PHL seeks to boost German ties beyond training

March 13, 2024 | 9:33 pm

Chinese Navy Warship-PCG — PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINES seeks to expand its defense cooperation with Germany “beyond training” to cover cybersecurity and maritime domains, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Wednesday, amid rising tensions with China.

The Southeast Asian nation is ready to take their defense ties to the next level, he said in a joint press statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after their meeting in Berlin.

“I expressed the Philippine government’s openness to discussions on cooperation that goes beyond training and into new areas such as cyber- and maritime domains,” he said.

Germany is the Philippines’ second-oldest defense partner, having trained the Armed Forces of the Philippines since 1974.

“I am heartened by Germany’s increased interest in enhancing maritime cooperation between our countries, and I welcome more initiatives to enrich this partnership,” Mr. Marcos said.

Before the Philippine leader arrived in Berlin, the Philippine Transport department and its German counterpart signed a deal to enhance their cooperation at sea.

The Philippines has been turning to the United States and other western nations amid China’s increased assertiveness in the South China Sea. Before flying to Germany on Monday, Mr. Marcos said the Philippines seeks to boost economic ties with “like-minded” nations.

The Philippine military on Tuesday said it had spotted about 50 Chinese vessels within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, many of them near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Mr. Marcos said he and the German chancellor had agreed to expand coast guard exchanges, citing the need to keep the South China Sea “a safe passage” for international commerce.

“It has to be recognized that the South China Sea handles 60% of the trade of the entire world,” he said. “So, it’s not solely the interest of the Philippines, or of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), or of the Indo-Pacific region but the entire world.”

Mr. Scholz said tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait would be tackled during his visit to China.

The German leader reiterated the need to uphold an international rule-based order and respect international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China has rejected a 2016 arbitral ruling by a United Nations-backed court that voided its claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea.

A Chinese envoy said earlier this year the two countries’ relations were at a crossroads. The Philippine Foreign Affairs department last week said it had filed nine diplomatic protests against China this year, bringing the total since Mr. Marcos assumed office in July 2022 to 142.

During his visit to the Philippines in January, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock hit the Chinese Coast Guard’s actions against Philippine vessels, including its use of lasers and water cannons.

Its irresponsible actions were causing concern in Europe, she said at that time.

At least four Philippine Navy officers were injured early this month after China’s coast guard fired water cannons at one of two wooden civilian boats used in a resupply mission for Filipino troops at a remote outpost in the South China Sea, according to the Philippine National Security Council.

The water cannons from two Chinese Coast Guard vessels shattered the windshield of Unaizah Mae 4, causing minor injuries to the officers on board, it said.

It also accused a Chinese coast guard vessel of executing “dangerous maneuvers” against the escort ship, leading to a minor collision that resulted in “superficial structural damage” to the hull of the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

The incident happened while President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. was in Melbourne for a three-day summit between Australia and Southeast Asian nations. On March 4, he vowed to push back if China continues to violate Philippine sovereignty and sea rights. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

House approves economic ‘Cha-cha’ on 2^nd reading

March 13, 2024 | 9:33 pm

Congress-House-of-Reps-interiors-PHILSTAR-MICHAEL-VARCAS — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a proposal to lift foreign ownership restrictions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution as part of efforts to boost foreign direct investments (FDI) in a country that is one of the least attractive in Southeast Asia.

Through a voice vote, congressmen agreed to liberalize the country’s public utilities, educational institutions and the advertising industry, saying these would benefit from increased foreign capital.

Lawmakers inserted the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the provisions of the Charter with economic restrictions.

This gives Congress the leeway to legislate changes later, including the safeguards, investment ratios and other details, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez, who sponsored the Resolution of Both Houses No. 7, said during plenary debates.

The Philippines is under pressure to attract more foreign direct investments to increase jobs and funding for development projects. FDI in Southeast Asia rose by 5.5% to a record $224 billion in 2022, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said in a report in December.

Of the total, the Philippines only got $9.2 billion, better only than Cambodia with $3.6 billion, Myanmar with $3 billion, Lao PDR with $600 million and Brunei with a $300-million net outflow, it said.

