Home Blog Page 2312

Oppenheimer leads BAFTA Film Awards nominations

CILLIAN MURPHY in a scene from Oppenheimer. —IMDB.COM

LONDON — Historical drama Oppenheimer, one of last year’s highest-earning movies, led nominations for the BAFTAs with 13 nods on Thursday, but the omission of some favorites from Britain’s top movie honors surprised fans.

Oppenheimer, about the making of the atomic bomb, was followed by sex-charged gothic comedy Poor Things, with 11 nominations for the BAFTA Film Awards, which will be handed out at a ceremony next month.

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, about the murders of members of the Osage Nation in the 1920s, and The Zone of Interest, which tells the story of a family living next to Auschwitz, both received nine nods.

Oppenheimer, Poor Things, and Killers of the Flower Moon will compete for the top prize, best film, alongside courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall and The Holdovers, a comedy set in a boys’ boarding school.

Pink-themed phenomenon Barbie, the highest grossing film of 2023, missed out in that category but got five nominations overall.

“It has been an outstanding year for filmmaking as represented by the 38 films nominated today,” Anna Higgs, chair of BAFTA Film Committee, said in a statement.

“They showcase ambitious, creative and hugely impressive voices from independent British debuts to global blockbusters, from complex moral issues through to joyful journeys of self-discovery. They all ultimately explore human connection.”

Based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Oppenheimer focuses on J. Robert Oppenheimer, taking audiences back to when the American theoretical physicist oversaw the creation of the atomic bomb during World War II.

An awards season favorite, it has picked several prizes already, including five Golden Globes.

Cillian Murphy was recognized in the BAFTA leading actor category for his portrayal of Oppenheimer. Fellow cast mates Robert Downey, Jr. and Emily Blunt were also nominated in the supporting acting categories. Christopher Nolan was recognized for best director and adapted screenplay.

“I couldn’t be happier that the British Academy recognized so many of my collaborators on Oppenheimer, especially Chris Nolan,” Mr. Murphy said. “Working on the film was an experience I’ll never forget.”

‘SHOCK’
Poor Things received a leading actress nod for Emma Stone, who has already pick up awards for her performance, as well as recognition in the outstanding British film and adapted screenplay categories.

Other leading actress contenders include Margot Robbie for Barbie, Carey Mulligan for Maestro, Fantasia Barrino for The Color Purple, Vivian Oparah for Rye Lane, and Anatomy of a Fall’s Sandra Hüller, who was also nominated in the supporting actress category for The Zone of Interest.

Golden Globe winner Lily Gladstone, considered a strong contender for the best actress Oscar, was not nominated for Killers of the Flower Moon, neither was Mr. Scorsese as director.

Various media outlets described Ms. Gladstone’s omission as a “shock.”

Alongside Mr. Murphy, Bradley Cooper of Maestro, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti of The Holdovers and Teo Yoo for Past Lives make up the leading actor nominees.

None of the best director contenders has previously won the award, and four out of the six were first-time director nominees: Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest, Alexander Payne for The Holdovers, Andrew Haigh for mystery drama All of Us Strangers, and Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall.

Ms. Triet is the only woman on the list, with the omission of Barbie director Greta Gerwig raising some eyebrows.

“Barbie’s done incredibly well. It’s brilliant to see Greta nominated for (original) screenplay, for Margot and for Ryan to be nominated,” Sarah Putt, chair of BAFTA, told Reuters, referring to Ryan Gosling’s supporting actor nomination.

“It’s a very, very competitive year.”

Known as the BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts), the awards ceremony takes place in London on Feb. 18. — Reuters

Philippines falls in Social Progress Index ranking

The Philippines fell by six places to rank 87th out of 170 countries and scored 66.16 out of 100 in the latest edition of the annual Social Progress Index by American nonprofit organization Social Progress Imperative. This was the country’s lowest rank since it was included in 2011.

 

Philippines falls in Social Progress Index ranking

How PSEi member stocks performed — January 22, 2024

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, January 22, 2024.


Peso slumps to near three-month low

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO declined to a near three-month low against the dollar on Monday as strong US data dampened expectations of an early rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.

