IPOPHL sets new rules for accrediting IP professionals

August 28, 2024 | 8:49 pm

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it issued new guidelines for recognizing intellectual property (IP) agents and attorneys.

In a statement on Wednesday, IPOPHL said it released Memorandum Circulars 12 and 13, outlining the formal recognition system for patent and trademark agents and attorneys, respectively.

“The guidelines set the standards for the recognition’s qualifications, application procedures, training, fees, grounds for revocation, cancellation, and renewal,” IPOPHL said.

With the new set of rules, IP service providers are required to fulfill documentary requirements, undergo requisite training, and pass a qualifying examination to become recognized.

IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said that the new guidelines will allow the office to officially recognize IP professionals who provide patent and trademark services to creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs, among others.

“Overall, this will strengthen the IP profession as it sets standards that make for satisfactory and quality IP services,” Mr. Barba said.

The circulars provide for the creation of the Recognition Board, whose five members will oversee the implementation of the system.

“The recognition is mandatory for non-lawyers who are providing patent and trademark services to IP owners, while the recognition is voluntary for lawyers,” IPOPHL said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Chasing after ghosts for tax purposes

August 28, 2024 | 8:49 pm

Since 2023, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has intensified its efforts to weed out and file cases against alleged violators of the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, (Tax Code). In fact, through its Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) program, the BIR has filed multiple civil and criminal cases against approximately 70 taxpayers for allegedly selling or buying and using fake/“ghost” receipts to substantiate the expenses and corresponding input Value-Added Tax (VAT) claimed for tax purposes. The BIR also filed administrative cases against Certified Public Accountants allegedly involved in these schemes, moving to have their licenses revoked by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Based on the BIR’s assessment, billions in taxes have been lost due to the proliferation of fraudulent receipts. Hence, chasing after the taxpayers who further propagate this practice is a key priority and driver in the BIR’s strategy to plug this tax leakage. While the BIR has not fully disclosed the details of its investigations on how it was able to detect when fake receipts were used and how it was able to trace the alleged violators, the BIR proposed several theories. Such theories include alleged collusion between business owners and accountants, and the existence of a syndicate that registers ghost companies whose sole business purpose is to sell original receipts so that their buyers can illegally reduce their tax liabilities.

Following these tax investigations and news about ghost receipts, I began to wonder about the possible ways for the BIR to detect such receipts. Section 248(B) of the Tax Code governs when the 50% surcharge may be imposed and lays down the test for prima facie evidence of a false or fraudulent return that merits the application of such a 50% surcharge on the deficiency tax assessed. The prima facie evidence test or the 30% threshold test provides that a substantial underdeclaration of taxable sales, receipts, or income, or a substantial overstatement of deductions constitutes prima facie evidence of a false or fraudulent return. Under this context, failure to report sales, receipts, or income in an amount exceeding 30% of that declared per return, and a claim of deductions in an amount exceeding 30% of actual deductions, renders the taxpayer liable for substantial underdeclaration of sales, receipts, or income or for overstatement of deductions.

Even though Section 248 only discusses the imposition of a 25% or 50% surcharge, the 30% threshold test in this Tax Code provision has also been applied by the BIR and the courts to evaluate whether a taxpayer’s case would fall under the exceptions to the general three-year prescriptive period to assess potential deficiency taxes as provided under Section 222(a) of the Tax Code.

In the case of McDonald’s Philippines Realty Corp. vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (G.R. No. 247737 dated Aug. 8, 2023), the Supreme Court (SC) considered the 30% threshold test as one of the factors to determine whether the BIR’s observance of the extraordinary 10-year assessment period is warranted. The SC also established in this case the requirements to properly invoke the 30% threshold test and its effect of shifting the burden to the taxpayer to refute the legal presumption that a false or fraudulent return was filed based on the alleged substantial underdeclaration of sales, receipts, or income or overstatement of expenses or other deductions.

