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Counting Pikachus: Pokemon sleep app entices fans to go to bed

POKEMON.COM

LOS ANGELES — Fans who play Pokemon late into the night have a new incentive to get to bed in the form of a sleep app that rewards them with the franchise’s signature monsters.

Pokemon Co. and Niantic, two of the companies behind the wildly popular Pokemon Go augmented reality mobile game, released Pokemon Sleep this month.

Developed by SELECT BUTTON Inc., the app monitors sleep through the user’s phone, placed on the bed. Players receive Pokemon when they wake up, more for the deepest slumber.

Originating in Japan in the 1990s, Pokemon, named for “pocket monsters,” spawned a global multi-billion dollar media franchise spanning trading cards, games, TV shows, and movies.

The role-playing game pits colorful anime creatures and their human trainers against each other. The characters including lovable yellow Pikachu have different powers, such as the ability to paralyze attackers.

“Pokemon Sleep provides another opportunity for anyone with a smart device to interact with Pokemon and provides an opportunity to look forward to waking up in the morning and also to get lots of sleep,” said Yuri Horie, product marketing manager at Pokemon Co. — Reuters

PXP Energy net loss widens in second quarter

PANGILINAN-LED PXP Energy Corp. saw its attributable net loss for the second quarter widen to P6.59 million from P3.68 million in the same period last year due to lower margins from its Galoc operations.

In a stock exchange disclosure, PXP said its revenues for the second quarter fell by 18.3% to P21.49 million from P26.30 million a year ago.

PXP’s Galoc operations are covered by Service Contract (SC) 14C-1, located in the offshore northwest Palawan basin.

The listed oil and gas company said cost and expenses in the second quarter fell by 2.1% to P26.30 million from P26.87 million a year ago.

In the first half, PXP recorded consolidated petroleum revenues of P39.4 million.

During the January to June period, the oil and gas company incurred a net loss attributable to the parent firm of P12.67 million compared to P6.41 million in the same period last year.

For the first six months, PXP’s revenues declined to P39.35 million, down by 12.8% from P45.11 million in the corresponding period a year ago.

In March, the Department of Energy affirmed that the period from Oct. 14, 2020 until April 6, 2022, will be credited back to SC 72 and SC 75.

PXP informed the stock exchange that once the force majeure is lifted, both service contracts will retain the equivalent remaining terms of the respective subphases before Oct. 14, 2020.

PXP holds a 50% interest in SC 75 located in northwest Palawan. Its subsidiary, Forum Energy Ltd., in which PXP holds a direct and indirect interest of 79.13%, has a 70% participating interest in SC 72, also in northwest Palawan, through its wholly owned subsidiary Forum (GSEC 101).

PXP and Forum said that they will continue to seek the government’s approval to allow the resumption of both its activities within SC 75 and SC 72.

PXP also said that it is fully committed to pursuing exploration activities for its other projects in the Philippines.

At the stock exchange on Wednesday, shares in the company closed 1.97% lower to end at P4.48 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Are your mobile apps secure? Here’s what you need to know

SARA KURFESS-UNSPLASH

WITH mobile usage increasing exponentially every year, mobile apps have become ever more integral to businesses and people. Look no further than the growth of the Philippines’ digital economy for evidence of this, which Access Partnership forecasts will be worth $28 billion by mid-decade.

Meanwhile, the Appdome Filipino Consumers Expectations of Mobile App Security survey finds that on average, people living in the Philippines use seven mobile apps per day, which is on par with global usage levels. In fact, the same survey finds that more than half of Filipino consumers prefer using mobile apps over web channels.

Significantly, eWallets, social media, and mobile games were the top three ranked by usage among Filipinos. It should come as little surprise to developers then, that security is a major concern for Filipino consumers. For the businesses that deliver these apps, it underscores the point that protecting their customers should not be an afterthought.

CURRENT STATE OF PLAY
As the tactics of cybercriminals evolve, companies in the Philippines have had to play catch up to mitigate risks.

According to Kroll, 75% of Philippine organizations experienced a cyber incident last year. In comparison, the average from across Asia Pacific was 59%. The same report also found that local organizations were particularly concerned about data loss, with 70% citing it as their leading worry. Meanwhile, 60% were worried about the business disruption as a result of a cyberattack, and 29% felt regulatory fines from failing to keep out cyber attackers would have dire consequences for the business.

