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E-Governance bill hurdles House committee 

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

A BILL seeking to digitalize the bureaucracy has been approved by the House committee on information and communications technology.

On Wednesday the committee passed an unnumbered substitute bill seeking to effect a government transition to an electronic mode of delivering services and information.

Rabindranath P. Quilala, director of the Anti-Red Tape Authority, said that the measure will facilitate the ease of doing business in the Philippines.

“We have already streamlined (our processes), but the problem is, the system is still slow. We still follow the person-to-person and paper-to-paper systems,” he told the panel.

Ma. Salvacion M. Axalan, a project development officer with the Budget department, said that the measure will harmonize rules governing public financial management. “Ten years ago, we had a PEFA (Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability) assessment wherein the Philippines failed (in) financial management,” she said.

The measure defines e-governance as the application of information and communications technology to government, business, and the public service, with a view to making processes more efficient.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology is tasked with coming up with an E-Government Master Plan which will serve as the blueprint for the development and enhancement of all electronic government services and processes.

The E-Governance bill is one of the House’s priority measures for the year. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said last month that bill “will help accelerate our digital transformation to fuel growth momentum.”

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has said that he plans to certify as urgent the E-Governance bill. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Japan ministry agrees to broadband, 5G equipment sourcing collaboration with DICT

DICT.GOV.PH

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with its counterpart Japanese ministry on broadband infrastructure development and fifth-generation (5G) cellular equipment sourcing.

“The Philippines, through the DICT, has reinforced its cooperation in the field of ICT with Japan. The Philippine government and the government of Japan have a long history of collaboration and the signed MoC will only strengthen our cooperative efforts,” DICT Secretary Ivan John E. Uy said in a statement.

The deal, which the DICT signed on Feb. 19 with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, “aims to encourage and strengthen cooperation and accelerate development and integration in the field of ICT” between the two parties.

The two sides expect to jointly develop broadband infrastructure and services in the Philippines, work towards diversifying the Philippines’ 5G suppliers, and develop capacity-building programs for cybersecurity.

“Further, the MoC will strengthen the cooperation of the two countries for the smooth transition to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting and for the utilization of Emergency Warning Broadcasting System (EWBS) in the Philippines,” the DICT said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

6-23 months identified as critical age for averting childhood malnutrition

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

MORE TRAINING for mothers and accessible natal care will help mitigate stunted growth and malnutrition in children, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said.

“We have examined the possible trajectory of child stunting should key nutrition and health interventions be universally implemented. Maternal nutritional status and education factors, quality of prenatal and postnatal care, and diets of young children 6-23 months explain the large socio-economic disparity,” PIDS said in a study released on Wednesday.

“For the country to achieve significant decline in the prevalence of stunting, it requires large and sustained investment in the medium to long term, particularly investment in improving the diets of children 6-23 months and promotion of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices,” it added.

About a third of Filipino children are stunted or chronically malnourished, according to the study.

“Filipino children are failing to reach their growth potential compared to children living in other countries. In 2019, about 29% of under-five children are stunted, way above the average prevalence for upper-middle-income countries,” it said.

Maternal education must be implemented to address stunting and reduce the socio-economic gap, PIDS said.

“Mothers with higher education will then be more aware and equipped with information on how to improve their own nutritional status, better child feeding and rearing practices, and may also have better jobs and income, which in turn will have an impact on child’s nutrition,” it added.

The government should also provide equal access to quality prenatal care.

“Having access to quality prenatal care services will result in the close monitoring of nutrition of the mother during pregnancy and she may be provided with interventions that would improve her and the child’s nutrition status,” PIDS said.

“Interventions to improve the child’s nutrition status that have a large impact on the reduction of the aggregate stunting prevalence is the improvement of the child’s diet during 6-23 months and optimal IYCF practices,” it added.

The government think tank cited the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and age-appropriate complementary feeding as examples.

