Gov’t seeking bidders for port expansion project in Marinduque

August 9, 2021 | 8:30 pm

THE PHILIPPINE Ports Authority (PPA) said it has started seeking bidders for a port expansion project in Marinduque.

In an invitation to bid, the PPA said it intends to “apply the sum of P294,441,838.26 being the approved budget for… the contract for the Balanacan Port Expansion Project, Port of Balanacan, Mogpog, Marinduque.”

The agency requires completion of the works in 540 calendar days from the receipt by the successful bidder of the notice to proceed.

The agency also said bidders should have “completed a contract similar to the project.”

It said the bidding will be conducted through “open competitive” procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion.

The bids and awards committee (BAC) of the agency will hold a pre-bid conference on Aug. 11.

“Bids must be duly received by the BAC secretariat through manual submission… on or before 24 August 2021 at 1:00 p.m.,” the PPA said.

The opening of bids will also take place on the same day at 2 p.m.

Last week, transport officials inaugurated the expanded Cantilan Port in Surigao del Sur.

The department said the government completed 451 seaport projects from July 2016 to June 2021. — Arjay L. Balinbin

We are (not) on a break: Extensions and suspensions for ECQ season 3

August 9, 2021 | 8:29 pm

The government has announced that it is imposing the third enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in certain areas across the country, the strictest form of quarantine in which everyone, except essential workers, is restricted from going out. However, we should know that our responsibility as taxpayers is not put on hold despite constraints brought on by government lockdowns.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is not oblivious to these restrictions faced by taxpayers. It imposed ways to ease taxpayers’ worries about having to meet tax deadlines considering the threat of the more infectious Delta variant of COVID-19.

As such, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 91-2021 on Aug. 3 for the purpose of extending the deadline of the filing of returns and payment of corresponding taxes due, as well as the submission of reports and attachments which fall within the Aug. 6-20 period. The RMC provides for an extension of 15 calendar days from Aug. 20, or until Sept. 4, to file, pay, or submit reports and attachments to the appropriate BIR offices. Since the extended deadline falls on a Saturday, taxpayers have until the next working day to file or submit their dues. If the ECQ or MECQ is extended, deadlines shall be extended by another 15 days.

The BIR likewise encouraged payment of taxes at Authorized Agent Banks, notwithstanding Revenue District Office (RDO) jurisdiction (“out of district filing”), or with Revenue Collection Officers of the nearest RDO, and through online facilities such as those offered by LANDBANK, Development Bank of the Philippines, UnionBank, and GCash or PayMaya.

Other issuances from the BIR recognize the restrictions on movement and impact brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include:

EXTENDING THE ESTATE TAX AMNESTY
The BIR has further extended the period to avail of the Estate Tax Amnesty wherein the executor or administrator of estates, legal heirs, transferees, or beneficiaries have until June 14, 2023 to file the Estate Tax Amnesty Return or BIR Form 2118-EA and pay estate taxes due pursuant to Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 17-2021.

DEFERRAL OF 12% VAT IMPOSITIONS ON SPECIFIC TRANSACTIONS
Further acknowledging the burden to the export industry brought about by the pandemic, the BIR issued RR No. 15-2021 on July 28. This RR deferred the implementation of RR No. 09-2021 which imposed 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on transactions previously subjected to 0% VAT such as: (1) the sale of raw materials or packaging materials to a nonresident buyer for delivery to a resident local export-oriented enterprise to be used in manufacturing, processing, packing or repacking in the Philippines of the said buyer’s goods and paid for in acceptable foreign currency and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); (2) sale of raw materials or packaging materials to export-oriented enterprises whose export sales exceed 70% of total annual production; (3) those considered export sales under the Omnibus Investment Code and other special laws; (4) processing, manufacturing, or repacking goods for other persons doing business outside the Philippines, which goods are subsequently exported, where the services are paid for in acceptable foreign currency and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the BSP; and (5) services performed by subcontractors and/or contractors in processing, converting, or manufacturing goods for an enterprise whose export sales exceed seventy percent (70%) of total annual production.