In contrast, Singapore had $141.2 billion, followed by Indonesia with $22 billion, Vietnam with $17.9 billion, Malaysia with $17.1 billion and Thailand with $9.9 billion.

FDI inflows to the Philippines slumped for a second straight year in 2023 amid sluggish global economic growth and geopolitical tensions, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on March 11. Net inflows dropped by 6.6% to $8.9 billion from a year earlier, according to BSP data.

“They’re running the risk of unconstitutional vagueness,” Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “The scope of ‘unless otherwise provided by law’ belies accountability to other aspects of the whole Charter.”

But Calixto V. Chikiamco, president of the Foundation for Economic Freedom, said congressmen should have added the phrase to other economic restrictions in the Constitution.

“Ideally, the insertion of the phrase ‘unless otherwise provided by law’ should also have been applied to the other sectors of the economy like natural resources and mass media,” he told BusinessWorld via Viber before the House approval. “But it was constrained by the Senate resolution, which only targeted public utilities, education and advertising.”

Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa, executive director of think tank Ibon Foundation, called the House proceedings on economic Charter change (Cha-cha) “a tangle of fallacies and falsehoods, misinformation and disinformation, and denialism and dogma.”

He said the Philippine economy is already among the most open in Southeast Asian. “The remaining reserved utilities along with schools and advertising are barely 6% of gross domestic product, so only a tiny part of the economy still has restrictions,” he said in a Viber message before the House approval.

Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III, Action for Economic Reform coordinator, said pieces of legislation including changes to the Public Service Act have eased foreign ownership limits.

Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri earlier said getting votes to pass economic Charter change would be a “big challenge” in the Senate.

Senate OK’s amnesty for former communist rebels

March 13, 2024 | 9:32 pm

THE PHILIPPINE Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution concurring with a presidential proclamation granting amnesty to former Maoist rebels.

Twenty-three senators unanimously voted in favor of a House of Representatives resolution that concurred with Presidential Proclamation 404, which pardoned communist rebels of crimes related to insurrection and rebellion.

The amnesty covers the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA)-National Democratic Front (NDF).

“Let’s all make sure that this amnesty program… will be implemented fully and faithfully towards its objective of transforming lives and communities, encouraging former rebels and combatants to return to the fold of the law and to participate in nation-building within the framework of peaceful and deliberative society,” Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada, who heads the Senate defense committee, told the Senate plenary.

Last week, the Senate adopted three other resolutions granting amnesty to ex-rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Bridgade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

Rebels charged with violating the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will not be entitled to amnesty. The House adopted the resolutions in December.

Mr. Estrada earlier said at least 2,000 former members of the MNLF, 1,200 from the RPMP-RPA-ABB and 400 ex-MILF combatants are expected to seek amnesty.

Former rebels must apply for amnesty under oath with the Amnesty Commission within two years. The Amnesty commissioner will issue the rules that will enforce the amnesty program.

In 2022, a Manila trial court earlier ruled the CPP-NPA is a legitimate political movement, despite the Anti-Terrorism Council labeling it as a terrorist group.

The tribunal said the groups’ armed struggle is only a “means to achieve its purpose.”

The Philippine government and National Democratic Front in November agreed to restart peace talks amid foreign security threats.

During a United Nations Human Rights Council session in 2022, the United States said Philippine state officials should stop tagging people as communists.

“The congressional concurrence to the presidential proclamations signifies the Filipino people’s support to the comprehensive peace efforts and genuine commitment of the government to attaining lasting peace,” Mr. Estrada told the plenary on March 4. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Chocolate Hills resort ordered closed; DENR probes compliance

March 13, 2024 | 9:31 pm

Captain’s Peak Resort-Bohol — CAPTAIN’S PEAK RESORT in Sagbayan, Bohol — SCREENGRAB FROM REN THE ADVENTURER

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

THE RESORT located in the middle of the scenic and protected Chocolate Hills in Bohol is the subject of a temporary closure order since last year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) revealed on Wednesday.