The local unit closed at P56.33 per dollar on Monday, weakening by 36 centavos from its P55.97 finish on Friday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

This was the peso’s weakest close nearly months or since its P56.73 finish on Oct. 31, 2023.

The peso opened Monday’s session stronger at P55.95 against the dollar, which was also its intraday best. Its weakest showing was its close of P56.33 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded went up to $1.71 billion on Monday from $1.39 billion on Friday.

The peso was dragged down by a stronger dollar amid dampened hopes of early policy easing by the Fed, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said via Viber.

“The peso weakened significantly following the upbeat US consumer sentiment report for January and fading views of an early March US rate cut,” a trader said in an e-mail.

The Fed raised borrowing costs by a total of 525 basis points from March 2022 to July 2023 to the 5.25-5.5% range.

It will hold its first policy meeting for the year on Jan. 30-31.

For Tuesday, the trader said the peso could rebound on profit taking and possible dollar weakness ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy decision.

The trader sees the peso moving between P56.10 and P56.35 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P56.25 to P56.45. — AMCS

PSEi snaps four-day skid amid BSP easing hopes

BW FILE PHOTO

THE MAIN INDEX ended its four-day skid on Monday as the central bank chief said they could consider cutting benchmark rates this year and following US markets’ rise last week.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) improved by 79.93 points or 1.22% to end at 6,583.47 on Monday, while the broader all shares index rose by 28.04 points or 0.81% to close at 3,479.82. 

China Bank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo E. Colet said the local bourse improved after Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said rate cuts are “possible but maybe not likely” within this semester.

“BSP Governor Remolona’s remarks that a policy rate cut is possible, though not likely, in the first half of this year was also viewed positively by some investors who saw it as a signal that the Monetary Board (MB) was not totally closed to a dovish shift in the next few months,” Mr. Colet said.

The BSP chief earlier said that it may need to keep policy settings tighter for longer until inflation settles more firmly within target.

The Monetary Board hiked benchmark borrowing costs by 450 basis points from May 2022 to October 2023 to help bring down elevated inflation, bringing the policy rate to a 16-year high of 6.5%.

Mr. Colet said US markets’ gains on Friday also pushed the local bourse up.

“The local bourse gained by 79.93 points to 6,583.47 on a technical bounce following four consecutive days of decline. Moreover, positive cues from the US markets last Friday contributed to lifting the market,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar likewise said in a Viber message.

She however noted that the rally was “weak” as value turnover remained low, falling to P4.56 billion on Monday with 301.17 million issues switching hands from the P6.19 billion with 301.39 million shares seen on Friday.

The S&P 500 posted a record- high close on Friday for the first time in two years, fueled by a rally in chipmakers and other heavyweight technology stocks on optimism around artificial intelligence, Reuters reported.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.23% to end the session at 4,839.81 points. The Nasdaq jumped 1.7% to 15,310.97 points, while Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.05% to 37,863.80 points.

Back home, the majority of the market’s sectoral indices closed higher on Monday, with industrials being the lone decliner, losing 11.43 points or 0.12% to end at 9,066.51. 

Mining and oil rose by 151.91 points or 1.64% to 9,362.11; holding firms climbed by 94.85 points or 1.52% to 6,317.30; property went up by 42.94 points or 1.52% to 2,859.62; financials increased by 24.51 points or 1.35% to 1,837.19; and services added 15.23 points or 0.95% to end at 1,610.32.

Advancers beat decliners, 94 against 85, while 48 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign buying stood at P97.27 million on Monday versus the P802.43 million in net selling seen the previous trading day. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

Inflation is top Filipino concern — poll

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

SPIRALING prices were the top concern of most Filipinos in the last month of a year that saw inflation hit a 14-year high due to surging food costs, according to a poll released by Octa Research on Monday amid expectations of elevated costs of transport and electricity.

The survey of 1,200 adult Filipinos from Dec. 10-14 also showed that the push to amend the country’s 36-year-old Charter does not have popular support.