As a brief backgrounder on the 30% threshold test, this statutory provision was actually formally introduced in the 1997 version of the Tax Code. Prior to this, the SC had to rely on jurisprudence and the particular circumstances of each taxpayer to determine whether there is substantial underdeclaration of sales, receipts, or income. With the inclusion of the 30% threshold test in the Tax Code, there is now a statutory measure for checking whether an underdeclaration or overstatement is substantial, resulting in an express presumption that a false or fraudulent return has been filed based on its face.

While the discussion on the 30% threshold test in the above SC case focused on whether there is substantial underdeclaration of sales, receipts, or income, there is another side of the coin to the 30% threshold test which deals with the overstatement of deductions. Relating this to the BIR’s RAFT program, the BIR may also use the 30% threshold test on a taxpayer’s expenses as a tool to detect whether there are indications of possible overstatement/over-claiming of deductible expenses and/or input VAT. Further, the BIR may leverage its current database containing the list of proven ghost receipts suppliers to check whether these sellers are also vendors of the taxpayers being investigated via a regular tax audit.

In the interest of fairness to all taxpayers and paying what is rightfully due as our collective contribution to nation-building, I support and welcome the RAFT program initiative of the BIR. I find it justified for the BIR to use all legal tools and means at its disposal to chase down those who intentionally impede the proper and full collection of taxes and those who intentionally cheat the system, including professionals who use their knowledge/expertise to aid or abet these violations. As taxpayers, on the other hand, we implore the BIR to exercise its powers with proper caution and within reason as provided under the law.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

Paolo John Dantes is a manager at the Tax Services department of Isla Lipana & Co., a Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

paolo.john.dantes@pwc.com

Mutual Defense Treaty review sought amid China’s continued ‘aggression’

August 28, 2024 | 8:09 pm

Balikatan_2019 — DVIDS/ LANCE CPL. ISAIAH CAMPBELL

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporters

THE PHILIPPINES’ National Maritime Council on Wednesday said there’s a need to update the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States, citing the changing geopolitical landscape.

“Maybe it’s high time now to make the review,” council spokesman Alexander S. Lopez, Jr. told reporters, noting that the treaty should be “relevant to new security challenges.”

Washington is bound by the treaty to defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack on its forces, public vessels or aircraft in the South China Sea.

The geopolitical landscape has changed a lot since the two countries ratified the treaty in 1951, Mr. Lopez said. Add to this China’s expansionist stance and continued attempts to block Manila’s resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal, he added.

The Philippines has accused China of dumping dead corals at Sabina Shoal, another feature in the South China Sea that both claim, to alter its elevation so it could reclaim the area.

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

Both countries have been trading blame over collisions near the shoal, which has been a staging ground for Philippine resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal. Both shoals are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

There have been domestic calls to clarify provisions of the treaty after a June 17 standoff at Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese forces allegedly threatened, using bladed weapons, Filipino troops delivering supplies to a Navy outpost there.

Filipino soldiers fought with bare hands, and one of them lost a thumb when his vessel was rammed by Chinese forces, according to the Philippine military.

Raymond M. Powell, a fellow at Standard University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, said the main question is whether the treaty should be updated or “simply needs its application clarified under current conditions.”

He noted that top US officials including President Joseph R. Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin have repeatedly clarified that the treaty applies to the South China Sea.

Formal consultations under Article III of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) should be the initial steps in any attempts to update the treaty, Mr. Powell said in an X message.

Under the treaty, both countries through their Foreign ministers will regularly consult each regarding the pact’s implementation and “whenever in the opinion of either of them the territorial integrity, political independence or security of either of the parties is threatened by an external armed attack in the Pacific.”

“Trying to push a revised MDT through both nations’ Legislature is a long and difficult process,” Mr. Powell said. “Perhaps it would be worth doing, but Article III consultations would help determine if the payoff would be worth the effort.”