SUSPENSION OF THE ‘NON-PROFIT’ REQUIREMENT
The BIR issued RR No. 14-2021 concerning educational institutions which have been forced to conduct online classes since the start of the pandemic. The newly passed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act or CREATE Law provides that proprietary educational institutions which are non-profit pay a 1% income tax rate beginning July 1, 2021 until June 30, 2023. However, RR No. 14-2021 suspends the requirement that proprietary educational institutions be “non-profit” to be eligible for the 1% transitory income tax.

SUSPENSION OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION
On the part of BIR personnel, the Bureau issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 80-2021 on June 25 which clarified the suspension of the statute of limitations on assessment and collection of taxes due to the ongoing pandemic and varying quarantine classifications in force around the country. The suspension begins from the declaration of the ECQ or MECQ and provides an additional 60 days from the lifting of the quarantine to issue assessment notices, warrants of distraint and/or levy, and warrants of garnishment to enforce collection of deficiency taxes in affected jurisdictions.

PREVIOUS SUSPENSIONS AND EXTENSIONS
It may also be recalled that in compliance with health protocols to combat COVID-19, the BIR issued RMC No. 39-2021 extending the deadline for the filing of applications for VAT Refund Claims and suspended the 90-day processing at the VAT Credit Audit Division (VCAD). It also issued RMC 45-2021 which extended the deadline for the filing of position papers, replies, protests, documents, and other similar letters and correspondences in relation to ongoing audit investigations, and further extending of VAT refunds with the VCAD. With the third ECQ, it may be expected that the BIR will issue similar extensions or suspensions.

However, these should not be taken by taxpayers as a license to be lax in paying taxes and complying with reporting requirements set by the BIR while the ECQ is in force. It is important to consider that even with the ECQ, working with a skeleton workforce may affect our efficiency. Thus, planning ahead and engaging in constant communication with personnel would prove helpful to complete compliance requirements once the ECQ is lifted.

In this Season 3 of the ECQ, we should not end up arguing whether we’re on a break or not. The reality remains that life — and taxes — continue during quarantine. As such, taxpayers should remain informed and updated with the BIR’s issuances to avoid missing deadlines or incurring unnecessary penalties and surcharges.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

Anna Gabrielle L. Sunga is an associate of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

Philippines at high risk amid coronavirus surge

August 9, 2021 | 8:19 pm

vaccine-health-worker-3 — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES is now at high-risk from the coronavirus after fresh surge in infections probably triggered by a more contagious Delta variant, health authorities said on Monday.

“Nationally, our case classification is now high-risk,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told an online news briefing. The Philippines had an average of 8,695 coronavirus infections daily from August 1 to 7, higher than 6,498 cases a week earlier, she added.

The average daily attack rate in the country in the first week of August increased to 7.2, which is considered high risk, Ms. Vergeire said. Infections nationwide increased by more than 40% in the past two weeks.

The country’s classification two weeks ago was “moderate.”

She also flagged the worsening coronavirus situation in Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Southern Tagalog, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

Metro Manila, now classified as high risk kept a positive two-week growth and a high-risk average daily attack rate, Ms. Vergeire said.

The capital region has the highest average daily attack rate with 12 to 13 people out of 100,000 people getting infected daily, she added.

All 16 cities and one municipality in the National Capital Region now have cases of the Delta coronavirus variant, the health official said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DoH) said an increase in coronavirus cases was being experienced across all age groups, not just among children.

In a statement, the agency said infections among all age groups increased by 59% on July 26 to Aug. 8 from two weeks earlier.

The biggest increase was in the 30-39 age group, while the lowest increase was among people aged 80 years and above, it said.

DoH reported 8,900 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 1.67 million. The death toll rose to 29,128 after six more patients died, while recoveries increased by 7,937 to 1.56 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 78,480 active cases, 94% of which were mild, 2.1% did now show symptoms, 1.7% were severe, 1.18% were moderate and 1% were critical.

The agency said 102 duplicates had been removed from the tally, 98 of which were recoveries. Four recoveries were reclassified as deaths.

The growth rate of coronavirus cases in the country increased to 42 percent in the past two weeks, she said.

