‘Bikol Pili’ branding approved by trademark bureau

June 28, 2022 | 8:54 pm

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said a collective mark registration for pili products, which will be identified as “Bikol Pili” to differentiate them in the market, was approved by the Bureau of Trademarks (BoT).

The IPOPHL said in a statement on Tuesday that the certificate of registration was awarded to the Orgullo Kan Bikol Association, Inc. (OKB) of Legazpi City, a group of about 100 entrepreneurs.

“The mark will be used for a total of 13 classes of goods and services based on the Nice Classification. This will include raw and processed pili food products, as well as non-food products, such as garments, fashion accessories and wearables, cosmetics and beauty products and essential oils, among others,” the IPOPHL said.

Collective marks are meant to highlight the origin and authenticity of distinctive products, patterned on the appellation d’origine controlee system for labeling French wines.

“The collective mark serves to distinguish the origin and quality of pili products made and marketed by OKB members. It symbolizes OKB’s collective philosophy of supporting the pili industry to reach its potential and contribute to the socio-economic empowerment of the Bicol Region,” OKB President Nona Nicerio said.

According to the IPOPHL, the “Bikol Pili” mark adds to the list of registered collective marks like Guimaras Mangoes, Cordillera Heirloom Rice, Lake Sebu T’nalak cloth, as well as the Aklan Quality Seal.

It added that collective marks will be registered as geographical indications (GIs) once the BoT finalizes a registration system for GIs this year.

GIs are defined by IPOPHL as “any indication which identifies a good as originating in a territory, region or locality, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin and/or human factors.”

The process of registering “Bikol Pili” was undertaken with the input of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the Department of Trade and Industry, with the support of the Departments of Agriculture and Science and Technology. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Jeepney associations file appeal with LTFRB for new fare increase

June 28, 2022 | 8:54 pm

TRANSPORT GROUPS are asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to allow jeepney operators and drivers to raise fares again, calling the last increase ordered in three regions inadequate.

1-United Transport Koalisyon, Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide, Inc., Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization filed their omnibus motion on June 25, according to a copy of the appeal distributed by the LTFRB on Tuesday.

The petitioners noted that while the transport regulator on June 8 granted a P1 provisional increase to the minimum fare for jeepneys in three regions, including the National Capital Region, bringing it to P10 from P9 for the first four kilometers, the cost of diesel has since risen, offsetting any relief the fare hike might have provided.

They said the increase is “grossly insufficient” and can “hardly be felt” by jeepney operators.

“The increase of P3.10 on June 21 in the price of diesel… will (bring) the price to P88.65 per liter,” they noted.

“There is great urgency for another provisional increase of the jeepney minimum fare,” the petitioners said.

The increase previously implemented in some regions and further fare adjustments to be granted by the LTFRB should also be “implemented in all other regions,” they added.

The LTFRB said it is still studying the petition, particularly the inflationary implications of the fare adjustment. — Arjay L. Balinbin

LGU Q1 revenue rises by 19.4% after SC ruling

June 28, 2022 | 8:53 pm

REVENUE reported by local government units (LGUs) rose by 19.4% year on year in the first quarter to P319.42 billion, after they started taking an additional share of the national taxes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s (SC)Mandanas ruling, the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) said.

Income from external sources, including their newly enlarged share of national taxes, amounted to P184.45 billion, outweighing the income they generated from local taxes and fees of P134.97 billion, according to preliminary data compiled by the BLGF.

The Mandanas ruling, so named after the petitioner, Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas, granted LGUs a larger share of the national taxes after the Supreme Court liberally interpreted the Local Government Code in the LGUs’ favor.

The code had originally made LGUs eligible to receive an “internal revenue allotment (IRA),” which National Governments had interpreted to mean a 40% share of the collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The court ruled that LGUs are entitled to a 40% share of all national taxes, including those collected by other agencies like the Bureau of Customs.

The IRA has since been renamed the national tax allotment (NTA).

Local taxes and fees, also known as locally sourced revenue, rose by 8.6% in the first quarter.

BLGF Executive Director Niño Raymond Alvina said in a statement that most LGUs remained reliant on the IRA/NTA, which was equivalent to 64% of their operating income.

Cities received an NTA of P102.27 billion, while municipalities and provinces took in P97.82 billion and P63.12 billion, respectively. — Diego Gabriel C. Robles

Clark airport authority dividends at P176.74M

June 28, 2022 | 8:53 pm

CLARK International Airport Corp. (CIAC) said it remitted P176.74 million representing 2022 dividends due to the National Government to the Bureau of the Treasury.

CIAC, a government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC), said P156.74 million was remitted on May 5 while P20 million was remitted on May 16.

CIAC generates revenue from managing the Clark Aviation Complex.

