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Myanmar’s neighbors dismayed over ‘highly reprehensible’ executions

ASEAN.ORG

MYANMAR’S Southeast Asian neighbors issued a stinging rebuke on Tuesday of the ruling military’s execution of four political activists, calling it “highly reprehensible” and destructive to regional efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Myanmar, said it was “extremely troubled and deeply saddened by the executions,” as well as by their timing, just a week ahead of the bloc’s next meeting.

“While the complexity of the crisis is well recognized and the extreme bellicose mood can be felt from all corners of Myanmar, ASEAN as a whole has called for utmost restraint,” Cambodia, this year’s ASEAN chair, said in an unusually strong statement.

“The implementation of the death sentences just a week before the 55th ASEAN ministerial meeting is highly reprehensible,” it said, adding it showed the junta’s “gross lack of will” to support ASEAN’s U.N.-backed peace plan.

The military, which seized power in a coup last year, announced in state media on Monday that it had executed the activists for aiding “terror acts” by a civilian resistance movement, Myanmar’s first executions in decades.

The news triggered international outrage, with the United States, Britain, Australia, the European Union and senior United Nations officials accusing the junta of cruelty.

It was not clear when the executions took place, or which method was used. Family members on Monday said they were not informed of their loved ones’ executions beforehand, nor allowed to retrieve their bodies.

The executed men were among more than 100 people whom activists say have been sentenced to death in secretive trials by military-run courts since the coup.

Authorities tightened security at the jail in the biggest city Yangon where the four men had been held, a human rights group said on Tuesday, following the global outcry and a demonstration by inmates over the execution.

A source from a prisoner’s support group told Reuters that a protest had taken place in the jail. News portal Myanmar Now said some inmates had been assaulted by prison authorities and about 15 of them were separated from the general population.

Lin Thant, a representative of Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, said its sources had confirmed there was also unrest in a jail in the city of Mandalay, where gunshots had been fired.

Spokespersons for Yangon’s Insein prison and the corrections department did not answer calls from Reuters.

The junta has yet to respond to the international criticism, but has previously accused the United Nations and western powers of meddling in its affairs. Its spokesperson was due to hold a regular news briefing later on Tuesday.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said he was concerned about more executions. He said at least 140 people had been sentenced to death in Myanmar.

“And so there is every indication that the military junta intends to continue to carry out executions of those on death row, as it continues to bomb villages and detain innocent people throughout the country,” he said in an interview on Monday. — Reuters

Huawei offers green solutions to banking sector

PIXABAY

Huawei expects Philippine regulators to step up green finance efforts by setting industry guidelines on power consumption and encouraging green investments.

“Huawei sees tremendous opportunities in the Philippines — not only [in the] building of green infrastructures, but also in green bonds and the green economy system,” said Luan Mingming, country head of Huawei Philippines’ Enterprise Business Group, in a July 26 e-mail. 

While green finance is not a new topic, the actual implementations and best practices vary, Mr. Mingming added. 

At Huawei’s Intelligent Finance Summit 2022, Jason Cao, chief executive officer of Huawei Global Digital Finance, pointed out that digital banking consumes “a lot of resources, a lot of data.” 

“Banks are large consumers of computing power,” he said at the July 20 roundtable discussion.

Technology providers, he added, can help banks resolve carbon emissions by focusing on alternatives to issues affecting power supply, power consumption, and power management. Photovoltaic energy (or solar panels), for instance, can be offered as a clean source of power supply. Banks can also invest in equipment with recycling systems for the efficient heat dispersal. 

Huawei offers smart management modules that detect peak periods of usage. This feature allows banks to shut down some modules during off-peak hours to save power. 

Accessing services on the Internet entails the use of servers in data centers, all of which need electricity to run. Phys.org, a web-based science news service, estimates that the electricity consumption for these centers may grow to between 15%–30% of the total electricity consumption of some countries by 2030. Most electricity is generated by fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change. 

Huawei is targeting two types of customers, according to Mr. Cao: traditional banks that are going digital because customer behaviors are changing; and banks in areas without prevalent services such as Africa and the Asia Pacific. 

“We are pushing for inclusive finance,” he said. 

Huawei counts BDO Unibank, Inc., and Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) among its local clients. — Patricia B. Mirasol

Addressing Filipinos’ concerns

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. delivered his first State of the Nation Address during the joint session of the 19th Congress at the House of Representatives, Batasan complex, Quezon City, July 25. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROZALES

The inaugural speech of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was a preamble to his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). The SONA provided a broader explanation and discussion of the concerns, issues, and sectors that need to be prioritized as tackled in the inaugural speech.

Among other important things, the economic agenda of the Marcos Jr. government envisions that the country would achieve middle-income status by 2024 and economic growth of 6.5% to 8% from 2023-2028.

Meanwhile, the headline goal or target for average inflation is 2%-4% between 2024 and 2028. The targets also include improving foreign exchange to between P51-P55 per $1 in 2023-2028, increasing the exports of goods by 6% from 2023-2028, and imports by 8% in the same period.

With the stated economic targets for the next six years, the administration still needs to expound on how these will be achieved.

As part of the economic agenda, it is also noteworthy to state that the importance of making the country an investment destination is rightfully placed. It is also good to know that our government has plans for a medium-term fiscal strategy for the purpose of spending sustainability.

As the concurrent Department of Agriculture secretary, President Marcos Jr. devoted ample time to discussing agricultural development and agrarian reform improvements. Here, the President proffered a paradigm shift in terms of transforming agriculture into a major contributor to the economy.

To make this happen and lessen the burden on the sector, he assured the sector’s stakeholders of financial assistance. He also announced a moratorium on land amortization payments, the provision of loans for farm inputs and implements, a balance in importation, and much-needed collaboration between government agencies.

Other issues that the SONA fittingly addressed were health and social assistance. The president stated that there will be no more lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the country needs to balance health and the national economy. This will be complemented by the continuation of the vaccine rollout; Filipinos were encouraged to get their booster shots.

With regard to social protection, the president announced the continuation of the 4Ps program and the cleansing of the list of beneficiaries. These will be to provide better help for the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable population.

Further, Marcos’ emphasis on the role of the private sector and public-private partnerships (PPPs) in terms of investments and innovation was unequivocal and promising, as the ability and credibility of private enterprises spans infrastructure, agriculture, education, and digitalization.

President Marcos Jr. also gave a spot-on analysis on the need for digitalization and modern technology for Philippine society. Particularly, he highlighted the importance of digitalization in improving governance and streamlining the delivery of public goods and services.

One of the most remarkable points in this first SONA pertains to foreign policy. Reiterating his pro-Filipino stance, the president stated that he will not give a square inch of Philippine territory to foreigners and that the “national interest is our primordial guide” in promoting foreign relations.

The second most surprising point is the declaration of the legislative priorities of the presidency. Numbering up to 19 priorities, it means that preparations have been made and that the president has a lot in mind in terms of the country’s political, social, and economic direction.

Very noteworthy in these priorities is the National Government Rightsizing Program (NGRP) proposed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). It is “a reform initiative that primarily aims to achieve simplicity, economy, and efficiency in the bureaucracy.”

The NGRP will be able to reduce costs, implement reforms, and improve the delivery of public services by “(i) streamlining the operations of the different agencies and rightsizing their structure and manpower; (ii) undertaking organizational actions that will fortify areas/sectors that need to be strengthened and re-channel resources to the same; and (iii) eliminate functions, programs and projects (F/P/Ps) which are already redundant or no longer necessary,” the DBM briefer stated.

However, these plans of action still need to be explained and so these could address Filipinos’ most urgent concerns particularly within the year.

According to the latest Pulse Asia survey, the top five most urgent national concerns are predominantly economic — “controlling inflation” (57%), “increasing the pay of workers” (45%), “reducing the poverty of many Filipinos” (33%), “creating more jobs” (29%), and “fighting graft and corruption in government” (20%).

In light of the first SONA of the Marcos Jr. presidency, and while triggering more questions about how “things” will be done, the Stratbase Institute is launching a roundtable discussion themed “A Government Agenda for Development in the Marcos Jr. Presidency Post Pandemic.”

To provide more context to the SONA, the activity will discuss recommendations and policy recommendations to the Marcos Jr. administration in the following areas: good governance and development, human capital and labor markets, inclusive growth and the public sector, poverty and inequality, patronage politics and political reforms, and the prospects for democracy and the rule of law.

Specifically, the public exchange will delve into questions on development and governance challenges and opportunities, and expectations in the remainder of the first 100 days or in the first six months under the new government, and other persistent problems and issues.

 

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

Calling all plantitos and plantitas: The examples of Bataan, Pasig, and Batangas

AERIAL VIEW of Villegas Organiks in Malvar, Batangas. — VILLEGAS ORGANIKS

(Part 3)

What we have described about the Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) is no longer at the realm of pure theory but has actually been implemented in a good number of LGU units. Among the pioneering provinces was Bataan, under the leadership of the Garcia clan which has demonstrated that a dynasty is not necessarily politically undesirable. From my long-term studies of Philippine regions, I have always found Bataan to be at the top of development efforts, as reflected by its high ranking in the Human Development Index as reported by the Philippine Statistical Authority.

As one can read on the website of the SM Foundation, a case in point was the Batch 157 of KSK held in Dinalupihan, Bataan. Under KSK, some 100 Bataan farmers were provided with training on modern farming technologies, with a focus on high-value crop production that would help them produce and sustain bountiful harvests. The assistance goes beyond production. It must always be kept in mind that “agribusiness” goes beyond farming, comprising the whole value chain until the product reaches the market. The farmer-graduates are also provided with market linkages to help in boosting their social enterprises which in turn provide economic opportunities in their respective areas. Among other outlets are the SM Markets in Dinalupihan, Bataan.

The training the farmers get in the KSK program goes beyond technical skills and expertise. They are also taught values and principles which they may use as they go along and continue pursuing their aspirations in life. Included in the program is the imparting of the 14 Life Principles of the Founder of the SM Group, Tatang Henry Sy, Sr.

The case in Dinalupihan illustrates the advantages of getting values-oriented business groups like the SM group to partner with similarly motivated government agencies like the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Agriculture (DA), and Trade and Industry (DTI). It was Dinalupihan Mayor Gila Garcia who put all the main actors together. Mayor Garcia vowed to provide each production group with capital of P100,000 to sustain the program and help the province to attain its goal of being the modern “agropolis” of Central Luzon in the very near future.

This concrete example shows how important it is for the LGU heads under the new Administration of President Marcos Jr. to heed the advice of Secretary of Finance Benjamin Diokno to use a substantial part of what they will receive under the Mandanas-Garcia ruling to support agricultural productivity drives like the KSK. With a reasonably limited budget, much can be accomplished in the short run to address the expected food shortage in 2022 and 2023 resulting from the global food crisis.

