Shares rise as remittances climb 5.2% in Sept.

November 16, 2021 | 9:00 pm

PHILIPPINE SHARES rose on Tuesday following the release of data showing cash remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) increased in September.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 25.05 points or 0.34% to end at 7,367.42, while the broader all shares index increased by 10.14 points or 0.25% to close at 3,961.67 on Tuesday.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message that the stock market rose “after the continued growth in OFW remittances, which is among the highest this year and also near record highs on a monthly basis.”

Mr. Ricafort noted that remittances support consumer spending, which accounts for at least 70% of the economy.

Money sent home by OFWs registered its eighth straight month of annual growth in September, signaling the start of a seasonal uptick in remittances ahead of the holiday season.

Cash remittances rose by 5.2% year on year in September to $2.737 billion from $2.601 billion in the same month a year ago, according to data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday.

Month on month, remittances also grew by 4.9% from the $2.609 billion in August.

This brought nine-month cash remittance inflows to $23.117 billion, up by 5.6% from the $21.886 billion during the same period in 2020.

Stocks were also supported by the decline in global oil prices after US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. called to use the US Strategic Petroleum Reserves to lower gasoline prices, Mr. Ricafort added.

Mr. Biden’s signing of the $1-trillion infrastructure bill on Tuesday and as the start of the virtual summit on US-China relations also boosted market sentiment.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan also said in a Viber message that the market closed higher as US yields rose.

Sectoral indices were split on Tuesday. Mining and oil went up by 159.10 points or 1.69% to 9,529.42; services rose 21.89 points or 1.09% to 2,014.66; and holding firms gained 45.95 points or 0.64% to end at 7,153.29.

Meanwhile, financials dropped 7.11 points or 0.44% to 1,591.22; industrials lost 32.24 points or 0.30% to end at 10,729.39; and property gave up 1.41 points or 0.04% to close at 3,338.36.

Value turnover rose to P9.52 billion with 1.19 billion issues on Tuesday from the P7.96 billion with 1.30 billion shares seen on Monday.

Decliners beat advancers, 113 against 88, as 46 names closed unchanged.

Net foreign buying amounted to P863.03 million on Tuesday, a turnaround from the P342.41 million in net selling seen on Monday.

The PSEi’s initial support is at 7,300 “in view of [Tuesday’s] intra-week low of 7,307,” while the next resistance is still at the 7,400 to 7,500 levels, RCBC’s Mr. Ricafort said. — BADA

Peso down ahead of US retail sales data

November 16, 2021 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO weakened ahead of the release of US retail sales data. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO depreciated versus the greenback for the second straight day on Tuesday amid preference for the dollar on expectations of strong US retail sales data.

The local unit closed at P50.30 per dollar on Tuesday, shedding 11 centavos from its P50.19 finish on Monday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso opened Tuesday’s session stronger at P50.15 per dollar, which was also its intraday best. Meanwhile, its weakest showing during the session was at P50.35 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded picked up to $1.391 billion on Tuesday from $1.156 billion on Monday.

The peso depreciated versus the greenback ahead of US retail sales report, which is expected to be upbeat, a trader said in an e-mail.

The US Commerce department will report the October retail sales data overnight. In September, US retail sales increased by 0.7%, with the biggest gains recorded for sporting goods and hobbies, and general merchandise.

The market also factored in the impact of the wider implementation of the alert level system in the country, with most areas now under more relaxed restrictions, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

“This further support economic recovery prospects that could entail some increase in importation activities,” he said in a Viber message.

For Wednesday, Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P50.15 to P50.35, while the trader expects the local unit to move within P50.20 to P50.45 against the dollar. — L.W.T. Noble

No subsidy cuts planned as DoF evaluates crop insurer’s books

November 16, 2021 | 8:35 pm

THE FINANCE department said it has asked the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to make more comprehensive financial disclosures but added that it has no plans to reduce the insurer’s subsidies after the company was placed under the department’s management earlier this year.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III asked the PCIC to present more financial information to “ensure that its premium subsidies paid for by taxpayers are spent well,” the Department of Finance (DoF) said in a statement Tuesday.

Mr. Dominguez was quoted as saying that the continued subsidies will go hand in hand with ensuring that the company is efficiently run.

The PCIC board, chaired by Mr. Dominguez, wants to evaluate the insurer’s spending relative to industry peers, he said.

PCIC President Jovy C. Bernabe said the company will start presenting its financial statements according to the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards 4 (PFRS 4) as of August 2021. The PCIC will also restate financial reports from the last two years to comply with these standards.

“The objective of this whole exercise is that we want to make sure the taxpayer is getting value for money,” Mr. Dominguez said.

