Philippines hits China, says joint air patrol with US to ensure free passage

February 21, 2024 | 8:58 pm

fighter-jets-of-the-Philippine-Air-Force — Two fighter jets of the Philippine Air Force fly with a bomber plane of the US Pacific Air Force over the West Philippine Sea during the third iteration of the two countries' Maritime Cooperative Activity on Feb. 19, 2024. — PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE

THE PHILIPPINES on Wednesday hit China for criticizing its recent joint air patrol with the US, saying it was in line with its national interest and would ensure free navigation.

Three Philippine fighter jets and a US bomber aircraft on Monday flew over parts of the South China Sea within Manila’s exclusive economic zone, days after their navies held drills at sea.

“The joint air patrol or exercise conducted by the Philippine Air Force and the United States Pacific Air Force is a lawful and routine exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability between allied forces and promoting regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” the National Security Council (NSC) said in a statement.

China’s military has accused the Philippines of stirring up trouble in the South China Sea by conducting a joint air patrol with “extraterritorial countries” and then openly hyping it up.

China’s Southern Theater Command said it had organized front-line naval and air forces to monitor the Philippines’ joint air patrol. Troops “maintained a high degree of vigilance to resolutely defend national sovereignty,” it added.

NSC said its joint patrols with the US are held within Philippine territories, serving “the purpose of enhancing maritime security, promoting regional stability and upholding international law.” “These patrols help deter illegal activities, ensure freedom of navigation, and contribute to the protection of shared interests in the region.”

Monday’s air patrol covered areas 90 nautical miles (167 kilometers) west of Candon, Ilocos Sur and 50 nautical miles northwest of Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.

It was the air component of the third iteration of the Philippine military’s Maritime Cooperative Activity with the US Indo-Pacific Command.

“We urge China to respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines conducted within its territory, consistent with its national interests and international law,” NSC said.

The Philippines and China should adhere to established legal frameworks to keep their relations peaceful and stable, it added.

“Adherence to international norms is essential to the peaceful coexistence of neighboring states,” it said. “Respecting and following international law is essential for maintaining peace, resolving disputes and advancing our shared interests in the region.”

On Feb 9, the Philippine Navy’s BRP Gregorio del Pilar and the US Navy’s USS Gabrielle Giffords participated in the third iteration of the Maritime Cooperative Activity. Exercises included passing, communication and division tactics to enhance coordination between the two forces in maritime scenarios.

The Philippines under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has sought closer ties with the US amid escalating tensions with China, which claims vast portions of the South China Sea.

“The joint air patrol with the US is part of our longstanding defense cooperation,” NSC said.

Philippine activists critical of China have also opposed the Southeast Asian nation’s growing security ties with the US, saying it makes the Philippines vulnerable to a potential war between the two rich nations.

Opposition to the Philippines’ security alliance with the US is nothing new, with senators rejecting the renewal of a military base agreement between the two countries in 1991.

The decision led to the dismantling of an American air base in Clark, Pampanga and a US naval base in Subic, Olongapo. The two sites, which are now economic hubs, are located north of Manila.

“We will continue to work closely with our friends, allies and partners to ensure a secure and prosperous future for all nations in the Indo-Pacific region,” NSC said.

Also on Wednesday, the Philippines Senate approved on second reading a bill that seeks to set up maritime zones and territories in the South China Sea.

Under Senate Bill 2492, or the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act, maritime zones will also be set up in the Benham Rise in the West Pacific.

Philippine authorities may impose a fine of as much as $1 million (P56 million) on foreign actors that build artificial islands, conduct marine research and destroy Philippine marine environments within the maritime zones.

Senator Francis N. Tolentino earlier said the Senate would craft a Philippine map to assert the country’s claim in the South China Sea in response to China’s so-called 10-dash line map.

The Philippines, Vietnam, India and Taiwan have criticized the map for covering regions beyond China’s borders and claiming most of the South China Sea. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and John Victor D. Ordoñez

Marcos backs push to relax rules on ride-hailing service

February 21, 2024 | 8:57 pm

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said his government is working with Singapore-based Grab Holdings Ltd. as it seeks to legalize motorcycle taxis and relax regulations on ride-hailing services.

He issued the statement after a meeting with officials of Grab, which the presidential palace said was seeking his support to increase its Philippine ridership to 500,000 from 300,000 daily.

