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Dumaguete City to tap more schools as isolation facilities as COVID-19 cases increase

DUMAGUETE CITY GOV’T

DUMAGUETE City’s local team managing the coronavirus pandemic has asked the Education department to allow more schools to be used as isolation facilities as cases continue to increase.

The local government said it has also asked the city’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) task force to plan additional measures “to regulate the entry of non-residents… with extensive consultations of all stakeholders.”

Under existing policies, those entering the city must have a negative RT-PCR test result and prior registration with the local government.

As of June 6, the city had 357 active COVID-19 cases, more than double the 127 recorded as of May 15. Total cases since the start of the pandemic in March last year was 1,277 with 879 recoveries and 45 deaths.

Towards the end of May this year, health authorities launched a massive swabbing activity to identify and isolate close contacts of new patients.

“About 5, 000 close contacts of COVID-19 confirmed cases, at 500 a day both symptomatic and asymptomatic, are targeted for RT-PCR swab tests in the next 2 weeks by the teams from the City Health Office, Integrated Provincial Health Office and Department of Health,” the local government said on May 31.

“The massive swab testing is necessary to help authorities promptly identify, isolate and treat those who will be found positive of the virus, which is a strategy to methodically bring down the surge of COVID-19 cases,” it added.

Expedited visas proposed for foreign power workers

REUTERS

A FORMER National Renewable Energy Board (NREB) official has proposed that regulators assist power producers in obtaining visas for foreign technicians to expedite power plant repairs.

An opening up of the visa process was billed as one of the immediate solutions to ensure sufficient power for the grid in light of recent plant breakdowns, according to Pedro H. Maniego, Jr., a former NREB chairman.

“When I talked to some power producers, they say that the problem (of) very long downtimes and outages is because they don’t have the service technicians from China… (and) other countries to repair this equipment. (The power producers) need assistance to secure visas,” he said during a virtual briefing organized by the non-government organization Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) Monday.

“Some of these visas have been pending for a long time due to the global health emergency,” he added.

Mr. Maniego, who is a senior policy advisor of the ICSC, said regulators can provide endorsements for the foreign service workers.

“I can see (why power producers are reluctant) to bring in these people… Even if you are vaccinated, I think you have to quarantine yourself for 40 days and that would cost money for all of these power producers that need these technicians. They also have to pay board and lodging,” Mr. Maniego said.

He added that power producers must also train their own workers so reduce the dependency on foreign service technicians.

He also proposed a system of fines for generation companies which exceeded the maximum number of allowable outages, increasing the secondary price caps during the dry season, and implementing the competitive selection process based on fixed costs for all technologies by the fourth quarter, among others.

Sara Jane Ahmed, finance advisor to the Climate Vulnerable Forum’s Vulnerable Group of Twenty (V20) Ministers of Finance, noted that the Philippines is “doubling down on imported large fossil-fuel (facilities) with the new combined cycle gas turbines for baseload power.”

“But it’s clear, considering our current situation and considering the need to build resilience, (that) we need to have distributed, low-cost sources of power. ‘Distributed’ doesn’t mean thousands of megawatts in one concentrated area, rather, a couple of hundred megawatts- distributed in certain locations and separated,” Ms. Ahmed said at the briefing.

With a distributed system, the Philippines will not be reliant on a few large plants, she said.

ICSC Energy Transition Advisor Alberto R. Dalusung III said that the Philippines needs flexible power plants which will work alongside renewable energy sources to provide power to the grid. He added that flexible power plants can “address short term supply-demand imbalances.”

“I think that the long-term solution really is to take advantage of the cheapest, quickest to deploy technology options for us. Solar, wind, other renewables, and to match this with just the right flexible power plants so that we can have a reliable least cost power generation mix,” he said during the event.

On Monday, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) told BusinessWorld that the Philippines needs more capacity to meet the rising power demand.

“We need more capacity connected to the grid,” NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia P. Alabanza said, referring to always-on baseload energy.

Last week, the grid operator placed the Luzon grid on red alert for three consecutive days amid forced plant outages and higher peak demand. — Angelica Y. Yang

DepEd warned on copyright issues in teaching modules

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

TEACHING MATERIALS used by the Department of Education (DepEd) should not be reproduced in violation of copyright even during emergencies like the pandemic, a licensing organization said.

“After the book is published and sold, no one should reproduce the book or substantial portions of the book without the author’s permission,” Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society, Inc. (Filcols) Executive Director Alvin J. Buenaventura said in a virtual event held by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

Only small portions can be reproduced by photocopying, he said.