From July 26 to Aug. 8, 2021, the country’s average daily attack rate (ADAR) per 100,000 population is at 7.20, Ms. Vergeire added.

ADAR is the number of new cases over a 2-week period, divided by the population.

Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao were among regions tagged as “high-risk”.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is expected to take delivery of more than 813,150 doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer, Inc. on Wednesday presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing.

The government paid for the shots, he said. About two million more doses of the vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. would also arrive this week, he added.

The country on Sunday took delivery of 326,400 doses of the vaccine made by Moderna, Inc.

Mr. Roque said about 24.47 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given out as of Aug. 8, 13.8 million of which were first doses.

The government seeks to fully vaccinate 15 million Filipinos by the end of the month and sustain the average daily vaccinations of 600,000 to 700,000.

The country is inoculating health workers, outbound migrant Filipino workers, family members of health workers, seniors, seriously ill people, essential workers and the poor. The rest of Filipinos would get vaccinated as early as next month.

Also on Monday, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said a vaccine panel was studying whether it is safe to vaccinate minors against the coronavirus.

“I wouldn’t mind that we should already start vaccinating children for as long as, first, we prioritize those with comorbidities,” he told the ABS-CBN News Channel. “I would support it, supply permitting.”

The Philippine General Hospital last week said its intensive care unit beds for children infected with the coronavirus were fully occupied.

Vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., has said children aged 12 to 17 might get vaccinated as early as September.

These minors, who may be as many as 14 million, would only get the shots once the vaccines approved for adults are proven safe and effective, Food and Drug Administration Director General Roland Enrique D. Domingo separately told an online news briefing.

Sinovac has applied for the emergency use of its vaccine for children aged three to 17.

Parties likely to break up as members vie for same positions

August 9, 2021 | 8:18 pm

By Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

PHILIPPINE political parties would probably start breaking up as the campaign season for next year’s elections near, as members end up vying for the presidential and vice-presidential posts, analysts said.

“The main expectation is that the resources — both material and symbolic — of the party will be divided among the candidates,” Gino Antonio P. Trinidad a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in an e-mail.

“What effectively unites party members is not the ideology supposedly being espoused by the political party, but the persons involved and the resources they have with them” he said. “Turncoatism is rife precisely because of how Philippine political parties are constituted.”

Several bills preventing turncoats — people who desert their party or cause to join an opposing one and who have been blamed for distorting Philippine politics — have been filed in both Houses of Congress, but have not progressed.

Efforts to veer away from traditional politics and reform the country’s political system have failed, and critics say the 2022 elections would probably become another popularity contest.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who are both from the Nacionalista Party, have said they might run for vice-president in the 2022 elections.

At least two factions within the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) have emerged after Senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, who is gunning for the presidential seat, questioned the party’s endorsement of presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio — a nonmember — for president.

The boxing champ was later replaced as party president by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, who led the support for the mayor, during a national assembly that Mr. Pacquiao said was unauthorized.

“Turncoatism always happens during Philippine elections because politicians are more concerned about their interests than their parties as a whole,” Benjamin Roberto G. Barretto a political science professor at the Ateneo, said in an e-mail.

Political parties usually organize national conventions to select candidates for elective positions, Francisco A. Magno, director of the Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance at De La Salle University, said in an e-mail.

“Party members who lost in the nomination process but want to pursue their candidacies can run as independent candidates or transfer to another party,” he said.

He noted that if two factions within a party submit different sets of candidates to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the body would have to call a hearing and rule on who between the two is the party’s legitimate representative.

“I do not think that Senator Pacquiao was, or would be completely booted out of PDP-Laban,” Mr. Trinidad said “It would be detrimental to the party to boot out a political figure with such hold on a large swathe of the masses. On the other hand, I also do not think Senator Pacquiao would easily be swayed to give up his presidential aspirations.”

Mr. Trinidad noted that with physical mass rallies and gatherings out of the picture amid a coronavirus pandemic, the main campaign battleground would be on social media, especially Facebook and Twitter.

Mr. Magno said candidates should watch out for “the circulation of disinformation strategies, fake news and bashing from electronic trolls as these have become part of the electoral campaign architecture worldwide.”