Unfortunately, cyber attackers are showing little signs of letting up. March this year alone saw 81 cyber security incidents logged by the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT).

Ensuring app security also directly links to brand trust and customer loyalty. For instance, Appdome’s survey of Filipino consumers shows that businesses that want to differentiate in a crowded field must prioritize app security. Of those surveyed, 65.5% ranked “hacking the mobile apps I use” as their top concern.

It is revealing that this figure is 30.3% higher than the global baseline of just over 50%, showing that Filipino consumers take app security and protection very seriously but that companies are, potentially, falling short of meeting this need.

Furthermore, the same report revealed that mobile fraud was a major worry for 42.5% of Filipino consumers. Meanwhile, malware was cited as the joint third-highest concern at 29%, revealing that embedding mobile apps with malware prevention should be a priority for local businesses.

Worryingly, the same number of respondents also expressed concerns about developer indifference to security. This fear also ranked above all other threats in the spectrum, including threats from data breaches, trojans, spying and so on. For businesses, this is a huge opportunity to distinguish themselves by equipping developers with the tools to tell mobile users that they are protected from threat actors on their apps.

These figures should send a clear signal to brands about the importance of embedding their app offerings with a security model that goes above and beyond basic hardening and obfuscation. Clearly, failure to do so, will see more agile competitors swoop in and win over customers.

PIVOTING TOWARDS MOBILE DEVSECOPS
For businesses, their ability to compete in the digital-first era rests on how quickly they can innovate without compromising security. Today, it is a “must-have” to be able to count upon a comprehensive, fast and simplified approach to DevSecOps. Ultimately, embracing mobile DevSecOps hinges on an organization-wide adherence to new, rapid-release processes that combine different disciplines, development, security, and operations, into one continuous workflow.

Here is where a unified cyber defense automation platform in the DevOps pipeline enables businesses to build, test, release and monitor all mobile apps with ease. As a result, they can address complexity and be proactive in stopping threats like fraud.

When picking a platform to integrate into the CI/CD pipeline, it is crucial to consider capabilities like automation and artificial intelligence. Businesses should also look for solutions that champion no-code, as this allows them to embed security protocols, at any time in the development process, via a few simple clicks and without the need for writing tedious code or a software development kit.

Through enhanced agility, efficiency and consistency in your mobile DevSecOps, organizations can protect themselves and their customers better. Armed with the ability to accelerate the delivery of mobile app security and defenses, businesses will be well placed to deliver better functioning apps with less work, zero complexity, and better user experiences across the board.

 

Jan Sysmans, mobile app security evangelist at Appdome.

Venice film fest attracts top names despite Hollywood strikes

Venice presented a powerful line-up on Tuesday for its forthcoming film festival, defying fears its 80th edition would be a washout because of strikes by Hollywood actors and writers.

Although many stars will miss the traditional red carpet openings for big studio productions, Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera still managed to attract a slew of top movies to the Lido.

New films by directors including Bradley Cooper, Yorgos Lanthimos, David Fincher, Michael Mann, Sofia Coppola, Ava DuVernay and Wes Anderson will all debut at the event, which runs from Aug. 30-Sept. 9.

The festival will also court controversy by giving prominence to Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and Luc Besson, three directors hit by #MeToo scandals who have been cold-shouldered by many industry figures over the past decade.

All three have repeatedly denies the accusations against them. Besson was cleared last month.

The world’s oldest film festival, regarded as a launchpad for Oscar contenders as awards season approaches, features movies from 55 countries, including 23 titles running for the prestigious Golden Lion award.

Barbera said that despite uncertainty surrounding the actors’ strike only one title had been pulled from the expected line-up — the planned opening tennis drama Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Zendaya.

The SAG-AFTRA guild called the strike this month after failing to reach an agreement with studios on a new three-year contract. Guild members are not permitted to engage in any promotional activity for their films.

Barbera said he hoped stars of smaller independent movies would be able to publicise their work in person regardless of the stoppage. “So we hope the red carpet is not as empty as some people had been predicting,” he said.

TRIO OF BIOPICS
Among the most eagerly awaited films will be the Netflix drama Maestro, about the composer Leonard Bernstein, directed by and starring Cooper, who brought his directorial debut A Star is Born to Venice in 2018.