“Despite the overwhelming challenges at the Clark Aviation Complex brought about by the pandemic, CIAC’s operational flexibility and fiscal discipline has generated… profit margins (of) 16% to 27% and thereafter to 46% from 2019 to 2021,” CIAC President Aaron N. Aquino said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to Mr. Aquino, 2022 remittances are up 35%, with aviation activity rebounding from the pandemic, which stifled the travel market starting 2020.

“In the coming years, we hope to sustain and even increase CIAC’s modest contribution to the National Government funds by improving the business climate here at the Clark Aviation Complex, encourage more foreign investment, and (support the) post-pandemic economic recovery,” Mr. Aquino said.

GOCCs are required by Republic Act 7656 to remit at least 50% of their net earnings to the National Treasury. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Emerging markets seen under pressure from expanded debt burdens

June 28, 2022 | 8:50 pm

EMERGING MARKETS (EMs) will bear the brunt of the economic fallout as interest rates are driven higher to contain inflation, after their governments took on additional debt during the pandemic, Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research said.

While real gross domestic product growth has also been trending downward in developed markets since January, EMs are carrying far more debt than is typical due to the spending required to deal with the global public health crisis, it said in a report.

Cedric Chehab, the global head of Country Risk for Fitch Solutions, said elevated inflation is driving monetary authorities everywhere to tighten their policy stance.

The Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates by another 50 to 75 basis points in July, which might weaken other currencies even further, Mr. Chehab said in a webinar on Tuesday.

And while the Chinese economy is expected to grow by 3.6%, it is still below the Fitch Solutions target of 5.5%. China is also grappling with the economic consequences of its Zero-COVID policy, which dictates lockdowns for even minor outbreaks, as well as risks in its property market, also heavily indebted.

According to the report, demand for energy and shelter is expected to keep inflation elevated.

The energy crisis is expected to go on as long as the Ukraine war continues, Mr. Chehab said. The war has led the West to sanction Russia, a major energy exporter; Moscow has retaliated by cutting gas exports to Europe, setting off a scramble for other fuels and driving prices higher.

Fitch Solutions added that political risk has become elevated in various parts of the world as government finances weaken, with inflation threatening social stability.

EMs are also at risk of capital flight due to the pressure on their currencies, he said.

Mr. Chehab expects a sharp slowdown in the US economy, driven by declining housing prices as financing costs rise.

Within Asia, in particular, Fitch Solutions has downgraded its outlook for some countries deemed at risk for unrest, though some uncertainty has been mitigated by “the conclusion of several key elections” which strengthens the case for policy continuity, the report added. — Diego Gabriel C. Robles

TransCo to manage revenue claims of Green Energy Auction RE participants

June 28, 2022 | 8:49 pm

THE National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) will be managing the revenue claims of renewable energy (RE) developers participating in the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), the Department of Finance (DoF)said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This is an expansion of its role as the Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) Fund Administrator,” the DoF said.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III chairs the TransCo board. GEAP is run by the Department of Energy (DoE).

Under the GEAP, the government aims to broaden the participation of RE in the power generation mix to 35% by 2030.

“The target is to cover about 2,000 megawatts (MW) of RE capacity; the bulk of which will be from solar energy, with a 1,260 MW allocation target,” TransCo President Jainal Abidin Bahjin said. “The remaining capacity is allocated to hydropower (130 MW), biomass (230 MW), and wind (380 MW),” the DoF said.

DoE Department Circular 2021-11-0036, which set the guidelines for the GEAP, was issued on Nov. 3, 2021. A Notice of Auction for the RE capacity was issued on Feb. 9, 2022.

The DoE launched the auction on June 17, with participants offering 1,966.3 MW of indigenous energy between 2023 and 2025. — Diego Gabriel C. Robles

Tribunal rejects lawsuits vs Marcos presidency

June 28, 2022 | 8:12 pm

Marcos-Bongbong-mitingdeavance-PHILSTAR-KRIZ-JOHN-ROSALES — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE SUPREME Court has denied petitions seeking to bar President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. from the May election, paving the way for his proclamation as the Philippine’s 17^th president on June 30.

In a statement on Tuesday, the High Court’s Public Information Office said the tribunal unanimously dismissed the appeals in a 13-0 vote.

Two associate justices with ties to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not take part in the deliberations.

“The court held that in the exercise of its power to decide the present controversy led them to no other conclusion but that respondent Marcos Jr. is qualified to run for and be elected to public office,” it said.

“Likewise, his certificate of candidacy, being valid and in accord with the pertinent law, was rightfully upheld by the Commission on Elections.”

A full copy of the ruling penned by SC Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda has yet to be made public by the court.

SC Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr. inhibited himself from the decision since he was a Comelec commissioner and was part of the division that rejected one of several lawsuits that sought to cancel Mr. Marcos’ candidacy based on tax violations.