Sotto-Lacson, Robredo falling out spells trouble for both camps

August 9, 2021 | 8:15 pm

THE FAILED potential alliance between Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, the head of the current opposition party, and the tandem of Senators Vicente C. Sotto III and Panfilo M. Lacson spells trouble for both camps in the 2022 elections.

Dennis C. Coronacion, chair of the University of Santo Tomas Political Science Department, said the falling out will hurt Ms. Robredo’s aim to have a unified opposition in next year’s poll and lose votes from Lacson-Sotto supporters.

“Had VP Robredo shown good ratings in the surveys and had her actions shown that she’s a strong political leader, there would have been no serious challenges to her plan of leading the unified opposition,” Mr. Coronacion said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld.

On the other hand, the Lacson-Sotto tandem might not muster enough support without allies, according to Maria Ela L. Atienza, former chair of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Political Science Department.

The Lacson-Sotto tandem wanted to be labeled as “neutral,” she said, however, being open to talks with Ms. Robredo meant that they also entertain the possibility of being seen as opposition candidates.

“Their failure in talks and negotiations with other groups may cause them to lose support,” Ms. Atienza said.

“This is the difficulty in a country where we do not have strong parties and people vote on the basis of personalities,” she said. “It is also difficult for candidates to gauge support from other politicians and their political parties as it is so easy to break coalition agreements and jump to the more winnable candidates.”

Mr. Sotto, in a Viber message to reporters on Monday, said the vice-president’s “outright rejection” of Mr. Lacson’s proposed strategy “meant they had something else in mind at the outset.”

Mr. Lacson suggested that all potential presidential contenders file a candidacy in October, then pull out in favor of one who will lead surveys in the months leading up to the campaign period starting February.

Ms. Robredo said on Sunday that she rejected Mr. Lacson’s offer because of her “personal belief” that she should fight for her presidential bid until the end, even if she ranks low in surveys. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Zamboanga task force sends back 23 travelers with fake coronavirus test results

August 9, 2021 | 8:15 pm

THE ZAMBOANGA City task force managing the coronavirus response caught 23 people last week, including 10 over the weekend, with fake coronavirus test results upon arrival at the airport.

In a statement Monday, the local government reiterated its warning against the use of fake reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results, one of the requirements for all travelers entering the city, whether staying or transiting.

Those caught with a fake test result were charged with an administrative fine of up to P5,000, sent back to their place of origin, and could face further charges. Quarantine hotel fees are also at their own expense if the next available return flight to their port of origin entails staying in the city.

“Executive Order 674-2021 provides that travelers caught without RT-PCR or with falsified or imitation RT-PCR results shall be charged with an administrative fine in the maximum amount of P5K. In addition, they shall immediately be deported to their place of origin, at their own expense. This, however, is not a waiver of any charge which may be filed against the individual for violation of the Revised Penal Code or other special law,” the city government said.

The Zamboanga City airport is a main gateway to the southwestern part of Mindanao.

After battling a surge in cases over the last couple of months, Zamboanga City is now under a relaxed quarantine status, but the task force against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) maintains strict controls at its air, sea, and land borders.

DELTA CASE
One case of the more transmissible Delta variant was confirmed last week in the city, but the patient was actually first recorded as a COVID-19 case on July 4.

City Health Officer Dulce D. Miravite, in a statement from the local government last week, explained that the Delta index case, along with 14 other crew members of an inter-island vessel, arrived in the city on July 2 and were immediately swabbed as they exhibited signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

Their RT-PCR test results came out July 4, of which 12 turned out positive. Their specimen samples were sent to Manila for genomic testing due to the “clustering of cases.” The genome results were released Aug. 5 with one Delta case identified.

Ms. Miravite said the patient has recovered and completed the required quarantine period. — MSJ

Body cameras distributed to police at border checkpoints

August 9, 2021 | 8:15 pm

COPS deployed at checkpoints in areas under strict quarantine rules are among the first to use body-worn cameras in the country to ensure that they will be “courteous at all times” and for their protection against accusations of abuse.

“Our personnel on the ground have been dealing with a large number of people on a daily basis since Day One of the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) on Aug. 6,” police chief Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said in a news release on Monday.