“Sadly, there is a culture of unfair use masquerading as fair use in our country. And DepEd unfortunately is the main proponent of this culture.”

Mr. Buenaventura said that DepEd’s Order No. 18-2020, or the rules on providing learning resources during the pandemic, hinders the book publishing industry’s development.

“We fervently hope that DepEd officials will show respect for copyright,” he said, adding that book authors deserve to be paid for their work.

Educators have turned to distance learning during the pandemic, with public schools also delivering printed learning modules to students.

According to the department order, learning modules can be downloaded online. But sharing the files outside of the intended purpose is prohibited. 

DepEd had yet to respond to a request for comment at deadline time. 

IPOPHL Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights Director Emerson G. Cuyo said that the government is not exempt from respecting author copyright.

“For massive use, it’s something that has to be settled between Filcols as the collective management and DepEd as the user of the works.”

IPOPHL can take the role of a broker to help the parties come to an agreement, he said.

“But at the end of the day, it is actually just the rights holder who will know or who can say kung ok na ‘yung arrangement (whether the arrangement is okay) with them.” — Jenina P. Ibañez

Hybrid rice areas seen yielding up to 12 tons per hectare

AREAS PLANTED to hybrid rice are expected to outperform other varieties by a wide margin, with observed yields so far of as much as 12 tons per hectare (t/ha), the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a memorandum circular that the DA will focus its efforts on 15 provinces selected for hybrid rice planting, with an expected yield advantage of at least 1 ton per hectare against the traditional inbred seed varieties.

“Many areas cannot attain the desired yield advantage and optimum yield because of various technical and agro-ecological reasons. Foremost among them is the limited technical support, improper nutrient management, and insufficient irrigation during the cropping period,” Mr. Dar said.

“The report of the performance of hybrid rice indicated a clear yield advantage over the certified inbred seed varieties with farmers getting yield advantages of up to 5t/ha (hybrid yield of up to 12 t/ha) and provinces having average yields of up to 7 t/ha,” he added.   

Asked to comment, DA Hybrid Rice Program Adviser Frisco M. Malabanan said by mobile phone that the 15 provinces are Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Leyte, Bukidnon, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. 

“Basically, the circular provides directions on how we can still further optimize the hybrid rice yields in other provinces. As of now, there are still areas that have not attained the potential yield which is at least 6 to 7 t/ha. There are still provinces that are below that, including areas outside the selected 15 provinces such as Apayao and Rizal,” Mr. Malabanan said.

“Among these provinces, the one with the highest yield per hectare during the dry season is Nueva Ecija at an average of 7.8 t/ha followed by Isabela at 6.8t/ha,” he added.

Mr. Dar also directed that the regions be guided in selecting the hybrid rice variety best suited for their respective areas.

He added that data on the municipal and province-level performance of commercial hybrid rice seed should be distributed for the guidance of farmers.  

“In the future, the National Rice Program and Philippine Rice Research Institute should apply the Philippine Rice Information System in monitoring the performance of hybrid rice varieties for more accurate and more objective yield monitoring,” Mr. Dar said.

Mr. Dar also ordered the inclusion of technical support in the regional procurement agreements with commercial hybrid companies, together with the requirement that their hybrid variety not fall below the standard of a 1-ton yield advantage over certified inbred seed and five tons of yield overall.

He also instructed seed companies to hire personnel to undertake technical assistance, to submit monitoring reports, and to implement packaging safeguards to prevent reselling or pilfering of seed supplied to DA.

According to Mr. Malabanan, some of the hybrid companies involved include SL Agritech Corp., Bayer, Syngenta Philippines, Inc., and LongPing.

“It is expected that the hybrid rice will contribute significantly to increasing rice production if we can scale the planting of hybrid rice and use it as a means to cluster or consolidate our farms and modernize farming practices,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Commission going ahead with conservatorship of pre-need firm’s pension unit

PHILSTAR

THE Insurance Commission (IC) said it has now been cleared to take a unit of College Assurance Plans Philippines, Inc. (CAPPI) into conservatorship, after the Supreme Court (SC) barred the pre-need firm from selling the subsidiary to support its rehabilitation.

“With this ruling of the Honorable Supreme Court, the IC can proudly state that it was able to protect the rights and interests of the planholders of CAP Pension (Comprehensive Annuity Plans and Pension), consistent with our mandate under the Pre-Need Code of the Philippines,” Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said.