He also said the PCIC should act on an Insurance Commission recommendation to revisit the corporation’s Risk Premium Rate assumptions in pricing products by March, noting that the assumptions may be “inadequate, unreasonable and inappropriate.”

The PCIC should hire a consultant with an extensive background in agricultural insurance, he said, noting that the corporation’s process in evaluating agricultural losses from pests and diseases should be reviewed so that this type insurance coverage does not become a source of fraud and fund leakage.

Mr. Dominguez, named PCIC chairman following the government-owned company’s transfer from the Department of Agriculture, has said that he plans to scale up the available crop insurance to mitigate financial losses due to natural calamities intensified by climate change.

The PCIC received P2.24 billion in government subsidies in September, more than six times last year’s total, the Bureau of the Treasury said. It did not receive subsidies in August. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Return to pre-pandemic growth track seen possible in 7-8 years — BPI

November 16, 2021 | 8:34 pm

worker-electronics-manufacturing-PEZA — REUTERS

The Philippines may return to its pre-pandemic growth trajectory in seven or eight years, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said, more optimistic than a government estimate of 10 years, with the bank’s projection conditioned on broader adoption of technology.

“For returning to our pre-pandemic GDP (gross domestic product) trajectory, we think 10 years is too long. We believe our labor sector is agile enough to pivot to new winners,” BPI Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri, Jr. said at a virtual briefing Tuesday.

Mr. Neri was referring to a projection by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) that the economy could take 10 years to get back to pre-pandemic growth rates, with consumption and investments expected to remain sluggish.

Mr. Neri said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua issued a conservative projection because he “probably wants to compel or to urge other government agencies to move more quickly.”

To effect a more rapid recovery, he said it is important to develop technology skills in the workforce.

The need to nurture the digital economy has been accelerated by the pandemic, BPI Chief Market Strategist Marco Miguel Javier said.

“We’ve also looked at the continual increase in capital goods imports for the technology sector. We think that should be one of the drivers (of) our recovery,” Mr. Javier said.

He is also hopeful that the next administration will improve “our lagging infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Javier said he also hopes that some businesses that have had to close their factories in Vietnam due to the pandemic may consider the Philippines as an investment destination.

“Companies can diversify their supply chains. We saw because of this pandemic that centralizing your supply chains (in) one country can sometimes be hazardous to your company’s health,” he said.

The economy expanded 7.1% year on year in the three months to September, the second consecutive quarter of expansion. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Startup prospects seen improving by next year

November 16, 2021 | 8:27 pm

THE ENVIRONMENT for startups is expected to improve next year as the economy undertakes its digital transformation as it recovers from the pandemic.

Rene S. Meily, QBO Innovation Hub and IdeaSpace Foundation president, said at a virtual news conference Tuesday at Philippine Startup Week that the startup scene is expected to play a bigger role in the economy as a result of greater reliance on internet-based platforms.

“People have gotten used to really living virtually and doing things virtually. I am pretty optimistic and pretty hopeful for the country’s startups,” Mr. Meily said.

Mr. Meily cited a report released by Google LLC, Singapore government-owned investment company Temasek Holdings Ltd., and Bain & Co., estimating the size of the Philippines’ internet economy by gross merchandise value at $40 billion by 2025.

“I think we can take advantage of it because we can access a whole global market with the platforms that we have here. That is one good thing about an online platform,” Mr. Meily said.

Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba said she is also optimistic for startups as the government is providing support at “all stages in the lifecycle of a startup.”

“I am also very optimistic. Based on what we’re seeing right now, there will be more startups able to raise funds, (resulting in) more strong startups with improved quality and higher probability of surviving,” Ms. Aldaba said.

“If we look at the forecasts for the economic recovery, many are saying that by the end of this year towards the first quarter of 2022, we will be hitting our 2019 level. There is a lot of momentum and excitement especially as companies are all preparing for digital transformation,” she added.

Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Emmanuel Rey R. Caintic said Filipinos are now more comfortable with online transactions, providing a boost to e-commerce.

“We ought to determine which startups are really sound business models because what we do not want is (companies shutting down as rapidly as they startup). We want to ensure that these startups have the right business acumen and the right formula so that they can move towards profitability and sustainability,” Mr. Caintic said.

Mr. Meily said the startup ecosystem needs more successes to entice and engage more domestic investors, including more initial public offerings.

“If one of the startups can go public on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), that is going to really excite everybody and make those companies and future founders realize that they do not have to work abroad or work for a big company to do well,” Mr. Meily said.

Sancho A. Mabborang, Department of Science and Technology undersecretary, said Filipinos should start early and take on a new mindset when it comes to startups.