“We are working with Grab to legalize motorcycle taxis and relax regulations on transportation network vehicle services,” Mr. Marcos said in a Facebook post. “More transport options will benefit commuters, drivers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.”

Grab has generated more than 100,000 jobs locally, Mr. Marcos said during his meeting with company officials, the palace said in a statement.

Grab, led by co-founder and chief executive officer Anthony Tan told the President its rides have risen to 300,000 daily from 8,000 a day after it acquired Move It, another ride-hailing brand, in 2022.

The company has been calling for the removal of the cap on ride-hailing units and the legalization of motorcycle taxis.

The palace noted that with the President’s support, the company can achieve its target of 500,000 rides daily in six months.

Last year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board opened 10,200 slots in Metro Manila for ride-hailing services. More than 300 slots were also opened in Central Luzon.

The Department of Transportation earlier said the removal of the supply cap needs further evaluation.

GrabCar operates in 25 cities, while GrabFood provides services to more than 100 cities nationwide, according to the palace. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Marcos government sees New Clark City as alternate center of growth

February 21, 2024 | 8:56 pm

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said he wants to develop a former US military air base south of the capital into an “alternate area” for growth.

The President inspected an P8.42-billion road project that will connect Clark International Airport to New Clark City, which is being groomed to become the country’s first smart city.

The 20-kilometer road is part of the government’s plan “to propel Clark as an alternate growth area,” he said in a speech after the inspection.

“It aims to enlarge Clark’s profile in the global investment map.”

The project, which includes a 900-meter bridge over the Sacobia River in the town of Bamban in Tarlac province, also seeks to enhance connectivity and trade between the central and northern parts of Luzon.

Mr. Marcos touted the modernization program for Clark International Airport and the construction of a rail linking it to Metro Manila.

“We are also building a Clark physical capital,” he said. “We are upskilling the required human capital that will run businesses and will drive prosperity.”

“Clark can now host a wide range of economic activities including innovation labs, creative workshops, manufacturing concerns, leisure complexes and a cyber-corridor,” Mr. Marcos said, adding that the government expects “higher visitor traffic” in return.

The 9,450-hectare New Clark City project is under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). It was proposed by the Aquino administration and was pursued by the Duterte government.

The smart city project, whose construction began in 2018, has been hounded by concerns about the displacement of about 65,000 people from a dozen villages, including about 18,000 members of the Aeta tribe.

Clark was transformed into a freeport and special economic zone in 1992 after the Senate rejected the renewal of the lease of the land for US military bases.

“Military lands converted into economic centers are the concrete proof of the prosperity BCDA has unleashed,” Mr. Marcos said in his speech. “There is no better proof of this than Clark.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Inflation-indexed cash grants to boost consumption — IBON

February 21, 2024 | 8:56 pm

students — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS

A PHILIPPINE government plan to raise cash grants to the poor by indexing these to inflation amid spiraling prices is expected to boost the economy through increased consumption, a think tank said on Wednesday.

“The measure will boost household spending among recipient groups and contribute to gross domestic product growth,” Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa, executive director of think tank IBON Foundation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“Household spending has been conspicuously slowing since last year partly because of higher inflation and falling family incomes especially among the poorest,” he said.

The Philippine economy grew by 5.6% last year, falling short of the government’s 6-7% target as high interest rates tempered private consumption, which accounts for about three-fourths of the economy.

Household spending growth slowed to 5.6% from 8.3% a year earlier.

Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian on Tuesday said the state should consider the effects of inflation, which averaged 6% last year, breaching the central bank’s 2%-4% target.

He said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has ordered the agency to ensure that social grants, especially the government’s flagship cash transfer program Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (4Ps), keep up with inflation.

An index-based mechanism should be completed immediately, he said. “We know that inflation hits the bottom 30% of our population more.”

Inflation slowed to an over three-year low of 2.8% in January, the second straight month it fell within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target.

“The suggestion to make social grants like 4Ps automatically indexed to inflation is very much welcome, especially in light of persistent inflation which is the top concern of Filipinos,” Enrico P. Villanueva, who teaches money and banking at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, said via Messenger chat.

“If welfare grants can be properly indexed to inflation, then the application and implementation of the concept may also be considered in other realms like wages,” he added.