Associate Justice Henri Jean-Paul B. Inting also did not join in the deliberations as he is the brother of acting Comelec Chairperson Socorro B. Inting.

Martial law victims and taxpayers brought their separate petitions last month before the Supreme Court, seeking to reverse the Comelec en banc’s decision affirming that Mr. Marcos was eligible to run.

Mr. Marcos went into exile in Hawaii with his family during the February 1986 uprising that ended the almost two-decade autocratic rule of his father and namesake, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr.

He had served as a congressman and senator since his return to the Philippines in 1991.

The office of Mr. Marcos had yet to issue a comment on the court ruling as of press time.

INAUGURATION
Meanwhile, his inauguration in the capital Manila on June 30 will be “solemn and simple,” his office said in a press release on Tuesday.

“It would be very traditional,” Franz Imperial, one of the organizers, was quoted as saying. “He himself said in his vlog that we will not veer away from the tradition.”

There will be a 30-minute military-civil parade, to be followed by the signing of a patriotic song that was popular during Marcos Sr.’s rule.

The press release did not mention the focus of the president-elect’s speech and the issues that he will raise during his first day in office.

Mr. Marcos Jr. will deliver his speech without the aid of a teleprompter, his team said.

On the same day, the President-elect will induct his Cabinet members and hold his first meeting with them “immediately after,” the Marcos team said.

An inaugural reception will be held at the presidential palace in the evening for officials and foreign dignitaries who “wish to call on the new president,” it added.

Mr. Marcos won by a landslide in the May 9 election, which academics consider a make-or-break moment for Philippine democracy.

Thousands of activists and ordinary people have been killed and harassed during his father’s martial rule, according to Amnesty International.

The administration of the younger Marcos will be closely watched by domestic and international groups, the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) said in an e-mailed statement.

“We are already alarmed with the human rights crisis in the country and we are seeing that this will continue in the next administration,” it said.

Former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon, who met with the group in a recent event, said in the release that “the world [will continue to watch the Philippines] but this time with more vigilance.”

Authorities said all is set for the inauguration ceremony at the National Museum, with some 15,000 security forces to be deployed.

Protests will only be allowed in designated freedom parks. Manila Police District Director Leo M. Francisco warned that those who will hold their protest actions around and near the venue will be “sent home.”

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas called the planned security measures an “overkill” and reflect the “misplaced anxieties” of the police and the military.

The leader of the group representing women said protesters only aim to “peacefully exercise their constitutional right to free speech.”— with Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Philippine elections fell short, human rights group says

June 28, 2022 | 8:11 pm

May2022election-Pasig-PHILSTAR-MIGUEL-DE-GUZMAN — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A GLOBAL human rights coalition on Tuesday said the May national and local elections in the Philippines did not meet the standards of free, honest, and fair voting due to numerous reports of human rights violations and incidents pointing to fraud.

In a statement, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said its International Observer Mission (IOM) concluded that the elections did not provide voters access to reliable information, freedom from intimidation, and a credible vote-counting system.

“The observers reported that the May elections showed a higher level of failure of the electronic voting system than ever before, along with a higher level of blatant vote-buying, a disturbing level of red-tagging of candidates and parties, as well as a number of incidents of deadly violence,” said former Australian senator and IOM Commissioner Lee Rhiannon.

“A large number of voters did not get to cast their vote and many had to trust that election officials would later put their marked ballot paper through a Vote Counting Machine, thus undermining the secrecy of the vote,” she added.

The IOM was a collaboration between the international coalition and local election watchdog Kontra Daya that had participation from academics around the world.

ICHRP stressed the need for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and lawmakers to review the automated election system and introduce reforms that would discourage political dynasties from being elected.

Acting Comelec Spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco earlier called into question the group’s initial report, citing a lower number of election-related violent incidents. He also asserted that the Comelec did everything “according to the law and in fact above and beyond the call of the law.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Kyrie Irving exercises option to stay with Nets in 2022-23

June 28, 2022 | 7:41 pm

IN AN apparent change of heart, Kyrie Irving exercised his option with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2022-2023 season, The Athletic and ESPN reported on Monday evening.

The star point guard’s decision came hours after reports said that he was expected to decline the $36.5-million option — and that the Nets gave him permission to seek a partner for a sign-and-trade.

Instead, Irving will return for his fourth season in Brooklyn.

“Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even,” Irving said in a statement to The Athletic.

The Athletic also reported that Irving passed on “multiple opt-in and trade scenarios” to see out the rest of his original four-year contract with the Nets.

Irving faced a Wednesday deadline to exercise the option. His decision means that he is eligible to sign a long-term extension with the Nets until Thursday.

The Nets made Irving a “real offer” on a long-term contract in the past week, per ESPN, but are hesitant to offer a new four-year deal.

