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Lawmakers accuse China of ‘blatant display of aggression’ after water cannon incident

BW FILE PHOTO

THREE PHILIPPINE congressmen on Wednesday scored China for its “blatant display of aggression” when it fired water cannons at Philippine ships on a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal at the weekend.

They said China’s recent actions against Philippine boats pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

“The use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers by Chinese agents against Philippine fisheries bureau vessels delivering essential supplies to Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal and to resupply missions for Filipino troops stationed at the corrugated warship in the Second Thomas Shoal is a blatant display of aggression,” the lawmakers said in House Resolution 1527.

The lawmakers — Party-list Reps. France L. Castro, Arlene D. Brosas and Raoul Danniel A. Manuel — want the House foreign affairs committee to investigate the incident.

The government of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has filed 130 diplomatic protests against China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita C. Daza said 63 of these protests were filed this year, including one at the weekend after Chinese Coast Guard and militia ships fired water cannons at Philippine boats on a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal.

The Philippines on Monday accused China of “serious escalation” after it sprayed water on three Philippine vessels and ramming one that carried military chief Romeo S. Brawner, Jr.

It later summoned China’s ambassador in Manila over his country’s “aggressive” actions in the disputed waterway.

China on Monday said it had lodged “solemn representations” and a strong protest over the Philippines’ accusations over the incident.

Philippine vessels had ignored the Chinese Coast Guard’s warnings and rushed into waters near Second Thomas Shoal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news briefing.

China urged the Philippines to halt its “maritime violations and provocations” and “groundless attacks and smears.”

The congressmen cited another incident at the weekend when China’s coast guard fired water cannons at Philippine Fisheries bureau ships near Scarborough Shoal.

China has ignored a 2016 ruling by a United Nations-backed arbitration court that voided its claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea based on a 1940s map.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on final reading a bill that sets Philippine archipelagic sea and air routes where foreign vessels and aircraft may pass through without obstruction. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Philippines bats for rules on ethical use of autonomous weapon systems

THE PHILIPPINES is pushing for the creation of international guidelines on the ethical use of autonomous weapon systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI), according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), saying their improper use could risk innocent lives.

“The Philippines supports the development of ethical rules for the responsible use of such technologies through a coherent and effective global governance structure, building on existing international treaties and the work of the United Nations (UN),” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo said in a speech at the meeting on the Indo-Pacific Perspectives on Autonomous Weapons Systems in Makati City.

The Philippines is working with 14 other countries on a draft protocol and roadmap that will outlaw fully autonomous weapon systems Under the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

An autonomous weapon is programmed to kill a specific target. The weapon is deployed into an environment where its AI searches for the target using sensor data such as facial recognition, according to autonomousweapons.org.

Mr. Manalo said automated weapon systems pose risks to peace since they are “machines that can operate without meaningful human control, run by algorithms that are empowered to undertake decisions involving human life or death.”

Envoys and experts from 30 countries are participating in the discourse on the ethical and responsible use of autonomous weapons.

The first regional meet on lethal autonomous weapons will be held on Dec. 13 and 14.

“The discourse is not just a conversation about technology; it’s a critical dialogue about the ethical and moral implications of humanity’s future,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa T. Almojuela said in a statement.

In September last year at the UN General Assembly, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. called on the international community to come up with governance structures to prevent the weaponization of unmanned weapon systems.

He said the Philippines is eyeing a nonpermanent seat in the 15-member Security Council, saying the country is qualified due to its peace-building efforts.

The elections for new members in the council will be held in 2026.

Last month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the international community to address the challenges and concerns autonomous weapon systems bring to global and regional security.

“We are now aiming to shape the trajectory of international discourse on autonomous systems,” Mr. Manalo said.

“Our discourse must account for our society’s values and priorities, and it must be informed by an appreciation of regional dynamics and actors.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Marcos aims to counter El Niño effect on prices of Philippine agri products

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. instructed the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday to study the potential effect of the El Niño weather phenomenon on prices of agricultural products in the country in order for concerned agencies to prepare countermeasures.