In the poll, 73% of Filipinos said the government should focus on controlling the increase in the prices of basic goods and services.

Runaway inflation forced global central banks to drive up interest rates to the fastest in decades last year, with the Philippines’ rate hitting a peak of 8.7% year on year in the first month of 2023.

Headline inflation last month declined to 3.9%, but the full-year average for 2023 hit 6.0%, breaching the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2%-4% target.

Top concern over inflation was seen in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao, where 82% of adult Filipinos said inflation was the most pressing issue, surpassing all other major regions.

Higher prices have significantly eroded the purchasing power of households and businesses, Michael M. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He cited the continuing impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started nearly two years ago, on the global prices of oil and other basic commodities.

“Higher prices/inflation had the greatest adverse effect on the poorest of the poor or those with limited budgets,” Mr. Ricafort said.

“The problem is that government has no response to addressing inflation other than to decrease aggregate demand,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, said via Messenger chat.

Heavily relying on rate hikes decreases inflation “at the expense of higher growth and jobs.”

“At the bottom of all of these difficulties is a decline in human capital investments which can only come from fiscal consolidation,” he added.

Food inflation stood at 10.0% in December, with rice driving the increase as the commodity’s prices increased by 17.9%, the fastest since it hit 22.9% in March 2009.

The fact that the concern for inflation persists “raises a question on the leadership of the incumbent administration and their capacity to listen to and solve pressing problems of the nation given that we are approaching the middle of the term,” Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel Manuel said in a statement.

“For multiple surveys now, high prices and fees remain to be among the most urgent concern of Filipinos,” he said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. earlier this month said his administration will pursue non-monetary measures including plugging supply gaps to stabilize prices this year.

Economists have also cited the impact of El Niño on food and utilities, higher global oil prices, potential increases in transport fares as key risks to the inflation outlook this year.

Mr. Marcos said the El Niño weather pattern, which will likely extend up to the second half of this year, and geopolitical risks could “trample” the optimistic growth outlook for the Philippines, which grew by 5.9% in the third quarter last year.

“Abroad, escalating geopolitical tensions could dampen global trade, tighten global financing, as well as trigger fuel and food shocks that could tow inflation back up,” he said after appointing a new Finance chief, who has been ordered to work with other officials in devising strategies that will tame inflation.

In the Octa survey, controlling inflation was followed by the need to boost people’s access to affordable food (45%), create more jobs (36%), increase wages (34%), and reduce poverty (32%).

There were 1.83 million jobless Filipinos in November last year, down from 2.09 million a month earlier and 2.18 million in November 2022, according to government data.

The Philippines’ poverty rate stood at 22.4% in the first half of 2023, lower than the 23.7% from a year earlier. This was equivalent to a poor population of 25.242 million.

But it was still above pre-pandemic levels “after a year and a half of the economy reopening and despite growth hyped as among the fastest in Asia, Ibon Foundation Executive Director Sonny A. Africa had said.

The government is hoping to bring the poverty rate to single-digit levels by 2028.

Ibon has been citing the need to boost the quality of local jobs by boosting the country’s manufacturing base and agriculture sector.

The need to reduce poverty was followed by the need to enforce the law on all (7%), and reduce the amount of taxes (6%). These were followed by the need to protect overseas Filipino workers, prepare to counter terrorist threats, and stop the abuse of the environment with 4% each. 

‘CHA-CHA’ NOT A MAJOR CONCERN
In the OCTA survey, amending the 1987 Constitution was not seen as a major concern, with only 1% of adult Filipinos believing Charter change (Cha-cha) was an urgent issue.

Mr. Marcos’ allies in Congress are again pushing for cha-cha, which is typically revived by lawmakers every year, with Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri proposing amendments to Articles 12, 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

All the while, a people’s initiative pushing for “Cha-cha” has been tainted with vote-buying allegations, and lawmakers have already filed resolutions seeking an inquiry.

“With numerous reports from the ground of manipulative campaigning where ayuda, money, false promises and threats are used to garner signatures, this survey is damning evidence that there is no real public clamor behind the petition drive for cha-cha,” Mr. Manuel, the party-list lawmaker, said.