“In general, non-poor mothers are less likely to have a stunted child because they have relatively good nutrition status, good education, and access to quality prenatal care. Hence, equitable allocation and implementation of key health and nutrition intervention is critical,” it said.

“Focusing on (these) domains and packaging it as a continuum of interventions, and prioritizing malnutrition in the government’s broader multi-sectoral development agenda is recommended,” it added. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Forging ahead with RPS assessments

Automation with the use of proper tools has key advantages, such as efficient utilization of resources with minimal human intervention, elimination of manual repetitive tasks, and increased productivity and profits. Adopting automated systems often results in positive yields in the long run. In fact, the Philippine government is also heading towards automation and digital transformation, with billions of pesos from the national budget allotted for this purpose. Evidently, digitalization is pushing forward, and automation is happening more quickly.

More specifically, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has embrace transformation by enhancing its systems and processes to better achieve its purpose — to collect taxes through the enforcement of tax law. In January, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 7-2023 clarifies the Return Processing System (RPS) Assessment.

RPS is the BIR’s information system that processes taxpayer returns. The system is designed to detect: (i) a tax return filed late, where no corresponding penalties were paid, (ii) a tax return filed with declared tax due, where no corresponding payment was detected, or (iii) a tax return filed with tax due, with only partial payment detected. The system will generate an “RPS Assessment” once it has identified any of the above circumstances. Based on the RPS findings, the Large Taxpayers Document Processing and Quality Assurance Division will issue an RPS Assessment notice to inform the concerned taxpayers of their taxes still due for payment. Failure to settle the outstanding amount within the prescribed timeline indicated in the notice will result in the enforcement of collection remedies for delinquent tax liabilities.

Remember that tax returns contain a written statement that they are made under penalty of perjury. Hence, if the taxpayer willfully files a return with this declaration, it is expected that the information contained therein has been made in good faith and is verified by the taxpayer to be true and correct pursuant to the Tax Code. Thus, the moment the taxpayer fails to pay the declared tax payable in the return within the prescribed due date, the BIR considers it a “delinquent account” arising from a self-assessed tax liability from tax returns filed by the taxpayer himself.

The Tax Code expressly specifies the remedies for the collection of delinquent taxes. The BIR may collect through distraint of personal property and by levy upon real property including interest and rights therein, or through civil and/or criminal action per discretion of the authorities in charge of the collection of such taxes. In 2019, the BIR clarified that a Preliminary Collection Letter (PCL) and a Final Notice Before Seizure will no longer be sent to delinquent taxpayers. Upon validation by the collection enforcement office, a warrant of distraint, levy, and/or garnishment is to be immediately issued. Once received, the warrant is deemed sufficient authority to the person owning the debts or having in his possession or control any credits belonging to the taxpayer, to turn them over to the government. Having said this, the delinquent taxpayer’s assets will be put on hold and will be reserved as settlement for the assessed amount.

The RPS Assessment is not synonymous with an assessment notice arising from a tax audit where the taxpayer has the chance to dispute the assessment. Considering that the contents of the RPS Assessment are based on the taxpayer’s own declaration in the filed tax return, and that no books of account and accounting records are to be examined or subjected to audit, the issuance of a Letter of Authority is not required. Hence, upon receipt of the RPS Assessment, the assessed delinquent taxes should be settled immediately. Otherwise, the taxpayer may face a perjury case punishable by imprisonment under the law.

Previously, RPS Assessments were only used as bases for preparing PCLs to be sent to delinquent taxpayers. Following this clarificatory issuance from the BIR, RPS Assessments will be used to protect the interest of the government and to immediately collect what is due to the government. Hence, as part of the BIR’s civil or administrative remedies under the Tax Code, the RPS Assessment notice is now considered a Collection Letter used to administer collection of delinquent accounts.