Sabina Shoal, which is 140 kilometers off the Philippine island of Palawan, has become another flashpoint for the Philippines and China.

Mr. Lopez cited Chinese efforts to please its domestic audience by accusing the Philippines of intentionally ramming its ships.

“Nobody is buying that narrative,” he said. “Their audience is basically domestic, but ours [narrative] is factual.”

“We are even appreciative of the response of the international community condemning the harsh actions, aggressive actions, life threatening actions perpetrated by the Coast Guard vessels,” he added.

Mr. Lopez said the Philippine Coast Guard was now gathering evidence to counter China’s claims that it had rammed its ships near Sabina Shoal.

“It’s very clear that the Philippines is currently threatened by an ‘external armed attack,’ so consultations would certainly be appropriate,” Mr. Powell said. “It would also serve as an important signal to China that its aggression has brought it to a dangerous point.”

DETERRENCE
Also on Wednesday, Senate President Francis G. Escudero said a proposal for US ships to escort Philippine resupply vessels in the South China would likely deter Chinese aggression.

“It will be a deterrent,” he told a news briefing. “However, I am confident that the President will measure this very carefully, with the view of not escalating tensions that may lead to increased military activities in the area or potential military confrontation.”

Samuel Paparo, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, told a forum on Tuesday it is an “entirely reasonable option,” though that would require consultation between the treaty allies.

Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said China would likely counteract the move or succumb to “joint deterrence.”

“The proposal stirs a timely need, but the Philippines should lead the pact,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “On one hand, if agreed upon, this would show the military might of the two allies.”

That treaty should be interpreted more broadly to tackle a “dynamic and cunning adversary,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo C. Teodoro, Jr. told reporters on Tuesday, although it has already proved to be a “great deterrent” in the South China Sea.

On Sunday, Manila’s South China Sea task force accused Chinese vessels near Sabina Shoal of ramming and using water cannons against a Philippine fishery vessel transporting food, fuel and medicine for Filipino fishermen.

The Chinese Coast guard said the Philippine vessel “ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed” China’s law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision.

Mr. Escudero reiterated his call for the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to file before a local court a petition seeking to enforce a 2016 ruling by United Nations-backed tribunal, which voided China’s expansive claims for being illegal.

“We are hoping the OSG will file a petition to request the recognition of this foreign ruling so that its decision becomes a binding law in the Philippines,” he said.

At a Senate hearing on the Department of Justice’s budget for next year, Mr. Escudero said making the 2016 decision part of the law of the land would ensure that Philippine officials, especially the President, would follow it.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijing has deployed an armada of vessels to protect its claims.

Philippines posts 2 more mpox cases; total at 14

August 28, 2024 | 8:08 pm

THE PHILIPPINES on Wednesday posted two more monkeypox cases, bringing the total this year to 14, as a new strain that has spread out of the Democratic Republic of Congo complicates the global response.

In a statement, the Department of Health (DoH) said the two new mpox patients were infected with a mild Clade II variant and not the newer and potentially more deadly variant that has sparked a global concern.

The patients were a 26-year-old woman from Metro Manila and a 12-year-old male from the Calabarzon Region.

“The exact circumstances of sample collection and the mechanism of close, intimate and skin-to-skin contact are still being determined,” the agency said. Two close contacts had been identified and notified.

The patient from Metro Manila started showing symptoms on Aug. 20, with rashes on her face and back, accompanied by fever, the DoH said. A day later, an outpatient clinic advised her to undergo home isolation.

She informed the clinic on Aug. 23 of having additional rashes in her pubic area, arms and trunk. She also developed a sore throat and swollen neck lymph nodes.

Meanwhile, the younger patient from Calabarzon first experienced fever on Aug. 10, leading to rashes mainly on the face, legs, trunk and pubic area, and other parts of the body. He also had a cough and swollen lymph nodes near the groin.

His skin sample was collected on Aug. 23 after consulting a rural clinic, the DoH said.