“This is indeed a politician’s initiative, not of the people.”

Mr. Marcos last month said efforts were underway to revisit the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution and domestic laws as his administration seeks to make the country “an investment-friendly place.”

Bernardo M. Villegas, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution and professor emeritus at University of Asia and the Pacific, earlier told BusinessWorld that “Cha-cha” is no longer necessary to attract foreign direct investments since the country already revised its Commonwealth-era Public Service Act (PSA) to allow full foreign ownership in key domestic sectors.

Mr. Villegas, who had supported moves to amend the Constitution before the passage of the amended PSA, noted that the remaining sectors not allowed for full foreign ownership such as education, media and advertising, are “not vital to high economic growth today.”

The Philippines continues to limit land ownership to Filipino citizens and corporations that are at least 60% Filipino-owned as enshrined in the Constitution.

But Mr. Villegas said foreign investors who are considering large-scale agribusiness investments “do not need to own land.”

“They can lease the land long term as in the nucleus estate model of palm oil in Malaysia and Indonesia.”

In Congress, Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda said Charter change would help address the Philippines’ food security problem.

“The key to boosting food production and reducing food prices in the Philippines is investment in agriculture. The flow of capital to the agriculture sector has been tightly strangled by restrictions in the Constitution and the resulting restrictions in our laws,” he said in a statement in reaction to the Octa poll.

“These restrictions cover ownership, lease, transfer, and even foreign management – leaving foreign investors very little room for involvement in local agriculture,” Mr. Salceda, who also heads the House Ways and Means Committee, added. — with a report from Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

China’s hostility toward fishermen condemned

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINES on Monday condemned the Chinese Coast Guard anew over its latest move to prevent Filipino fishermen from accessing a traditional fishing ground in the South China Sea.

National Security Council spokesman Jonathan E. Malaya said the actions of the Chinese authorities against Filipino fishermen collecting shells near the south entrance of Scarborough Shoal last Jan. 12 were “provocative” and alarming.

“We were hoping that this 2024, the situation in the West Philippine Sea will be much calmer but here we go again, there was another incident where our fishermen were driven away by the China Coast Guard,” he said in a public briefing. “We are worried and we condemn this latest provocative action.”

On Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed a report that a China Coast Guard ship deployed a rubber boat to chase a small boat of Filipinos collecting shells in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal, which is well within Manila’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Citing the account of one of the Filipino fishermen, the PCG said one of the five Chinese personnel forced them to return the shells they had collected to the sea before being allowed to leave.

The fishermen were “subsequently driven away,” PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tristan Tarriela said in a statement.

The Philippines and China held a bilateral consultation on the South China Sea on Jan. 17, vowing to pursue friendly talks to manage their tensions in one of the world’s most important waterways.

Mr. Tarriela appealed to the Chinese government to complement the agreement with appropriate actions on the ground. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Lawmaker warns ‘Cha-cha’ may restore foreign bases

MILITANT groups greet the year’s first day of session in Congress with a protest against plans for Charter change (“Cha-cha”) on Batasan Road leading to the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Monday. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

A LAWMAKER has sounded the alarm on Congress’ push to amend the 1987 Constitution, saying Charter amendments could also include the removal of a ban on foreign military bases in the country.

“With Charter change, the Marcos Jr. administration will be able to freely allow foreign bases from the US and other countries to enter the Philippines, compromising our national sovereignty,” Assistant Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said in a statement on Monday.

Under Article 18, Section 25 of the Charter, it states that foreign military bases, troops, or facilities are not allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty concurred in the Senate, or if required by Congress, ratified by a majority of votes in a national referendum.

“The 1987 Constitution explicitly prohibits foreign military bases in the Philippines, but previous administrations were able to skirt this provision by passing defense treaties like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA),” Ms. Brosas added.

In 1991, the Philippine Senate voted against the renewal of the United States’ military bases in the country.

However, senators in 1999 concurred with the ratification of the VFA, which allows the US to have a constant rotating military presence in the Philippines for training exercises and for the export and import of military equipment.

