LTFRB allows Grab motorcycle taxis

February 28, 2024 | 9:00 pm

THE LAND Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has allowed the inclusion of Grab Philippines in the motorcycle taxi pilot study.

In a media release on Wednesday, the agency said the motorcycle taxi technical working group (TWG) has already released a letter to Grab Philippines informing the company of its inclusion in the motorcycle pilot study.

“[The LTFRB] confirmed that the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group has issued a letter to Grab Philippines notifying its inclusion in the motorcycle taxi pilot study,” LTFRB said.

“[The] letter noted that Grab can only commence their MC Taxi service after the MC Taxi TWG grants Grab a license into the pilot,” the LTFRB said in a statement.

“Concerning the actual activation of any MC Taxi app or service on the Grab app, this agency confirms that Grab is yet to receive full authorization from the MC Taxi TWG,” said Teofilo E. Guadiz III, LTFRB chairman.

It said that the MC taxi TWG has already conducted a site inspection on Grab Philippines and Grab’s application is pending final regulatory approval.

To recall, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has urged the Congress to fast track a measure allowing the operation of motorcycle taxis.

Last year, LTFRB said that it is set to conclude the pilot study on motorcycle taxis.

In 2019, the Transportation department directed the LTFRB to form a technical working group to oversee the rollout of motorcycle taxi services offered by Angkas, JoyRide and Move It.

The pilot study resumed in 2022 after having been suspended in 2020. The study will generate recommendations on safety, security, franchising, and regulatory procedures.

The proposed Motorcycles-For-Hire Act, aimed to amend RA 4136, remains at the committee levels in the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Rest assured, the LTFRB will continue to work closely with all stakeholders in the industry to maintain fair competition in this fast-growing sector,” Mr. Guadiz said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Stocks rebound on improving inflation outlook

February 28, 2024 | 9:00 pm

PHILIPPINE SHARES rebounded on Wednesday amid an improved inflation outlook and before the release of key US economic data.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.23% or 15.85 points to finish at 6,876.52 on Wednesday, while the broader all shares index climbed by 0.23% or 8.57 points to close at 3,591.66.

“The local bourse bounced back by 15.85 points (0.23%) to 6,876.52 as optimism was spurred by the World Bank’s expectation that the Philippines’ inflation will likely stay within 2-4% this year,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar said in a Viber message.

“Strong earnings results from 2023 also provided positive sentiment,” she added.

Philippine inflation may settle within the 2-4% target band for every month in 2024, a World Bank official said on Tuesday, though it warned of the need to remain alert for risks to the outlook.

“We think it’s likely that inflation will stay over the whole year between 2-4%,” World Bank Philippines Senior Economist Ralph van Doorn said on Tuesday. “We know there are risks to it, but we’ll have to see if they materialize. If we see that these risks are becoming more concrete, then we will have to also make adjustments to our projections.”

Headline inflation decelerated to an over three-year low of 2.8% in January, marking the second straight month it fell within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ target range of 2-4%.

“Philippine shares made some modest gains as investors braced for the release of the key inflation report due later this week… [The] personal consumption expenditures reading for January will be the main event on Thursday, as it’s the US Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a Viber message.

“Back home, the local bourse ticked up slightly ahead of the implementation of the MSCI rebalancing and the end of the month,” he added.

Sectoral indices were mixed on Wednesday. Financials climbed by 1.25% or 24.77 points to 2,005.65; property went up by 0.23% or 6.63 points to 2,883.88; and holding firms improved by 0.07% or 4.91 points to 6,447.41.

On the other hand, industrials fell by 0.25% or 23.67 points to 9,250.41; mining and oil dropped by 0.04% or 3.67 points to 8,548.22; and services retreated by 0.03% or 0.63 points to 1,755.28.

“Among the index members, BDO Unibank, Inc. achieved the top spot, increasing by 2.92% following its recent pullback while Century Pacific Food, Inc. had the biggest loss, dropping by 2.75%,” Ms. Alviar said.

Value turnover fell to P4.73 billion on Wednesday with 379.4 million issues switching hands from the P5.66 billion with 577.04 million shares traded the prior day.

Advancers beat decliners, 95 against 85, while 57 issues closed unchanged.

Net foreign buying dropped to P27.86 million on Wednesday from P77.08 million on Tuesday. — R.M.D. Ochave

Lawmaker says only half of Oriental Mindoro oil spill claims paid

February 28, 2024 | 8:59 pm

oil spill Pola, Oriental Mindoro province, Philippines — Volunteers dressed in personal protective equipment clean up the oil spill from the sunken fuel tanker MT Princess Empress, on the shore of Pola, Oriental Mindoro province, Philippines, March 7, 2023. -- REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

ONLY half of the total compensation claims have been paid to locals affected by a major oil spill in Oriental Mindoro exactly a year ago on Wednesday, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel said.

“Of the P3 billion in compensation claims, nearly P1.6 billion (worth of claims) have been paid so far,” he said in a statement, noting that 35,576 individuals and entities filed compensation claims against tanker MT Princess Empress.

The tanker was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28, 2023.

Mr. Pimentel said the claims were paid by the London-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds), in cooperation with The Shipowners Club, a mutual vessel insurance association in Luxembourg.

According to the IOPC fund report, P1.15 billion of the claims were allocated to 42 entities that made compensable claims on “cleanup and preventive measures.”

Some P43 million was paid to 3,103 individuals, mostly fisherfolk, amid economic losses at an average of P25,600 per claimant, Mr. Pimentel said.

The oil spill had caused P41.2 billion worth of damage to the environment and the coastal communities, the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) said in a report.

“Based on the IOPC Funds report, they’ve had difficulties paying many small claimants who did not have bank accounts,” the lawmaker said. “This problem betrays the need for the government to push hard for the financial inclusion of marginal Filipinos.” — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Marcos to Quiboloy: Face congressional probe

February 28, 2024 | 8:58 pm

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday urged Apollo C. Quiboloy, founder of a Philippine megachurch who has been charged with sex trafficking and bulk cash smuggling, to address allegations against him before lawmakers.

Mr. Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), should attend congressional hearings and present his side of the story, Mr. Marcos told reporters.

“He has an opportunity in the hearings both in the House and in the Senate to say his side of the story,” he said. “If he says ‘all of that is not true, it is not true,’ nothing will happen there.”

The religious leader, who claims to be the “appointed son of God,” was subpoenaed by Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel after failing to attend multiple hearings that tackled alleged sexual crimes hurled against him.

Ms. Hontiveros -Baraquel, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, had warned she would cite him in contempt and have him arrested if he failed to appear at a hearing set for March 5.

“My advice for him is to just face the questioning in the House and in the Senate,” Mr. Marcos said.

He was also slapped with a subpoena order by House lawmakers who are investigating the franchise of his Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), a media outlet that has been known for spewing lies and tagging critics as communists.

Mr. Quiboloy, a spiritual adviser of former president Rodrigo R. Duterte, landed on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list in 2022 for “his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.”

Mr. Quiboloy’s assets in the US have been frozen since 2022 after an American court indicted him in 2021 for sex trafficking and other charges.

In an audio recording that circulated on social media, Mr. Quiboloy said he is in hiding due to a supposed plot to assassinate him. He accused the US Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of collaborating with the Philippine government for the alleged plot. The US Embassy said last week it is confident that Mr. Quiboloy will be held to account for his 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,” it said. “Questions about legal proceedings should be directed to the US Department of Justice.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

DoLE, BI sign data-sharing agreement on working foreigners

February 28, 2024 | 8:57 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has signed a data-sharing agreement with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that covers foreign nationals with an Alien Employment Permit (AEP).

With the agreement-signing last Monday, DoLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma is hopeful manual verification will be a thing of the past.

“The Alien Employment Permit Management System of the DoLE and the BI System, through application programming interface, will expand our exchanges of information and will result in streamlining the process of both agencies,” Mr. Laguesma said in a statement to media.

The DSA is also seen to align various government agencies to simplify doing business.

Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco said the DSA will aid them in verifying online in real time the “validity and authenticity of AEPs” of foreign nationals looking for jobs in the Philippines.

“At the same, we can also share to DoLE those whom we issued 9G working visas, provisional work permits, special work permits,” Mr. Tansingco, speaking partly in Filipino, said.

Pre-arranged Employment Visas or 9G working visas are issued to foreigners entering the country to engage in employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs stated on its website. These visas will be processed online starting June 1, 2024.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) tallied 78,396 foreign citizens in the country in 2020 or 0.1% of the population. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Bangsamoro gov’t locks horns with local officials over BARMM governance code

February 28, 2024 | 8:57 pm

COTABATO CITY — Officials of the Bangsamoro government are bracing for a drawn-out legal battle as a consequence of the petition by constituent-local executives for the Supreme Court (SC) to declare null and void the newly-enacted regional governance code.

Three governors, Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur, Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Jr. of Lanao del Sur and Abdusakur Mahail Tan of Sulu and the presidents of the League of Mayors in their respective provinces together questioned some provisions in the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code (BLGC).

According to the petitioners, the code which is also known as the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 49 is filled with provisions that run counter to the national government’s Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160).

“We are optimistic of the Supreme Court’s prompt action on this,” Mr. Adiong, who has jurisdiction over 39 towns and almost a hundred barangays in Marawi City, said on Wednesday.

The three governors and other petitioners stated in their petition to the SC that the BLGC is not attuned with the national Local Government Code that municipal, city and provincial governments in the autonomous region have been using as a guide for operations since its congressional approval in 1991.

They argued that some provisions in the BLGC of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, signed as regional law by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, provided the regional government powers over local government units (LGUs) that are supposedly exclusive only to the Office of the President.

Their petition for SC’s action on their assertions about what is for them unconstitutional provisions of the BLGC was filed last Monday.

Ms. Mangudadatu, Mr. Adiong and Mr. Tan, who organized last year the Bangsamoro Governors’ Caucus as a platform for discussions on issues pertaining to Moro autonomy and other issues, had asked the High Tribunal to stop the implementation of the BLGC that the 80-seat BARMM parliament approved on Sept. 28, 2023.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the three governors had said that BARMM’s regional governance code had provided the regional government immense powers over LGUs in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and in the cities of Marawi, Cotabato and Lamitan parallel with that of the Philippine president.

Regional officials, among them lawyers in the region’s 80-member parliament, told reporters on Wednesday that the BARMM government is to respond positively to the SC petition once ordered to do so. — John Felix M. Unson

SC launches ‘One-Stop Shop’ at new building

February 28, 2024 | 8:56 pm

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) opened on Wednesday its “One-Stop Shop” for easier processing of court concerns at the gate of the new building on Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila.

It is part of the SC’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) to push for efficiency, innovation, and access by centralizing the frontlines, digitizing the processes, and addressing the public’s concerns, the SC said in a statement.

The one-stop shop attends to functions of the Judicial Records Office (JRO), the Fiscal Management and Budget Office (FMBO-Cashier), and the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC).

An area is also included for the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC), which receives requests for certifications (for bar membership, bar ratings, good standing, verification, and bar examinations abroad). It also receives administrative cases and complaints against lawyers.

This shop will also open more windows during “bar season” to accommodate applicants and examinees, the SC said. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Ajido and White snatch bronze in Asian Age Group Swimming

February 28, 2024 | 7:21 pm

1 of 2

CAPAS, Tarlac — Filipina-British Heather White and Jamesray Ajido delivered the country’s breakthrough medals by snaring a bronze each in the 11^th Asian Age-Group Swimming Championships at the New Clark City here on Tuesday night.

Ms. White, a New-Zealand-born, Vietnam-based 16-year-old 11^th grader, was the first to come through, plucking the bronze in the girls’ 100-meter butterfly where she clocked a minute and 3.09 seconds.

Hong Kong, China’s Yeung Hoi Ching took the gold in 1:00.50, which was a new meet record, while compatriot Mok Sze Ki snared the silver in 1:02.73.

Then Mr. Ajido, 15, struck medal right at the very next event — the boys’ 50m freestyle where he timed 24.34 in snatching the country’s second bronze. Japan’s Toya Hirata and China’s Wang Yaobin copped the gold and silver in 23.21 and 24.10, respectively.

For Ms. White, this was her biggest performance to date. “I would say this was one of the best performances. I did also get a gold in SEA Age but it’s not as competitive as the Asian age group so this one meant a lot more to me,” said Ms. White, whose mother Jenny was from Pantukan, Davao de Oro.

And Ms. White and Mr. Ajido aren’t done yet. Mr. Ajido, a La Salle-Greenhills standout and a double-gold medalist in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99, posted the fastest time in the morning heats of the 100m fly where he timed in 56.91 while White made it to the 200m free finals after a second-fastest clocking of 2:09.10.

There are expectations they’ll deliver more medals, hopefully gold. — Joey Villar

Eala jumps to new career-high number 180 in WTA ranking

February 28, 2024 | 7:18 pm

THERE is no stopping Alex Eala.

The Filipina tennis sensation zoomed to a new career-high in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) at No. 180 after a series of deep playoff runs. Ms. Eala, erased her previous best at No. 185 last month after winning her professional doubles title in the W50 Pune in India last month.

Winner of four pro championships, she also came off a semifinal finish in the W50 Indore in India and a quarterfinal appearance in the W75 Porto in Portugal.

The 18-year-old ace is currently in the thick of singles and doubles stints in the W50 Trnava in Slovakia. — JB Ulanday

Letran routs Arellano, 106-85, to keep NCAA lead

February 28, 2024 | 7:18 pm

Games Thursday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
8 a.m. — JRU vs San Beda
10 a.m. — Letran vs UPHSD
12 p.m. — AU vs EAC
2:30 p.m. — Mapua vs SSC-R
4:30 p.m. — CSB vs LPU

DANIEL PADILLA and Jolo Navarro teamed up in lifting back-to-back title-seeking Colegio de San Juan de Letran to a 106-85 decimation of Arellano University (AU) yesterday and keeping its iron grip of the lead in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

Mr. Padilla exploded for 28 points while Jolo Navarro bulldozed his way to 19 points and 23 rebounds as the Squires claimed their fifth win in a row and sixth in all in seven outings. All it took for Letran to blow the game out of reach was a massive start, outscoring AU in the opening quarter, 37-18, and never really got threatened the rest of the way.

And the Padilla-Navarro duo was at the center of it all as they ignited that early breakaway by combining for 18 points in that key stretch.

The Braves fell to 1-6.

Earlier, San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R)drew strength from a big fourth quarter performance in turning back College of St. Benilde (CSB), 76-67, that kept them inside the top four with a 5-2 slate.

Rion Porcadas fired 22 points he laced with five thundering triples while Jhun Penaverde and Ruvic Danag added 19 and 12 points, respectively.

Mr. Porcadas erupted for 10 points in the fourth quarter that lit that breakaway in the final canto.

The Junior Blazers slipped to 2-5. — Joey Villar

The scores:

First Game

San Sebastian 76 — Porcades 22, Penaverde 19, Danag 12, Apostol 6, Jimenez 5, Marasigan 4, Bautista 4, Melano 4, Herrera 0, Roales 0, Casan 0, Bonus 0, Jacob 0

CSB 67 — Quines 22, Ison 13, Gomez 11, Podador 10, Ortega 6, Peralta 3, Natividad 2, Muyuela 0, Tud 0, Sharma 0, Pagalilauan 0, Abad 0, Romero 0, Nonoy 0, Hachuela 0

Quarterscores: 21-10; 38-34; 59-56; 76-67

Second Game

Letran 106 — Padilla 28, Navarro 19, Manalili 14, Hugo 10, Dela Rama 7, De Leon 7, Villanueva 7, Diamante 5, Cruz 4, Baliling 3, Gazzingan 2

AU 85 — Reguera 24, Javier 13, Mendoza 12, Franco 8, Espinosa 8, Vergara 5, Distrito 5, Austria 3, Tanudtanod 2, Yu 2, Pangilinan 2, Pascual 1, Novillo 0, Montesclaros 0, Jimenez 0

Quarterscores: 37-18; 62-36; 80-58; 106-85

Creamline unveils two new players against Akari in PVL

February 28, 2024 | 7:15 pm

Games Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. — Farm Fresh vs Capital 1 Solar
6 p.m. — Akari vs Creamline

CREAMLINE unveils its new players Bea de Leon and Denden Lazaro-Revilla as it shoots for a piece of the lead against a dangerous Akari Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Mmess. De Leon and Lazaro-Revilla, who were held out in a 34-36, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15 win over the Farm Fresh Foxies Saturday, due to health issues but should make their much-awaited debuts in their 6 p.m. duel with the Chargers.

A win for Creamline would catapult it back to the top along with Chery Tiggo, PLDT and sister team Choco Mucho, who all won their first two outings.

For Akari, it is eyeing to bounce back from a 21-25, 25-18, 25-12, 25-18 defeat to Cignal last game.

Mr. Meneses, however, voiced his concern over the alarming errors they committed last time out.

The Cool Smashers have continued to rely on their unbreakable bond and smooth chemistry in sweeping the All Filipino Conference in 15 games last year for their league-best sixth crown.

They made it 16^th straight with that win over Farm Fresh.

Tots Carlos was in MVP form early as she led the way with 19 points in just a little over two sets.

Also eyeing their first win were Farm Fresh and Capital1 Solar Energy, which collide at 4 p.m. — Joey Villar

Haaland hammers 5 as Manchester City thrashes Luton in FA Cup

February 28, 2024 | 7:14 pm

LUTON, England — Erling Haaland roared back to his best form with a five-goal salvo as Manchester City thumped Luton Town 6-2 at Kenilworth Road to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Luton had no answer to the marauding Norwegian who bagged his eighth City hat-trick before halftime and then scored twice more after the break to kill off a stirring Luton revival.

The 23-year-old Mr. Haaland’s first four goals were all created by Kevin De Bruyne. Mateo Kovacic also got on the scoresheet for holders City who are unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions.

Luton threatened an unlikely comeback when Jordan Clark found the top corner with a sublime effort on the stroke of halftime and netted again early in the second half.

But a strong Manchester City side instantly found another gear to cruise into the hat for the last eight.

Second-tier leaders Leicester City joined Pep Guardiola’s side in the quarter-finals as they beat Premier League Bournemouth 1-0 thanks to Abdul Fatawu’s extra-time goal.

Newcastle United squeezed through in a penalty shootout at Blackburn Rovers after the tie ended 1-1.

The night belonged to the unstoppable Mr. Haaland though as he became the first top-flight player to score five goals in an FA Cup tie since George Best struck six for Manchester United against Northampton Town in 1970.

The only blemish for City, who face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, was an injury to Jack Grealish who was forced off before halftime with a recurrence of a groin injury.

HAALAND ON FIRE
Mr. Haaland had scored only five goals in his previous 11 appearances for City — a spell interrupted by a foot injury that some suggested had taken the edge off his game.

But he blew away any doubts in emphatic fashion with a sensational display of centre forward play. “Erling was on fire and Kevin was perfect,” was Mr. Guardiola’s verdict. “The connection they have. Erling needs a player like Kevin and Kevin needs a player like Erling.”

City meant business from the start and went ahead in the fourth minute as Matheus Nunes played in Mr. De Bruyne who cut back a perfect pass for Haaland to fire past Tim Krul.

Mr. De Bruyne played Mr. Haaland through in the 18^th minute to make it 2-0 and Mr. Haaland’s hat-trick goal was almost a carbon copy as he again rolled his marker and surged on to a De Bruyne pass before dinking a deft shot over Mr. Krul. Mr. Clark gave the home fans some cheer when he curled a perfect shot past Stefan Ortega and Luton punished City for some slack defending just after the restart with Mr. Clark finishing well.

But Mr. Haaland tapped in a De Bruyne pass a couple of minutes later and then grabbed his fifth from Bernardo Silva’s assist before being substituted, much to Luton’s relief.

Newcastle were given a big scare at Championship strugglers Blackburn. Anthony Gordon gave them the lead at Ewood Park but Rovers hit back with Samuel Szmodics taking the game to extra time in which both sides were close to nicking it.

The visitors edged through 4-3 on penalties with Blackburn captain Dominic Hyam having his kick saved by Martin Dubravka. — Reuters