“The Insurance Commission will now proceed with the conservatorship of the company. But first we will examine the financial condition of CAP Pension as of today to see what assets of the company remain; we will then appoint a conservator to recommend the direction that we will take,” Mr. Funa added.

Firms under conservatorship can no longer write new insurance policies. The appointed conservator is responsible for managing the company’s assets and liabilities. 

CAP Pension is a subsidiary of CAPPI. CAPPI wanted to dispose of CAP Pension’s properties as part of its rehabilitation plan.

The SC barred this course of action in a May 12 ruling that CAP Pension is a separate company and is “not liable for the obligations of its parent corporation.”

The decision affirmed that the IC, as the regulator, will manage the financial affairs of the subsidiary.

“CAPPI’s questionable real estate investments, even exceeding the limitations set by the company’s previous regulator, the SEC, led to the company’s downfall beginning in the early 2000s,” the IC said.

It said the pre-need company was considered a pioneer in the industry in the 1980s, with its education plans that guaranteed payment of tuition once beneficiaries begin college. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Transfer pricing: The year that was and what’s next

The transfer pricing compliance requirements introduced by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in July 2020 are believed to be game-changers for taxpayers to ensure that their transactions with their related parties are planned, executed, and carried out in the same manner as dealing with independent third parties — what is called the “arm’s-length principle” or ALP.

While the authority of the BIR Commissioner to ensure that the ALP is followed by related parties when dealing with each other has been around for eight decades, compliance with the ALP is thought to be low. To avoid being left behind by other Asian countries, the BIR released the Transfer Pricing Guidelines in 2013 which, among others, requires taxpayers with related party transactions (RPTs) to maintain transfer pricing documentation (TPD) to prove adherence to ALP, and seven years later, the guidelines on transfer pricing audit procedures and techniques.

Despite these safeguards, the BIR felt that effective enforcement should be put in place. The BIR espoused the idea of “to see is to believe” when in July 2020 it required all taxpayers to submit the Information Return on Related Party Transactions (BIR Form No. 1709 or RPT Form) and supporting documents, including the TPD, as an attachment to the Annual Income Tax Return (AITR).

The BIR requires full disclosure of all RPTs in the RPT Form. The intention is to include within the term of RPT all transactions between related parties that result in the transfer of resources, services, or obligations, irrespective of their arrangement (with cost-recovery or cost-sharing or recharging) and regardless of amount and whether a price is charged except for dividends, share in net income from associate or joint ventures, branch profit remittance, compensation paid to key management personnel, RPTs covered by an Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) as duly approved and accepted by the BIR, and contribution of the sponsor employer to the post employment benefit plan. 

Because of the untimely and resource-consuming requirements that were issued amidst the pandemic, the BIR heeded the call of taxpayers and stakeholders by adjusting and relaxing some of the requirements.

WHO ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE RPT FORM?
Not all taxpayers shall submit the RPT Form but only those taxpayers who meet all three conditions below:

(1) it is required to file an AITR;

(2) it has transactions with a domestic or foreign related party during the concerned taxable period; and

(3) it falls under any of the following categories:

a. large taxpayers;

b. taxpayers enjoying tax incentives;

c. taxpayers reporting net operating losses for the current taxable year and the immediately preceding two (2) consecutive taxable years; or

d. a related party that has transactions with (a), (b) or (c).

Taxpayers enjoying tax incentives include Board of Investments (Bol)-registered enterprises, economic zone enterprises, entities enjoying Income Tax Holiday (ITH) or entities subject to preferential income tax rate. Some examples of entities subject to preferential income tax rate include proprietary educational institutions and hospitals and regional operating headquarters, among others.

WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE RPT FORM?
The earlier enumeration of who are required to submit the RPT Form is exclusive, such that all taxpayers not included in the list are not required to file the RPT Form. The taxpayers not required to file a RPT Form shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) those who did not meet the conditions set forth in the enumeration of who are required to submit the RPT Form;

(2) those subject to regular corporate income tax as a whole but have transactions subject to preferential tax rate under tax treaties or the Tax Code, as amended;

(3) taxpayers operating within the economic zone but subject to regular corporate income tax;

(4) international carriers if they are either subject to tax based on their Gross Philippine Billings or gross revenues;

(5) international carriers that are exempt from tax under the tax treaty or on the basis of reciprocity;

(6) taxpayers who are exempt from income tax under Section 30 or similar provisions of the Tax Code or special laws;

(7) regional or area headquarters and representative offices of foreign corporations that are not allowed by law to derive income from the Philippines;

(8) post-employment benefit plan if its RPTs consist only of contributions from its sponsor employers; and

(9) those required to file a short period return as originally required by law or existing revenue issuances due for filing in 2020, even if the deadline for filing was extended to 2021.