It may be advisable for taxpayers to secure from the BIR a list of open cases to identify and verify the tax returns that it has allegedly failed to file since it may be inferred that an unfiled return is tantamount to unpaid taxes. Now that the filing of the annual income tax return draws near, taxpayers should file their returns early and secure a copy of the tax return receipt confirmation for filers using the e-BIR forms package or the filing reference number for filers using the Electronic Filing and Payment System, and importantly, to settle the tax payable on time and secure a payment confirmation from the bank to avoid being tagged as a delinquent account in the RPS. Note that this also applies to all kinds of taxes where tax returns have been willfully filed by the taxpayer.

The BIR has been continuously intensifying its tax collection efforts and cleaning up its accounts receivable and delinquent accounts. Now, the Bureau is taking advantage of automation for monitoring tax compliance and collecting taxes rightfully due to the government. Taxpayers, on the other hand, should not waver in their own efforts and consider tax in their digital transformation journey to enhance their compliance.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

 

Crystabelle Cruz Lucas is a senior manager at the Tax Services department of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

crystabelle.d.cruz@pwc

Marcos urged to seek out more allies to deter China aggression

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FACEBOOK PAGE

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

SECURITY and foreign policy experts on Wednesday urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to partner with as many countries as possible to deter China’s aggression in the South China Sea.

“Multilateralism will counterbalance too much dependence on the United States,” Chester B. Cabalza, who studied national security and policymaking at the University of Delaware, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“It is a balancing act between the US and China,” he said. “It opens more opportunities for the Philippines to draw best practices from strategic and economic partners without being tied up to treaty alliance.”

Partnering with many security allies would prevent over commitment to one state and “bring in more differing strategies to our own advantage based on our defense needs,” Mr. Cabalza said.

The Philippines on Tuesday filed a diplomatic protest against China after accusing it of trying to block a resupply ship at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Feb. 6.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it had filed the protest before the Chinese Embassy in Manila as it condemned the Chinese Coast Guard’s dangerous maneuvers and alleged harassment of Philippine Coast Guard crew.

The Chinese Coast Guard endangering the crew of BRP Malapascua by shining a military-grade laser light on the Philippine ship was a “threat to Philippine sovereignty and security as a state,” the agency said.

Mr. Marcos Jr.  summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian “to express his serious concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen in their bancas,” the presidential palace said in a separate statement.

This happened just a month after the Philippine leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to manage maritime differences through diplomacy and dialogue.

Early this month, Mr. Marcos Jr. expressed willingness to have a visiting forces agreement with Japan, a week after giving the US access to four more military bases under their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Ex-Marcos security adviser Clarita A. Carlos said she had advised him to pursue joint patrols not just with the US but also with other Western allies.

“We don’t want one hegemon,” she told the ABS-CBN News Channel. “There are so many centers of power right now.”

She said a visiting forces agreement with Japan would send a strong signal to China, adding that diplomatic protests have not stopped it from militarizing the South China Sea.

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio said the Marcos government should clarify to the US whether the latest aggression of China constitutes an armed attack.

The Philippines has a mutual defense treaty with the US.

“The laser weapon, even if it causes only temporary blindness, is still a weapon or an arm that can be used in an attack that qualifies the attack as an armed attack under the Mutual Defense Treaty,” he said in a statement.

“The recent use by China’s coast guard of lasers that temporarily blinded Philippine Coast Guard personnel constitutes an armed attack on a Philippine public vessel,” he added.

Mr. Carpio said there’s an international convention barring the use of military-grade lasers that lead to permanent blindness, to which the US, China, and the Philippines are parties.

Ms. Carlos said the Philippines could no longer rely on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since its members have their own national security interests. “We should no longer talk about an ASEAN collective position. There is none.”

She said any protests against China at the United Nations could also be vetoed by Beijing’s key allies including Russia.

MODERNIZATION
“ASEAN is still relevant and reliable to our needs,” Mr. Cabalza said. “There are middle powers in ASEAN that can become balancers like us in the China-US power contest.”

Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a policy analyst, said ASEAN is a “diplomacy mechanism” that could help the Philippines remain “nonpartisan” in the US-China rivalry.

He said the Senate should conduct a public “honest-to-goodness assessment of security-related arrangements we have with friendly nations.”

“Let the decision to seek new security agreements arise from these public deliberations,” he said. “We don’t want to end up entangled in a web of security agreements. Lets have a clear comprehension first of the current security regime. Then we decide if new arrangements are indeed optimal for us.”

Mr. Cabalza said military modernization is still the best route to counter China’s expansive activities in the South China Sea. “It will boost our confidence as a nation and build strategic deterrence for our national security.”

“Getting international support is critical, but it is no substitute to local initiatives to modernize the country’s maritime capacity, improve its facilities in its administered islands and deepen its presence in the area through peaceful exercise of marine economic activities and more frequent patrols,” Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, a research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“Communication channels and dialogue with all parties to the dispute should remain open,” he said. “There is no one magic pill to address the complex and longrunning South China Sea spat. Defense, development and diplomacy should all go hand in hand.”  

Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez urged Mr. Marcos to enter into visiting forces agreements with more countries including South Korea and Australia amid increasing threats from China.

“We should negotiate and enter into visiting forces agreements, like the one we have with the United States, in the face of heightened threats from China” he said in a statement.

He said China’s attempt to block the Philippine Navy ship during its resupply mission is “unacceptable and detestable” and “beyond the realm of civilized conduct.” 

Renato C. De Castro, an international studies professor at De La Salle University, said that having VFAs would not harm the Philippines because “it is just a status of forces agreement… not a mutual defense treaty.”

“A status of forces agreement simply provides legal protection for foreign forces operating in your territory,” he said in a Viber message.

Surigao Del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers urged the Philippines’ allies to help the Southeast Asian nation enforce the 2016 ruling by a United Nations-backed tribunal that voided China’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea.

The Philippines claims sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal, which it calls Ayungin. It is within its exclusive economic zone. 

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin on Monday said the Philippine Coast Guard had intruded into its waters.

Also on Wednesday, a group of congressmen filed a House of Representatives resolution seeking to probe the laser-pointing incident involving China’s coast guard.

Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, who lead the filing of the resolution, accused the Chinese Foreign Ministry of gaslighting.

Partly-list Rep. France L. Castro, one of the authors of the resolution, in a separate statement said “such an attack is indicative of the true character of China now.” — with Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Philippines posts first XBF case 

UNSPLASH

PHILIPPINE health authorities on Wednesday reported the first case of the Omicron subvariant XBF in the country. 

The XBF sample was collected in December 2022 and sequenced on Jan. 28, the Department of Health (DoH) said in a statement. 

Two new cases of the Omicron subvariant XBB.15 — the most contagious coronavirus subvariant so far — were also  detected, bringing the total to three, it said. 

XBF was initially flagged for its “increasing prevalence” and had been associated with the recent increase in infections in Australia and Sweden, the agency said.  

It accounted for 55% of total cases  in Victoria, Australia, DoH said, citing a recent wastewater analysis. 

Antiviral treatments against COVID-19 were no longer effective against several Omicron subvariants including XBF, DoH said. 

“However, currently available evidence for XBF does not suggest any differences in disease severity and/or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant,” it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

 

Young Filipinos warned versus crypto scammers

KANCHANARA-UNSPLASH

THE PHILIPPINE Immigration bureau on Wednesday warned the public against cryptocurrency scammers who lure young professionals into working illegally in Southeast Asia.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco said scammers are luring urban professionals by promising them jobs only to be forced to work for potential cryptocurrency investors.

“These highly educated professionals would not even think that they would be vulnerable and be trafficked, as they are merely exploring opportunities that they may have encountered online,” he said.

The agency said Filipinos should remain cautious online because scammers usually lure victims through online offers.