“We are doing an analysis now of prices of food to see what the appropriate fiscal measures… we can undertake,” the President told a press briefing.

Mr. Marcos said the data gathered would be added to an online interagency database on the government’s efforts to address the effects of El Niño, which is associated with lack of rainfall.

He added that the DA was also exploring new methods to boost farmers’ yields.

“We are putting together data from the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Environment and Natural Resources… and others so that the concerned agencies can come up with a model using the data,” he said.

On Tuesday, The President ordered the creation of an interagency task force to address the effects of El Niño, which is expected to cause dry spells nationwide until the second quarter of 2024.

State agencies would focus on coming up with ways to effectively manage energy and food supplies to brace for impending dry spells.

Mr. Marcos on Wednesday led the turnover of P776 million worth of excavators in Nueva Ecija, which would be used by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for irrigation projects that would help farmers boost their yield next year amid expected episodes of a drought.

He also ordered the NIA and the DA to fast-track construction of supporting structure of the Balbalungao small reservoir irrigation project in Nueva Ecija, which he visited Wednesday.

“When we hear that there is a drought coming, we need to ensure our food supply and our irrigation systems are functional,” the President said.

In an advisory on Dec. 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said a strong El Niño has intensified in the tropical Pacific, with sea temperature anomalies exceeding 1.5 degrees centigrade from normal levels.

About 77% of the provinces in the Philippines may experience drought, while 65% of the provinces may see a dry spell, Science and Technology Secretary U. Solidum, Jr. told Tuesday’s Palace briefing.

PAGASA defines a drought as three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall or two straight months of significantly below-normal rainfall. A dry spell means two straight months of below-normal rainfall.

House leaders support ‘Cha-cha’

A HOUSE leader said on Wednesday that he and other leaders of the Chamber support proposals to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution next year to better equip the government in achieving its goals under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.

“The [implementation time of the] PDP is too short so if you add more terms, we could finish [the job],” Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr. told reporters. “This is a matter of continuity.”

Last January, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed Executive Order No. 14 adopting the PDP 2023-2028, which aims to help the country achieve upper middle income status by 2025.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday said the House is looking at the need for Charter change (“Cha-cha”) to ease economic restrictions on foreign businesses.

He said the people would decide whether Congress should vote on constitutional changes jointly or separately. 

Mr. Gonzales said several House party leaders agreed to meet on Wednesday to discuss plans to amend the 1987 Charter. “They are all amenable for the amendments of the 1987 Constitution,” he said.

Mr. Gonzales denied claims made by Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos that congressmen are pushing for Charter change (“Cha-cha”) because one of them wants to become a prime minister by changing the form of government.

“The senators won’t be affected [by our proposal, as they will still have] six-year terms,” Mr. Gonzales said in Filipino, reiterating that it is the economic provisions that the House seeks to amend.

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Joel J. Villanueva questioned whether “Cha-cha” talks are timely, given that several laws aimed at improving the country’s economy had already been passed recently.

“We need to see the full impact of these laws first before we talk about Charter Change,” he said, referring to the proposed measures — the Public Private Partnership Act, the Retail Trade Liberalization Law, the Foreign Investments Act, and the Public Service Act.

Mr. Villanueva also called on the need for further details on the process of amending the Charter before engaging in any debates. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Senate ratifies 2 treaties

THE PHILIPPINE Senate ratified on Wednesday a social security treaty with South Korea and an agreement with Brunei Darussalam on deterring tax evasion and double taxation in cross-border transactions.

During the plenary session, senators unanimously voted in favor of separate resolutions of concurrence to the international agreements.

Under the South Korea Social Security Treaty, which was signed by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte in 2019, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Korea are allowed to a refund of their contributions to South Korea’s National Pension System (NPS) after they end employment in the country.

The deal also allows OFWs to continue receiving insurance coverage and other social protection benefits where they decide to reside.

On the other hand, the 2021 deal with Brunei seeks to eliminate double taxation and tax evasion in sales and profits between the two countries through a collaboration between the tax authorities of both states. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

OFWs among most abused workers

OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) have been among the frequent victims of human and labor rights abuses against migrant workers, according to data released by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) on Wednesday.