“I think that the mindset and perspective should be stimulated at a young age so that we can produce Filipinos that will be interested in startups,” Mr. Mabborang said.

“Accessibility is also important such that we do not limit the access of startups only to key cities but should include the countryside,” he added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PHL hoping to tap Japanese industry for digitization push, climate change projects

November 16, 2021 | 8:27 pm

THE PHILIPPINES is hoping to solicit greater Japanese participation in the post-pandemic economic recovery, with a focus on digitization, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure, a Tokyo-based Filipino diplomat said.

At a meeting of ambassadors and Japanese businesses Friday, Philippine Embassy in Japan Chargé d’Affaires Robespierre L. Bolivar said that the Philippines is looking forward to working with the Japanese business sector in bringing forward regional integration and connectivity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“The areas identified by the Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation) on cooperation, co-creation and new growth areas converge with the Philippines’ major economic programs, specifically on infrastructure, trade and investment, climate change, disaster risk reduction and management, and digital transformation,” Mr. Bolivar said.

The Keidanren counts as its members 1,444 companies, 109 industry associations, and regional economic organizations in all 47 of Japan’s prefectures.

The Philippines considers “ASEAN as its family and Japan as a friend closer than a brother, and these strong ties make us natural partners,” Mr. Bolivar added. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

MSMEs with land, facilities urged to register as ecozones

November 16, 2021 | 8:27 pm

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it encourages micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to register their land and facilities as economic zones.

PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza said MSMEs that register can participate in the supply chain of ecozone locators and become partners of foreign investors.

“Products and services produced in the Philippines are world-class (but) we must remain competitive and productive in promoting local investment opportunities that our country can offer,” Ms. Plaza said in a statement Tuesday.

Sallie C. Lacson, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry South Luzon regional governor, said there are potential areas for investment in the Calabarzon region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).

Ms. Lacson said most ecozones in Calabarzon are new and are suitable for companies engaged in manufacturing, electronics, automotive industries, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products.

“As the urban gateway corridor for industrialization, Calabarzon region hosts the big names in electronics and semiconductor industries such as Panasonic, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Samsung, Epson, and Sony, among others,” Ms. Lacson said.

“With the establishment of new roads, highways, and bridges (in South Luzon), ecozones can benefit from this via shorter delivery routes of raw materials from ports to industrial facilities,” she added.

According to PEZA, there were 61 ecozones in Calabarzon as of March. Laguna has the most locators of any province with 2,022.

Elian Macala, Bangon Marawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, said banking, logistics, agricultural, and manufacturing firms can opt to locate in Marawi City to help its recovery.

“My fellow Maranaos are still recuperating from the siege in 2017 and the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic… we need the assistance of the national government and private sector to help rebuild Marawi,” Mr. Macala said, citing the potential of hall food enterprises and shopping malls.

Tereso O. Panga, PEZA deputy director general for Policy and Planning, touted fiscal incentives available to domestic investors, such as the four to seven-year income tax holiday and the prospect of five more years of enhanced deductions.

PEZA has said that approved investments in the first 10 months declined 13.7%, which consisted of 215 projects worth P62.72 billion, which is down from the year earlier P72.64 billion. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Closed fishing season in Visayas seen creating ‘artificial’ shortages

November 16, 2021 | 8:26 pm

THE three-month closed fishing season in the Visayan Sea is expected to cause an “artificial” shortage of fish with a knock-on effect on inflation, an organization of fishermen said.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said in a statement Tuesday that the closed fishing season in the Visayan Sea will depress supply and raise prices.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) closed fishing in the Visayan Sea on Nov. 15. It will run until Feb. 15. The fish species covered by the ban in those waters include sardines, herring, and mackerel.

“We warn against artificial shortage of fish due to the unjust closed season in one of our major fishing grounds. Subsequently, retail prices of fish will (rise) and prompt the government to allow imports of fish, which is a further threat to the fishing industry,” PAMALAKAYA Chairman Fernando L. Hicap said.

PAMALAKAYA’s Panay representatives said the closed season only applies to small fisherfolk “who are already battered by economic crises brought about the pandemic, inflation, and successive calamities.”

According to the association, the directive covers five provinces and 33 coastal municipalities.

PAMALAKAYA-Panay Spokesperson Lucia Capaducio said the closed season deprives small fisherfolk of their livelihoods.

“While we don’t have access to our traditional fishing waters during closed season, big fishing vessels are able to continue with their large-scale fishing expeditions, exhausting the marine resources and leaving nothing for small fishers,” Ms. Capaducio said.