For items (2) and (3), they are not required to file an RPT Form provided they do not fall under 3 (a), (c) and (d) in the earlier enumeration of who are required to submit the RPT Form.

WHO ARE REQUIRED TO PREPARE A TPD?
Only those taxpayers who are required to submit the RPT Form and meet any of the following materiality thresholds are mandated to prepare a TPD:

a. annual gross sales/revenue for the subject taxable period exceeding One Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (P150,000,000), irrespective of the source and identity of the other party to the transaction (i.e., related or otherwise), and the total amount of RPTs with foreign and domestic related parties exceeds Ninety Million Pesos (P90,000,000);

b.  sale of tangible goods involving the same related party exceeding Sixty Million Pesos (P60,000,000) within the taxable year;

c. service transaction, payment of interest, utilization of intangible goods or other related party transaction involving the same related party exceeding Fifteen Million Pesos (P15,000,000.00) within the taxable year; or

d. if the TPD was required to be prepared during the immediately preceding taxable period for exceeding (a) to (c).

The TPD and other supporting documents shall no longer be attached to the RPT Form but are to be submitted within 30 calendar days upon receipt of request by the BIR during tax audit subject to a non-extendible period of 30 calendar days based on meritorious grounds.

WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PREPARE A TPD?
If the taxpayer is not required to file the RPT Form, then it is not also mandated to prepare a TPD. However, nothing prevents any taxpayer from preparing a TPD and presenting the same during tax audit. Though not required to prepare a TPD, the taxpayer must still present sufficient evidence to prove that their RPTs were conducted at arm’s length.

WHAT’S NEXT?
The BIR’s rationale for requiring the submission of the RPT Form and to maintain TPD is to improve and strengthen its transfer pricing risk assessment and audit. The BIR will study and analyze the information gathered from these submissions when selecting taxpayers to be subjected to tax investigation and in determining whether to conduct a thorough review/audit of a particular entity or transactions. The BIR will focus its audit and commit its resources only to the most important transfer pricing issues.

Needless to say, transfer pricing audits could start anytime soon. They may have already started. 

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.

 

Nikkolai F. Canceran is a partner from the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

GFSI: Measuring food security across countries

Food security is a pressing concern among countries, especially since food is essential to meet the needs of a growing population.

Food security means that “all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life,” according to the UN Committee on World Food Security 1979 and the International Food Policy Research Institute.

THE GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INDEX
A good measure of food security across countries is the Global Food Security Index (GFSI).

The GFSI, developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, provides an annual assessment measuring food security through four key parameters — affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience — across 113 countries. “Natural Resources and Resilience” is a recent addition to the metrics. It assesses “a country’s exposure to the impacts of a changing climate; its susceptibility to natural resource risks; and how the country is adapting to these risks, all of which impact the incidence of food insecurity in a country.” While it was introduced in the 2017 GFSI as an adjustment factor, it was only in 2020 that it was mainstreamed.

The GFSI is a “dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model constructed from 59 unique indicators that measure the drivers of food security across both developing and developed countries.”

THE COUNTRY LEADERS
In 2020, the Top 10 countries worldwide were Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Israel, Japan, and Switzerland. All are high-income countries where supply availability is also notable.

In the ASEAN, Malaysia led, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The Philippines lagged behind its ASEAN counterparts not just in overall food security but also in affordability. It posted the second to the lowest ranking across the other metrics.

The country, just like Indonesia, also ranked low in national resources and resilience. Both are archipelagic countries and prone to natural disasters. Both are located in the “ring of fire.”

In terms of the level of malnourishment, the Top 10 countries have very low levels of 2.5%. By contrast. ASEAN rates are higher with Vietnam at 6.4%, Indonesia 9%, Thailand 9.3%, Vietnam 6.4%, and the Philippines at 14.5%.

Food sufficiency is not directly correlated with food security. The Netherlands is food secure but not food sufficient. It is importing food. Japan also imports 40% of its food requirements.

ASEAN GFSI GAINS AND LOSSES
What were the gains/losses in the GFSI in ASEAN between 2012 and 2020?