In a statement, the DENR said the temporary closure order for Captain’s Peak Resort was issued on Sept. 6, 2023 and that a notice of violation for operating without an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) was served last Jan. 22.

The department issued the statement as a videoclip of tourists frolicking at the resort’s pool area in the middle of the world-famous hills spread through social media, drawing flak from pro-environment and heritage advocates.

“As of March 13, the Regional Executive Director Paquito D. Melicor issued a memorandum directing PENRO Bohol Ariel Rica to create a team to conduct inspection at Captain’s Peak for its compliance with the temporary closure order,” the statement said.

The Chocolate Hills in Bohol is a protected area by virtue of a presidential proclamation issued on July 1, 1997.

“This proclamation designated the Chocolate Hills as a National Geological Monument and a Protected Landscape, recognizing the unique geological formations and the importance of covering this natural wonder for future generations,” the DENR said.

“The declaration aimed to preserve the iconic landscape of the Chocolate Hills and promote sustainable tourism while protecting the biodiversity and environmental integrity of the area,” it added.

However, the DENR said that if the land was titled before the issuance of the proclamation, the rights and interests of the landowner will generally be recognized subject to certain restrictions or regulations on land use and development within the protected area.

“These restrictions and regulations are to be detailed in the environmental impact statement prior to the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate for the project,” the department said.

In a separate statement, the Department of Tourism (DoT) said that the resort is not an accredited tourism establishment.

“The Captain’s Peak Resort in Chocolate Hills is not an accredited tourism establishment under the auspices of the DoT’s accreditation system, and there is no pending application for accreditation for the same,” the DoT said.

“The Department, through its Regional Office in Central Visayas, has been in coordination with the Bohol Provincial Government since August 2023 to express its concerns regarding this matter especially recognizing the necessity of preserving the integrity of this natural resource,” it added.

Senate probe of dredging by Chinese vessels in Zambales province sought

March 13, 2024 | 9:30 pm

Mischief-Reef-Spratly-Islands-South-China-Sea — US NAVY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS/FILE PHOTO

A PHILIPPINE senator has filed a resolution seeking to investigate increased presence of Chinese dredging vessels near Zambales province, saying these threaten the local marine ecosystem.

Senate Resolution 966, which Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada filed on Wednesday, calls for a comprehensive probe of the dredging of at least 14 Chinese vessels that were spotted in the province a week ago.

“The ongoing dredging activities may disturb the overall balance of the ecosystem,” he said in a statement. “We must take into consideration the long-term effects of these actions. Our natural resources need to be protected.”

“Our top priorities should be protecting our sovereignty, ensuring the well-being of our environment and promoting the welfare of our people,” he added.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Based on the resolution, the dredging was being carried out by state-owned China Harbour Engineering Co.

The Senate should look into whether the Chinese workers operating the vessels are properly documented and authorized to conduct dredging in the province.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a December study that China’s dredging and giant clam harvesting have damaged at least 21,000 acres of coral reefs in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Embassy has questioned the study’s results, saying it only relied on satellite imagery.

“The increased presence of Chinese dredging vessels operating in Zambales province is a matter of serious concern,” Mr. Estrada said. “The activities that are happening could have a significant impact on the lives of the residents of Zambales who rely on fishing.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Recto gets CA nod as Finance chief

March 13, 2024 | 9:29 pm

THE COMMISSION on Appointments (CA) confirmed on Wednesday the appointment of veteran lawmaker Ralph G. Recto as Secretary of the Department of Finance (DoF).

During the hearing on his appointment, Mr. Recto reiterated that he does not see the need to introduce new taxes. “The tax gap between the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and (Bureau of) Customs is still significant, hence we should try to improve tax administration efficiency in the Customs,” he said partly in Filipino.

Mr. Recto was appointed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. to lead the DoF last January, replacing former secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, who has since moved to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as a member of the Monetary Board.

When asked how his views differ from his predecessor, Mr. Recto said: “In fiscal deficit, we both hold the same view that it should be reduced. However, it should not be too steep of a curve and not at the expense of growth.”

In giving a nod to Mr. Recto’s Cabinet appointment, Senator Ramon Revilla, who chairs the CA Finance Committee, said: “When fiscal policy is pushed by a numbers man like you (Mr. Recto), we are confident that we are in good hands.”

The former senator who ran and won a seat in the House of Representatives in 2022 had his term cut short as the President tapped him to head the finance department.

As a lawmaker, he had authored and sponsored such economic measures as the Salary Standardization Law, the Affordable Electricity Act, and the Rice Tariffication Act.

Mr. Recto also served as the director general of the National Economic and Development Authority during the presidency of now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Group cites PHL nuclear potential

March 13, 2024 | 9:28 pm

ADVOCACY group Alpas Pinas is seeking to increase public awareness on the potential of nuclear energy in powering up the country and lowering electricity rates.

“Alpas Pinas leads the change in advocating for every Filipino by embracing the nuclear energy’s cleanliness, affordability, and reliability,” Alpas Pinas Lead Convenor Gayle Certeza said in a statement on Wednesday.

Pangasinan Rep. Mark O. Cojuangco said at a briefing that using nuclear fuel costs $46 for one million British thermal unit, lower compared to liquefied natural gas which he claimed is “27 times more expensive.”

Nuclear energy is seen as another baseload power source as the Malampaya gas field, the country’s sole natural gas provider, is close to drying up.

“There is so much potential for our businesses and economy to grow if only it’s not paralyzed by the high electricity prices. And this problem can be addressed if we recognize nuclear energy as a reliable energy source,” she said.

The Department of Energy has revised its energy roadmap to incorporate in the 2023 to 2050 Philippine Energy Plan a clean energy scenario which envisions “a more diverse energy mix that includes nuclear energy.” — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Araneta City aids Masungi Geopark

March 13, 2024 | 9:28 pm

ARANETA CITY and Masungi Geopark Foundation, Inc. (MGFI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on Geopark restoration.

“This partnership opens avenues for further cooperation in promoting education and environmental consciousness, leveraging Araneta City’s influential legacy in Metro Manila,” MGFI Director for Advocacy Billie Dumaliang said in a MoA signing on Feb. 22.

In the Adopt-a-Hectare Program, the partnership pledged to restore and protect 10 hectares of degraded land within the Masungi Geopark Project.

It focuses on the preservation of Masungi’s limestone landscape and surrounding areas.

The Comprehensive Forest Restoration (CFR) strategy will be implemented to rehabilitate over 2,700 hectares of degraded forest.

“Our company is committed to fostering a sustainable environment through green initiatives implemented in the City of Firsts,” Araneta Group Senior Management Consultant Rowell L. Recinto said.

Part of the plan is to induce involvement from partners and employees in the span of restoration activities such as grass trimming, tree planting, implementing security measures, and engaging rangers.

Among other present attendees were MGFI trustees Michael Molina and Araneta City Senior Vice President for Business Development John Castelo.

Masungi Geopark is a conservation area located in Baras, Rizal. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Strong party system pushed

March 13, 2024 | 9:27 pm

PARTY-LIST leaders, civic organizations, and educators gathered on Wednesday to discuss the importance of party-lists and a political party system in strengthening the “fragile democracy” of the Philippines.

“The Multiparty Summit: The Critical Role of Political Parties in Strengthening Democracy” organized by PARTICIPATE PH, aimed to reach a consensus on policies that will include changes to current laws and new legislations to solve flaws in political parties and the party-list system.

PARTICIPATE PH Chief of Party Julio C. Tehankee opened the event by identifying patronage politics, personality-based politics, and political dynasties as the weak points of Philippine democracy, making it fragile despite being the oldest democratic state in Southeast Asia.

This is why Mr. Tehankee underscored the importance of a law institutionalizing a strong party system in the country and promoting transparency in campaign financing.

In her keynote, British Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau Laure Beaufils expressed her amazement at the Filipino people’s passion to cast their ballots during the 2022 elections and highlighted the importance of party-lists.

“Party lists are important sources of checks and balance in the government…opposition or the minority are crucial for holding the ruling party to account, they ensure government policies are scrutinized and offers citizens alternative visions on how to do things,” she said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Cop mess acquits drug suspect

March 13, 2024 | 9:27 pm

supreme-court-philstar — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) has acquitted a Filipina whom a trial court had sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal drug possession, as it faulted the police for mishandling evidence.

In a 12-page resolution written by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, the tribunal reversed Jamalia Sultan Mala’s life sentence issued by a Butuan trial court on July 6, 2018, saying police had failed to follow protocol in processing the seized 26.6 grams of crystal meth.

“All told, the failure of the police officers to observe the rule on the chain of custody of the seized items compels this court to find that the guilt of Mala… is doubtful,” it said. “The presumption of innocence in her favor must stand.”

The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165) requires the presence of third-party witnesses as early as the time of the arrest.

The arresting officers in the case of Ms. Mala were found to have started contacting witnesses after the completion of the buy-bust operation, failing to satisfy the requirement that the insulating witnesses must be accessible to witness the inventory of the seized items.

“To this end, this Court has often held that failing to prove the integrity of the corpus delicti renders the evidence for the state insufficient to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt, and hence, warrants an acquittal,” the decision said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

MIIS campus to rise at Parklinks

March 13, 2024 | 9:27 pm

THE MULTIPLE Intelligence International School (MIIS) said it has started constructing its new campus at Parklinks, Pasig City, which is set to host the Academic Year 2025-2026.

“MIIS will have four floors to accommodate the current and future student population. The school has a provision for expansion in line with perceived needs once MIIS has completed its transfer from the Loyola Heights Campus to the Parklinks Campus,” MIIS Founding Directress Mary Joy Canon Abaquin said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday.

The school is originally located in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, and will move to the 35-hectare mixed-use estate developed by Ayala Land and Eton Properties.

It is designed to accommodate around 1,200 to 1,400 students, offering international-standard education from pre-school to senior high school.

The facility will have a 5,000-square-meter multipurpose field, art ateliers, hydroponic indoor spaces, a Kids Can Youth Entrepreneurship Store, and a culinary laboratory.

The new MIIS campus is part of Parklinks Estate’s vision to promote a sustainable way to live, work, and play, Ms. Abaquin said.

“It will have green spaces, urban farming to promote farm to plate, use sustainable materials, rainwater collection, energy-efficient devices, and proper waste management systems,” she said.

The campus was designed by architectural firm GFP Architects with a projected total of 10,000 square meters of gross floor area. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Mining firm seals 5-year social dev’t pact with Blaans

March 13, 2024 | 9:26 pm

KORONADAL CITY — Three areas of a highland town populated by thousands of indigenous Blaans stand to benefit from a five-year humanitarian program forged between their barangay governments and a private firm soon to explore copper and gold in their municipality.

Blaan tribal leader Domingo N. Collado, indigenous people’s representative to the Tampakan municipal council, said in a local radio interview on Wednesday that barangay chairpersons of Pula Bato, Danlag and Tablu signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Sagittarius Mines Incorporated (SMI) last week.

The MoA contains details of a collaboration deal for SMI’s multi-million Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) for local communities in the next five years.

The SMI was contracted by Malacañang to operate, starting next year, the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project with written clearances from Blaan tribal leaders from the central office the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-12.

Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño Mendoza, chairperson of the Regional Development Council 12, said experts from the DENR’s central office and geologists from Europe and Australia had placed at no less than $200 billion (P11 trillion) the value of copper and gold deposits in Blaan ancestral lands in Tampakan in separate surveys in the past 10 years.

The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 compels mining companies to fund socio-economic, health, education and infrastructure projects in host communities.

Barangay Chairpersons Neil Ryan T. Escobillo of Pula Bato, Judith J. Magbanua of Danlag, Gloria P. Magbanua of Tablu and Julius M. Clarete, who is SMI’s community development superintendent, signed the SDMP agreement during a simple rite in a commercial function facility in this city on March 5, according to Mr. Collado.

Mr. Escobillo is the president of the League of Barangay Chairpersons in South Cotabato province that covers all barangays in this city and the 10 municipalities in the province. — John Felix M. Unson