The two patients did not travel anywhere three weeks before their symptoms started. They were recovering at home, under close monitoring by local health authorities.

“Initial investigation is consistent with earlier findings of local transmission of Clade II,” the DoH said. The Philippines now has five active mpox cases, it added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this week said more research was needed to understand the spread of the disease, which is heavily linked to the clade 1A and 1B variants.

“Mpox continues to be a threat today, and an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries caused by Clade 1A and 1B has raised concern,” it said.

An outbreak in African countries last month prompted the declaration of a global health emergency in mid-August, and the launch of a $135-million response this week.

The DoH last week said it had signified its intent to the WHO to get access to smallpox vaccines.

Local governments in the Philippines have been on alert since the detection of the country’s first case this year. The central Philippine city of Bacolod reactivated an mpox team to monitor possible cases.

Quezon City, the country’s most populous city, has also created an mpox team, after the first mpox patient this year reported having visited at least two establishments there.

The WHO said common mpox symptoms include skin rash or mucosal lesions that can last two to four weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

It can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals, it said. A mother may pass on the virus to the fetus.

“Mpox is treated with supportive care for symptoms such as pain and fever, with close attention to nutrition, hydration, skin care, prevention of secondary infections and treatment of co-infections, including HIV where present.”

Caused by an orthopoxvirus, monkeypox was first detected in humans in Congo in 1970, according to the WHO. The disease is considered endemic to countries in central and west Africa. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Sister, cohort of town mayor with China links indicted

August 28, 2024 | 8:07 pm

Sheila Guo — SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS FACEBOOK PAGE

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

GOVERNMENT PROSECUTORS on Wednesday filed charges before a Pasay court against two cohorts of a former Philippine mayor accused of having ties with Chinese criminal syndicates.

The Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service accused Shiela L. Guo and Cassandra Li Ong of violating the Revised Penal Code for ignoring summonses issued by Congress.

The cases were filed at a Pasay City court, Justice Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

Ex-Bamban Mayor Alice L. Guo, who has been linked to illegal offshore gaming operations in the country, her two siblings including Shiela, and Ms. Ong fled the Philippines last month. Shiela and Ms. Ong were arrested by Indonesian authorities last week and sent back to the Philippines.

In a resolution issued on Tuesday and released on Wednesday, government prosecutors also accused Shiela, whose real name is supposed to be Zhang Mier, of using a fake Philippine passport.

Ms. Ong was also charged with obstruction of Justice for harboring, concealing, or facilitating the escape of Alice L. Guo.

Stephen L. David, Shiela’s lawyer, did not immediately reply to a text message seeking comment. Ferdinand S. Topacio, Ms. Ong’s lawyer, did not give an intelligent answer when contacted via Viber.

“First, she (Shiela) was summoned, then she ignored and refused to obey the summons, and it appears that such disobedience is willful, considering that she absconded, she left the country under suspicious circumstances,” National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers President Ephraim B. Cortez told BusinessWorld in a Viber message. “This indicates her willful intent to disobey the summons.”

During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Shiela admitted that she was born and raised in China. She moved to the Philippines when she was about 16 or 17 years old, she added.

Mr. Cortez said this revelation means she should not have been entitled to a Philippine passport.

“Since she has a supposed valid Philippine Passport, it is clear that she used forged documents to obtain the passport,” he said.

“Since Shiela Guo waived her right to remain silent and against self-incrimination, and she did this with the advice of counsel, the admissions she made during the Senate committee hearing may be used against her in any criminal proceedings,” he added.

Shiela told senators she and her siblings boarded a small white boat for Malaysia. From there, they flew to Singapore. They then boarded a ferry to go to Indonesia.

Ms. Ong is an incorporator of Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator in Porac, Pampanga in northern Philippines that police raided earlier this year.