Indonesia posted the biggest gains as its overall score improved by 5.8 points between 2012 and 2020. It led the gains in affordability and availability. Thailand was next with 1.4 points, followed by Vietnam. The Philippines was second to the last before Indonesia. It was able to post the second biggest gain in availability after Indonesia.

Vietnam was the only country which registered gains in quality and safety. All others posted losses led by Thailand.

WHAT ARE THE TAKE HOMES?
In the quest for food security, balancing the demand and supply of food is key. It is not just about having food but making it affordable and available, ensuring its quality and safety, and minimizing susceptibility to climate and natural resources risks.

Affordability counts. It is a combination of food prices and family income, including tariffs. Availability is not just about local food production but also imports. Productive farms address farm incomes and prices.

Having a management system like farm consolidation to achieve both income and economies in production, mechanization, and logistics is a proven strategy in many Asian countries. The Farm Consolidation model in Piddig, Ilocos Norte is worth looking at, driven by a well-led farmers’ group supported by the local government unit.

Food quality and safety all the more becomes important, especially at this time of the pandemic, wherein eating healthy and keeping healthy have become the mantra. It is an area that needs more attention. So is managing the risks associated with climate change as it heavily impacts food production.

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.

 

Prof. Rolando “Rolly” T. Dy, Ph.D., is Co-Vice Chair of the MAP Agribusiness Committee and the Executive Director of the Center for Food and Agri Business of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P)

map@map.org.ph

magg@mageo.net

map.org.ph

Fear a factor in voters’ preference surveys

VECTORJUICE-FREEPIK

Some political observers have written off any genuine opposition candidate as winner for president in 2022. They base their forecast on the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey. The survey revealed that Vice-President Leni Robredo ranked only No. 6 in terms of voters’ preference.

Only 7% of the 2,400 respondents interviewed during the period Feb. 22-March 3 expressed a preference for her. Five other probable candidates ranked higher than her. They are Sara Duterte (27%), Bongbong Marcos (13%), Grace Poe (12%), Isko Moreno (12%), and Manny Pacquiao (11%). The others named in the survey were Bong Go (5%), Jojo Binay (3%), and Alan Peter Cayetano (2%).

While Grace Poe does not belong to the President’s political party, she has in her many years in the Senate voted in favor of his agenda more often than against. Mayor Isko Moreno also belongs to another party but he has expressed admiration for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Social Weather Stations, the other major public opinion pollster, has not conducted a similar survey. As far as I know, neither has it conducted a survey on people’s satisfaction on President Duterte’s performance since a year ago. SWS used to do it every quarter.

I tend to think SWS decided to stop doing satisfaction surveys because civil society in general has cast doubt on the validity of survey results. Respected newspaper columnists have difficulty accepting the President’s high satisfaction rating in surveys — 92% sometimes — given the true state of the nation. After all, President Duterte himself had admitted his failure to fulfill his campaign promises of ridding the country of the drug menace, eradicating corruption, reducing street crime, ending the contractualization of employees, and keeping the price of rice low.

Many political pundits have also found it hard to reconcile the high ratings of the President with the various issues surrounding the administration’s poor response to the pandemic while Vice-President Leni Robredo fared badly when she has been rolling out her own assistance to those affected adversely by the lockdown without help from the administration.

Among the issues levelled against the administration were allegations of massive corruption against executives of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the inadequacy of the country’s communications system for the new teaching method the pandemic situation requires, and the spending of P349 million for the beautification of the Baywalk alongside Roxas Boulevard when the government has claimed it no longer has the resources to give financial aid to those who lost their job or livelihood due to the lockdown.

Netizens are more blunt on what they think about those surveys on the performance of the President. Some say SWS has been co-opted by the President and that Pulse Asia is “doctoring” the findings to gain the goodwill of the President.

I do not think so.

This is not in defense of SWS and Pulse Asia. I have no connection with them and never had. This is more in defense of public opinion polling. I have a working knowledge of public opinion polling. I was with Robot Statistics, the country’s first independent public opinion pollster/market research firm and Gallup affiliate, in the early 1960s. It was my first job.

I learned at Robot Statistics how respondents to public opinion polls are drawn at random so that the entire lot (it is called the sample in public opinion polling) is representative of the voting population. SWS had briefed me some time back on how they draw their 1,500 respondents. Pulse Asia has several times described on television their sampling method. SWS’ and Pulse Asia’s sampling methods are in accordance with accepted general practice in the field of public opinion polling. That is why the results of their surveys have been borne out by the results of the general elections.

In 2016, the two pollsters projected Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo as the winning presidential and vice-presidential candidates. They even got the rankings of the candidates for the top two positions right.

However, I believe that in these times, results of surveys on voters’ preference for presidential candidates and on the performance of President Duterte do not reflect the true sentiments of the respondents. President Duterte has shown a disdain for opposition to his agenda and to criticism. That disdain is evidenced by the woeful fate of Senator Leila de Lima, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, former Senator Antonio Trillanes, journalist Maria Ressa, and ABS-CBN, bitter critics all of the President.

Survey respondents could be afraid of saying something negative about him or are reluctant to say something favorable to his critics and political opponents. Interviews are conducted face-to-face. The respondent’s name and address are written by the interviewer for purposes of verification of the interview by survey auditors. However, the respondent may be suspicious of the true purpose of the interviewer, a total stranger to him.

In fact, SWS found out through its July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey that 51% of Filipinos agree that “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth.”

In an interview with a newspaper reporter late last year, Pulse Asia President Ronnie Holmes admitted that fear, though difficult to measure, cannot be ruled out as possibly influencing survey results. He said you can’t rule out the possibility that there are some people whose prevailing sentiment is apprehension or fear.

According to Mr. Holmes, Pulse Asia interviewers record the “nonverbal behavior” of survey respondents such as the time it takes a respondent to answer questions, if he showed apprehension, or appeared to be assessing the interviewer. However, the interviewers’ observations are not shared with the public.

Because of the prevailing atmosphere of fear, respondents may not express their true sentiments. The latest Pulse Asia survey on voters’ preference for president may not be of value to any candidate, even to Mayor Sara Duterte. Strategists of the 1Sambayan might would do well to not place significance on results of polls during this election period.

 

Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a retired corporate executive, business consultant, and management professor. He has been a politicized citizen since his college days in the late 1950s.

COVID-19 and the Shadow Pandemic

When the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, an outbreak of anti-China and anti-Chinese hatred and revulsion flooded cyberspace in almost every part of the world. During this time, two other outbreaks seemed to have hijacked governments across the globe.

The COVID-19 outbreak revealed not only the increased vulnerabilities of States, particularly those with weak public health infrastructures. It also intensified citizens and media’s increased demand for transparency and accountability from their governments in spite of governments’ increased call for tolerance and calm from their citizens and media.

While containing the COVID-19 pandemic remained high on both the global and national agenda, COVID-19 has also created an outbreak of “moral panic” resulting in peoples’ increased feelings of fear and anxiety exacerbated by feelings of lack of protection and certainty. More alarmingly, COVID-19 revealed another outbreak, that is, a global surge in gender-based violence exacerbated by the very measures put in place to mitigate the spread of the virus, such as lockdowns, physical distancing, and other forms of restrictions on movement or mobility.

In its “Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women,” the United Nations (2020) noted the exponential increase of gender-based violence. With restricted movement and social isolation measures, “many women are being forced to ‘lockdown’ at home with their abusers at the same time that services to support survivors are being disrupted or made inaccessible” (p. 2). The increase in cases of gender-based violence and the intensity of these incidents prompted the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (2020) to declare violence against women and girls as probably the most devastating consequence of the COVID-19 lockdown.

In light of the global increase in gender-based violence amid the COVID-19 health crisis, the UN Women (2020) launched the Shadow Pandemic public awareness campaign with a 60-second video. The video underscores the alarming upsurge in domestic violence during COVID-19 and urges people to be aware of domestic violence and to act to support women if they know or suspect someone is experiencing violence.

The UN Women’s “Gender Snapshot: COVID-19 in the Philippines” highlighted how various measures to contain the COVID-19 increased the vulnerabilities of women and girls to different forms of violence, harassment, and discrimination. In its recommendations, the UN Women identified the enhancement of reporting and monitoring mechanisms for violence against women and girls as well as of social protections, the availability of women’s shelters as essential services to women and children, the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services, and the implementation of laws on gender-based violence and gender equality.

While the Philippines has various laws addressing violence against women, it does not have any law that addresses the specific increased vulnerabilities of women and girls during a pandemic. It is in this light that the recent proposal of the women senators in the country to push for a bill that seeks to establish programs and protocols to meet women’s special needs during disasters and public health emergencies becomes both timely and relevant.

Senate Bill No. 2088 or “An Act to Ensure Gender Responsive and Inclusive Protocols and Programming to Address the Gender-Differentiated Needs of Women During COVID-19 and other Public Health Concerns, Emergencies, and Disasters” or the “Gender Responsive and Inclusive Pandemic Management Act of 2021” recognizes that the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated violence against women. Its proponents, led by Senator Risa Hontiveros, believe that “it is imperative that policies are tailored to fit the specific needs of women” as the COVID-19 crisis is far from over.

Some of the salient features of the bill include the following:

1. The participation of women in leadership, decision-making and policy-making positions in national and local government’s response and recovery systems during a public health emergency;

2. A higher penalty for any form of discrimination against women during the occurrence of a pandemic or any public health emergency;

3. Gender-based violence preparedness and response systems as essential services;

4. Access to sexual and reproductive health services and other essential services during pandemics and other public health concerns emergencies, and disasters; and

5. The provision of social protection and safety nets.

While the bill is still at the committee stage, it is hoped that the Senate Committee to which the bill has been primarily referred expedites its hearings when the Senate commences its Third Regular Session on July 27. It is also hoped that the members of the House of Representatives see the timeliness and relevance of the proposal and that they will adopt the Senate’s version of the bill to further expedite the legislative process.

The “Gender Responsive and Pandemic Management Act of 2021” is one urgent and important piece of legislation. Members of the House of Representatives must see its importance in the same way as (or more than) it sees charter change. On June 1, the House adopted on third and final reading the Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 (RBH 2) which proposes amendments to the “restrictive” economic provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. The vote seems like an affirmation of the need of the country to arise above the pandemic.

Yes, the country needs to arise above this pandemic. But a charter change is not the way. Not at this time of the pandemic. And not before the synchronized national and local elections are held.

If it is pursued, charter change can lead to another shadow pandemic. Benign at first, to focus on economic provisions; but once it unfolds, it unleashes the malignant force of self-serving interests seeking the removal of term limits, or a shift to a parliamentary system, or the latest craze, that of the president seeking a re-election as vice-president.

This pandemic must end. And it must end now!

 

Diana J. Mendoza, PhD is Chair of the Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University.

Vaccination rates and KKK on June 12

This is a follow up to this column’s earlier piece on vaccination rates, https://www.bworldonline.com/vaccination-rates-and-lockdown/, which came out on May 1. I have expanded the number of countries included and updated the vaccination rates (at least one dose was given) up to June 5. Many countries though submit their reports late.

Most countries in the world follow a general trend of declining COVID-19 cases and deaths as vaccination rates increase. This is not a direct causality as there are many factors to consider including natural herd immunity, the use of repurposed drugs like Ivermectin, better hygiene, etc.

Then there are many countries that defy this trend, as their vaccination rates increase, the number of cases and deaths also increase or remain high. Clear examples are Seychelles, Bahrain, Mongolia, and the UAE (vaccination rates 52% to 72%).

The charts here show the COVID-19 cases (source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries) for some Asian and Middle-East countries and South American countries. Compare these with their vaccination rates as a percentage of total country population which I list below (source: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations?country):

VACCINATION RATES (ASIA/MIDDLE EAST)
June 5: Bahrain 58.7%, Mongolia 57.1%, Sri Lanka 9%, Indonesia 6.4%, Vietnam 1.2%;

June 4: Malaysia 7.1%, Taiwan 2.8%;

June 3: Cambodia 16.1%;

May 30: Philippines 3.6%, Thailand 3.6%;

April 20: the UAE 51.5%;

April 18: Kuwait 19.2%.

VACCINATION RATES (SOUTH AMERICA)
June 5: Uruguay 56.0%, Dominican Republic 34.9%, Argentina 23.8%, Brazil 22.8%, Colombia 15.4%, Suriname 12.8%, Bolivia 12.4%;

June 4: Chile 58.2%, Peru 9.0%;

June 3: Cuba 13.8%, Ecuador 9.6%;

June 1: Costa Rica 19.9%;

May 25: Seychelles 71.6%.

Thus, there is no truth to the general narrative that “all anti-COVID vaccines are safe and effective in reducing cases and deaths.” We should remember that all of these anti-COVID vaccines have no approval yet for long-term safety and efficacy, they were just given emergency use authorization (EUA) on the distorted assumption that there is no proven treatment against the virus and its variants and mutants.

On June 12, Araw ng Kalayaan or Independence Day, several groups and NGOs led by the Concerned Doctors and Citizens of the PH (CDC PH), Gising Maharlika Patriots, Kilusang Demokratikong Pilipinas (KDP), and some legislators at the House of Representatives, will reassert the people’s Constitutional freedom and human rights. Our freedom of mobility, freedom to open up businesses and schools, freedom to use proven safe and efficacious treatment options against COVID-19 like Ivermectin, freedom to choose to get vaccinated or not.

The event is called Katotohanan, Karapatan at Kapatiran para sa Kalayaan (KKK). All these 15 months of government lockdown and mandatory quarantines, many medical truths have been distorted and many human rights and individual freedom have been curtailed. Since CDC PH was formed in September 2020, it has been consistently calling for lifting the lockdown via focused protection for the vulnerable and frontliners while allowing the young and healthy to go out and not paralyze many sectors of the economy.

There will be a motorcade of hundreds of cars, motorcycles, and bicycles, from UP Diliman and other assembly areas in Quezon City, to several landmarks in Manila with short programs.

The economic damages of indefinite lockdown in the Philippines keep piling up. From having the worst GDP performance in 2020 and first quarter 2021 in the whole of Asia, to huge rise in public debt that will require huge taxes and fees in the future, to rising bank non-performing loans (NPLs), etc.

Economic freedom, individual freedom, less government restrictions and prohibitions. We should reassert these principles this coming June 12 and beyond.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

China’s three-child policy unlikely to boost birthrate – Moody’s

REUTERS

A NEW CHINESE POLICY allowing couples to have up to three children could support fertility but was unlikely to dramatically change its birthrate, rating agency Moody’s Investors Service said on Monday.

China announced on May 31 that married couples may have up to three children in a major shift from a limit of two after recent data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world’s most populous country.

Moody’s said the reform highlighted the risk of aging across emerging markets in Asia.

“Although China’s new policy allowing couples to have up to three children could support fertility, it is unlikely to dramatically change the national birthrate, meaning that aging will remain a credit-negative constraint,” Moody’s said.

Shares in birth- and fertility-related companies listed in Hong Kong and mainland China fell after the Moody’s statement.

The decision to allow families to have up to three children was met with skepticism in China, with people expressing doubts on social media as to whether it would make much difference, and calls for details on what promised “supportive measures” would be available.

China scrapped its decades-old one-child policy in 2016, replacing it with a two-child limit to try to avoid the risks to its economy from a rapidly aging population.

But that failed to result in a sustained surge in births given the high cost of raising children, especially in cities. — Reuters

Thailand starts long awaited COVID-19 vaccination drive

BANGKOK — Thailand kicked off a long-awaited mass vaccination campaign on Monday as the country battles its third and worst wave of the coronavirus epidemic.

The government aims to administer 6 million doses of locally-made AstraZeneca and imported Sinovac vaccines this month, hoping to assuage worries about the slow roll-out and supply shortages.

“The government will ensure that everyone is vaccinated,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said in televised comments after he visited an inoculation centre in Bangkok.

The government plans to vaccinate 70% of Thailand’s population of more than 66 million people by the end of the year. So far, 2.8 million people deemed most vulnerable, including frontline health and transport workers, have received a first dose.

But the government has come under fire from opposition politicians who accuse it of complacency and an over-reliance on the locally-made AstraZeneca doses.

Thailand had escaped the worst of the pandemic as it hit other countries hard last year, but is now grappling with its deadliest outbreak. The third wave has accounted for more than 80% of total infections so far. Officials reported 2,419 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 33 deaths on Monday, bringing the total to 179,886 and 1,269 fatalities.

“My feeling is that no matter what, we will need to go outside of home for the littlest things, so getting the vaccine gives us a sense of relief,” said Praepawee Lertpongkijja, 38, at a Bangkok vaccination center.

The government has been scrambling to source more vaccines as concerns emerged about the production capacity of royal-owned Siam Bioscience, the Thai company making the AstraZeneca vaccine locally, after the Philippines said its order had been reduced and delayed.

Thailand will receive an additional 3.24 million doses from AstraZeneca after mid-June, the health ministry said in a statement, but did not specify how much would be locally made.

The Thai government received 1.8 million locally-produced AstraZeneca shots on Friday and has sourced another 200,000 doses from South Korea, a health ministry source told Reuters. Thailand expects to sign a contract this week for 20 million shots of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. — Reuters

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