In 2014, former President Benigno C. Aquino III signed the EDCA to let the US military rotate ships and aircraft for humanitarian and maritime security operations at mutually agreed-upon Philippine military bases.

The agreement builds on the VFA as well as the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

Congress has reopened talks to amend the Constitution to soften economic restrictions and encourage foreign investors to enter the country.

The Senate will conduct its own review of the charter upon the request of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said last week.

Mr. Zubiri said changes to the Constitution would be focused on easing foreign restrictions on public utilities, advertising, and education. Senator Ronald M. Dela Rosa said he supports the amendment of the Constitution’s economic provisions but is against Congress voting jointly on Constitutional amendments. Analysts have previously said that congressmen would outnumber senators if Congress voted jointly instead of separately.

CHARTER NOT CAUSE OF POOR EDUCATION, SAYS CONGRESSMAN
During the House’s plenary session on Monday, Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo said the Constitution is not to blame for the Philippines’ education crisis. “I don’t think there is anything [from defects in the education sector] that can be traceable for the simple reason that the Constitution, in fact, provides that the highest budget allocation should go to the education sector of our country,” he said.

Mr. Romulo, who heads the House basic education committee, said problems in the education sector lie in the poor implementation of existing laws. “The problem really is implementation, the fragmented implementation of these laws, and sadly, in many instances, the negligence in the implementation of these laws,” he told congressmen.

Several groups are also rallying for charter change (“Cha-cha”) through a people’s initiative (PI) where a television advertisement using the phrase “EDSA-pwera” blames the country’s economic woes on the current Charter, which was ratified after the EDSA People Power revolution that ousted former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Signature campaigns supporting PI in exchange for “gifts” are also being distributed allegedly with the involvement of congressmen. Amid reiterating his view that charter change is not the immediate solution to the country’s woes, Senate Majority Leader Joel J. Villanueva said that several provisions of the Constitution may be amended to benefit the public.

“The Constitution cannot simply be tampered, changed or amended, but this doesn’t mean that it’s perfect,” Mr. Villanueva said in a statement in Filipino. “Several provisions may be changed to help the country.”

500 routes to lose jeepneys — PISTON

REUTERS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

MORE than 500 public utility vehicle (PUVs) routes are likely to lose jeepneys and other PUVs once the government bars unconsolidated transport vehicles from operating legally on Feb. 1, a transport group warned on Monday.

In a statement, the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) better to come up with alternatives to improve public transport as it bewailed how thousands of drivers are to lose their jobs due to the government’s PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“It is not right that the government is pushing for this consolidation,” Mody T. Floranda, PISTON national president, said in Filipino. “It is more sensible to just scrap the program altogether and think of better ways to implement a more progressive public transport system.”

Based on LTFRB data as of Jan. 19, 395 jeepney routes and 108 UV Express routes in Metro Manila do not have consolidated units.

There are also 337 jeepney routes that have less than 60% consolidation in the capital region.

The deadline for consolidation was on Dec. 31, which would lead to the phaseout of jeepneys for more modern vehicles. A grace period that allows unconsolidated jeepneys to continue plying their routes will end on Jan. 31.

Earlier this month, the Department of Transportation and the LTFRB asked the Supreme Court to throw out petitions seeking to halt the government’s PUVMP, denying allegations of violating due process for PUV drivers.

“PISTON also urges the Supreme Court and legislators to immediately intervene and prevent this transport fiasco caused by (President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.) and his cohorts in the DoTr and the LTFRB,” the transport group said.

Marcos reactivates El Niño Task Force

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has signed an order reactivating and reorganizing an inter-agency task force in the early 2000s that crafted policies to mitigate the effects of the El Niño weather pattern.

Executive Order (EO) No. 53, signed on Jan. 19, reactivates the El Niño Task Force, which will be headed by the secretary of national defense and monitor the implementation of short- and long-term programs under a national action plan that seeks to mitigate the impacts of El Niño, which began in March and continues to “exhibit signs of intensification.”

The task force may revise and update the Strategic El Niño National Action Plan, which was crafted last year and focuses on water security, food security, energy security, health, and safety.