She added: “For the record, we are not entirely against the concept of closed season, but it should exempt small fisherfolk who are not engaged in large-scale and destructive fishing, unlike big commercial fishing fleets that overexploit the seas.”

The BFAR also recently declared the start of the annual closed fishing season in Northern Palawan, which runs between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31. The ban covers species like round scad (galunggong) to allow the resource to regenerate.

The Department of Agriculture has allowed imports of 60,000 metric tons of small pelagic fish such as round scad in order to augment supply and control prices during the various closed seasons. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Dutch poultry imports banned temporarily after bird flu outbreak

November 16, 2021 | 8:26 pm

POULTRY imports from the Netherlands have been temporarily banned after the detection there of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), otherwise known as bird flu.

Memorandum Order No. 69 issued on Nov. 12 by the Department of Agriculture (DA) suspends imports of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality filed a report with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on Oct. 28, confirming an outbreak of H5N1 HPAI in the town of Zeewolde, Flevoland province.

“There is a need to prevent the entry of HPAI virus to protect the health of the local poultry population,” Mr. Dar said.

On Aug. 25, the DA had lifted a previous ban imposed on poultry imports from the Netherlands after a finding that HPAI was under control.

The previous import ban was imposed on Jan. 11 after H5N8 HPAI outbreaks were detected in Utrecht, Friesland, and South Holland.

Mr. Dar also signed Memorandum Order No. 68 on Nov. 12 which temporarily banned imports of cattle from Germany due to an outbreak of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.

The order covers processed animal proteins derived from cattle, live cattle and meat, and meat products from Germany.

Mr. Dar said German veterinary authorities reported the mad cow disease outbreak to the OIE on Oct. 13, which was detected in Kraiburg, Bavaria.

“The recent cases of BSE or mad cow disease in Germany as reported to the OIE may pose a risk to consumers due to BSE’s assumed link with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Philippines posts 849 new cases as testing dips

November 16, 2021 | 8:17 pm

THE GOVERNMENT is no longer requiring the use of face shields. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE PHILIPPINES reported 849 coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the first time in 10 months that the daily tally fell below 1,000, though health authorities said it was largely due to a dip in testing output.

This brought the total to 2.82 million, the Department of Health (DoH) said in a bulletin. The death toll rose to 45,808 after 99 more patients died, while recoveries increased by 2,393 to 2.75 million.

There were 25,464 active cases, 59.1% of which were mild, 5.9% did not show symptoms, 11.5% were severe, 18.61% were moderate and 4.9% were critical.

The agency said 19 duplicates had been removed from the tally, 18 of which were tagged as recoveries, while 83 recoveries were relisted as deaths. Six laboratories failed to submit data on Nov. 14.

DoH said 34% of intensive care units in the Philippines were occupied, while the rate for Metro Manila was 33%.

Meanwhile, health workers who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus could avail themselves of booster shots starting Nov. 17, the agency said in a separate statement.

It said vaccines made by Moderna, Inc., Pfizer, Inc. and Sinovac Biotech Ltd. should be used “regardless of the brand used for the primary series.”

Sinovac’s Coronavac should be offered as a booster for those who had it as their primary vaccine, DoH said. The agency was set to release the guidelines on booster shots on Nov. 16.

The use of a top-up shot has yet to be approved for the general population. The Philippines has been prioritizing health workers in its coronavirus vaccination program.

Health authorities earlier said seniors may also receive booster shots before the end of the year. The government aims to vaccinate at least 50% of its adult population by yearend.

Acting presidential spokesman Karlo Alexei B. Nograles told a televised news briefing on Tuesday 70.68 million doses of coronavirus vaccines had been given out as of Nov. 15.

He said 31.87 million people or 41.31% of adult Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

In Metro Manila, 92.13% or 9 million people of the 9.8-million target population have been fully inoculated, he added.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday night approved the recommendation of an inter-agency task force to lift the mandatory use of face shields in areas under Alert 1, 2 and 3.

In a separate statement, Mr. Nograles said the use of face shields is still required in hospitals and quarantine facilities.

He also said it is only in areas under Alert Level 4 where “discretion is given to establishments and local government units on mandating the use of face shields.”

The Philippines on Tuesday received 1.3 million more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna. The government bought the vaccines.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said these would be used to vaccinate minors and for booster shots.

The government has taken delivery of more than 12.6 million Moderna vaccines. It has received 124 million vaccine shots this year, according to the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

The Philippines has received coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Sinopharm, Johnson & Johnson and Gamaleya Research Institute.

Mr. Galvez also said the country might begin injecting booster shots to senior citizens and seriously ill people next week.