The Dinalupihan experience also illustrates that the KSK can address two important objectives at the same time: to increase the supply of food and to reduce poverty among the marginalized. Indigenous tribal members were among those graduating farmers in the SM Foundation’s 157th KSK batch. Before the training program, the Aetas planted vegetables and root crops only during the rainy season as the uplands are devoid of water sources during the dry season. With the greenhouse technology that was taught to them, they were able to plant high-value crops like honeydew melon, bitter gourd, upo (bottle gourd), kundol (wax gourd), sili (chili), squash and many more. Other than the Aetas, other marginalized households benefited when the DSWD, for its part, gave the names of 43 beneficiaries of its 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) to be included in the list of the trainees.

The DTI had its own role to play. The then DTI provincial director, Nelin Cabahug, said “this is the fruition of our vision for an inclusive growth for the country, by involving all sectors, the indigenous tribes especially, in our development efforts through productive projects like high-value crop farming, even as DTI will continue building their capacity to gain value for their produce through processing to get more revenues from their efforts.”

A significant increase in the supply of high-value crops, with the help of DTI and other private participants, can lead to microentrepreneurs going into food processing. This is where the GoNegosyo initiative of Joey Concepcion can come in. This example set by Bataan can be readily replicated in provinces where there are also indigenous tribes residing in hilly places like Antipolo (the Dumagats) and the island of Mindoro (the Mangyans), not to mention the whole of Mindanao.

The KSK program can also be implemented in highly urbanized areas like some component cities of the National Capital Region. In a conversation with the newly re-elected Mayor of Pasig City, Vico Sotto — already a role model of aspiring young politicians— he told me that he intends to convert every empty lot (and even buildings) into a vegetable garden. The advantage of urban gardening is that you significantly reduce transport costs, especially in these times of very high fuel prices.

To get an idea of what can be done in Pasig without too much delay — again with some funding from the proceeds of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling — I quote here excerpts of a letter of the CEO of Harbest, Arsenio Barcelona, to Mayor Sotto: “I am very happy to know about your ongoing program to encourage more residents to plant vegetables and short-term fruits. We will be glad to guide and support your edible gardening program and incorporate this into our ongoing promotion for urban farming. In fact, the Pasig Greening Program staff had been our suki (regular customer) for seeds, fertilizers, growing medium, pots, and other supplies. You may visit us at www.harbest.com.ph. We will be glad to show you our urban greenhouse nursery for vegetable seedlings and potted herbs. We also have a 40 sq.m. roof deck edible garden on our 4th floor.

“It will be good to establish a Pasig City Edible Gardening Center where residents, barangay personnel, and the youth can be trained by your trainors whom we will be the ones to train. You can also have an Edible Garden Supplies Hub to sell seeds, fertilizers, organic pest and disease control products, pots, and reading materials. A seminar room at City Hall can be used for training classes. Harbest will be glad to support your program. We have been training farmers all over the Philippines for more than 10 years.”

What can be done in Pasig can be replicated in many other highly urbanized areas in the Philippines.

As a third model, let me cite Batangas province, which we can describe as “rurban” (partly rural partly urban). Its very well-respected and popular governor is actually the one responsible for requiring the National Government to devolve to the LGUs the tax revenues that are constitutionally due them. Governor Hermilando Mandanas is on his third and last term, having been re-elected practically unopposed on May 9.

Batangas is one of the most rapidly industrializing provinces in the whole country, with hundreds of large factories populating the numerous industrial estates lining the STAR Highway from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Batangas City. It is, however, still very strong in agribusiness. In fact, the largest poultry project is the Philippines, a joint venture between Jollibee and Cargill, is located in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The province would also be ideal as a site for promoting programs for producing quick-gestating food crops similar to those of the KSK farms in other provinces. Additionally, Ayala Land’s Areza project will include the establishment of the Lipa City Trading Center which will serve as a regional food terminal for fresh produce, not only coming from the province of Batangas itself, but also from other provinces like Mindoro Oriental.

The Master Gardener program of some US State Universities described in the first article of this series can be instantly replicated in Batangas with the help of Harbest which can partner with at least three institutions: the Dagatan Agritech School in Lipa, the Batangas State University, and the Villegas Organiks Farmers Training Institute in Malvar, Batangas.

The Dagatan Agritech School has been training the children of farmers in advanced farming techniques for the last 40 years. It was established by a group of agribusiness executives led by the late Fritz Gemperle, following the famous Family Farm School model of France and Spain. It is now open to any young high school student interested in the agribusiness occupation.

The Villegas Organiks Institute is dedicated to developing micro farm techniques, design, and strategies. Under the leadership of Pablito Malabanan Villegas, a top agribusiness executive with experience in both the government and the private sector, it has designed a modern organic farm in Malvar, Batangas to help farmers and small land owners maximize the full potential of their land, no matter how small. Interested parties may get in touch with this institute at villegasorganiks@gmail.com.

Finally, the Batangas State University, known as the Philippines’ National Engineering University, has 11 campuses and 15 development centers established in the areas of research and innovation, disaster risk management, marine biodiversity, and language and culture. Like the US universities cited above, its management can be persuaded to include among its extension services the training of master gardeners.

These three institutions can coordinate their efforts to contribute to the goal of food security of President Marcos Jr. through the office of Governor Hermilando Mandanas.

These LGU-based initiatives, in partnership with NGOs and business enterprises, to increase the supply of high-value products like vegetables and fruits can actually also be a long-term contribution to food security since there is no reason why the Philippines cannot be self-sufficient in these products, unlike in other essential food items like milk, wheat, soybeans, and, arguably, rice.

I would like to point out, however, that getting the plantitos and plantitas involved in producing vegetables and fruits in the short run can be a very effective means of addressing the possibility of mass hunger (as during a war) that we are facing in the coming months because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I compare this short-term solution to what happened in the United States during World War II when “victory gardens” proliferated all over the United States. Those who put up these victory gardens in the US and Canada were the equivalents of our plantitos and plantitas. As Wikipedia reports, these gardens put up by amateur gardeners accounted for as much as one-third of the supply of high-value crops in the US during the War. In some way, these private citizens were part of winning the war for the Allied Forces. We plantitos and plantitas can be part of winning the war against starvation in the coming months.

 

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is professor emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a visiting professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas@uap.asia

Globalization is just getting started

ANNE NYGARD-UNSPLASH

LIKE IT OR NOT, we live in a globalized economy. How you define or measure globalization can vary, but it tends to just mean greater financial integration among countries, as well as more political cooperation, immigration, and trade of goods and services. In all these domains, globalization has been on the rise until recently.

Some economists, pundits, and politicians are arguing that globalization has peaked and will now start to reverse. Niall Ferguson sees this period of globalization, thanks to the pandemic, fading away with a whimper. Harvard economist Dani Rodrick is announcing the end of neoliberalism.

But globalization isn’t a phase; it’s a force that can’t be stopped.

There was a concerted push toward more global integration throughout the era following World War II. As the war ended, the global community created several large institutions (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the like) to facilitate more cooperation and trade and avoid the mistakes of the past. But globalization really took off after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The end of the Cold War, improving technology that facilitated trade (especially of services and information) and an intellectual environment, such as the Washington Consensus, favored all things global. Countries dropped tariffs and more capital and goods moved across borders than ever before. You can see this in the KOF index of globalization, which includes various measures of economic and political integration.

But if you look closely at the index, there is a slowdown in the pace of globalization during the last decade. It peaked in 2008 if you measure it as trade as a percentage of GDP.

The last few years caused us to question the value of globalization. It delivered on many of its promises; more than a billion people no longer live in poverty. Goods and services are much cheaper, and diversification has made the economy less risky. But there were also problems. Bringing billions of lower-paid workers into the global market very quickly displaced many people in richer countries from their jobs and worsened inequality within countries. Dollarization meant some developing countries faced currency volatility as foreign investors pulled their money out at the first sign of trouble.

No surprise, then, that there has been a backlash against globalization accompanied by policies to slow or even reverse it. The pandemic, which led to shortages when trade slowed, only added to the disenchantment with globally integrated supply chains. Both political parties are pushing for industrial policies that subsidize more domestic manufacturing of certain goods. There are more tariffs on some goods and restrictions on capital. The IMF, once globalization’s biggest champion, now endorses capital controls.

The outlook appears even more dire. China’s once unstoppable economy — a big force in globalization’s rise — is not looking so good. The world may not be able to count on China for cheap and plentiful goods anymore. Meanwhile, a rising dollar and interest rates will put pressure on emerging markets, which will make them even more skeptical of global markets.

Nothing lasts forever. Human progress stumbles and can stall. But globalization is not going anywhere. First, it’s way too hard to unwind many of these relationships. We are all in bed together, assets and commodities are still priced in dollars, and foreigners still own lot of US debt. Manufacturing depends on intermediate goods made all over the world that are not only cheaper, but made with skills we don’t have anymore. America’s recent attempt to re-shore semiconductor manufacturing illustrates why industrial policy is much harder than it looks and is not a good solution to structural job loss.

Second, the benefits from globalization are too good to walk away from. Many people no longer live in poverty and the world has become accustomed to cheaper stuff. We are seeing how disruptive and painful the return of inflation has been both economically and politically. Deglobalization would make inflation much worse, and no one wants that. It turns out politicians are quite flexible on their policy views (see phasing out fossil fuels) if it can deliver cheaper prices. Big talk on a retreat from globalization may be the next populist position to fall.

The economic and political trends that threaten globalization need not be so ominous. Ken Moelis, founder and chief executive officer of Moelis & Co., is concerned there will be a pullback on globalization because the war in Ukraine exposed how vulnerable we are to foreign countries. But that only shows how risky it is to depend on any one country, including your own.

Going forward, countries need more diversification when it comes to where they get their goods and commodities, not less. We may not be able to depend on China with its aging population and uncertain economic future, but more production may come from younger countries on the African continent, who still can benefit from more economic integration.

Globalization is far from perfect, but on balance it does make our lives better. New tariffs and industrial policies will take us a few steps back toward protectionism, but more trade can relieve pricing pressure and maintain the momentum toward more integration. The tone of discourse about globalization may have changed, but the genie is out of the bottle and won’t be contained.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Public participation in reclamation projects

ONLYYOUQJ-FREEPIK

As of April 1, the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has recorded 180 pending reclamation projects across the country.1

Reclamation projects can be initiated by either the PRA, the Local Government Units pursuant to the Local Government Code, the National Government, or the Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) mandated under existing laws to reclaim.2

On Feb. 1, 2019, Executive Order (EO) No. 74-2019 — which repealed EO No. 798-2009 and EO No. 146-2013 — took effect and effectively transferred the PRA to the control and supervision of the Office of the President. EO 74-2019 also delegated to the PRA Governing Board the power of the President to approve reclamation projects. This was done to maximize utilization and hasten the development of reclaimed lands.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE PUBLIC
Land reclamation is driven by overriding public interest. These projects give an opportunity for the creation of a well-planned place and community when nearby urban areas are experiencing decay and overcrowding or when an area is no longer ideal for people to live, work, and do business. Likewise, the government initiates land reclamation projects as a viable and practical option rather than procure right-of-ways in congested urban areas to be used as platform for vital government infrastructure projects such as airports, ports, roads, bridges, water, and power utilities or simply to decongest traffic in a particular area.3

Generally, local governments pursue reclamation projects to provide sustainable development in their areas to trigger economic growth.4

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK
On March 2, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Central Visayas recalled its earlier decision giving the Municipality of Consolacion in Cebu Province permission to proceed with its 235.8-hectare reclamation project. This came after several fisherfolk in the area protested, claiming that they were never consulted about the project either by the municipal government or by the BFAR.5

On March 31, then President Rodrigo Duterte told media that he had directed acting Environment Secretary to halt the acceptance of applications for reclamation activities.6

Further, on May 12, The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) canceled the environmental compliance certificate of a 51-hectare reclamation project in Coron, Palawan. Based on the report of the DENR, the project lacked necessary permits such as an area clearance. The Provincial Board was fined.

Land Reclamation is a complicated issue, full of legal hurdles to overcome. The probability of success of a reclamation project depends on the strict compliance with the technical rules set in place to ensure that public interest is best served.

DILG MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2022-018
To help guide the proponents of Land Reclamation Projects, on Feb. 17, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018 (MC No. 2022-018), “Reiteration of the Roles and Responsibilities of Local Government Units relative to Projects Covered by the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System.” The underlying purpose of this Memorandum Circular is to ensure that socio-economic progress does not come at the expense of the people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecological system. MC No. 2022-018 clarifies the duties of all LGUs when initiating reclamation projects.7

Before an approved reclamation project is implemented, a proponent must secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), which is issued by the DENR. For projects initiated by LGUs, MC No. 2022-018 reminds them that public consultations and public hearings must be made prior to the issuance of an ECC, and this participation by the public must be secured at the earliest possible stage of the project, until post-assessment monitoring.8 The LGU must also prepare a report on the results of the public consultations or hearings, including issues and critical inputs raised.9 It must conduct information, education, and communication [drives], to inform and develop the public’s awareness and understanding of the project.10

The LGU must also ensure that the reclamation projects are identified in their Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), as well as in their Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).11 Furthermore, the LGU must coordinate with the project proponent in informing and consulting identified stakeholders in both direct and indirect impact areas of the project proposal at the earliest stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as possible12, and that all concerns and agreements by the stakeholders are properly documented and incorporated in the EIA report.13 Additionally, a copy of the full Environmental Impact Study must be shared with stakeholders through the LGUs’ websites or local public information social media platforms.14

Lastly, public participation is required not only at the start of the reclamation project. Even when the reclamation project is already underway, public involvement is still necessary through the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) which assists the DENR in ensuring the project proponent’s compliance with the conditions under its ECC.15 The MMT is composed of the Environment and Natural Resources Officer, the Rural Health Unit Chief, and the concerned Barangay Captain. MC No. 2022-018 reiterates that any willful violation of this memorandum circular shall be subject to administrative, civil, or criminal liability in accordance with existing laws.16

1 Freedom of Information Website of the Philippine Government —  https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/aglzfmVmb2ktcGhyHQsSB0NvbnRlbnQiEFBSQS03MDcwODk2OTE2NTUM; last accessed 07 June 2022

2 Philippine Reclamation Authority, “Who Can Undertake Reclamation Projects?”; https://www.pea.gov.ph/faq-menu/who-can-undertake-reclamation-projects; last accessed June 7, 2022

3 Philippine Reclamation Authority, “Why Reclaim Land?,” https://www.pea.gov.ph/faq-menu/why-reclaim-land, last accessed June 7, 2022

4 Ador Vincent Mayol, Connie Fernandez-Brojan, “Reclamation projects: Boom or bust?,” https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1557034/reclamation-projects-boom-or-bust, last accessed June 7, 2022

5 Ador Vincent Mayol, “BFAR withdraws ‘no objection’ note for Cebu reclamation project,” https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1566576/bfar-withdraws-no-objection-note-for-cebu-reclamation-project#ixzz7VVWpE8Z3, last accessed June 7, 2022

6 Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine New Agency, “PRRD orders DENR to shun applications for reclamation activities,” https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1171165; last accessed June 7, 2022

7 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Background

8 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – EIA Study and Report Preparation (d)

9 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – EIA Report Review and Evaluation (a)

10 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – Scoping (b)

11 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.1

12 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – EIA Study and Report Preparation (e)

13 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – Scoping (c)

14 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – EIA Report Review and Evaluation (c)

15 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 4.1.2 – Monitoring and Evaluation (a)

16 DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-018, Section 5

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Duane Michaels U. Po is an associate of the Cebu Branch of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).

Russian gas cut to Europe hits economic hopes, Ukraine reports attacks on coastal regions

Army soldier figurines are displayed in front of the Ukrainian and Russian flag colors background in this illustration taken, Feb. 13, 2022. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

KYIV – Russia said it will cut gas supplies to Europe from Wednesday in a blow to countries that have backed Ukraine, while missile attacks in Black Sea coastal regions raised doubts about whether Russia will stick to a deal to let Ukraine export grain.