Mr. Tansingco said the agency would look into the cases of the eight repatriated Filipinos who were rescued from a trafficking scheme in Myanmar.

The victims were recruited online from Dubai after being promised customer support positions in Thailand. They were instead forced to dupe people into investing in cryptocurrency through social media platforms.

In November, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Foreign Affairs and Office of Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel rescued 12 victims of an illegal recruitment scheme in Myanmar.

In August, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia issued an advisory suspending the deployment of Filipino workers to Myanmar due to violence and armed conflict in the area.

The DMW has said it would keep a blacklist of foreign employers found to have violated labor standards, including exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.

The immigration bureau earlier said it would set up posts in major Philippine airports that will cater to cases of cyber-crime and online fraud.

“Professionals are now being lured by promises of good salaries and other incentives, only to be embroiled in this scam,” Mr. Tansingco said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Bill imposing excise tax on guns pushed

PCG

A PROPOSAL to impose excise tax on firearms and ammunitions is being pushed by its legislators to improve the Philippines’ gun control system while using the revenue to promote responsible ownership and peace programs. 

House Bill No. 3367 proposes a value-based tax on handguns such as pistols and revolvers, ammunition and its accessories at 10%. Other firearms and related accessories will be levied 11%. 

The tax will be imposed on domestic manufacturers and importers.

The bill’s explanatory note says that this “market-based strategy” of gun control will “reduce the number of guns in circulation by raising the price of ownership while using tax revenue to actually promote preventive and capacity-building measures” in the firearms industry. 

The Philippine National Police reported last month that it revoked 240 firearm licenses and confiscated 684 registered firearms found to be involved in numerous crimes and violations in the last four years. 

The proposed measure would “reduce gun possession and promote responsible ownership by making these weapons more expensive for citizens who are not in law enforcement,” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” F. Villafuerte, Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

Under Republic Act No. 10591, the firearms regulation law, the government collects gun-related fees through individual applications for license to possess, manufacture, sell, and upon registration of firearms. 

The measure’s co-authors are Mr. Villafuerte, Camarines Sur Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony G. Horibata, and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Nicolas C. Enciso VIII. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz 

Tulfo seeks review of minimum wage adjustment policies 

A mural in Paco, Manila is seen on May 16, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

SENATOR RAFAEL “Raffy” T. Tulfo has filed a resolution calling for a review of existing policies on adjusting minimum wage, citing the need to improve the quality of life of workers, especially those in the low income bracket.  

“It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the minimum wage is set at a level that provides workers with a decent standard of living, taking into account factors such as inflation rates,” he said under Senate Resolution 476.  

Under the resolution, the senator cited that the P33 wage hike implemented last year for the capital region Metro Manila is inadequate considering rising inflation.  

Increases also took effect in other regions at lower rates.   

The adjustments put minimum wage in the capital region at P570 and at most P470 in other regions.  

The country’s consumer price index quickened to 8.7% in January from 8.1% in December, marking the highest in 14 years or since the 9.1% in November 2008.    

Mr. Tulfo said there is a need to “ensure that the policies on the minimum wage increase are fair, effective, and consistent with the needs of the workers and the economy.”  

Minimum wage rates in the Philippines vary per region and are set through tripartite boards composed of representatives from the workers sector, employers, and government.     

Wage adjustments are assessed based on such factors as cost of living, capacity of employers to pay, and various economic indicators.   

Every wage order approved by a Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board is subject to a final concurrence by the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment.    

The Philippines is divided into 17 regions. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

3 cops accused of killing Spanish national in drug operation surrender 

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THREE policemen who have been accused of killing a Spanish national in a drug buy-bust operation in 2020 have surrendered to authorities, according to the Department of Justice (DoJ). 

In a statement on Wednesday, the DoJ said the three cops turned themselves in on Feb. 9 and recounted to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla the events of Diego Bello Lafuente’s killing.  

The law enforcers were hard to track down after government prosecutors filed murder and planting evidence charges against them in March last year, the justice department said.  

“We are now able to move forward and try the case and deliver justice in a case that has transcended borders,” Mr. Remulla was quoted in the statement.  

Government prosecutors earlier cited forensic data from the National Bureau of Investigation that disproved the cops’ claim of a shootout during the incident.  

The incident is one of the 52 cases in which suspected drug pushers died in ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs. 

At least 25 policemen have been charged with murder in connection with the anti-illegal drug campaign, Mr. Remulla told the United Nations Human Rights Council in November. An inter-agency task force on extralegal killings had investigated at least 17,000 cops.  

Data released by the Philippine government in June 2021 showed that at least 6,117 suspected drug dealers had been killed in police operations. Human rights groups estimate that as many as 30,000 suspects died. 

The United Nations Rights Committee has said the Philippines should comply with international human rights mechanisms and cooperate with the ICC’s drug war probe. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Pimentel eyes probe on ‘rampant, unabated’ agri smuggling

BOC

SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Martin “Koko” D. Pimentel III has filed a resolution directing the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to probe, in aid of legislation, the “rampant and unabated” agricultural smuggling in the country.  

The investigation will be held “with the end view of identifying accountability and making changes to our anti-smuggling laws and processes, if found necessary,” he said under Senate Resolution 477, filed on Monday.  

Smuggled agricultural goods, he said, affects the livelihood of farmers and fisherfolk, poses health risks, and deprives the government of needed revenues.  

He cited data found by the Senate Committee of the Whole during the previous Congress indicating that technically smuggled farm-fishery commodities amounted to about P667.5 million from 2019 to 2022. 

At that time, 31 smuggling cases were pending from May 2021, with the total amount of smuggled goods estimated at P848.33 million.  

A list of people allegedly involved in large-scale agricultural smuggling was also reported by the committee, “yet until now no smuggler has been sent to jail and agricultural smuggling remains rampant in the country,” Mr. Pimentel said.  

The senator cited that in January alone at least P19 million worth of illegal sugar was discovered while about P20 million worth of red onions were reportedly seized.  

“Unfortunately, up until now, smuggling persists, if not worse than before,” he said. “The government has not successfully eradicated or even countered smuggling, which has greatly affected our farmers and the consumers as well with the soaring prices of food commodities.” — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Fishers’ group opposes proposed military pact with Japan

PAMALAKAYAWEB.WORDPRESS.COM

A FISHERS’ group has expressed opposition to a suggested military agreement with Japan, saying enhanced maritime security activities will only intensify tensions at the disputed South China Sea.      

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said in a statement on Wednesday that another foreign military pact will “not de-escalate tension” in their fishing grounds but will “instead inflame it.”  

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., who was in a five-day state visit to Japan last week, said he is open to forging a Philippines-Japan Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to help protect the country’s maritime territory and local fisherfolk.   

“Opposite to Marcos’ claims that it will help protect Filipino fishers and our maritime territory, a VFA with Japan will only pave the way to more cases of harassment and further plundering of our resources,” PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson Fernando L. Hicap said in the statement.  

A VFA with Japan, similar to the Philippines-United States accord, will allow Japanese troops in and out of the country for bilateral training or military exercises.  

“Marcos’ ‘the more, the merrier’ foreign policy just demonstrates his indignity and lack of political will to defend our country’s sovereignty, patrimony, and independence,” the group said.  

PAMALAKAYA said that it maintains its strong opposition against any foreign military intervention in the country, “whether it be China, US, Japan, or any superpowers.”  

“We should stand on our own feet against China using international laws, such as our historic victory in the arbitral tribunal. We don’t need any protection from any foreign nations that have their own economic and geopolitical interests. We certainly don’t need another superpower displaying military might in our territory,” Mr. Hicap said.  

He also urged the Marcos administration to settle the territorial dispute with China “peacefully, diplomatically, and in accordance with an independent foreign policy.” — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

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