ESPN reported on Monday that the Los Angeles Lakers were the only team with known interest in a sign-and-trade deal. The Lakers had only the $6-million midlevel exception to offer Irving and likely would have needed a third team to help facilitate any trade with the Nets.

Irving, 30, has missed 123 of 226 possible games with the Nets since joining the team in 2019.

Irving averaged 27.8 points and 5.8 assists per game in 2021-2022, though the sample size was limited due to his stance on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Irving wasn’t allowed to play home games until the final month of the regular season.

Irving reportedly provided the Nets a list of teams to whom he would approve a sign-and-trade deal, which caught Kevin Durant’s attention, reports said. Durant is not expected to seek alternatives now that Irving is remaining with the Nets. — Reuters

Serena returns to Wimbledon hoping to banish ghosts of 2021

June 28, 2022 | 7:40 pm

NEARLY a year to the day since Serena Williams last played a singles match on the Tour, the tennis great returns to Wimbledon’s Centre Court where her awe-inspiring career almost came to a tearful end.

Chasing a record-equaling 24^thGrand Slam singles crown, sixth seed Williams limped out of her first round match last year with an injury and the sport suddenly had a void to fill as she took a year off to “heal physically and mentally.”

Now, three months shy of her 41^st birthday, Williams is ranked 1,204 in the world and the American needed a wild card to play at Wimbledon where she has won the title seven times.

She has only two doubles matches at Eastbourne under her belt going into the year’s third major where she takes on France’s Harmony Tan.

However, Williams was glad Wimbledon broke with tradition and allowed players to practice on the iconic Centre Court to avoid a repeat of them slipping on the lush green grass.

While Williams chases an elusive 24^th major, world number one Iga Świątek is busy chasing records herself and will put a 35-match winning streak — the best in the 21^st century — on the line on the same court when she takes on Jana Fett.

Poland’s Świątek has not lost since February, but the 21-year-old comes into Wimbledon without playing a match on grass after she skipped the tune-up tournament in Berlin due to a shoulder issue. — Reuters

Alcaraz survives five-set whirlwind to reach Wimbledon second round

June 28, 2022 | 7:40 pm

LONDON — It might not have been the workout Carlos Alcaraz was hoping for as he nursed a sore elbow but the Spaniard showed why he is considered the next big thing as he toppled Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in the Wimbledon first round.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed an incredible season on clay and hardcourts — winning titles in Rio, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid — and on Monday he proved he has the skills and mental belief to succeed on the sport’s slickest surface.

Despite still being a grasscourt novice, fifth seed Alcaraz did not let German Struff’s 218-kph hurtling serves or the disappointment of losing two of the opening three sets faze him.

Facing an opponent he described as “big serve, big shots,” Alcaraz kept his nerve to fire down 30 aces and produced an assortment of breathtaking passing shots to secure only his second ever win on grass.

In their only previous meeting, Struff beat Alcaraz in straight sets in the third round at last year’s Roland-Garros.

But since that showdown, their careers have headed in opposite directions. — Reuters

Reliability

June 28, 2022 | 7:40 pm

It’s easy to categorize Kyrie Irving’s decision to opt in to the last year of his contract with the Nets as a no-brainer. After all, the option is worth a whopping $36.5 million, a not inconsiderable sum under any circumstance and carrying even more value in light of the small fortune he lost over the last year. Because he managed to suit up in only 29 regular-season games owing to his firm commitment to stay unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, he was docked around $17 million in salary. Meanwhile, he stands to give up even more moolah in the face of his imminent divorce with Nike.

To argue that Irving is easy to figure out would, however, necessitate engaging in revisionist history. In fact, there’s nothing easy about him — and not simply because of his partiality to conspiracy theories and scientifically debunked positions. And, make no mistake, he wanted to leave the Nets following the latter’s refusal to provide him with a maximum contract extension. He even went so far as to identify potential sign-and-trade destinations. Given his mercurial nature, he would not have raised eyebrows had he opted out and, say, latched on to the Lakers for the $6-million midlevel exception.

That Irving managed to rein in his Hyde side is, perhaps, the surprise. Needless to say, he stuck around because of the money, and because he still has the chance to explore any and all opportunities next year. And he may well have done so because of good friend Kevin Durant and the prospect of them continuing to make beautiful music together on the court. His constant flirtation with the uncertain notwithstanding, he cannot but see the value in consorting with the devil he’s familiar with than with the devil he does not know.

Irving isn’t stupid. Considering the lack of interest in his services, he understands that he can also use his 2022-23 campaign as a means to rehabilitate his reputation. The problem isn’t his skill set; at his best, he’s a Top 15 player with an uncanny capacity to puncture the hoop. It’s his reliability — or, rather, lack thereof. He’s a high-risk-high-reward proposition, and going all in on him hasn’t seemed to be worth the aggravation. It’s why the Nets have played hardball with him, and why they may yet see him at his finest before he bids goodbye.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.