The Philippine Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill pushing for a P100 ($1.78) across-the-board minimum wage increase for workers in the private sector.

Under the 4Ps program, which provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for as long as seven years, a qualified child enrolled in daycare and elementary school gets at least P300 a month.

Beneficiaries in junior high school get at least P500 monthly, while those in senior high school get at least P700. It also gives qualified households a health and nutrition grant of at least P750 a month.

The program, which is patterned after cash grants in Latin America and African countries, started under former ex-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2006 and was institutionalized by her successor, the late Benigno S.C. Aquino III. It became a law in 2019.

Once the index is approved by economic managers, it will be introduced to the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council, Mr. Gatchalian said.

“Most parties seem to acknowledge the positive impact of the suggestion on the poor, but operational concerns have to be resolved,” Mr. Villanueva said.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies is mandated to recommend to the National Advisory Council whether cash grants should be adjusted.

The council must ensure that the aid is sufficient to “make a positive impact on health, nutrition and education,” according to the law.

“The formula for adjustments should also be considered in the budgeting process,” Mr. Villanueva said, citing the need to develop clear rules for 4Ps adjustments.

CASH OVER RICE
Also on Wednesday, congressmen urged the Social Welfare department to continue its distribution of cash aid instead of rice.

Distributing rice instead of cash raises procurement issues and could delay the aid, Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Q. Quimbo told a news briefing.

“Cash is easier to distribute,” the lawmaker, who is also a senior vice chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on appropriations, said in Filipino. “The problem with rice is an agency would still have to procure it, and we know that we are not good in procurement.”

Agriculture Undersecretary Roger Navarro earlier suggested the distribution of rice aid to 4Ps beneficiaries.

“If you give cash to a poor family… it will still be allotted to your most basic need, which is rice,” Ms. Quimbo said.

Mr. Gatchalian earlier said it would be “logistically hard” to distribute rice. “We’re not saying no. Studies are ongoing, but taking into account the logistics needed so that our countrymen won’t suffer.”

Party-list Rep. JC Abalos said the government has systems in place for beneficiaries to receive cash grants.

Local regular milled rice costs P50.35 a kilo, while local well milled rice costs P52.21 a kilo, according to the Agriculture department’s latest price watch. Prices of imported regular milled and well milled rice are P50 and P54.26, respectively.

Mr. Abalos said a House measure seeking to adjust 4Ps cash grants for inflation has been fine-tuned by a technical working group for consideration by the plenary. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Quiboloy claims US plans to kill him

February 21, 2024 | 8:55 pm

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

A FILIPINO celebrity evangelist wanted by the United States government for sex trafficking claimed on Wednesday that instead of seeking his extradition, the US has supposedly hatched a plan to assassinate him in the Philippines.

“We have learned at this moment from reliable sources that… they allegedly no longer want an extradition,” Apollo C. Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ religious group, said in an audio recording posted on Facebook.

“What they plan to do, according to the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Embassy, and the State Department… is ‘rendition,’ meaning they can enter my compound at any time and kidnap me.”

He added that US forces are likely to assassinate him once they enter his compound, noting that his 11 compounds in the country are under constant surveillance by drones.

Sought for comment, the US Embassy did not directly address his claims, but expressed confidence that “Quiboloy will face justice for his heinous crimes.”

“For more than a decade, Apollo Quiboloy engaged in serious human rights abuses, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, and he is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted List,” US Embassy in Manila spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay told reporters in Viber message.

Under US law, “rendition” is the surrender of a state of a fugitive in another state that has charged the person with a crime.

“They (Americans) will do whatever they want to do to me in my own country,” Mr. Quiboloy said.

Facing two subpoenas from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, he also said he would face allegations in court, not before Congress.

Congress is in the middle of investigating alleged cases of abuse against members of the religious group.

Mr. Quiboloy, who was former president Rodrigo R. Duterte’s spiritual adviser, had been indicted in a California district court on Nov. 10, 2021, and a federal warrant had been issued for his arrest.

In a statement on Wednesday, Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, who had issued a subpoena against the religious leader for not attending Senate hearings, said she would cite him in contempt and have him arrested if he continues to snub the Senate probe.

She had urged the Department of Justice (DoJ) to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against Mr. Quiboloy to stop him from leaving the country amid the probe.