The first ships from Ukraine may set sail in days under a deal agreed on Friday, the United Nations said, despite a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian port of Odesa over the weekend, and a spokesman for the military administration in the saying another missile had hit the Odesa region on Tuesday morning.

Soaring energy costs and the threat of hunger faced by millions in poorer nations show how the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two, now in its sixth month, is having an impact far beyond Ukraine.

European Union countries are set to approve on Tuesday a weakened emergency proposal to curb their gas demand as they try to wean themselves off Russian energy and prepare for a possible total cut-off. Read full story

The Ukrainian military on Tuesday reported Russian cruise missile strikes in the south and that Ukrainian forces had hit enemy targets. Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman from the military administration in Odesa, told a Ukrainian television channel that a missile fired from the direction of the Black Sea had struck the region, but gave no information on casualties.

East of Odesa along the Black Sea coast, port infrastructure at Mykolaiv was damaged by an attack, according to the mayor Oleksandr Senkevich.

Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately reply to an out-of-hours request for comment.

A major fire broke out at an oil depot in the Budyonnovsky district of Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian troops shelled the province, Russia’s TASS reported, quoting a reporter at the scene. No casualties or injuries have been reported.

Russian energy giant Gazprom GAZP.MM, citing instructions from an industry watchdog, on Monday said gas flows to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would fall to 33 million cubic meters per day from Wednesday.

That is half of the current flows, which are already only 40% of normal capacity. Prior to the war, Europe imported about 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia. Read full story

The Kremlin says the gas disruption is the result of maintenance issues and Western sanctions, while the European Union has accused Russia of energy blackmail.

Politicians in Europe have repeatedly said Russia could cut off gas this winter, a step that would thrust Germany into recession and hurt consumers already hit by soaring inflation.

Moscow says it is not interested in a complete stoppage of gas supplies to Europe.

Adding to concerns on the energy front, the Ukrainian state pipeline operator company said Russian gas giant Gazprom GAZP.MM without prior notice has increased pressure sharply in a pipeline that runs through Ukraine to deliver Russian gas to Europe. Read full story

Such pressure spikes could lead to emergencies including pipeline ruptures, and pipeline operators are obliged to inform each other about them in advance, the Ukrainian company said. Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment.

 

GRAIN SHIPS

Before the invasion and subsequent sanctions, Russia and Ukraine accounted for nearly a third of global wheat exports.

Officials from Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations agreed on Friday there would be no attacks on merchant ships moving through the Black Sea to Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait and on to markets. Read full story

Moscow brushed aside concerns the deal could be derailed by a Russian attack on Odesa on Saturday, saying it targeted only military infrastructure.

The White House said the strike cast doubt on Russia’s credibility and was watching closely to see if commitments would be fulfilled.

“We will also continue to actively explore other options with the international community to increase Ukraine exports through overland routes,” it said.

Russia’s Black Sea fleet has blocked grain exports from Ukraine since Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion. Moscow blames Western sanctions for slowing its food and fertilizer exports and Ukraine for mining the approaches to its ports.

Under Friday’s deal, pilots will guide ships along safe channels through the naval minefields. Read full story

A Ukrainian government official said he hoped the first grain shipment could be made from Chornomorsk this week, with shipments from other ports within two weeks.

Mr. Zelenskiy was adamant that trade would resume: “We will start exporting, and let the partners take care of security,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on a tour of African countries, said there were no barriers to the export of grain and nothing in the deal prevented Moscow from attacking military infrastructure.

The Kremlin also said the United Nations must ensure curbs on Russian fertilizer and other exports were lifted for the grain deal to work.

 

AIR STRIKES

The Kremlin says it is engaged in a “special military operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine. Both Kyiv and Western nations say the war is an unprovoked act of aggression.

Thousands of civilians have died and millions have fled during the war. Russian artillery barrages and air strikes have pulverized cities.

With Western weapons boosting the Ukrainians, Putin’s forces are making slow progress but they are believed to be readying for a new push in the east.

Ukraine said on Monday its forces had used U.S-supplied HIMARS rocket systems to destroy 50 Russian ammunition depots since receiving the weapons last month.

Russia did not comment but its Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed an ammunition depot for HIMARS systems. Read full story – Reuters

Live from New York: Bishop robbed of jewelry during livestreamed sermon

NEW YORK – New York City police on Monday were hunting for thieves who burst into a Brooklyn church and brazenly stripped a bishop of the jewelry he was wearing while he was delivering his Sunday sermon as the service was livestreamed, officials said.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries was on stage when at least two men wearing dark clothing and face coverings entered the sanctuary, a video obtained by ABC affiliate WABC shows.

The thieves, who were brandishing at least one gun, can be seen walking up to the bishop, who promptly lies on ground. The robbers then appear to remove various items of jewelry from him before fleeing. It was unclear how many people were in the church at the time of the robbery.

The bishop said in a video posted on Instagram on Sunday that the robbers drove away in a White Mercedes.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday vowed to hunt down the thieves. “No one in this city should be the victim of armed robbery, let alone our faith leaders and congregants worshiping in a House of God,” Mr. Adams told the New York Daily News.

During a Facebook live on Monday, Mr. Whitehead offered a $50,000 cash reward to anyone who had information that would help the police investigation.

“Y’all don’t get to do that to my family and get away with it,” he said.

The bishop said the men took “hundred of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.”

A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department told Reuters that the value of the jewelry taken was not immediately available.

Police said investigators are interviewing witnesses and reviewing video footage.

“My church is hurting,” Mr. Whitehead said. – Reuters

Crypto exchange Coinbase faces SEC probe over securities – Bloomberg News

Coinbase logo | https://www.coinbase.com/

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating whether Coinbase Global Inc improperly let Americans trade digital assets that should have been registered as securities, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.

In an emailed response, a Coinbase spokesperson told Reuters that the company does not list securities on its platform, while its legal head Paul Grewal said they looked forward in engaging with the SEC on the matter.

“We are confident that our rigorous diligence process — a process the SEC has already reviewed — keeps securities off our platform,” Mr. Grewal added.

The SEC‘s scrutiny has increased ever since the crypto trading platform expanded the number of tokens in which it offers trading, Bloomberg report added, citing two sources. (https://bloom.bg/3OyXrBk)

The U.S. securities regulator did not respond to Reuters’ request for a comment on the report.

The probe by the SEC‘s enforcement unit predates its investigation into an alleged insider trading scheme that was revealed last week.

In the first insider trading case involving cryptocurrency, US prosecutors had charged Ishan Wahi, a former product manager at Coinbase, for sharing confidential information about forthcoming announcements of new cryptocurrency assets that Coinbase would allow users to trade through its exchange.

In related civil charges, the SEC alleged that Mr. Wahi’s brother Nikhil Wahi and their friend Sameer Ramani purchased and sold at least 25 crypto assets for a profit, nine of which the agency identified as securities.

The SEC declined to confirm at the time whether it would pursue action against Coinbase for listing the tokens deemed securities in the complaint.

The cryptocurrency platform has previously asked the SEC to develop rules that work for digital asset securities. – Reuters

Pakistan’s digital ID card locks out millions

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Uzairmaqbool from Pixabay

LAHORE – After three years of repeated attempts to get her digital national identity card, Rubina – a woman from the Pakistani city of Karachi – decided to take her battle to court, winning a landmark victory.

Until then, Pakistanis had not been able to get the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) unless they presented their father’s ID card – an impossibility for many people, including those like Rubina who were raised by single mothers.

The card is vital to vote, access government benefits including public schools and healthcare, open a bank account or apply for jobs.

“I would turn up there, and be told to bring my father’s card,” said Ms. Rubina, 21.

“My mother raised me after my father abandoned us soon after my birth – how could I furnish his identity papers then?”

Ms. Rubina’s frustration drove her to file a petition at the high court in Sindh province, which in November ruled that the government agency that oversees the CNIC must issue her a card based on her mother’s citizenship record.

For Ms. Rubina, the decision meant she could apply to take over her mother’s job as an attendant in the state education department when her mother retired.

More widely, her case ends the effective exclusion of children of single mothers from the ID card scheme, said Haris Khaleeq, secretary-general of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), a nonprofit.

“Without a CNIC, neither can any public service be accessed, nor can any banking transaction be conducted,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“In short, one has no rights at all as a citizen.”

The agency in charge of the CNIC, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), has said it is striving to reach people who have so far been excluded.

“The government has a clear policy that people who are supposed to be registered in the database will not be excluded,” said Salman Sufi, head of the prime minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, which oversees the implementation of federal policy.

 

‘LIKE ALIENS’

Established in 2000, NADRA maintains the nation’s biometric database, and says it has issued some 120 million CNICs to 96% of adults in the nation of about 212 million people.

Each card comprises a 13-digit unique ID, a photograph of the person, their signature, and a microchip that contains their iris scans and fingerprints.

Yet millions of people in Pakistan, including women, transgender people, migrant workers and nomadic communities are still without a CNIC.

More than 1 billion people globally have no way of proving their identity, according to the World Bank.

While governments across the world are adopting digital ID systems they say are improving governance, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights has said they exclude marginalized groups, and should not be a prerequisite for accessing social protection schemes.

A study of migrant workers in Karachi by HRCP last year showed that women were more likely not to have a CNIC, putting them at risk of destitution if their husband died or left the family.

Children whose parents are not registered are especially vulnerable, as they cannot get birth certificates, and are at greater risk of trafficking and forced labor, HRCP said.

It has recommended more mobile registration units and female staff to help register vulnerable groups, as well as simpler processes and less stringent documentation requirements, which also make it harder for immigrants to apply.

Only half of some 2.8 million Afghan refugees who have lived in Pakistan for decades are registered with the government. There is also a sizable population of unregistered Bengali, Nepali, and Rohingya immigrants in Pakistan.

“A majority of the Bengali-origin Pakistanis do not have CNICs and are living like aliens and illegal migrants in their own country,” Sheikh Feroz, a community leader, told a recent rally to demand CNICs.

NADRA – which has also helped set up digital ID systems in Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria – has said it has a dedicated registration department “especially for women, minorities, transgender and unregistered persons”.

The agency said it had several women-only centers, particularly in border provinces, “to overcome the socio-cultural barriers of women hesitating to deal with male staff”, and prioritizes senior citizens and the disabled.

“Everyone will be provided an opportunity to get registered. No group based on their ethnicity, race or religion will be excluded,” said Sufi, from the Strategic Reforms Unit.

 

DATA THEFT

For those who have a CNIC, privacy violations are a risk.

The CNIC database is accessed by about 300 public and private service providers, from the tax department to the election commission to mobile service providers.

There have been several data breaches, which points to inadequate security, said Nighat Dad, a lawyer and executive director at the Digital Rights Foundation, a nonprofit.

“Women often complain of harassment after their personal information is leaked and is weaponized to blackmail them,” she said.

“Since there is no data protection law, there is no accountability even when personal data such as phone numbers are leaked,” she added.

Data breaches that expose personal data are particularly risky for vulnerable groups such as journalists, activists and religious and ethnic minorities, said Haroon Baloch, senior program manager at Bytes for All, a digital rights group.

“Citizens are not aware of the use of their biometric data,” he said. “The personal data attached with the biometric IDs can be misused, with serious privacy implications not just for the individual, but also their family.”

NADRA officials have rejected accusations that the data has been compromised, saying the database has a multi-layer security system “which makes hacking impossible”.

The government will roll out a data privacy policy “very soon”, said Sufi, with adequate safeguards for data protection, and “punishment in case of breach of privacy or data theft.”

For Ms. Rubina, who could not even get a COVID-19 vaccine without a CNIC, simply getting the ID is half the battle won.

“I am happy that others will not suffer like me,” she said. – Reuters

Walmart ‘train wreck’ profit warning sends shares down 10%

CORPORATE.WALMART.COM

NEW YORK – Top US retailer Walmart Inc on Monday slashed its profit forecast as surging prices for food and fuel prompted customers to cut back on discretionary purchases, and its shares slid 10% in trading after the bell.

Shares of rivals including Target and Amazon.com also tanked after Walmart‘s warning, which signaled a “proverbial train wreck” for retailers, Burt Flickinger, managing director at Strategic Resource Group, said.

Walmart, a bellwether for the retail sector that caters to cost-conscious shoppers, said its full-year profit would decline 11% to 13%, compared to the 1% fall it previously forecast. It pledged to cut prices of clothing and general merchandise more aggressively than it did in May to reduce a spring backlog.

Excluding divestitures, full-year earnings per share are expected to drop 10% to 12%, the company said.

Neil Saunders, managing director of retail at GlobalData, called the warning a “cause for concern” for Walmart that highlighted the pressure on all retailers.

With prices for gasoline and food spiking, consumers are no longer clamoring for apparel, home goods, appliances and kitchenware, saddling retailers with mountains of inventory.

Inventories at general merchandise stores at the end of April were the highest since at least 2000, US Census Bureau data showed. Read full story

Supply-chain snafus and miscalculations around demand have added to problems. In May, Walmart said it was sitting on over $60 billion of inventory at the end of the first quarter and promised “aggressive” price cuts on items such as apparel. Read full story

On Monday, the company said it needed more price cuts to pare inventories.

“Walmart is a lot more susceptible to the lower-income customer, and that lower-income customer is the one that is suffering the most under the higher inflation levels,” Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said.

In late May and June, Walmart‘s smaller rival Target trimmed its profit forecast twice in several weeks, announcing it was struggling with $15 billion in inventories and saying it would resort to “necessary” actions including cutting prices and canceling orders.

Both Walmart and Target are squeezing some suppliers to absorb higher costs. Read full story

“The increasing levels of food and fuel inflation are affecting how customers spend. … We’re now anticipating more pressure on general merchandise in the back half,” Doug McMillon, Walmart‘s chief executive, said in the statement on Monday.

Evidence of a consumer spending pullback is growing, and an update later this week on US economic growth may show output shrank in the April to June period for the second quarter in a row.

The US Federal Reserve, intent on curbing the fastest inflation in 40 years, is raising interest rates in part to curb spending across the economy.

Walmart on Monday said it now estimates adjusted earnings per share for the second quarter to decline around 8% to 9%, compared its previous outlook of flat to slightly up.

Walmart, however, raised its forecast for growth in US comparable sales, excluding fuel, to 6%, mainly to account for the rise in food prices. It previously forecast growth of 4% to 5%. – Reuters

Philippine gambling revenue seen at pre-pandemic levels by 2026

REUTERS

MANILA – The Philippine gaming industry’s revenue is expected to recover to its pre-pandemic position by 2026 or even overtake this level, as player confidence slowly returns to the sector, a senior regulatory official said on Tuesday.

“Definitely there will be no more lockdowns but bringing back the confidence of players is hard,” Daniel Cecilio, licensing and regulatory group chief of state-run regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp, told Reuters.

The Southeast Asian country’s gross gaming revenues (GGR), the amount players wager minus winnings, hit a record P256 billion ($4.60 billion) in 2019, but casino operations were then halted by COVID-19 lockdowns, slashing revenue to around P100 billion in 2020.

Revenue picked up to P113 billion in 2021 and P39 billion in the first quarter of 2022, data from the gaming regulator showed.

By 2026, GGR might reach P256 billion or better, with land-based casinos seen contributing P146 billion, Cecilio said.

The regulator’s projection mirrors the recovery path of neighboring gambling hubs like Singapore and Macau, which is reeling from Beijing’s strict zero-COVID strategy.

The freewheeling Philippine gaming industry has attracted foreign and domestic companies to set up integrated casino-resorts, creating tens of thousands of jobs in the past decade.

In coming years, the sector’s recovery would be driven by pent-up demand and a return of confidence among domestic and foreign gamblers, Cecilio said.

There are 51 land-based casinos in the Philippines, including 38 operated by the gaming regulator and the rest privately owned, attracting high rollers from countries like China, Japan and South Korea.

Newport World Resorts, which owns the country’s first integrated casino-resort, expects its operations to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023, faster than the broader industry.

“We are expanding our gaming areas to absorb junket groups that are coming,” Sandy Amida, senior director for gaming operations at Newport World Resorts in Manila, told Reuters. — Reuters

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