy-efficiency compliance

ROBERT LINDER-UNSPLASH

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it is considering new energy-efficiency standards for privately owned buildings.

“Maybe in a couple of years, we’ll be coming out with a building energy efficiency index, a benchmark (based on) the particular activity of the private company,” Patrick T. Aquino, director of the DoE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, told reporters last week.

Mr. Aquino said that the DoE is also considering a fleet fuel efficiency standard, equivalent to the corporate average fuel economy standard for vehicle manufacturers.

He said the team studying the new standards is currently in the data-collection stage.

“That’s something that we will ultimately have in place, but we will not put that in place until we’ve collected sufficient data,” Mr. Aquino said.

In a memorandum circular issued in 2020, the DoE requires designated establishments to submit an annual energy utilization report and annual energy efficiency and conservation report.

“What we’re monitoring in terms of compliance in their reports is their own set targets. So, the government is not yet mandating them to, with a specific target in mind, but they have to set their own targets at this point,” Mr. Aquino said.

In January, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued Administrative Order No. 15 to accelerate the implementation of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP).

GEMP is aimed to reduce the government’s electricity and fuel consumption by at least 10% through energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.

“The DoE, through monitoring teams, will be doing spot checks to determine compliance,” Mr. Aquino said in relation to GEMP. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

GOCC subsidies down in 2023, PhilHealth top recipient

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO/PHILHEALTH

SUBSIDIES provided to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) declined to P163.535 billion last year, with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) receiving nearly a third of the total.

The Bureau of the Treasury reported that budgetary support to GOCCs fell 18.4% in 2023.

In December, subsidies dropped 67.3% to P10.485 billion. Month on month, they rose 55.7% from November.

The government extends subsidies to GOCCs to help cover expenses that are not supported by their revenue.

In 2023, PhilHealth received P50.746 billion in subsidies or 31% of the total. However, this total was down 36.6% from its 2022 total.

Subsidies to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) stood at P40.738 billion. They also inched up 0.2% from a year earlier.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) took in P18.273 billion, up 6.7% from a year earlier.

This was followed by the National Food Authority (P10.182 billion), the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. or PSALM (P8 billion), the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (P4.634 billion) and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) (P4.411 billion).

The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (P3.685 billion), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (P2.408 billion), and the Philippine Heart Center (P2.168 billion) were also among the top recipients.

In December, PSALM received the most subsidies at P3 billion. This was followed by the NIA (P2.304 billion) and the BCDA (P1.501 billion).

GOCCs that did not receive budgetary support during the month were the National Electrification Administration, the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., PhilHealth, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Philippine Postal Corp., the Small Business Corp., and the Sugar Regulatory Administration.

John Paolo R. Rivera, president and chief economist at Oikonomia Advisory & Research, Inc., said that the decrease in subsidies last year was due to limited fiscal space and the government’s consolidation strategy.

“The decline in subsidies may be due to a decline in availability of government funds due to declining revenue or cash flows. It is also possible that an increase in GOCCs’ earning capacity was seen making them revenue-generating, warranting reduced subsidies,” he said in a Viber message.

The Finance department has reported that dividends generated by GOCCs rose 46% to P99.98 billion in 2023.

“This can also be due to the government’s fiscal consolidation plan of a more streamlined spending and prudence in providing grants,” Mr. Rivera added.

The government is hoping to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio to below 60% by 2025 and deficit-to-GDP ratio to 3% by 2028. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Multipolarity and de-risking: Navigating geopolitical uncertainties

First of two parts 

IN BRIEF:  

• Major shifts in the global market along with rising geopolitical tensions may propel organizations to adapt and rethink their strategies.

• According to the EY 2024 Geostrategic Outlook, organizations will need to consider two critical concepts as they plan for geopolitical disruptions: multipolarity and de-risking.

• Uncertain relationships between powers like the US, EU, and China, and growing influences of smaller states and actors highlight the theme of multipolarity.

The world faces an era of unprecedented change, and the geopolitical landscape is anticipated to be volatile and unstable in 2024. These major shifts in the global market along with rising geopolitical tensions may propel organizations to adapt and rethink their strategies. According to the EY 2024 Geostrategic Outlook, organizations will need to consider two critical concepts as they plan for geopolitical disruptions: multipolarity and de-risking.

The EY Geostrategic Outlook is an annual report by the EY Geostrategic Business Group (GBG) that analyzes the global political risk environment and selects the top geopolitical developments for the year. The GBG conducts a crowdsourced horizon scanning exercise with subject matter resources to identify potential risks. The scan encompasses the four categories of political risk in the geostrategy framework — geopolitical, country, regulatory and societal — throughout all regions of the world. The GBG then conducts an impact assessment to narrow down the top geopolitical developments that are both highly impactful and highly probable for global companies.

In this first part of the article, we discuss the evolving multipolarity in geopolitics, where a greater number of powerful actors shape an increasingly complex global system. Uncertain relationships between powers like the US, EU, and China, and growing influences of smaller states and actors highlight this theme. It underscores the need for economic diversification and resilient supply chains due to increased geopolitical disruptions.

THE GEOPOLITICAL MULTIVERSE
According to the report, the growing influence of players seeking to change the status quo will create a more complex geopolitical multiverse. On top of tensions from US, EU and China influencing global dynamics, actions by geopolitical swing states (meaning countries that are not specifically aligned with any major power) will play more important roles in driving geopolitics this 2024. In particular, countries with resources across the energy value chain, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Brazil, are expected to play key roles in their respective regions. 

In 2023, even as the Ukraine war persisted, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and G20 (Group of Twenty) welcomed significant new members, hoping to expand their influence in global affairs. In Northeast Asia, Japan and South Korea restored bilateral diplomacy. These developments and others discussed in greater detail in the report show that geopolitics has become a multiverse of increasingly complicated mixes of alliances and rivalries, with overlapping bilateral, regional and various other institutions and groupings.

AI
The 2023 EY CEO Outlook Pulse study shares that nearly all their CEO respondents (99%) plan to invest in artificial intelligence (AI). On the other hand, governments have been grappling with how best to regulate AI as technological advances increase its significance to national security and geopolitical competition. In 2024, the dual race to innovate and regulate AI will see an accelerated shift toward geopolitical blocs.  

Domestically, governments want to foster innovation to compete geopolitically, simultaneously seeking to regulate it before the technology outpaces policymakers. While seeking to capture the promise of the technology, such as advancements in national security, improved healthcare outcomes, and enhanced economic productivity, governments will also try to design AI regulations to reduce the likelihood of macro risks. These risks include increases in political instability due to misinformation campaigns, the potential for social and economic dislocations as AI takes on more job functions, heightened national security, and cybersecurity risks. While AI will not necessarily reshape the global balance of power in the year ahead, it will increasingly become a significant arena of geopolitical competition.

DOMESTIC CHALLENGES IN THE US AND CHINA
The US and China, the two biggest economies in the world, are facing major domestic challenges of their own for various reasons. These challenges will continue to raise political risks within each market, will have significant implications for geopolitics, and pose downside risks to the global economy this year. Such downside risks will likely have significant implications for emerging economies such as the Philippines.

The 2024 US election will heighten societal tensions and policy uncertainty. With the partisan divide in American trust in various news sources, there is a potential increase in risk of some population segments questioning the legitimacy of the election, in turn possibly perpetuating policymaking challenges. On the other hand, China faces a challenge stemming from whether their official policy mix will effectively address potential financial and macroeconomic weaknesses that may come about. Cyclical challenges in their real estate market and their high municipal government debt levels will likely persist, and may result in policymakers introducing periodic, targeted actions to reduce the risk of financial crises.

OCEANS
Recent events such as the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and more frequent freedom of navigation exercises highlight growing geopolitical tensions. With almost half the global population living within 100 miles of the sea, competition over access to and control of the world’s oceans will intensify in 2024, with implications for data flows, food supplies, supply chains, and energy security. As much as 90% of global goods trade is shipped through maritime routes, and many of the busiest maritime transit paths are at risk of political disruption. At least 95% of global data flows through undersea cables. The Luzon Strait is strategically located between Luzon and Taiwan, connecting the South China Sea and the Western Pacific, and as such, is important for global commerce and cable communications.

Competition for essential commodities

The war in Ukraine, climate change, and the energy transition are shifting global supply and demand dynamics for various essential commodities. This leads to more intense geopolitical competition in 2024 to secure supplies of three key commodities in particular: critical minerals, food, and water.

The most visible area of commodity competition will be for minerals that power EV batteries and the broad energy transition. Food instability and insecurity remain a top concern from the 2023 Geostrategic Outlook, with climate change continuing to affect food production and crop yields. Lastly, water may become a subject of commodity competition due to significant changes in precipitation levels, potentially escalating tensions in water-stressed regions.

In the second part of this article, we will discuss the theme of de-risking, with governments increasingly combining economic policy with national security to stimulate domestic production of critical products in sectors such as semiconductors, telecommunications, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and biotechnologies. This trend, more prevalent in 2024, indicates a shift in policy focus towards national security over pure economic considerations, possibly fueling inflation and hindering global innovation due to increased government intervention in supply chains and investments.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.

 

Noel P. Rabaja the Strategy and Transactions (SaT) service leader of SGV & Co.

Marcos likely to embrace more allies in West amid worsening Chinese ties

PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KJ ROSALES

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is expected to further embrace western nations as China steps up its expansionist activities to boost its sluggish economy, political analysts said at the weekend.

Mr. Marcos returned to Manila on Saturday from his trips to Europe with $4 billion in investment pledges from Germany and the Czech Republic.

The Philippine leader has also secured the support of Berlin and Prague for the Philippines’ bid to have a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU).

“The momentum surrounding Manila’s economic ties with Europe offers a chance for the Philippines to strengthen alternative means of commercial activity amidst Chinese belligerence,” Don Mclain Gill, who teaches international relations at De La Salle university, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

The investment pledges that Mr. Marcos got during his European trips covered renewable energy, manufacturing, innovation, business process outsourcing, mineral processing, agriculture and aerospace, his office said in a statement on Sunday.

On top of these, the Philippine leader also unveiled a plan by Lufthansa Technik to build a second hangar in Clark north of Manila worth $150 million.

Among the German companies that had a meeting with Mr. Marcos during his Europe trip was Siemens AG, which announced a plan to put up a Healthineers Training Center in the Philippines amid growing demand for advanced healthcare services among Southeast Asian nations.

He also had a meeting with German aerospace company Airbus, which committed to work with the Philippines’ Transportation department in extracting carbon energy from Philippine landfills for use in the aviation sector.

Airbus also vowed to help the Philippines build its defense capabilities and take its joint venture partnership with the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. to the next level.

China was the first country Mr. Marcos visited last year, bringing home P22.8 billion in investment pledges from Chinese investors.

Philippine-China relations have worsened since then amid Chinese attempts to block resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, where the Philippines deliberately grounded a World War II-era ship in 1999 to assert its sovereignty.

Mr. Marcos said before leaving Manila for Germany the Philippines should step up economic ties with “like-minded nations.”

The Philippine Foreign Affairs department has filed almost 150 diplomatic protests against China since Mr. Marcos assumed office in July 2022, and a Chinese envoy said earlier this year the two countries’ relations were at a crossroads.

“His recent trips to Germany and the Czech Republic cemented the Philippines’ legitimacy as a trusted friend of the West,” said Chester B. Cabalza, founder of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation.

“Many of the modern military materiel possessed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its aerial, terrestrial and naval arsenals came from Europe,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

‘FALLOUT’
In his visit to Belgium last year, Mr. Marcos outlined his vision of greater cooperation with the West to increase trade, protect Filipino seamen and promote a rule-based order in the South China Sea, Mr. Cabalza said.

“Manila is showing Beijing that it can withstand China’s hostility,” he said. “A strong Philippine economy is a natural deterrence against China’s aggression amid Chinese economic recession.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month called on his country’s armed forces to coordinate preparations for military conflicts at sea and help in the development of China’s maritime economy.

The International Monetary Fund expects China’s growth to slow to 4.6% this year from about 5.4% last year.

Chinese growth last year was driven by the resilience of the high-tech and service sectors, “while challenges came from declining property investment, debt risk and weak consumption growth,” according to the East Asia Forum.

“Manila’s attempt to optimize its partnership with the EU is mutually necessary given the structural changes in the international system,” Joshua Bernard B. Espeña, who teaches international relations at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, said via Messenger chat.

He said the EU has been diversifying its sources of economic partnerships as it tries to de-risk from China and Russia, which has a war with Ukraine.

“Meanwhile, the Philippines also wanted to go beyond the US and China as the only major sources of its trade,” he said. “Not to mention that Manila provides a large source of seafarers needed in European shipping companies in post-COVID production to boost the global supply chain.”

The Philippine Transportation department and its German counterpart last week signed a deal to enhance their cooperation at sea.

Manila and Prague, meanwhile, signed a joint communique on the establishment of labor consultation mechanisms.

Prague also said it would increase its quota for Filipino workers from 5,500 to 10,300 yearly starting May.

The Philippines should boost trade and maritime cooperation ties with the EU regardless of the state of its relations with China, said Terry L. Ridon, an investment analyst and convenor of InfraWatch PH.

“The employers of millions of Filipino seafarers are European firms, and improving our relations with Europe is of paramount national interest to maintain our competitive advantage in the global maritime industry,” he said via Messenger chat.

The Philippines in November scrapped a $4.9-billion funding deal with China for three rail projects after Beijing failed to respond to funding requests.

During a high-level trade mission to the Philippines last week, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo unveiled plans to invest more than $1 billion in the Philippine technology sector.

“Geostrategically, the Philippines needs to gather all possible allies and partners to reap economic benefits as much as possible to absorb the shocks of the fallout of future conflicts that may affect the Philippines,” Mr. Espeña said.

Analysts say Senate likely to block House push to change 1987 Constitution

BW FILE PHOTO

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

THE SENATE is likely to block a proposal to lift foreign ownership limits through changes to the 1987 Consitution, according to political analysts, just like it did in the past.

Senators are particularly concerned that congressmen might later lift political term limits, they added.

“They are saying this just to get support from the Senate,” Arjan P. Aguirre, an assistant professor of political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said, referring to the promise of some congressmen to limit Charter change to economic provisions.

“But once the Senate gives in and join the process of changing the Constitution, I expect the House to push their agenda of lifting political term limits immediately afterwards and assert their control of the process,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Edmund Tayao, who teaches at the San Beda Graduate School of Law, also expects the Senate to buck the House Charter change push. “If we will use how they have been acting lately as a basis, then I think they won’t agree with it,” he said by telephone.

The Senate is particularly wary that congressmen would later introduce political changes to the Constitution for their own sake.

“They’re not going to allow it,” he said. “By all means, they are going to prevent it. If you change the economic provisions, you cannot avoid looking at the political provisions.”

“Because when you open up the economy, one requirement is for our political institutions to be not only credible — but also strong,” Mr. Tayao added.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez, who sponsored constitutional changes through Resolution of Both Houses No. 7, earlier ruled out changes to political provisions of the Constitution.

Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo, said he expects the Senate to propose a different version of Charter chage.

“The Senate is keen on asserting independence,” he said via Messenger chat. “The Senate wants their own set of ideas to clash with the House. If they make it easy, they will keep losing their ground moving forward.”

Philip Arnold P. Tuaño, dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, expects the Senate to also lift foreign ownership limits “as they specifically proposed these amendments.”

It is “very unlikely” for the House to push political changes to the Charter this early, he said in a Messenger chat. “It remains to be seen whether action will be taken after the break.”

Meanwhile, the House is expected to approve on final reading this week its economic Charter change proposal, before Congress goes on a Holy Week break, House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr. in a statement on Sunday.

Lawmakers will adjourn on March 23 until April 28 but said the House is no longer holding plenary sessions after Wednesday.

Congressmen last week approved on second reading Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 last week, which will open up public public utilities, education and the advertising to foreigners.

Under the proposal, the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” will be inserted in the Charter provisions that limit these sectors to Filipinos, giving Congress the leeway to liberalize these later.

Mr. Gonzales said the House stayed true to its commitment not to introduce political changes to the 37-year-old Constitution. Critics “should now shed their baseless suspicions and their fear of the unknown,” he said.

Cut ‘red tape’ for investment pledges to materialize, experts tell PHL gov’t

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE Government, under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., should make good on its vow to cut bureaucratic “red tape” and corruption to ensure investment pledges are implemented without delay, experts said at the weekend.

During a US Presidential Trade and Investment Mission’s visit to Manila last week, US Secretary Commerce Gina Raimondo said the President had promised the delegation that his administration would double its efforts to speed-up the bureaucracy and promote transparency to improve the Philippine business climate.

“There have been a slew of programs and policies (to address slow bureaucracy) and yet the problem remains,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “The crux is in the implementation. The solution is in the strengthening of institutions.”

US companies are looking to invest over a billion dollars in the Philippines, mostly in digital upskilling and in developing the semiconductor sector, Ms. Raimondo said last week.

She said about 30 million workers are expected to benefit from digital capacity building programs funded by US companies.

“Improved ease of doing business will help boost economic activity and digital access could speed things up,” Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at professional service firm Reyes Tacandong & Co., said in a Viber message.

At a Senate hearing on Feb. 12, BDO Capital and Investment Corp. President Eduardo V. Francisco said foreign investors have mainly been complaining about the slow bureaucracy when approving foreign-funded projects.

He said it takes 167 signatures to approve a foreign investment renewable energy project, noting that it used to take 250 signatures to get projects up and running.

Congress should push for a law that limits the number of permits agencies can issue and impose to avoid delays in project implementation, Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr., founder of the free market think tank Minimal Government Thinkers, said in a Viber message.

“Bureaucracies love delays, this omnibus law will disallow bureaucracies and agencies to create new permits on top of existing multiple permits,” he said.

Maryland-based Ally Power, Inc. has agreed to work with MPower, the local electricity supply arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), to build a $400-million (P22.16 billion) hydrogen and electric refueling station in the Philippines, the US Department of Commerce said last week.

Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. will also work with Meralco on a carbon-free electrical generation system, it added.

“Any expansion in capacities, whether new power generation, new technologies in power distribution and transmission, will help address rising demand and hence, stabilize prices,” Mr. Oplas said.

The high energy costs in the Philippines are keeping semiconductor and miners from investing in the Philippines, US State Department Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, Environment Jose W. Fernandez said during his visit to Manila last month.

Philippine Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (EPPB)Director Michael O. Sinocruz earlier told BusinessWorld that the Department of Energy (DoE) is finalizing an energy plan that would include efficient transmission of power to accommodate more renewable energy sources.

Approved foreign investment pledges last year hit P889.07 billion ($15.9 billion) about 3.7% higher than a year prior and the highest since 1996, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Most of the greenlit pledges came from Germany that amounted to P393.99 billion, which is about 44.3% of the total.

“All these things (cutting red tape, anti-corruption measures are steps in the right direction which will make the Philippines an even more attractive place to do business for American companies,” Ms. Raimondo told a virtual news briefing on March 14.

MPIC, CCC vow climate action

GREENFORCE STAFFING-UNSPLASH

METRO Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) partnered with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) to address climate change and promote climate resilience in the country.

The partnership will explore opportunities for capacity development on climate change adaptation and mitigation, MPIC said in a statement.

It will also look to boost the knowledge base of stakeholders in climate change, foster collaborative research and policy development projects, and provide technical assistance and knowledge sharing.

“Sustaining contributions to essential services can only be done with a commitment to climate change protection,” MPIC Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said. “We will work closely with the commission and offer our full support. The primary focus of our efforts is to minimize our carbon footprint.”

According to MPIC, the partnership with the CCC is part of the company’s efforts to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 13 on climate action.

“We recognize our responsibility to shape a better world for Filipinos amidst the challenges of climate change. Together with CCC, we are not only minimizing our environmental impact but also laying the foundation for a more resilient future,” MPIC Executive Vice President and Chief Finance, Risk & Sustainability Officer Chaye A. Cabal-Revilla said.

The CCC is the highest policy-making body for climate change efforts in the Philippines. It coordinates, monitors, and evaluates government programs and action plans related to climate change.

“The benefit of private-public partnerships is for the government to focus on planning, policy, and regulation. In turn, this gives the private sector the ability to do what it does best — increase service quality and efficiency,” CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje said.

MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of First Pacific, the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Beneco secures power for 1 year

JEROME CMG-UNSPLASH

BAGUIO CITY — The Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Beneco) secured an Emergency Power Supply Agreement (EPSA) with a unit of San Miguel Global Power last weekend to ensure continuous electricity for this city and Benguet province for at least a year.

The agreement signed last Friday by Beneco with Limay Power, Inc. (LPI) saved Baguio and Benguet from the brink of disconnection, following a notice from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) that Beneco’s substations will no longer receive electricity starting 12:01 p.m. on March 13, 2024.

“Honestly, we got worried a lot. Word was spreading fast that Beneco will be disconnected from the grid,” Beneco General Manager Melchor Licoben said, noting that the NGCP had cited that Beneco’s 20-year power supply contract with TeaM Philippines Energy Corp. (TPEC) was ending midnight of March 12.

Mr. Licoben clarified that the emergency power supply agreement with LPI “was not a fly by night pact or one that was hurriedly and hastily executed just to stave off the threat of disconnection.” He said it was the result of a series of negotiations with San Miguel Global.

As per rules of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), an emergency power supply agreement is brief in nature — one year. It is resorted to by distribution utilities as a stop gap measure while trying to secure a new power supplier that could offer a long-term contract. “This means that Beneco must be able to complete a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for a new power supplier within the next 12 months,” Mr. Licoben said. — Artemio A. Dumlao

SC junks judge’s clemency request

WIKIMEDIA/PATRICKROQUE01

THE PHILIPPINE Supreme Court (SC) denied a judicial clemency request filed by a municipal trial court judge earlier found guilty of indirect contempt for lawyering for himself in two criminal cases.

Narciso P. Mingua of the Santol, La Union Municipal Trial Court (MTC) was penalized by the SC in August 2016 for filing a motion for reconsideration (MR) in two criminal cases without first obtaining formal authorization from the provincial prosecutor.

At the time, the SC declared that his actions in representing the People of the Philippines and himself were illegal under the New Code of Judicial Conduct and the Revised Rules of Court, which prohibited judges from practicing law while in office.

In his letter-application for judicial clemency in February 2020, Mr. Mingua insisted that he did not engage in the unauthorized practice of law and that the SC misapplied the law in his case. He also pledged to conduct himself honorably in his official capacity and personal life.

However, the ruling stated that he failed to comply with further standards for judicial clemency, including admitting guilt and demonstrating remorse and rehabilitation.

“The tenor of respondent’s letters does not demonstrate his remorse and reformation. Rather, his letters display his attitude of selfrighteousness, and even vindictiveness, which unquestionably renders him undeserving of judicial clemency,” the decision read. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Local terrorists kill 4 soldiers

FOUR members of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion were killed in an ambush by Dawlah Islamiya gunmen in Maguindanao del Sur on Sunday. — PHILIPPINE STAR/JOHN FELIX M. UNSON

COTABATO CITY — Four Filipino soldiers were killed in an ambush on Sunday morning by Dawlah Islamiya gunmen in Maguindanao del Sur province in the southern Philippines.

Brig Gen. Allan C. Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, received the report that the four slain soldiers belonged to 40th Infantry Battalion of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6th ID).

Major Gen. Alex S. Rillera, commander of the 6th ID, identified his slain servicemen as Privates Marvin H. Dumaguing and Jessie James D. Corpuz, Private 1st Class Carl C. Araña and Cpl. Creszaldy S. Espertero.

He said they were together in a vehicle enroute to their command post when the terrorists opened fire at them with M16 and M14 rifles in Barangay Tuayan, Datu Hofer municipality.

Responding soldiers took the victims to the nearby Maguindanao Provincial Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival due to multiple bullet wounds in the body.

The Dawlah Islamiya, an ally of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, perpetrated the deadly attack on the 6th Day of the Ramadan season, where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for one lunar cycle, or about 29 to 30 days, as a religious obligation, a form sacrifice and reparation for wrongdoings.

Neither of the two terrorist groups is a party to the peace overtures among the national government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, which are together managing the now five-year Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a product of 22 years of peace talks between Malacañang and the MILF. — John Felix M. Unson

PHL looks into Vietnam education

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINES plans on studying and adopting Vietnam’s education spending practices and teaching methods to boost the global performance of Filipino students, a senator said over the weekend.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate’s basic education panel, said the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) is set to visit Vietnam this month to study how its students scored higher than Filipinos in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment for Mathematics (PISA).

Based on the 2022 PISA results, seven out of 10 Vietnamese students aged 15 reached a minimum proficiency in Math, compared to only two out of 10 Filipino learners reaching the same level.

Students at a minimum proficiency level in Math can interpret and recognize simple mathematical situations without direct instructions.

The senator said EDCOM II will study how Vietnam efficiently used it budget on education with 4.06% of its gross domestic product (GDP), yielding better performance from their students. The Philippines spent 4.06% of its GDP on education in 2022.

The country spends about P55,000 per student aged 15 and below, while Vietnam spends about P69,000 for students in the same age bracket.

Filipino students ranked 77th out of 81 countries in the yearly global assessment, performing worse than the global average in all categories. Vietnamese students placed 31st in the same list.

The PISA results also showed that Vietnam’s poorest learners scored 91 points higher than the Philippines’ poorest students, scoring 427 and 336 respectively.

“This initiative reflects a proactive approach to enhancing our education system by drawing insights from the successes of Vietnam, with the aim of identifying strategies and methodologies that can be adapted to elevate educational standards in our country,” Mr. Gatchalian said.

The commission has repeatedly flagged the lack of resources and limited time given to teachers to implement lesson plans in class. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Pinay fencer Esteban earns Paris Olympics slot but will represent Cote de’Ivoire

FENCER MAXINE ESTEBAN — AUGUSTO BIZZI / FIE

FENCER MAXINE ESTEBAN has clinched a quota place in the Paris Olympics after her recent strong performance in the 2024 Absolute Fencing Gear FIE Foil Grand Prix in Washington D. C., United States.

But the 23-year-old former Ateneo stalwart, however, will represent Cote de’Ivoire after switching federations last year.

The World No. 37 in foil bested South Korean Kim Hyunjin, 15-13, before falling to Slovakian Adeline Senic, 15-9.

She wound up 83rd in all but earned enough points to snatch a slot for the African continental zone.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Ms. Esteban via social media Saturday night.

“This journey is truly a testimony of God’s faithfulness. Today (Saturday), I am in awe of His love for me and I am grateful He has carried me through. For all the second chances, opened windows, miraculous feats, and generous provisions, thank you Heavenly Father,” she added.

Ms. Esteban later said she hopes her feat would serve as an example for the aspiring young guns to follow.

“The significance of the Olympic stage, for an OLY (Olympian), is not the event. It is what it symbolizes, unwavering passion and discipline. May I inspire those who dream and have at one point almost given up, to persist amidst storms and rough waters,” she said.

While she is now representing a different nation, Ms. Esteban still acknowledged the nation that hone and shaped what she is now — the Philippines.

“This is for Cote d’Ivoire, the country that embraced me, believed in me and supported me all the way, and for the Philippines, the country my heart will always beat proud,” she said.

There is one Filipino fencer though that also has a strong chance of making it to Paris where she could join Ms. Esteban and the Philippines’ EJ Obiena of pole-vault, Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan of gymnastics and Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas of boxing — Sam Catantan.

The 22-year-old Ms. Catantan, a Penn State University standout, will vye for that dream Paris slot as she competes in the Olympic Qualification Tournament set April 27 to 28 in Dubai, the final doorway to the quadrennial games. — Joey Villar

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