Gov’t Accountancy Office bill filed

February 21, 2024 | 8:55 pm

gen10-bong-go_2019-08-27_22-08-11 — SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE T. GO — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

A SENATOR has filed a bill seeking to establish the Government Accountancy Office, which would supervise all accounting functions of state agencies and streamline fiscal management in the Philippines.

“The Government Accountancy Office’s primary role will be to ensure that every peso allocated by the government is spent wisely, monitored closely, and accounted for accurately,” Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, who filed Senate Bill No. 2536, said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the office, which would be under the supervision of the Department of Budget and Management, aims to use the latest forms of technology and methods to keep an eye on government spending and corruption.

Under the measure, the office seeks to make the oversight of financial operations more cohesive and efficient as Mr. Go cited an “over-reliance” on the Commission on Audit (CoA) to audit public spending.

It also aims to speed up government financial reporting and reduce redundant processes within the government.

“This move will not only safeguard public funds but also ensure that these funds are directed towards programs and projects that genuinely make a difference in the lives of our people,” Mr. Go said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Group urges building of climate-resilient classrooms

February 21, 2024 | 8:49 pm

A BUSINESS group on Wednesday said the Philippines should prioritize building climate-resilient classrooms and exploring remote learning practices, following a Department of Education (DepEd) decision to bring back the pandemic-disrupted June-to-March academic calendar.

The decision, which was announced on Tuesday, should not be seen as a “stopgap measure to address the underlying issues that make the existing school calendar unbearable,” the Philippine Business for Education (PBED) said in a statement.

“To safeguard our children, we need to make sure that classrooms can withstand extreme weather conditions and have transportation support available.”

PBED said DepED needs to be firm with its decision this time so as to avoid learning disruptions.

“Our students need a fixed schedule.”

A DepEd order dated Feb. 19 scheduled the start of classes under school year 2024 to 2025 for July 29, cutting the end for the current school year by two weeks to May 31 from June 21 as it gradually reverts to the old academic calendar.

Classes for the same school year should end on May 16, 2025, according to the order.

DepEd said the return to the old calendar will be “gradual” to avoid major disruptions to the vacations of students and education workers.

PBED said the DepEd should also explore alternatives to face-to-face classes in the event of class suspensions.

“Now is the time for DepEd to institutionalize good practices from remote learning experience, whether through assigned modules, or online or broadcast classes.”

It should also find ways to offset the days lost due to national holidays and class suspensions, the business group said.

The DepEd decision “was a result of the clamor of teachers, students, parents and education support personnel,” House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said in a statement.

The lawmaker noted that the El Niño weather pattern is now in its mature phase and the heat in classrooms is increasing.

“We hope that mitigating measures to reduce the inconvenience of teachers and students are now in place so that classrooms are still conducive to learning.”

“We urge the DepEd to ensure the continuous gradual return to the old school calendar in the next school years and that the proportional vacation pay of teachers would not be reduced,” she added.

In her second basic education report conducted last month, DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said her department will prioritize funding for schools that have makeshift or temporary classrooms and those in calamity-stricken areas with many unfunded and damaged buildings.

The agency will also focus on the construction of medium-rise school buildings in priority areas “with high classroom shortage but with limited buildable space,” she added.

The agency received P17 billion under the 2024 national budget for the construction of new school buildings, up from P15.6 billion last year.

ACT has been urging DepEd to allocate at least P100 billion every year for classroom construction to bring class sizes down to a manageable level. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Bill on LGU’s take from gaming OK’d

February 21, 2024 | 8:46 pm

CONGRESSMEN on Wednesday approved on second reading a bill that seeks to allocate 2% of the franchise tax collected from gaming operators licensed or operated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to its host local government unit (LGU).

Through voice voting at the plenary, lawmakers approved House Bill No. 9874, an amendment to Presidential Decree No. 1869, for the allocation of 2% of the 5% franchise tax collected from a PAGCOR-licensed gaming operator to the LGU where its operations are located. The remaining 3% would be given to the National Government.

“There is a necessity for a measure to be passed by the Congress to fix the host city shares to bolster PAGCOR’s commitment to nation building,” Parañaque City Rep. Edwin L. Olivarez said in his sponsorship speech.