It should coordinate with concerned agencies to “expedite the completion of all ongoing water infrastructure intended to cushion or mitigate the impacts of El Niño not later than the end of April 2024,” read part of EO 53.

It is tasked with coordinating with the Presidential Communications Office to come up with a massive information campaign to educate the public on El Niño, which brings warmer than usual weather conditions.

The President also ordered the establishment of an El Niño Online Platform, which will serve as a “centralized repository of a wide range of data, research, and information concerning El Niño, such as interactive maps and visualizations, as well as well-informed, data-driven plans and programs.”

El Niño will likely extend up to the second half of the year.

It is expected to lead to a significant increase in power demand, with the Energy department projecting the peak demand to hit 13,917 megawatts (MW) in the Luzon grid, 2,891 MW in Visayas and 2,584 MW in Mindanao.

In related a development, the Baguio Water District (BWD) is constructing 10 deep wells to ensure a steady water supply in the country’s summer capital when El Niño sets in.

BWD General Manager Salvador M. Royeca said each of these wells, funded through loans from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), will produce 140 gallons per minute with a cumulative daily production of 8,000 to 10,000 cubic meters.

Mr. Royeca noted that BWD sourced funds amounting to P300 million from the Office of the President to construct a water catchment basin at the Busol watershed, aiding water supply during peak demand in the summer months.

About 90 percent of the water district’s potable water supply comes from its existing 68 deep wells and Mr. Royeca stressed the city’s need for more due to the growing population and demand. — with a report from Artemio A. Dumlao

New ASF cases hit Occidental Mindoro

REUTERS

THE BUREAU of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed on Monday the detection of new cases of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in three towns of Occidental Mindoro.

In a statement by the Department of Agriculture (DA), it said that local government have begun surveillance, immediate depopulation of the infected hogs, and implement preventive culling around affected areas.

DA Spokesperson Arnel V. de Mesa said that blood samples send to the BAI confirmed seven cases in San Jose and five in Sta. Cruz, and two cases in the municipality of Rizal as of Jan. 17.

“Pig production in the Oriental Mindoro towns of Naujan and Calapan are now being strictly monitored due to previous ASF cases while the town of Baco is being monitored for the virus,” the DA said.

ASF cases in the area were first detected during the latter parts of the year.

It added that the BAI confirmed an outbreak on Jan. 12 after the reports of unusual swine deaths within several barangays in Sta. Cruz and San Jose.

“Under DA regulations, a town is placed under red zone even if only one barangay tests positive, restricting hog movement within the area,” it said. “Tighter mobility restrictions are imposed if two or more barangays test positive for the virus.”

The DA said that it is waiting for the request of LGUs to activate additional surveillance group and provide the indemnification of slaughtered hogs.

The agency pays P5,000 for each slaughtered hog affected by the ASF, it has a limit of 20 heads. — Adrian H. Halili

Blue Ribbon gets first lady chair

SENATOR PIA CAYETANO is elected new chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday, becoming the first woman to head the committee tasked with investigating cases of graft and corruption involving state officials. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ JESSIE BUSTOS

SENATOR PIA S. CAYETANO has been elected as the chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee after Senator Francis N. Tolentino formally resigned from the position on Monday. She is the first woman to head the committee.

Senate Majority Leader Joel J. Villanueva announced Ms. Cayetano’s election as the head of the Senate committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, which looks into cases of graft and corruption involving state officials.

In December, Mr. Tolentino said he was stepping down to honor his vow to serve his post for only a year and a half.

“In fulfillment of a sacred commitment to serve as Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman and Member of the Commission on Appointments for a concise term of one and a half years, I find it both a duty and an honor to uphold the essence of a prior agreement,” he told a news briefing on Dec. 19. 

Ms. Cayetano previously served as the chairperson of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, which ensures that state programs align with the United Nations goals against poverty and improving health systems through research and development.

“The Senate has been in existence for 106 years providing the checks and balances in a bicameral system, so we’re very honored that Senator Pia Cayetano is the new chairperson,” Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said in plenary. — John Victor D. Ordoñez