PHL, Hungary to ink labor deal

March 10, 2025 | 8:21 pm

THE PHILIPPINES and Hungary plan to ink a labor cooperation agreement before 2025 ends, the eastern European nation’s ambassador said on Monday.

Speaking during the Philippine-Hungary Friendship Week, Hungarian Ambassador to the Philippines, Titanilla Tóth, said the memorandum of understanding between the two nations is already “in the pipeline, to keep a firm legal base” with the hopes of completion before this year ends.

At present, around 13,000 overseas Filipino workers are working in Hungary, particularly in the automotive manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and agriculture sectors.

“Filipinos are supporting our initiatives in foreign direct investment, thereby contributing to creating more jobs in Hungary, even for Hungarians,” Ms. Tóth said.

On March 11, around 3,000 jobs in Hungary in the machine operators, welders, pipefitters, hotel and restaurant, and factory sectors will be up for grabs.

Monthly salaries range from P40,000 to P60,000.

Both countries are marking 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2025. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PHL, Slovenia seek closer trade ties

March 10, 2025 | 8:21 pm

THE PHILIPPINES and Slovenia are seeking to enhance cooperation in trade and other sectors, such as, science, nuclear energy, maritime activities, labor, and sports, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said ahead of the scheduled visit of Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon.

DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita C. Daza said that the Slovenian foreign minister would conduct a three-day visit to the Philippines, starting with her arrival to the country on March 10.

“Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, her Excellency Tanja Fajon, will be in the Philippines from March 10 to 12 for an official visit,” Ms. Daza said in a video message sent to reporters.

She added that the Slovenian minister will meet with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo on March 11, to “further enhance bilateral cooperation in priority sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, nuclear energy, maritime cooperation, sports, and labor.”

She said that this visit marks the first time that the Slovenian Foreign Minister is visiting the Philippines.

Ms. Daza added that both envoys will discuss regional and global issues, which include the Philippines and Slovenia’s shared commitment to the rule of law and rules-based international order.

“The Foreign Minister will also formally open the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Manila, the first and currently the only Slovenian mission in Southeast Asia,” she said.

Last year, the Slovenian government opened its first embassy within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in Manila.

Ms. Fajon, along with a delegation from the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is scheduled to meet with officials from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the Slovenia-Philippine Business Forum.

The forum is set to “promote and encourage collaborative activities among Philippine and Slovenian businesses.”

She will also deliver a lecture at the Far Eastern University during her visit to the country. — Adrian H. Halili

Gov’t probes bullet-planting scheme

March 10, 2025 | 8:19 pm

THE government, through the Department of Transportation (DoTr), will investigate the bullet-planting scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

“The President will have this matter thoroughly investigated with the assistance of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon (Vivencio B. Dizon),” PCO Undersecretary Claire A. Castro told a Palace briefing in Filipino on Monday.

“It is essential, especially when tourists or fellow Filipinos are victims of such incidents, that hte President won’t allow this to happen.”

A March 6 Facebook post went viral after a 69-year-old Filipina complained about an airport security officer supposedly found an amulet made out of an empty bullet in her luggage before a flight to Vietnam.

The bullet planting scheme issue started in 2015 after at least 30 cases were recorded of airport security officers allegedly targeting overseas Filipino workers.

“Accountability is necessary, and if someone is found responsible after a thorough investigation, they must face the consequences,” Ms. Castro said.

Meanwhile, the DoTr has ordered the termination of three airport personnel involved in the March 6 incident.

“We are announcing the termination of all the people in the OTS (Office for Transportation Security) who were involved in this incident. The appropriate investigation will be conducted, and the proper administrative charges will be filed after the investigations against the three personnel,” Transportation Secretary Dizon said in a media briefing on Monday.

DoTr-OTS is in charge of security screening which includes x-ray baggage inspections.

Mr. Dizon said the Transportation department would also review the procedures and protocols for screening and security protocols at the airport.

The DoTr said the investigation of the incident is still ongoing but pointed out the lapses of airport personnel as physical inspection of luggage should only be conducted at the baggage screening area.

In a statement on Monday, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) said it had immediately coordinated with OTS and reviewed CCTV footage related to the case.

NNIC said it is now working with the OTS to reinforce security monitoring, proper screening procedures, and to ensure transparent security operations at the airport.

“NNIC remains committed to working with the OTS and other authorities to provide a secure and seamless airport experience,” NNIC said.

Further, the DoTr is also aiming to set up a hotline the public may contact to report similar incidents and other irregularities at the airport. — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Ashley Erika O. Jose

DICT undersecretary named OIC

March 10, 2025 | 8:17 pm

Paul-Mercado — PAUL JOSEPH V. MERCADO — DICT.GOV.PH

DEPARTMENT of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Paul Joseph V. Mercado has been named officer-in-charge (OIC) of the agency after Ivan John E. Uy resigned from the agency’s top post, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

PCO Undersecretary Claire A. Castro confirmed the appointment to reporters via Viber.

She told a separate news briefing on Monday that Mr. Uy did not disclose the reason behind Mr. Uy’s resignation.

Mr. Uy was appointed head of the DICT in June 2022. Among his initiatives was the SIM Card Registration Act, a law designed to curb spam calls and texts.

His tenure also focused on the expansion of the Free Public Internet Access Program to over 16,000 active sites and the drafting of the National Cybersecurity Plan. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

MIAA expects passenger volume to grow by up to 30%

March 10, 2025 | 8:14 pm

NAIA-Passengers — Passengers are seen at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, July 25, 2024. — PHILIPPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR

THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) expects passenger volume to grow by up to 30% for this year, driven by expected travel demand.

“Give and take about 20-30% growth,” MIAA General Manager Eric Jose C. Ines told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday.

In 2024, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport posted a passenger volume of 50.26 million 2024, 10.9% higher than the 2023 level and 4.9% higher than the 47.90 million posted in the last full pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Domestic passenger traffic was 26.89 million, up 8.1%. International passenger traffic rose 14.4% to 23.37 million.

Aircraft movements — the sum of takeoffs and landings — amounted to 293,427 last year, up 8.3%.

MIAA is also expecting to see passenger growth during the Holy Week, Mr. Ines said, noting that it logged four million passengers for the two months to February of the year. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Admin did not abandon OVP — Palace

March 10, 2025 | 8:13 pm

VP-Sara_2 — VICE-PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE-CARPIO — FACEBOOK.COM/MAYORINDAYSARADUTERTEOFFICIAL

THE PRESIDENTIAL Communications Office (PCO) on Monday countered Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s claim that the Marcos administration has abandoned her office, arguing the agency was given opportunities to justify its request for more funding this year.

This comes after the Vice President, who was impeached by the House of Representatives and faces an impeachment trial before the Senate, accused the government of abandoning her office at an event for overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong.

“The government did not abandon Office of the Vice-President,” PCO Undersecretary Claire A. Castro told a news briefing.

“There was no obstruction in providing the appropriate budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP), if she could justify it.”

Lawmakers earlier cut the OVP budget this year to about P733 million from the P2.06 billion under the National Expenditure Program.

The House of Representatives impeached Ms. Duterte before it went on a four-month break on Feb. 5, alleging misuse of secret funds, unexplained wealth, acts of destabilization, and plotting the assassination of the President, the First Lady and the Speaker.

The Impeachment complaint was filed and signed by more than 200 congressmen, more than the one-third legal requirement before it could be sent to the Senate, which will try her as an impeachment court. Under the 1987 Constitution, several congressmen will be serving as impeachment prosecutors. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

LPG regulation act compliance urged

March 10, 2025 | 8:13 pm

THE Department of Energy (DoE) is urging liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry players to comply with the LPG Industry Regulation Act (LIRA) for public safety and consumer protection as there were participants who failed to follow.

“As of date, there have been a number of LPG industry participants that have been administratively charged and imposed fines and penalties for violation of the LIRA,” the DoE said in a statement on Monday.

Republic Act No. 11592, LIRA, regulates the LPG industry to ensure compliance with the standards for health, safety and quality applicable to the activities related to LPG, which is widely used for cooking, heating, and vehicles.

These activities include the importation, refining, storage, export, refilling, transportation, distribution, and marketing of LPG, and the importation, manufacture, requalification, repair, exchange, improvement, and scrapping of LPG pressure vessels, LPG seals, and other ancillary equipment.

The law provides substantial administrative and criminal penalties, including fines of up to P100,000 for every non-compliant item, material or equipment, such as LPG seal or pressure vessel. Non-compliant players could also face business closure and permanent disqualification, and imprisonment of up to 12 years.

“These penalties are designed to protect consumers, prevent hazardous incidents, and maintain the integrity of the LPG industry sector,” Energy Undersecretary Alessandro O. Sales said.

“By enforcing strict safety measures, we ensure that only legally sourced and properly handled LPG products reach the market, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to public safety and product quality,” he added.

As of December 2024, there are 6,952 registered LPG players, according to DoE. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Comelec moves local absentee voting deadline

March 10, 2025 | 8:13 pm

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) postponed the deadline of local absentee voting (LAV) to March 17 ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

In a resolution sent to reporters by Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia, the poll body moved the deadline of receiving LAV applications to March 17 from March 10.

The verification of registration of applicants for LAV was moved to April 11 from April 8, while the transmittal of list of qualified local absentee voters, local absentee ballots, and other election forms and supplies was postponed to April 27 from April 21.

The 2025 Philippine midterm elections on May 12 will see about 68 million Filipinos voting to elect over 18,000 officials, including 12 senators, 254 district representatives, 63 party-list representatives, and local government positions. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Penalties sought vs BI personnel in Korean fugitive escape

March 10, 2025 | 8:12 pm

BI-Bureau-of-Immigration — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

A SENATOR called on the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to impose strict penalties on personnel involved in the escape of South Korean fugitives.

“Commissioner (Joel Anthony M.) Viado should ensure that BI officials involved in this shameful incident be imposed the strictest penalties, including criminal liability under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code,” Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement on Monday.

She added that CCTV footage showed that BI officials were involved in the escape of the fugitive from custody.

“CCTV confirmed: the Korean fugitive didn’t just escape from the Bureau of Immigration, he was deliberately let go,” she said in Filipino.

On Sunday, BI authorities rearrested two Korean fugitives wanted for estafa and fraud in South Korea after their escape on March 4.

Mr. Viado, in a media briefing on Sunday, said that the personnel involved in assisting the escape of the two South Koreans have been terminated.

“This is symptomatic of the failures and offenses of the BI in handling erring foreign nationals. It seems that the culture of corruption in the agency will not go away,” Ms. Hontiveros added.

The senator added that she will seek a subpoena on the CCTV footage and pursue the case in the next subcommittee hearing. — Adrian H. Halili

Digital literacy bill passage pushed

March 10, 2025 | 8:12 pm

THE Commission on Human Rights called for immediate action on Senate Bill No. 2934, highlighting the growing necessity of equipping students with digital safety skills.

“A child’s right to safety should not be confined to the physical world — it must extend to the digital landscape where they learn, interact, and grow,” it said in a statement on Monday.

It also underscored the urgency of enacting stronger safeguards as children increasingly engage in digital platforms for education and social interaction.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates that governments ensure access to safe and informative online spaces while protecting minors from digital harm.

The legislation seeks to equip students with digital literacy skills and bolster protections against online threats, aligning with global child welfare standards.

It builds on Republic Act No. 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act.

It also aligns with a 2017 United Nations Children’s Fund study that found Filipino children are among the most vulnerable to online risks, with eight in ten exposed to cyberbullying or online exploitation.

If passed, the legislation would institutionalize a nationwide framework for internet safety education, empowering young Filipinos with the tools to navigate online spaces responsibly. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Bill sets up legal framework for certifying religious groups

March 10, 2025 | 8:11 pm

motorcycle-tourism-BarasoainChurch-TPB-ANGEL-ERAN — TPB/ANGEL ERAN

A BILL seeking to create a framework for the certification of Philippine religious groups as legitimate groups was filed at the House of Representatives last week.

House Bill (HB) No. 11477 seeks to mandate sects to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Philippine Statistics Agency, putting in place minimum validation requirements before being recognized by the government as a legitimate religious group.

“It is therefore proposed under this act that a system for the recognition and certification of religious organizations or groups be established in order to protect the public from unscrupulous individuals who prey on unsuspecting believers,” Party-list Rep. Ron P. Salo said in the measure, which was filed on March 6.

“The lack of regulation has led to the exploitation of religious institutions, where unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of people’s trust and generosity under the guise of religious leadership,” he said in a statement.

The Southeast Asian nation adheres to the principle of separation of church and state, which is enshrined in its 1987 Constitution. Religious groups are generally exempt from taxes in the Philippines.

“Long-established” religions exempt from the proposed law include the Roman Catholic Church, Islam, Seventh-Day Adventist, Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Iglesia ni Cristo, among others.

About 80% of the country are Catholic, followed by Muslims (6.4%) and home-grown church Iglesia ni Cristo (2.6%), according to 2020 government data.

“Churches, sects, religious groups, or organizations, in order to obtain legal personality for purposes of tax exemption, property transactions, and marriage solemnization authority, shall comply with the prescribed procedure for the registration of non-stock and non-profit organizations with the Securities and Exchange Commission,” the bill stated.

The bill mandates religious groups to have at least 12 legal-age members before being registered with the SEC, with each of them executing an affidavit containing when they became members. The religion should also provide a list of properties already owned and its by-laws. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

New BARMM chief gets support from local executives

March 10, 2025 | 8:09 pm

COTABATO CITY — Local executives have expressed support for Abdulrauf A. Macacua, the newly appointed interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to radio reports on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire A. Castro confirmed the appointment of Mr. Macacua, who was governor of Maguindanao del Norte, as the new chief minister of BARMM. He replaced Ahod B. Ebrahim, who was installed to the post in 2019.

Mr. Ebrahim is the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), while Mr. Macacua is the chief of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-MILF, which has groups in BARMM’s Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces.

The front’s two compacts with the national government — the 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro — paved the way for the replacement in 2019 of the then 27-year Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a more administratively and politically-empowered BARMM.

“We congratulate Chief Minister Macacua for his appointment as BARMM chief minister. We also thank his predecessor, former Chief Minister Ebrahim for the services he had extended to our people and for all the projects of the BARMM government in our province during his tenure,” Basilan Gov. Hadjiman H. Salliman told reporters in Cotabato City on Monday.

Mayor Rhoderick H. Furigay of Lamitan City in Basilan said he and his constituent Muslim and Christian leaders will support the peace, security and development initiatives of Mr. Macacua just as they supported the administration of Mr. Ebrahim.

Meanwhile, some skeptics, including civil society organizations and peace-advocacy groups, have expressed concern over a possible adverse impact on the unity of MILF leaders of Mr. Macacua’s assumption as chief minister, replacing Mr. Ebrahim.

Mayor Marshall I. Sinsuat of Datu Blah Sinsuat, touted as the most peaceful town in Maguindanao del Norte, said he is certain that top leaders of the MILF have given Mr. Macacua their “imprimatur” to replace Ebrahim as BARMM chief minister.

“Their central committee acts like a collegial bloc. I’m convinced there was a consensus about that. We in Datu Blah Sinsuat recognize the new chief minister. We too shall support his administration to the best we can,” Mr. Sinsuat said.

Mr. Salliman, Mr. Sinsuat and Mr. Furigay, who is seeking reelection as mayor of Lamitan City unopposed, are members of the MILF’s regional United Bangsamoro Justice Party.

An influential leader not aligned with them politically, the reelectionist Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamimtal A. Adiong, Jr., had urged Mr. Macacua to adhere to the “moral governance principle” that the MILF bloc in the 80-seat BARMM parliament has overtly been espousing as their main principle in managing the regional government.

“We wish to see a strong regional bureaucracy under your leadership of the regional government,” Mr. Adiong said

Mr. Adiong said they want Mr. Macacua’s peace and security and community development initiatives done in the context of transparency and accountability and for the utmost benefit of all constituents regardless of their religious and cultural identities. — John Felix M. Unson