“These body-worn cameras will serve as the constant reminder for them to be courteous at all times and at the same time, their protection against claims and allegations of abuses,” he said.

The cameras were first used on Monday by police officers stationed at quarantine checkpoints set up around the capital region Metro Manila.

The use of the cameras are monitored by technical experts at the Philippine National Police Command Center in Quezon City through live video feeds.

“Through real-time videos that we capture at various borders of Metro Manila including traffic situations at QCPs (Quarantine Control Points), commanders are assisted for any security adjustments, and it is also quickly communicated to our personnel for immediate implementation,” Mr. Eleazar said.

The rules on the use of body-worn cameras in serving search and arrest warrants, promulgated by the Supreme Court, took effect on July 31.

As of June 4, Mr. Eleazar said the police had a total of 2,696 body-worn cameras, and 600 cops have so far been trained to use the gadgets. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

ILO, US labor dept. launch project to improve labor conditions in agri, mining sectors

August 9, 2021 | 8:14 pm

Vegetable-woman-farmer-DavaoCity — BW FILE PHOTO

THE UNITED Nations’ International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United States Labor department will launch a project in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines, to help improve the country’s compliance to labor laws, occupational safety and gender equality standards, particularly in the agricultural, fishing, and mining sectors.

ILO has reported that nine million workers in the rural sector were affected by the coronavirus pandemic, 22% of whom are women.

It noted that the three specific sectors are “characterized by poverty, poor working conditions, and high risk of occupational accidents and diseases.”

In addition, the work of women in these sectors are often undervalued, hence they face greater risks of job income losses, unsafe and unhealthy working environments, and have a double burden of balancing work for profit and family responsibilities, the ILO said in its report.

ILO and the US will launch the program “Improving Workers’ Rights in the Rural Sectors of the Indo-Pacific with a focus on Women” on Wednesday, which is part of the UN agency’s Safety + Health for All project.

Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, who currently chairs the ILO government group, said in a press conference Monday that the country has “a continuing program for the protection of women and of children from child labor.” — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Police assures teams, online platform ready to address violence against women, children

August 9, 2021 | 8:14 pm

NATIONAL police chief Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar assured the public on Monday that special teams are ready to respond to cases involving violence against women and children amid concerns of a potential rise in domestic and online abuse during the two-week lockdown in Metro Manila and other areas.

“We have created ways to address this issue, including our e-sumbong (e-report) which has made it easier for our compatriots to ask for help and complain because the Facebook platform itself is available for police intervention,” Mr. Eleazar said in Filipino in a news release.

He urged the public to report incidents of violence against women and children to authorities, either through help desks at police stations or through the online platform.

“We encourage our fellow citizens to trust your PNP (Philippine National Police) in this issue,” Mr. Eleazar said. “We must remember that there will be no abuser if no one will allow themselves to be abused.”

Two senators have called for heightened vigilance, citing an increase in cases of abuse and exploitation during previous impositions of strict lockdowns around the country.

“Abuse and exploitation of children inside the home is more common than our society would like to admit. Various kinds of abuse are being experienced by our children — sexual or physical — and at most times, in the hands of individuals whom they trust,” Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in Filipino in a statement on Monday.

Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chair of the Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said in a separate statement that economic hardships during the lockdown could again trigger domestic violence.

He also said stricter quarantine measures might make it difficult for victims to ask for help.

Mr. Gatchalian cited police records showing cases of violence against women and children more than doubled to 3,600 in June 2020 from 1,284 in March the same year when the first lockdown was implemented.

Ms. Hontiveros called on barangays and local governments to ensure that help channels are open for victims of sexual or physical abuse. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

The 2021 Code of Conduct for the South China Sea: Navigating between norms and power politics

August 9, 2021 | 7:44 pm

Renewed interest and hopes for a final Code of Conduct for the South China Sea surfaced during the 37^th ASEAN Summit. The focus is on moving forward an “effective and substantive” code from the Single Draft Negotiating Text (SDNT) that forms part of the latest agreement between ASEAN-China leaders as of 2019. This should have been seen as a positive turn for ASEAN and China relations in the light of establishing a rules-based governance and dispute settlement system for the users/littoral states in the region. However, bilateral developments marked by China’s aggression against claimant member states before and during the pandemic have pushed the claimant states of ASEAN to resort to legal measures outside of the yet evolving regional code arrangement.

Between 2017 and 2018 when the Framework and the SDNT were formulated, China upped the ante of making counterclaims against its own in this vital waterway. During the pandemic, Chinese navy, coast guard, and fishing vessels’ use of complex military and militia tactics — firing water cannons, swarming and ramming Philippine, Vietnamese, and Malaysian fishing and oil exploration vessels — have resulted in parallel militarism among ASEAN member states including the Philippines. One of the more recent forms of intimidation in 2019 was the swarming of hundreds of Chinese military and non-military vessels in Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, where the Philippine military and civilians established a community.

But the real tensions between parties are actually found in the provisions of the draft. The future of negotiations for what is hoped to be an enforceable regional code will have to address the polar opposite views of China and individual ASEAN member states on framing the South China Sea as exclusive to the littoral states of the waterway or as part of the global commons. Needless to say, China is the proponent of exclusivity in the South China Sea. Alternatively, the view which seeks to guarantee freedom of the seas and navigation has the support of Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Another thorny issue is China’s non-recognition of the UN arbitral ruling of 2016 (Philippines vs. China) which is detrimental for a governance regime anchored on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Failure to align the code to the UNCLOS and the arbitral ruling is the first bottleneck for an effective dispute settlement arrangement in the South China Sea. Vietnam is most vocal about implementing an UNCLOS-aligned code of conduct. Given the asymmetrical nature of the power play in the negotiations and the facts on the ground, could an effective code of conduct be on the horizon?

How regional parties bridge competing ideas in the code poses a major challenge. The first set of these includes the narratives already mentioned in the preferences of parties for or against aligning the code to the UNCLOS and hence to the practice of freedom of navigation. These issues mirror the politics and ideologies of China and are mobilizing points for counter-US involvement. This is thus an example of how an interface of norms and great power politics can dangerously impact the region.

On the other hand, there are practical cooperative measures that are proposed in the draft, notably, to advance marine environmental protection, research, safety of navigation and communication at sea, transnational crimes, search and rescue, and resource exploration, which, when implemented at bilateral and mini-lateral levels within ASEAN, will help build confidence and maritime security among users. These practical arrangements also serve to cushion the limitations of a code that is increasingly being embedded in a precarious geopolitical environment.

Under the current circumstances, the ASEAN may not be able to fully depend on an enforceable code of conduct that incorporates global rules and norms and the voices of smaller claimant states vis-a-vis China’s revisionism. The ASEAN should strengthen the cooperative security institutions it has built over time. Revisiting the ASEAN way in order to strengthen ASEAN centrality is a pragmatic move, as well as the strengthening of defense level security arrangements such as the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus to further practical cooperation in jointly safeguarding against the unintended consequences of asymmetrical power relations in the South China Seas.

Alma Maria O. Salvador PhD is a full-time member of the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Political Science.

Greening is the new black

August 9, 2021 | 7:43 pm

Is it so difficult to make a company green? Let us take a look.

THE COMMUTE
How many of your workers now commute using bicycles? Since we experienced MECQ, ECQ, GCQ and all other kinds/levels of lockdown and limited public transportation, it has been a focus of many companies to look for solutions to employee mobility. Even SMEs, like ours, had to find ways to make workers come to work, even on a reduced capacity at offices and stores.

1. Walking is the best. Now that we have filtered our staff to only retain those who live near their place of work, the recommended mode of transportation is no transportation. In the Makati Business District, we see more people walking to work.

2. Bicycles. I always smile when I see food deliveries on bicycles, rather than motorcycles.

They DO NOT pollute the air with smoke emissions and the bigger benefit is making the riders healthier with all the exercise they get from biking.

How much would it cost to give each employee a bicycle to use? Or maybe a rent-to-own scheme would be much appreciated by many workers who will not only save on transportation but be super safe as they bike to work alone.

3. Motorcycles. Yes, it is the dream of every blue-collar worker to own one. It is like a badge of success for someone who earns minimum wage to be able to afford a motorcycle and “drive” it to work. We have workers who do not mind a three-hour motorcycle commute as long as they do not have to wait for a bus or jeep during rush hour.

4. Hybrid cars. This can be the next Executive Compensation package. Only hybrid cars must or could be subsidized by management so staff can also help in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals of a company. There are many brands now, like Prius and the Nissan Leaf, among others.

5. Electric cars. Only reserved right now for those who can afford a TESLA.

6. Electric jeeps and trikes. They have been around for a long time, like golf cars and tricycle models for resorts, clubs, and golf courses. But sooner or later, we will see them in the mainstream as more people turn to renewable energy and these vehicles would be an easy choice.

USING NATURAL AIR
Next is the workplace. We must look for open spaces that may not require air-conditioning due to the new COVID variants. So, it may be time for companies to look at work spaces that have a lot of distances between workers. It had to take COVID-19 to make us think about using less air-conditioning because of the fear of contamination. So now we are forced to stretch and think of what was almost impossible — working in open spaces. We’re doing it now.

The idea of buying farm lots is also high on every company’s “to do” list. Farms are not only good for companies to send workers to — for relaxation, some meditation, or a retreat, and also for team-building activities. Others may find the bosses converting their formerly personal farm lands into company meeting places or similar outdoor function areas as well-ventilated spaces.

NO PLASTICS, JUST GARDENS
Every good meaning manager must look at company policies and check how updated they are. Do they now include policies on greening, waste segregation, using less water in toilets and maybe even having a company “grow your own food” project to ensure food security for all?

A lot of company manuals, if we must be updated, must include policies on ESG and that starts with looking at everyday things in the office. Thus, we suggest taking a peek at the everyday commute, everyday lifestyle at the office, and simple ideas like having a community garden for vegetables.

So, is greening a company only for getting scores on Sustainability ratings as a public company? I think every company, private or public, must start to heed the signs. This pandemic serves as a sign for us to listen to Mother Nature and her signals — climate change, the pandemic, rising sea levels, and other global concerns. Our company is but a tiny dot in the Universe but if we all became conscious of what changes need to be done, the sooner the planet will be cooler and the sooner we can go on with a better new kind of lifestyle.

Greening your company is an adaptation to the pandemic for some, but a well-thought-out corporate direction for futurists and visionary leaders. And we hope to have more of the latter.

How green can you be? How do we start inculcating green practices into our corporate culture?

Just like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), it starts from the top. We hear of companies where the boss takes the staff on mountain hikes to appreciate nature. We hear of bosses who preach about avoiding plastics and talk about energy savings and walk the talk by closing irrelevant companies and opening sustainable ones. Which kind of boss or leader are you?

It is an imperative to go green now, not just as a fad or trend to look good for PR. Greening is the only way we can make our companies sustainable, to see them thriving into the next generations.

GREEN is the new BLACK.

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP.

Chit U. Juan is a member of the MAP Inclusive Growth Committee and the President of the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc.

pujuan29@gmail.com

map@map.org.ph

http://map.org.ph

10 trends in mortality 2020 in the Philippines

August 9, 2021 | 7:43 pm

This is Part 2 of this column’s piece five months ago, “10 trends in mortality and spending economics” (March 23, https://www.bworldonline.com/10-trends-in-mortality-and-spending-economics/).

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the updated data last month on causes of death in 2020 and the results may be shocking for those who have been peddling the scary-alarming impact of COVID-19 in the country (see Table).

10 trends can be derived from the numbers related to COVID-19 and the strict lockdown in 2020:

One, there was no “excess mortality” as expected compared with 2019. There was, in fact, a decrease in mortality, fewer deaths by nearly 7,400. So the actual health damage is not as grave as told by government and many media narratives.

Two, ischemic heart diseases (heart attacks, etc.) remain as the main cause of death. An increase of 7,600+ was consistent with the trend in recent years.

Three, expected “excess mortality” would have been 30,000+ due to COVID-19 deaths. So, the expected deaths in 2020 would have been around 650,000, not 613,000.

Four, the annual deaths were equivalent to 1,700/day in no-pandemic 2019 and 1,680/day in pandemic 2020. The first reported COVID-19 death in the country was on March 11, 2020. So from March 11 to Dec. 31, 2020: (30,140 COVID-19 deaths) / (296 days) = 102 COVID-19 deaths per day. A real pandemic with excess mortality should have resulted in 1,802/day in 2020, not 1,680/day.

Five, there was large-scale renaming or labeling of many deaths from pneumonia, respiratory infections, and tuberculosis to COVID-19 deaths. There were fewer pneumonia deaths at nearly 28,500, fewer lower respiratory infection deaths at 6,000, fewer tuberculosis deaths at 4,100+. Also, fewer cancer/neoplasm deaths at nearly 2,500.

Six, pneumonia slid from fourth to the fifth killer disease, largely because of the re-labeling many pneumonia deaths as COVID-19 deaths. An average of 58,915 people died from pneumonia yearly from 2017-2019.

Seven, the 20,840 who died from an unidentified virus which is 69% of all reported COVID-19 deaths may be false positives and resulted in the exaggeration of the total number of COVID-19 deaths. Reporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths has been inadvertently incentivized by PhilHealth. The hospital reimbursement for COVID-19 cases (both for patients who survived or died) is P143,267/patient for moderate pneumonia, P333,519/patient for severe pneumonia, and P786,384/patient for critical pneumonia (see PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0009, dated April 8, 2020).

Eight, the big increase in diabetes deaths of 5,100+ and hypertension deaths of 3,800+. Two possible reasons are: patients are unable to have regular check-ups and treatment due to the fear of going to hospitals and various mobility restrictions, thus their conditions deteriorated, and financial support by government (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., provincial, city governments) for other diseases have been either reduced or stopped and the money diverted to COVID-19 cases.

Nine, fewer external causes of deaths. Fewer transport accidents by 4,100, fewer stabbings and physical assaults (2,000+), fewer drownings, fewer falls and deaths from other external causes. This is because of the lockdowns, closure of bars, checkpoints, curfew, etc.

Ten, more intentional harm and suicides. From an average of 2,752 per year in 2017-2019, the cases went up to 4,418 in 2020 or 1,666 more suicides last year. The psychological, financial, and emotional stress to many people from losing their businesses and jobs, the feeling of helplessness from being prevented from casually going out and meeting friends face to face, contributed to this.

So, the “gains” of indefinite lockdown are fewer transportation accidents, fewer fights and physical assault, fewer drownings and deaths from other external causes, and fewer “pneumonia deaths” because of re-labeling.

But the pain and damage of lockdown is too much. More suicides, more patients sick of other diseases, more business closures and job losses. The number of employed people in pre-lockdown January 2020 was 42.54 million, and this went down in lockdown October 2020 (last data available for the year) at 39.84 million, or 2.70 million fewer employed people.

The Philippines’ GDP contraction of -9.6% in 2020 was the worst since post-World War II, the worst in East Asia, and the fourth worst among the world’s top 50 largest economies. The GDP level (at constant 2018 prices) in 2020 of P17.53 trillion was far from 2019 level of P19.38 trillion, and nearly equivalent to the 2017 level of P17.18 trillion — we lost three years of economic output despite a population increase of about 5 million over those three years.

The GDP level (at constant 2018 prices) in first quarter 2021 of P4.24 trillion was equivalent to first quarter 2018 of P4.22 trillion, again a three years loss in economic output.

The issue of implicit mandatory vaccination — via actual discrimination and rumor mongering that “no jab, no job, no aid” — is getting worse. Forcing and deceiving millions of people to take experimental vaccines, to disregard natural and innate immunity, and believe only in vax immunity, is wrong.

Discriminatory government (national or local) plans of disallowing unvaccinated people from using public transportation, public hospitals and schools, public offices and buildings, can be justified only if government will also discriminate when it comes to tax payment, where the unvaccinated will pay zero or reduced income tax, zero or reduced taxes in gasoline, electricity, and so on.

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the Director for Communication and Corporate Affairs, Alas Oplas & Co. CPAs

nonoyoplas@alasoplascpas.com

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