The study revealed that Filipino and Indian workers, both at 7%, were among the common victims of migrant work abuse, following Chinese (8%), Bangladeshi (17%), and Nepali (20%) workers.

BHRRC said reports from Dec. 1, 2022, to Nov. 30, 2023, revealed that migrant workers across Asia have suffered some of the worst forms of abuse. “Worryingly, the scope and scale of abuse is believed to be much higher than these figures indicate,” it said in a statement.

Among the reported cases reported by migrant workers in Asia were wage theft (30%), occupational health and safety breaches (29%), recruitment fee-charging (26%), intimidation (22%), and precarious or unsuitable living conditions (18%).

“Migrant workers have endured recruitment fee-charging and exploitative debt, wage theft, employers taking advantage of precarious immigration status, as well as threats and physical abuse,” said BHRRC Senior Migrant Rights Researcher Isobel Archer in a statement.

“Low-wage, temporary or undocumented workers are particularly vulnerable to labor rights abuse, while gender and nationality also shape the form and extent of abuse experienced by migrant workers,” she added.

The study also noted that agriculture and fishing (24%), manufacturing (19%), and construction and engineering (19%) were the most dangerous sectors for migrant workers in the region.

The research showed that most companies tied to abuses in Asia were headquartered in the United States in 17 cases. Companies in Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Australia were involved in seven cases each.

Meanwhile, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said women migrant workers were the most vulnerable to different kinds of workplace violence and abuse.

In a media briefing on Tuesday in Quezon City, ILO Philippines National Project Coordinator Rex Varona said eight out of 10 Filipino migrant workers employed in precarious work susceptible to abuse are women.

To assist overseas workers, the ILO said its Safe and Fair (SAF) program has helped a total of 2,540 Filipino women migrant workers to have access to psychosocial, legal, health, and other capacity-building initiatives.

In an interview, Mr. Varona said in Filipino, “We aim to expand and institutionalize the initiatives set by the SAF program, including the reintegration program, social protection mechanism, migrant resource centers, and training tools for our migrant workers,” citing that government bodies could participate in strengthening these programs.

The SAF Program, launched in 2018 together with the United Nations (UN) Women, which will conclude by this year, aims to ensure safety and fairness in labor migration for women in Southeast Asian countries. — Jomel R. Paguian

DBM approves MSU hiring fund

BANGSAMORO parliament members on Wednesday expressed pleasure with the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) approval of 673 teaching positions in nine Mindanao State University (MSU) campuses in the southern Philippines.

Budget Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman greenlit the positions as recommended by the MSU system, covering nine campuses across Mindanao with Marawi City as its main hub.

“I believe that this groundbreaking initiative will significantly boost the education sector’s productivity and effectiveness, delivering immense benefits to the Mindanao State University community,” said Ms. Pangandaman as she noted the university’s exponential growth in student enrolments and expansion of academic programs in recent years. — John Felix M. Unson

A Maranaw member of the Bangsamoro parliament, lawyer Paisalin P. Tago, expressed optimism, calling the DBM’s move a “very positive development.”

Though the MSU campuses aren’t under the education ministry of the Bangsamoro region, officials were delighted with Ms. Pangandaman’s approval of the MSU budget.

Officials from the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao welcomed the move, seeing it as beneficial for providing quality education to BARMM residents.

Parliament Member Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr., a physician-ophthalmologist and MSU alumnus, thanked the DBM for approving the creation of teaching positions. Leading the health committee of the BARMM parliament, Mr. Sinolinding plans to encourage the education committee chairperson, Eddie M. Alih, to appreciate the DBM’s prompt approval in a written statement.

PAL’s new Cebu-Laoag flights to boost regional connectivity

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

BAGUIO CITY — The Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) new Cebu-Laoag flight route, which is set to commence on Friday, promises to strengthen connections in tourism and business between the Ilocanos of northern Luzon and the Cebuanos of Central Visayas, officials said.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc underscored the provincial government’s partnership with PAL as a commitment to advancing regional connectivity, driving economic growth, and promoting cultural exchange.

“We look forward to working with all of you (PAL and the Province of Cebu) to make sure that this route is successful and sustainable and truly beneficial to many Ilokanos and their families who depend on our tourism industry. Likewise, we also look forward to inviting and attracting investment from Cebu,” said the governor.

A statement from PAL said that it looks forward to serve the Cebu-Laoag route, carrying with it its reputation for providing top-notch services. It will cater to the growing demand for leisure travel and allow visitors to enjoy the attractions and offerings of both Cebu and Ilocos Norte.

“We’re very happy and once again grateful to Governor Matt and his team for their support in making this possible. They’ve committed significant resources from their end to support this flight,” said Britannico Salvador, Jr., PAL vice president for sales. — Artemio A. Dumlao

State pensions released to 12,846 Tawi-Tawi residents

REUTERS

COTABATO CITY — A total of 12,846 indigent elderly residents of Tawi-Tawi province in the far south received a P3,000 pension grant each from the national government, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The pension distribution was channeled through the Ministry of Social Services and Development-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MSSD-BARMM), which handles the social pension program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for all six BARMM provinces.

“The accumulated pensions released to each recipient covered six months,” Jidday Buat Lucman, a senior information officer of the MSSD-BARMM, told reporters.

She said personnel of their provincial office in Tawi-Tawi and local executives facilitated the payout to beneficiaries from late October to early this month.

The grant of the Citizens Social Pension (SocPen) to qualified beneficiaries is based on Republic Act 9994, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. A pensioner is entitled to a P500 monthly SocPen subsidy, which will be raised to P1,000 starting January 2024, as provided for by another law, RA 11916. — John Felix M. Unson

Congress ratifies Tatak Pinoy, magna carta for Filipino sailors bills 

FREEPIK

CONGRESS on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee reports of two bills — one that seeks to make Philippine-made products globally competitive, and another that upholds the rights and welfare of Filipino seafarers.

In ratifying the bicameral report on the Tatak Pinoy bill, lawmakers approved the creation of a multi-year strategy to improve and diversify local enterprises, linking them to global value chains.

The proposed law was approved amid the Philippines’ participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The RCEP is known to be the world’s largest free trade agreement, involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.

The measure also seeks to establish a council that would manage and propose improvements to the Tatak Pinoy strategy, with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief as chair and the secretaries of the Trade and Finance departments as vice-chairpersons.

At Wednesday’s Senate plenary session, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Senate Finance Committee chairman and author of the Senate’s Tatak Pinoy bill, said the bicameral conference committee made minor amendments to the measure he originally submitted.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rafael T. Tulfo, who sponsored the Senate version of the Magna Carta for Seafarers, said the reconciled version of the measure will require seafaring firms to allow monthly leaves of at least 3.5 days per month of employment.

The bill will also establish a shipboard training program for seafarers that will be regulated by the Maritime Industry Authority.

Legislators also agreed on adding a provision that will ensure a seafarer will be given restitution of monetary awards in a damages case if the lawsuit is reversed on appeal. – John Victor D. Ordonez and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Shares drop as market awaits Fed, BSP decisions

COURTESY OF PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE, INC.

PHILIPPINE SHARES declined anew on Wednesday as investors anticipate the policy decisions of the US Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped by 36.65 points or 0.58% to end at 6,255.74 on Wednesday, while the broader all shares index fell by 14.32 points or 0.42% to close at 3,339.14.

“The local bourse dropped by 36.65 points to 6,255.74 as investors awaited the decisions of the Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regarding interest rates in the US and the Philippines, respec-tively,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Analyst Claire T. Alviar said in a Viber message.

“Aside from the interest rate decisions, investors also want to know their outlook on the inflation rate and the timing of monetary policy easing,” Ms. Alviar added.

The Fed was set to announce its policy decision overnight after a two-day review. It was expected to keep its target rate unchanged at 5.25-5.5% for a third straight meeting.

Meanwhile, the BSP will hold its final policy meeting for this year on Thursday.

A BusinessWorld poll conducted last week showed 15 out of 17 analysts expect the Monetary Board to hold the target reverse repurchase rate steady at 6.5% for a second straight meeting.

“Philippine shares traded with a negative bias as traders braced for the final Fed meeting of the year,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan likewise said in a Viber message.

“Many started to position themselves ahead of the BSP’s policy-setting meeting on Dec. 14 and ahead of the release of November inflation data in the US,” he added.

The November US producer price index report was set to be released overnight.

A report released by the US Labor department on Tuesday showed that the US consumer price index (CPI) edged up 0.1% last month after being unchanged in October, Reuters reported.

In the 12 months through November, the CPI increased 3.1% after rising 3.2% in October.

Back home, almost all sectoral indices ended lower on Wednesday. Property went down by 32.75 points or 1.17% to 2,754.22; holding firms retreated by 49.87 points or 0.83% to 5,957.68; mining and oil declined by 52.82 points or 0.55% to 9,512.45; financials dropped by 6.42 points or 0.37% to 1,691.81; and industrials decreased by 12.87 points or 0.14% to 8,782.54.

Meanwhile, services rose by 2.65 points or 0.17% to 1,552.56.

Value turnover went up to P3.55 billion on Wednesday with 245.11 million shares changing hands from the P3.25 billion with 314.76 million issues seen the previous trading day.

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 95 to 64, while 47 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign selling stood at P280.55 million on Wednesday versus the P158.02 million in net buying seen on Tuesday. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

Peso sinks to P56:$1 level before Fed

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO closed at the P56-per-dollar level for the first time in almost a month on Wednesday as investors were cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy decision.

The local unit closed at P56.055 per dollar on Wednesday, plummeting by 48.5 centavos from its P55.57 finish on Tuesday, based on Bankers Association of the Philippines data.

This is the first time the peso ended at the P56 level in nearly one month or since it closed at P56.06 per dollar on Nov. 14.

The peso opened Wednesday’s session slightly weaker at P55.67 against the dollar, which was already its intraday best. Its worst showing was at P56.08 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged jumped to $1.6 billion on Wednesday from $1.01 billion on Tuesday.

“The peso weakened past the P56 level amid market caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve policy meeting,” a trader said in an e-mail.

The dollar ticked up slightly on Wednesday as traders prepared for the conclusion of a Federal Reserve policy meeting that could offer some insight into when the US central bank will begin lowering interest rates, Reuters re-ported.

The US dollar index, which gauges the currency against six others, added 0.1% to 103.86 as of 0540 GMT, recouping a little of the previous day’s 0.31% drop.

Fed officials were set to give updated economic and interest rate projections later in the day following a meeting where analysts and investors expect rates to remain unchanged at the 5.25%-5.5% range for a third straight meeting.

In particular, investors will be watching to see if Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell pushes back against the prospect of interest rate cuts in the first half of 2024, but also what the central bank’s “dot plot” says about policy makers’ thinking regarding the outlook for monetary policy.

The peso was also dragged lower by El Niño concerns, as this could lead to a pickup in domestic inflation, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration last week said a strong El Niño has intensified in the Tropical Pacific, with sea temperature anomalies exceeding 1.5 degrees centi-grade from normal levels.

This could result in a drought for 77% of the provinces in the country, while 65% of the provinces may see a dry spell, Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. said.

Philippine headline inflation stood at 4.1% in November, easing from the 4.9% in October and 8% in the same month last year.

This was the slowest rate in 20 months or since the 4% seen in March 2022.

In the 11 months through November, headline inflation averaged 6.2%, faster than 5.6% in the same period a year ago. This was still above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target and 5.6% baseline forecast for 2023.

For Thursday, the trader said the peso could recover against the dollar on profit taking and ahead of the BSP’s policy meeting.

The trader sees the peso moving between P55.85 and P56.10 per dollar on Thursday, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to range from P55.90 to P56.10. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

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