Two other biopics will also vie for attention on the Lido – Coppola’s Priscilla, which is based on the memoirs of Elvis Presley’s wife and stars Cailee Spaeny, and Ferrari, directed by Mann. It stars Adam Driver as famed Italian carmaker Enzo Ferrari and Penelope Cruz as his wife.

Only five women directors will present in the main competition, with DuVernay making history as the first African American woman competing for the Golden Lion with her movie Origin, which dissects racism in the United States.

Among the other big pictures likely to cause a buzz are Lanthimos’ surrealist science fiction comedy-drama Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo — neither of whom will be able to walk the red carpet because of the strike.

Besson, who was cleared in June of rape charges levelled against him in 2018 by an actress, will present his latest film Dogman for the top award.

Both Allen, with his French language picture Coup De Chance, and Polanski, with The Palace will show out of competition.

Anderson will also show out-of-competition with his 40-minute Netflix comedy The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, based on a Roald Dahl short story and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel and Ben Kingsley. — Reuters

How PSEi member stocks performed — July 26, 2023

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

Philippines climbs to 19th out of 154 countries in 2023 Nuclear Security Index

The Philippines placed 19th out of 154 countries, up six places from 2020, with a score of 80 (out of 100) in the 2023 edition of the Nuclear Security Index by nonprofit, nonpartisan global security organization Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). The report assesses the security of the world’s most dangerous materials (highly enriched uranium and plutonium) against theft and the security of nuclear facilities against sabotage. The Philippines and Thailand tied for third in terms of nuclear safety in East and Southeast Asia.

Philippines climbs to 19th out of 154 countries in 2023 Nuclear Security Index

Peso down as market awaits Fed decision

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Wednesday on expectations of a rate hike from the US Federal Reserve overnight.

The local currency closed at P54.62 versus the dollar on Wednesday, weakening by seven centavos from Tuesday’s P54.55 finish, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines’ website showed.

The local unit opened Wednesday’s session weaker at P54.60 per dollar. Its weakest showing for the day was at P54.69, while its intraday best was at P54.56 against the greenback.

Dollars traded dropped to $987.1 million on Wednesday from the $1.1 billion seen on Tuesday.

The peso weakened on Wednesday due to expectations that the Fed will increase its key rate by 25 basis points (bps), Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort added in a Viber message.

“The peso weakened amid lingering hawkish policy expectations prior to the Federal Reserve policy meeting overnight,” a trader likewise said in a Viber message.

The Federal Reserve was expected to raise interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, marking the 11th hike in the US central bank’s past 12 policy meetings and possibly a last move in its aggressive battle to tame inflation, Reuters reported.

The increase, anticipated by investors with nearly a 100% probability, would raise the benchmark overnight interest rate to the 5.25%-5.5% range.

The US central bank paused its tightening cycle last month after raising its key rate by a cumulative 500 bps to a range between 5% and 5.25%.

Mr. Ricafort added that higher global crude prices recently also dragged the peso down.

Oil prices rose to three-month highs on Tuesday, as signs of tighter supplies and pledges by Chinese authorities to shore up the world’s second-biggest economy lifted sentiment.

Brent futures settled up 90 cents at $83.64 a barrel after hitting $83.87 earlier, the highest since April 19. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 89 cents to $79.63. The contract earlier rose to $79.90 a barrel, also the highest since April 19.

For Thursday, the trader said peso-dollar trading will be driven by potential policy signals from Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell after their meeting.

The trader sees the peso moving between P54.45 and P54.70 per dollar on Thursday, while Mr. Ricafort expects it to trade from P54.50 to P54.70. — AMCS with Reuters

Stocks rise further ahead of Fed policy decision

BW FILE PHOTO

LOCAL EQUITIES continued to climb on Wednesday as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s policy announcement overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) went up by 18.02 points or 0.27% to close at 6,679.13 on Wednesday, while the broader all shares index inched up by 5.63 points or 0.15% to end at 3,546.01.

“Shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange closed higher ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s expected interest rate rise to be delivered later in the day,” Globalinks Securities and Stocks, Inc. Head of Sales Trading Toby Allan C. Arce said in a Viber message on Wednesday.

“Meanwhile, the Philippine central bank said it is ready to resume its policy tightening, if necessary, as inflation continues to be a challenge. The Monetary Board will have to take into consideration how the market reacts to the possible Fed hike before discussing policy at its Aug. 17 meeting,” Mr. Arce added.