Senate eyes CREATE MORE bill passage next week

August 28, 2024 | 8:05 pm

Tailor shop-worker — PHILIPPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR

THE SENATE plans on approving “next week” a measure that will lower income tax on both local and foreign companies, according to the Senate president.

Senators aim to wrap up the period of amendments on Senate Bill No. 2762, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) bill, Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero said at a forum in Manila, Wednesday.

“Hopefully, we will be able to complete that (period of amendments) today (Wednesday) so that by next week we can approve this,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill on final reading in March.

The priority measure removes value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services to essential services such as janitorial, security, financial consultancy, marketing and human resources.

Mr. Escudero said the bill is crucial to create more jobs for Filipinos after the government banned Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs).

“With CREATE MORE, we need to specify and ensure that Filipinos are given jobs in the country, along with the incentives that will be given to foreign businessmen that will do business here,” he said in Filipino.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in his third address to Congress declared a ban on POGOs, citing their links to criminal syndicates among other crimes, such as human trafficking.

The Department of Labor and Employment has said the measure would help more than 20,000 Filipino workers affected by the ban to find work by the end of the year.

Under the bill, registered business enterprises will be entitled to a 100% additional deduction on power expenses in a taxable year, up from 50% under the Tax Code, to address high power costs.

It would also allow local firms to implement a work-from-home setup for up to half of their workforce to cut costs.

The measure also grants the President authority to give fiscal and nonfiscal incentives to enterprises without the need for a recommendation from the Fiscal Incentives Review Board.

“It is not merely an update of policies; it is about creating a more dynamic future that is more responsive, more supportive and more capable of fostering growth and innovation in the Filipino people,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who sponsored the bill, told the Senate floor earlier this month.

The CREATE MORE bill is among the two key revenue measures the Philippine government is banking on to help sustain growth and climate resilience, the Department of Finance said.

“A new law is underway that will improve our tax incentives policy and tailor-fit investors’ interests to attract more investments in clean and renewable energy, green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and waste-to-energy technologies, among others,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said at a forum on Wednesday.

BOOST ‘GREEN’ INVESTMENT
“We are also awaiting the passage of a bill imposing an excise tax on single-use plastic bags to cut pollution and adopt more sustainable practices,” he added referring to the proposed VAT on single-use plastics would bolster “green” investments and lessen the volume of plastics in the country.

Congress has yet to act on the proposed P100 excise tax on single-use plastics.

The government’s recent expansion of zero tariff rates on electric vehicles (EVs) placed the country at the forefront of green technology and EV manufacturing, Mr. Recto said. These are supported by the active issuance of sustainability bonds to finance both green and social projects nationwide.

These show how fiscal policies are being utilized to make the country suitable for “green” investments, Mr. Recto said, noting the Philippine economy cannot grow without bolstering climate resilience.

“Climate change is deeply unfair. It strikes the hardest at the poorest. It makes poverty worse. And as climate impacts grow, so too will the difficulty and cost of eradicating poverty in the country,” he said.

The Finance chief said the government’s Medium-Term Fiscal Program serves as the “overall blueprint for sustainable economic growth while upholding the highest standards of fiscal discipline.”

“This enables us to prudently finance green infrastructure, support local adaptation projects, educate our people on climate consciousness, create green jobs, and reduce poverty along the way,” Mr. Recto said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Classes in NCR canceled

August 28, 2024 | 8:04 pm

students-rain-PHILSTAR-WALTER-BOLLOZOS — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE PHILIPPINE government on Wednesday suspended classes amid a southwest monsoon that was bringing rain over parts of the main island of Luzon including the national capital region (NCR).

In a memorandum, the presidential palace suspended classes in public schools and government work in Metro Manila, citing heavy rains caused by the monsoon.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), for its part, suspended the implementation of the expanded number coding scheme for the day.

State weather bureau PAGASA said in a 24-hour weather forecast published on its Facebook Page at 4:00 pm that monsoon rains were expected in Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.

Possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate rains could happen in Central Luzon, Visayas, Bicol, Calabarzon, and Pangasinan province, it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

VP accused of mocking law

August 28, 2024 | 8:03 pm

VICE-PRESIDENT (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio’s refusal to answer questions during her office’s budget briefing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday is a blatant disrespect for the Constitution, a congressman said on Wednesday.

“By her actions, decorum, and demeanor, the Vice-President showed her true dark colors in her refusal to respect the constitutional power of Congress about the budget and oversight authority on the operations of all government agencies,” Manila Rep. Joel R. Chua said in a statement.

“We have a Vice-President who believes she is above the law, above Congress, and beyond the reach of the Constitution,” he added.

Ms. Duterte-Carpio traded barbs and used a canned response to questions posed by congressmen during the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget briefing.

The OVP has a P2-billion budget under the 2025 National Expenditure Program, an 8% increase from the P1.9 billion budget for this year. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Makati hits 87% revenue target

August 28, 2024 | 8:02 pm

Makati-Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge — Buildings are seen from the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Makati City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

MAKATI CITY on Wednesday reported it has collected P16 billion in revenue as of end-June, hitting 87% of its P18.42-billion full-year target.

This is also equivalent to 94% of its target revenue from local sources, Makati Mayor Marlen Abigail “Abby” Binay-Campos said in a statement. The bulk came from Business Tax amounting to P8.6 billion, followed by Real Property Tax worth P5.5 billion.

“The reduced share of Makati had minimal impact on our financial stability, and we are optimistic that we will again exceed this year’s revenue target,” Ms. Binay-Campos said.

“This means that we will be able to stay on track with the implementation of better programs and projects planned for the year until next year.”

Makati saw a 40-percent decrease in shares in the National Tax Allotment due to the transfer of 10 enlisted men’s barrios and barangays. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Hike in railway budget sought

August 28, 2024 | 8:01 pm

CONGRESS should look at increasing the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) budget to fast-track the implementation of its railway projects, a congressman said on Wednesday.

The Budget department slashed DoTr’s original budget proposal for flagship railway infrastructure such as the Metro Manila Subway Project to P39.4 billion from P92 billion and the North-South Commuter Railway System to P63.9 billion from P136 billion, according to a document from the Transportation department.

“I want the Department of Transportation to ask the Committee on Appropriations to increase our budget for the railway. That is the solution,” Iloilo Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor said during the department’s budget briefing at the House of Representatives, citing the need to hasten the construction of train infrastructure.

The Philippines has the shortest railway system among its regional neighbors, with only 228 kilometers (kms) of total track length, according to 2023 data from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Hague lawyers to train Filipinos

August 28, 2024 | 8:01 pm

THE PHILIPPINE government is working with the Hague Academy of International Law to train Filipino lawyers in public international law, and to possibly gear up for another legal dispute with China over the South China Sea, according to the country’s top lawyer.

“We invited the Hague Academy of international law to come here to Manila in November specially for the purpose of training our solicitors in public international law, such as state vs state arbitration and possibly in preparation for the West Philippine Sea dispute,” Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra told a Senate finance committee hearing on Wednesday.

He said the visit would save the government from spending to send Filipino lawyers to get training abroad.

“The institution of training is something that we will do every year,” Mr. Guevarra said. “This is one of the areas that we will need some assistance from Congress.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

UP school workers to get SSS

August 28, 2024 | 8:01 pm

THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) and the Social Security System (SSS) signed an agreement creating the KaSSSanga Collect Program to extend social security benefits to all university workers.

Through the program, signed on Aug. 14, contract of service (CoS) and job order (JO) employees may allow UP to collect and remit their membership contributions to SSS.

While they do not have a direct employer-employee relationship, UP President Angelo A. Jimenez said in a statement that they aim to use their resources to help provide social security protection during emergencies and retirement.

UP employees, as government workers, are mandatory members of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). However, the membership coverage does not extend to CoS and JO workers. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana