LGU share of 2019 mining, energy revenue falls to P3.3B

August 9, 2021 | 8:33 pm

LOCAL GOVERNMENT units (LGUs) received a combined P3.347 billion from their share of the national resource wealth in the form of 2019 taxes on mines and energy producers in 2019, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

The DBM said on its website that the LGU share fell 12.4% from the preceding year’s collections.

Some 53.33% or P1.785 billion released to LGUs were generated via revenue generated by the Department of Energy from energy resources; P1.562 billion were from mining taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Forestry charges yielded P125,169.

Under the Local Government Code, LGUs are to receive 40% of National Government revenue from resource wealth extracted within the LGUs’ territory, on top of their share from national taxes.

Eligible for distribution are mining taxes, royalties, forestry and fishery charges, as well as other applicable taxes, fees and charges.

LGUs are authorized to use the proceeds generated from resource wealth to fund development and livelihood projects. For revenue generated via hydrothermal, geothermal and other sources of energy, 80% should be used solely on projects that will bring down electricity costs in their territory.

Region VI received P1.694 billion from the distribution, followed by Region XIII with P554.8 million; Region VII P293.6 million; Region V P275.62 million, and Cordillera Administrative Region P147.752 million.

Antique received the biggest share among all provinces with P311 million. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Pandemic hit to printing industry revenue estimated at 53%

August 9, 2021 | 8:33 pm

national-printing-office — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

PRINTING INDUSTRY sales declined 53% throughout the pandemic, further dampening demand as companies shift to digital advertising, the Board of Investments (BoI) said.

“Like the other industries, the printing industry was not spared by the COVID-19 pandemic and is still beset by their customers’ shift to digitization, digital transformation of industries,” BoI Executive Director Ma. Corazon H. Dichosa said in a virtual event Monday.

When there are industry orders, Ms. Dichosa said that the industry needs to improve its supply capabilities to remain competitive.

“Our ultimate goal is to improve supply capability so a lot of the printing jobs need not go to China or any other ASEAN country. Our printing industry should be able to service the needs of the other industries and outsourced printing jobs from other countries,” she said.

“Aside from the industry’s heavy reliance on imported inputs like paper, the industry is also challenged by a pervasive lack of formally-trained technical personnel, particularly for machine operations and maintenance.”

The BoI on Monday signed a partnership with the Philippine Trade Training Center and the Philippine Center for Print Excellence Foundation (PCPEF) to use the government’s digital fabrication shared equipment facility to train the printing industry’s workforce. The partnership focuses on skills development, access to technology, and public-private collaboration.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez in a recorded video message called for investment in the industry’s workers, given their role in print advertising even as digital marketing becomes more popular.

“Another thing we have to consider is that consumable goods and products need to be packed and compliant with labeling requirements,” he said.

“Whether food or non-food products, details of manufacturing, expiry, and batch numbers need to be printed in the packaging. In addition, product reputation is built through superior packaging material and flawless printing technology to complete the finished product.”

The PCPEF in 2015 developed an industry roadmap that aimed to improve supply capability, increase demand for print, and encourage stakeholder links. — Jenina P. Ibañez

House panel approves bill to exempt athlete prizes from tax

August 9, 2021 | 8:31 pm

THE HOUSE Committee on Ways and Means has approved on Monday a measure to exempt from tax donations and rewards conferred on athletes participating in international competitions.

In a hearing, the panel approved the committee report and an unnumbered substitute House Bill, known as the Hidilyn Diaz Act, would amend Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act to exempt from tax, charges or fees any rewards and bonuses granted to athletes and coaches participating in international competition.

Prizes will also be classified as deductible against gross income when computing for the donor’s income tax. The tax exemptions are to be retroactive to June 1, 2021 to cover incentives given to athletes and coaches who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Considering the negligible foregone taxes from such gifts, and the representations these athletes and coaches make in international competitions which are officially endorsed by, and made on behalf of, the State, these foregone revenues ultimately redound to the benefit of the State,” Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda, the committee’s chairman, added.

Proposals of the bill that were consolidated into the substitute bill, including one filed by Mr. Salceda, came in the wake of the success of Philippine athletes at the Tokyo Games, including a gold medal by weightlifter Hidilyn F. Diaz.

Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo M. Ordanes, the author of House Bill 9899 or the National Athletes Tax Privilege Act, said in his sponsorship speech that the measure will encourage the private sector to support international athletes at no additional cost to the government. This will also help the government direct its public funds to other priorities.

During the deliberations for the bill, an amendment to expand the tax exemptions to include donations for athletes and coaches competing in local state-sponsored competitions was discussed.

Mr. Salceda noted in a statement that there is a greater need to work on greater “end-to-end support” for sports, adding that the country should “invest in our athletes when they are still preparing to win.” — Russell Louis C. Ku

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