“Share prices moved sideways as renewed concerns on inflation and its impact on domestic interest rates. Inflation reared its ugly head again as global prices of rice and sugar rose to multi-year highs while more recently prices of wheat and oil also rose,” AB Capital Securities, Inc. Vice-President Jovis L. Vistan said in a Viber message.

Investors were also awaiting the Fed’s policy outlook, Mr. Vistan likewise said.

The US central bank was set to announce its policy decision at the end of its two-day meeting overnight. It was expected to hike policy rates by 25 basis points (bps).

The Fed raised its target interest rate by a total of 500 bps to a range between 5% and 5.25% before pausing its tightening cycle last month.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila, Jr. said on Tuesday that the central bank is ready to resume its rate hike cycle if needed.

The BSP last month kept benchmark interest rates unchanged for a second straight meeting after raising borrowing costs by a cumulative 425 bps from May 2022 to March 2023.

Sectoral indices were split on Wednesday. Mining and oil rose by 148.66 points or 1.44% to 10,434.79; holding firms gained 63.93 points or 0.99% to end at 6,486.71; and services climbed by 1.43 points or 0.09% to close at 1,597.63.

Meanwhile, property fell by 11.29 points or 0.41% to 2,703.78; industrials declined by 26.82 points or 0.28% to 9,319.60; and financials dropped by 2.13 points or 0.1% to 1,962.82.

Value turnover rose to P4.44 billion on Wednesday with 462.23 million shares changing hands from the P4.34 billion with 616.12 million issues seen on Tuesday.

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 87 versus 78, while 56 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign selling decreased to P140.27 million on Wednesday from the P215.77 million seen on Tuesday. — A.H. Halili

Thousands left without electricity as Doksuri makes landfall in Philippines

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

STRONG winds and rain lashed the northern Philippines as Typhoon Doksuri made landfall on Wednesday, causing rivers to overflow and leaving thousands without power.

Residents in coastal communities had been evacuated ahead of the storm, which brought winds of up to 175 kilometers per hour (108 miles per hour) and was expected to sustain strength as it continues its course toward Taiwan and China.

“We are being battered here,” Manual Mamba, governor of northern Cagayan province, told Reuters, adding that no casualties had been reported so far.

More than 4,000 passengers were stranded at various ports in the country after sea travel was suspended, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

Storm warnings were in place in many parts of northern Luzon, which is home to about half of the Philippines’ 110-million population. Authorities have warned of storm surges, landslides and damage to infrastructure.

Doksuri, locally known as Egay, is the fifth storm to hit the Southeast Asian nation this year, which is hit by an average 20 typhoons each year. Scientists have warned that global warming will only make storms wetter, windier and more violent.

Categorized as a super typhoon on Tuesday, Doksuri weakened slightly on Wednesday. It was expected to brush past Taiwan and make landfall in China’s Fujian province on Friday, according to the Philippine weather bureau.

The presidential palace in a statement said the government had P173 million in standby funds for typhoon victims.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard have deployed rescue teams, it added.

Though Egay had weakened from super typhoon strength, it was packed with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kph. It is moving northwestward at a speed of 10 kph.

Egay made its first landfall in Fuga Island, Aparri in Cagayan province at dawn on Wednesday.

It was expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday morning, state weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz-Galicia told a news briefing.

Due to the combined effects of Egay and the southwest monsoon, a gale warning was in effect over coastal waters along the seaboards of Luzon and the Visayas.

“Rough to very high seas conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. “Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside.”

The bureau hoisted tropical cyclone wind signals in some parts of Luzon.

Signal No. 4 was placed over the northwestern portion of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte.

Signal No. 3 was up in Batanes, the northern and central portions of Cagayan, the rest of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, the northern portion of Abra and the northern portion of Ilocos Sur.

Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Isabela, the rest of Cagayan, the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of Abra, the northern and central portions of La Union and the northern and central portions of Benguet were under Signal No. 2.

Signal No. 1 was raised in Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, the rest of La Union and the rest of Benguet, and the northern part of Quezon province including Polillo Islands.

“The southwest monsoon enhanced by Egay will continue to bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and the Visayas in the next three days,” PAGASA said.

The weather bureau said 8-11 tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippines from August to January.

EVACUATIONS
In a report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said about 180,439 people from 44,356 families were affected by the typhoon.

It said 107 evacuations centers have been opened to house 11,041 people. The typhoon damaged more than 50 houses, while infrastructure damage was estimated at P1.5 million.

In Baguio City, police rescued a 59-year-old construction worker and his 48-year-old wife after their house was buried in mud. Their teenage son was retrieved two hours later and was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.

The Public Works department said 13 roads were closed to vehicular traffic in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) due to soil collapse, felled trees and mudflow.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said two airports — Laoag International Airport and Tuguegarao Airport — halted operations.

Laoag International Airport, Vigan Airport and Lingayen Airport reported damage, while Tuguegarao Airport and Lingayen Airport were flooded.

San Jose Airport’s Cebgo, Inc. flight to and from Manila was canceled, affecting 115 passengers, CAAP said.

Naga Airport and Masbate Airport also canceled flights, affecting 146 passengers in the latter.

“CAAP reminds passengers to prioritize their safety and cooperate with airport and airline authorities during this weather disturbance,” it said in an advisory. “Travelers are advised to contact their respective airlines for any changes to their flight schedules, alternative arrangements, or further information.”

Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Regional Office IV relaxed rules until July 31 to speed up the transportation of passengers and cargo. 

Ships may depart immediately once they reach their maximum authorized passenger and cargo capacities. They may also increase sailing frequencies. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Justine Irish D. Tabile, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Artemio A. Dumlao with Reuters

Malaysia raises prospect of ASEAN engaging informally with junta-ruled Myanmar

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — REUTERS

MALAYSIA, one of the biggest critics of violence in military-ruled Myanmar, on Wednesday raised the possibility of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) allowing member-countries to engage informally with the junta “without sacrificing the issue of human rights.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he discussed the matter with Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., who was in Kuala Lumpur for bilateral meetings.

Malaysia and ASEAN previously rejected any engagement with the junta, though Thailand this year hosted an informal meeting with Myanmar, citing a need to maintain dialogue.

“We did touch on Myanmar to strengthen the five-point consensus of ASEAN but also give some flexibility… for neighboring countries to engage on an informal basis without sacrificing the issue of human rights, and the treatment of minorities, particularly the Rohingya,” Mr. Anwar said in a joint press conference with Mr. Marcos Jr.

The Philippine president did not comment on Myanmar.

ASEAN, which includes Myanmar among its 10 members, has pushed, without success, the implementation of a five-point peace plan agreed with the junta shortly after a coup in early 2021.

Malaysia has been a vocal critic of the junta. Earlier this month, it urged ASEAN to strongly condemn the junta’s actions, including violence.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and Malaysia will hold a meeting in October to boost their ties in the Halal industry and Islamic banking, Mr. Marcos said.

The two countries will also tackle their cooperation in food security and efforts to deter transnational crimes, he told the joint press briefing with Mr. Anwar.

The Philippine leader said Mr. Anwar and he have committed to closely coordinate efforts “to build capacity” in the Bangsamoro region in southern Philippines, citing the Halal industry and Islamic banking.

“Malaysia has warmly offered their expertise to train Philippine personnel and officials to strengthen our capabilities in these increasingly important sectors.” he said.

“We also agreed to enhance our trade and investment ties with each other. With Malaysia being one of the leading Halal economies in the world, cooperation in this sector would mutually benefit the growth of our respective halal ecosystems,” he added.

Manila and Kuala Lumpur should “ensure that the halal industry can penetrate more effectively into the Middle Eastern market,” Mr. Anwar said.

Mr. Marcos also met with Malaysian King Malaysian King Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

He was accorded a state welcome ceremony, including a 21-gun salute, upon his arrival at Istana Negara, Malaysia’s national palace, and was welcomed by the king and queen of Malaysia, as well as Mr. Anwar and his wife, Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the presidential palace said.

In their meeting, Mr. Marcos told the king their countries should focus on mutually beneficial initiatives and “see how we can help one another as we face the post-pandemic future.”

Mr. Marcos is also expected to meet with Malaysian business leaders to attract investments.

In his pre-departure speech on Tuesday, he vowed to strengthen Philippine-Malaysian ties in the Islamic banking and Halal industries. He also promised to boost cooperation in agriculture, the digital economy, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr. Marcos has had 14 foreign trips since he took office in June last year.

A day before his Malaysian trip, Mr. Marcos delivered his second address to Congress, where he touted his foreign trips, saying these have yielded P3.9 trillion in investment pledges and are expected to generate 175,000 jobs.

Economists have said Mr. Marcos had failed to detail how he plans to turn the pledges into actual investments. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza with Reuters

Government to file cases against farm smugglers soon, says palace

A vendor shows off a basket of red onions in Manila. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE GOVERNMENT has identified smugglers and hoarders based on intelligence reports and would soon file cases against them, the presidential palace said on Wednesday.

The suspects are known to have smuggled farm products in past governments, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said in a statement.

He said a Department of Justice (DoJ) task force against smuggling was still gathering evidence, adding that it had not forwarded its report to the Office of the President.

In his second state of the nation address (SONA) to Congress on July 24, Mr. Marcos Jr. scored hoarders and smugglers, whose “days are numbered.”

He asked Congress to pass a bill seeking to revise the country’s Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

“That is a personal undertaking of the President,” Mr. Bersamin said. “He really means to deal with these people, the justice that they deserve.”

He said the timeline for the campaign against smugglers would depend on the strength of evidence.

Also on Wednesday, DoJ vowed to go after agricultural smugglers and hoarders.

“We are not going to be weakened by the so-called lack of action before in respect to smugglers and hoarders,” Justice Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez told a news briefing.

“We assure the general public that we will go after them in the strongest possible sense, by the filing of the gravest crime that may be charged and that could be economic sabotage,” he added.

But the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura criticized the Justice department for failing to prosecute smugglers.

“Smugglers and hoarders, and their cohorts in government if any, continue with their criminal ways since no one has been convicted of agriculture smuggling,” it said in a statement.

It added that the Justice department had only received 159 large-scale agricultural smuggling cases from the Bureau of Customs and Department of Agriculture between 2016 and February 2023.

Of the total, 76 cases were dismissed for insufficient evidence, the group said. “Only nine have been filed, but there are still zero convictions.”

It said economic managers have been conveniently attributing inflation to low farm output.

“Five years is enough, our economic managers should accept the realities of unlimited importation and reduction of tariff on basic commodities like rice, pork, chicken and corn did not reduce retail prices,” it said. “Hoarders, profiteers and smugglers are to blame for high prices.”

The Federation of Free Farmers earlier said the President should have mentioned his plan to reinstate the pre-shipment inspection system for imports in his SONA, saying it “a more effective deterrent to smuggling than running after smugglers.”

Meanwhile, minority congressmen said Mr. Marcos had failed to outline policies to lower inflation and curb smuggling.

Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman told the House of Representatives plenary the President had failed to specify the policies his government had adopted to lower inflation.

“Brave words are not enough,” he said of the President’s warning against smugglers. “Swift and resolute actions are imperative.”

Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Marcelino C. Libanan said the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act has not been fully enforced.

“The Bureau of Customs has been violating its provisions with impunity,” he said. “Misinvoicing, misdeclaration, and other falsities in declaration have been going on right under the very nose of Customs authorities.”

He added that the government’s infrastructure projects had been delayed by lack of funds.

Assistant Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said the taxes proposed by the President would burden the masses amid spiraling prices. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Beatriz Marie D. Cruz and John Victor D. Ordoñez

Lawmakers seek investigation of aerial bombings by military

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

PARTY-LIST congressmen have called for an investigation of aerial bombings and strafing allegedly done by the military in the provinces.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the alarming increase in aerial bombings and indiscriminate firing on communities, especially when it comes to the welfare and safety of our children,” Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said in a statement.

The congressmen filed House Resolution 1135 seeking to probe the alleged attacks, citing the physical and emotional trauma on civilians, especially children.

Ms. Brosas said several schools have been damaged by the attacks. “Students have been forced to flee their homes.”

On Feb. 2, the Philippine Air Force 95th Infantry Battalion and the Tactical Operations Group dropped four bombs and rockets and conducted machine gun strafing against peasant communities in Cagayan Valley, according to the resolution.

It also said the government had used Black Hawk choppers, which were bought under the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program, to bomb areas in Cagayan Valley.

The resolution also cited bombings in the Cordillera mountains, Cavite, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Surigao del Sur and Bukidnon.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. highlighted in his second state of the nation address (SONA) to Congress the need to maintain peace.

“To create these investment opportunities, we must ensure that an enabling business environment is in place; that there is peace and order, and that the rule of law governs,” he said.

“If President Marcos is sincere in his offer of peace, then he must walk the talk and address the spate of aerial bombings and rights violations in our communities,” Ms. Brosas said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

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