Under the present setup, PAGCOR’s board of directors determines the amount of shares given to LGUs hosting licensed or operated gaming operations.

“The share in PAGCOR’s earnings is likewise limited to cities where PAGCOR conducts its gaming operations through Casino Filipino. Cities where casinos are being operated by franchisees, nonetheless, were not given host shares,” Mr. Olivarez said in an earlier version of the bill.

PAGCOR expects P336.38 billion worth of gross gaming revenues this year, chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro H. Tengco said in January. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

US funds Filipino youth upskilling

February 21, 2024 | 8:45 pm

WITH a fund of $30 million (P1.6 billion), the United States has launched a five-year upskilling program for Filipino university students to boost the competitiveness and proficiency of the Philippine workforce.

In a statement, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) said the US-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) program would pursue more academic expertise exchange between American and Philippine universities.

UPSKILL will be implemented by the Research Triangle Institute, a consortium of US universities such as Arizona State University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in cooperation with the Philippine Business for Education and Edukasyon.ph.

“The challenges and opportunities that young people face today in the workplace make college training and education critical for their future success,” visiting USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for East Asia and the Pacific Sara Borodin said during the program’s launch at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila on Tuesday.

“With this partnership with USAID, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will provide unique opportunities for our colleges and universities to continuously innovate in response to the aspirations of the Philippines, and specifically that of our students,” CHED Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro said at the launch.

Earlier, PBEd said a weak basic education system would lead to a weak workforce and lower competitiveness with global counterparts.

The Philippines ranked 84^th out of 134 economies in the 2023 Global Talent Competitiveness Index compiled by Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires in collaboration with the Descartes Institute for the Future and Human Capital Leadership Institute. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Voter registration at GSIS today

February 21, 2024 | 8:44 pm

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) is opening today, Feb. 22, a voter registration site at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) head office in Pasay City.

The GSIS Gymnasium will serve as the venue for voter registration and will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the Comelec’s Register Anywhere Project (RAP).

In a statement, the GSIS said the Comelec operations will provide two key services: initial voter registration and the transfer of existing voter credentials within any locality in the Philippines.

Applicants interested in casting their ballots in the 2025 national and local elections must personally appear at the GSIS head office to submit their application forms along with a photocopy of a valid government-issued identification (ID) card. The original ID must be presented.

Biometric data will be collected from applicants taken on the scheduled date. — Nate C. Barretto

BARMM shares disaster response expertise with Bangladesh

February 21, 2024 | 8:42 pm

COTABATO CITY — Officials from Bangladesh were briefed by experts from the Bangsamoro government on “best practices” in calamity and disaster response operations as part of an activity facilitated by the World Food Program.

Bangladesh’s Cabinet Secretary on Coordination and Reforms Mahmudul H. Khan sat with officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as representatives of the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi), led by lawyer Hamad M. Abas, discussed rapid emergency response procedures.

Mr. Khan and his delegation from Bangladesh were given a thorough briefing on various strategies related to disasters, like mitigation thrusts; the deployment and mobilization of ambulances and high-speed rescue boats; the identification of potential disaster and calamity hazards; and social protection programs. — John Felix M. Unson

Kuwaiti appeals court upholds prison term of Filipina’s killer

February 21, 2024 | 8:41 pm

THE APPEALS Court of Kuwait has upheld the 16-year prison sentence meted out on a 17-year-old local citizen convicted of killing a Filipina domestic worker, whose charred remains were found in the desert in January last year.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the appeals court had affirmed the 15-year jail sentence it imposed on the accused for the murder of 35-year-old Jullebee Ranara in September, 2023. He was also ordered imprisoned for one year for driving without a license.

“I have issued instructions to our Migrant Workers Office in Kuwait (MWO-Kuwait) to work with our retained legal counsel in filing a civil action for damages against the father of the convicted perpetrator,” DMW Office-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said, noting that the killer is a son of Ms. Ranara’s employer.

“We have informed the Ranara family of the Court’s ruling and have assured them of our continued utmost support and assistance, as directed by the President,” he added.

There are about 268,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, 195,000 of whom are working as domestic workers, according to DMW records.

It was Ranara’s case that prompted the DMW, then led by the late former secretary Maria Susana “Toots” V. Ople, to revisit the labor agreement between the two countries. — John Victor D. Ordoñez