The OCTA Research Group from the University of the Philippines earlier traced decreasing infections to the government’s faster vaccine rollout.

The lockdown in many parts of the country including Metro Manila has been relaxed, allowing more businesses to boost their operating capacity. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Norman P. Aquino

Six of 10 substitution candidates for 2022 have Duterte links

November 16, 2021 | 8:16 pm

MAJORITY of the 10 candidates who substituted for national elective positions next year have links to the Duterte administration, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) data.

Twenty-two national candidates dropped out of the race, as the deadline for substitution lapsed on Nov. 15.

Of the 10 aspirants who substituted for relatively unknown candidates, six have links to President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who himself substituted for a senatorial bet of another party.

Among those who substituted for so-called placeholders were Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio for vice president, ex-Duterte aide Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go for president, former anti-communist task force spokesman and retired military officer Antonio G. Parlade, Jr. for president, former national police chief Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar for senator, and former presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. for senator.

Television personality Joseph Peter Sison who is running for senator, substituted for broadcaster Noli de Castro under Aksyon Demokratiko.

Former Party-list Rep. Walden F. Bello substituted for a member of Partido Lakas ng Masa to run for vice-president in tandem with labor activist Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman.

Election watchdog KontraDaya has said the mockery of election rules, particularly the withdrawal and substitution for the country’s two highest positions, could have been avoided if the Comelec “declared as nuisance candidates those who were clearly placeholders.”

Comelec should redeem itself by declaring these placeholders as nuisance candidates, it said.

Election spokesman James B. Jimenez last month said a candidate’s admission of being a placeholder was not enough basis for disqualification.

Mr. Jimenez on Monday said more candidates for next year had resorted to substitution, which Mr. Duterte used as a tactic in 2016.

“Substitution has been going on for a long time,” he said. “It’s been part and parcel of the practice in Philippine politics. Maybe it just became more prominent now precisely because it is played out at the highest levels.”

Congress should pass a bill regulating the practice, he said. “The Comelec will abide by what Congress passes, but as far as the Comelec is concerned, substitution remains a necessary and valid procedure.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said Mr. Duterte should disclose his net worth for transparency.

“The people expect transparency from their leaders,” the Senate chief, who is running for vice-president, told the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The disclosure of net worth by election candidates should be voluntary since making it compulsory would be illegal, he said, citing jurisprudence.

“It has to be voluntary,” he said. “For the candidates that don’t want to submit their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, we would know that they are untrustworthy.”

The presidential palace in August said it would leave to the Ombudsman the decision of releasing Mr. Duterte’s net worth statement.

Mr. Duterte had not disclosed his net worth despite his vow of transparency, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported last year.

Since the law requiring public officials to disclose their net worth was enacted in 1989, all five presidents before Mr. Duterte had disclosed their worth year after year without fail, it said.

Under a memo issued by the Ombudsman in September, an official’s net worth report may only be released to his authorized representative or upon a court order.

The Ombudsman order also excluded journalists from obtaining copies of the statements. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Duterte appoints new Supreme Court justice

November 16, 2021 | 8:14 pm

SupremeCourt-PHILSTARFILE — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed the Supreme Court administrator as its new magistrate, according to the tribunal’s spokesman.

Jose Midas P. Marquez, 55, will replace Justice Edgardo L. de los Santos, court spokesman Brian Keith F. Hosaka told reporters in a Viber group message on Tuesday. He was appointed on Sept. 27, he said.

Twelve of the High Court’s magistrates are now Duterte appointees.

Mr. Marquez’s appointment brings to six the tribunal’s justices who came from the Ateneo de Manila University Law School, the Jesuit-run university said in a Facebook post. Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo also came from Ateneo.

Mr. Marquez held various positions at the tribunal since his career started in 1991. He once served as its spokesman.

He had been applying for the post since 2017. In 2018, Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio opposed Mr. Marquez’s application, accusing him of meddling in a disbarment case against her.

Mr. Marquez had asked complainants to withdraw their complaints, she said in a sworn statement sent to the Judicial and Bar Council.

The disbarment case against Ms. Carpio was filed in 2011 after she punched a court sheriff who insisted on demolishing houses inside a contested property in Davao City.

Meanwhile, Mr. Duterte named Cabinet Secretary Karlos Alexei B. Nograles as his new spokesman after Herminio L. Roque, Jr. filed his candidacy for senator.

“You can be the acting spokesperson until we find a replacement,” he told a taped Cabinet meeting in mixed English and Filipino. “I don’t want to burden you with so much work. I know you have to deal with a lot of paperwork.”

Mr. Nograles, 45, heads an inter-agency task force against hunger. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza