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Central monitoring system for PUVs to be launched this month

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Monday that it will be launching this month a central monitoring system for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

“Silently, we are developing what you call the Central Public Utility Vehicle Monitoring System (CPUVMS), which aims to monitor operational PUVs not only in Metro Manila but all over the country,” LTFRB Chairman Martin B. Delgra III said at an online forum, “Tranformational Land Transportation Systems” organized by the Management Association of the Philippines.

Currently, the system is in use to monitor the EDSA Busway, but it will be extended further to other bus routes, Mr. Delgra noted.

He said among the objectives of the monitoring system is to collect data on the number of buses that operate on each route.

“When we launch this next month (June), you will be able to see not only the equipment that we have invested in but also the IT system related to transport systems, allowing us to push our program for monitoring the bus units in relation to the bus routes that have been rationalized,” Mr. Delgra said.

Data collected by the system will be used as the basis for “balancing supply and demand of PUVs,” he added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

IPOPHL to help small firms apply for international patents

THE intellectual property office said it plans to assist small businesses applying for international patents under a partnership with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

The PCCI and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) signed a memorandum of agreement Monday to work on training business representatives and promoting the country’s intellectual property (IP) assets.

“We will be assisting MSMEs (micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises) in filing under the patent cooperation treaty — the international route for patent applications — and even under the Madrid protocol for trademarks, IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said at the event.

The Madrid system manages trademark registrations worldwide through a streamlined process.

Under the agreement, IPOPHL will also help market IP assets from PCCI members and help them commercialize their products.

The Philippines’ largest business group in turn will promote IPOPHL programs that incentivize small businesses to protect their IP.

The two organizations committed to create mentorship opportunities and to showcase incubated technologies in various events.

IP filings rose 21% in the first four months of the year to 15,028 as businesses started to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Filings declined by 12% in 2020, with inventors and creatives delaying applications due to subdued business activity during the lockdown declared to contain coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). — Jenina P. Ibañez

Red alert raised for Luzon grid

THE NATIONAL Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised red and yellow alerts over the Luzon grid Monday, as demand peaked following a rise in temperatures over the weekend.

The system operator said on Viber that it placed the grid on yellow alert between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday, moving to a red alert from 1 p.m. onwards.

A yellow alert is issued when reserves fall below ideal levels. A red alert is declared if the supply-demand balance deteriorates further to the point where power interruptions must be resorted to.

“We have a projected system peak demand of 11,514 megawatts (MW) and our available capacity for today is about 11,729 MW. The difference is small — a little over 200 MW. That is already a concern,” Mario C. Marasigan, the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Electric Power Industry Management Bureau director, said during a briefing.

He also noted the rise in its heat index over the weekend. The government weather service reported that Aparri, Cagayan posted a reading of 46 degrees Celsius on the index on May 30.

“As a rule of thumb, an estimated 100 MW must be allotted for every degree (of) increase in temperature,” Mr. Marasigan said.

He added that unplanned or forced outages accounted for 1,285 MW of unavailable capacity Monday.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said areas affected by manual load dropping or rotational power cuts include parts of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Manila, Quezon, and Rizal.

The rotational outages are due to last less than an hour, Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella said Monday.

At 4 p.m., Meralco said power has been restored to all affected areas.

In a separate statement issued on Viber, the DoE said that it will continue to monitor the power situation and submit updates to consumers and enforcement agencies. The department also reminded distribution utilities and the system operator of their duty to address the required capacity increases to ensure a reliable power system.

Last month, the Energy department said that it did not expect any red alerts to take place on the Luzon grid during the dry months until July after it met with the NGCP to discuss the island’s power outlook. — Angelica Y. Yang

Senate approves EV, Energy Commission bills on third reading

PHILSTAR

THE SENATE on Monday approved on third and final reading two energy bills relating to the energy sector — Senate Bill (SB) No. 1382 or the proposed Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act and Senate Bill No. 2220 or the proposed Joint Congressional Energy Committee (JCEC) Enhancement Act.

SB 1382 seeks to lay down a national energy policy and regulatory framework for the use of electric vehicles (EV) and the establishment of electric charging stations.

The measure ultimately seeks to ensure energy security and independence by reducing reliance on imported fuel and support innovation in “clean, sustainable and efficient energy.”

Under the bill, the Department of Energy is tasked with the promotion of electric vehicles and harmonizing policies and issuing regulations on the use and operation of charging stations in coordination with other agencies.

It calls for industrial and commercial companies and public transport operators to ensure that at least 5% of their fleets consist of electric vehicles within the timeframe indicated under the Comprehensive Road Map on Electric Vehicles.

Local and National Government agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations must also meet the 5% fleet minimum, provided that “electrification of government fleets (be classified as) a government energy efficiency project” under the Energy Efficiency and Conversation Act.

Private and public buildings and establishments constructed after the effectivity of the measure are to designate parking slots for exclusive use of electric vehicles, including light electric vehicles.

Dedicated parking slots should also have charging stations installed, according to the measure. Gasoline stations are to designate space for charging stations. It also provided fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to activities relating to the adoption of electric vehicles.

The Energy department and the Transport and Trade departments, in consultation with National Government agencies and stakeholders, are tasked with issuing the implementing rules and regulations within 120 days of the measure’s effectivity.

Meanwhile, SB 2220 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9163 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, removing its expiration, which is on June 26.

It also wants to expand the jurisdiction of the joint committee to include existing energy laws without their own oversight bodies such as Presidential Decree No. 87 or the Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972 and Republic Act No. 8479 Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998.

In his sponsorship speech on Monday, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chairman of the committee on energy, said the measure is strongly supported by energy agencies and advocacy groups.

“Malaki ang papel na ginagampanan ng komisyon sa loob ng mahabang panahon. Kung hindi dahil sa mandato nito, hindi maisasakatuparan ang pagsasabatas ng mga pangunahing solusyon sa mga problema ng bansa pagdating sa kuryente tulad ng pagpapailaw sa mga sambahayan lalo na iyung mga nasa liblib na probinsiya (The commission has played a major role for some time now. If it were not for its mandate, we would not have enacted many power-related solutions, such as the electrification of remote areas),” he said in his sponsorship speech.

“Despite the achievements notched under its watch, however, the Commission still has a lot of work left to do,” he added. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Slow vaccine rollout putting Southeast Asian growth targets beyond reach

MOST SOUTHEAST ASIAN economies, including the Philippines, will likely miss their growth targets this year due to the slow progress made in their vaccination programs, think tank Oxford Economics said.

In a note Monday, Oxford Economics expects the Philippine economy to grow 4.5% this year, well below the government target of 6-7%.

This represents the second-weakest projected expansion within the six largest economies in Southeast Asia. This was also lower than the regional average of 4.9% growth this year.

Oxford Economics noted that the resurgence of coronavirus cases and renewed lockdowns have dimmed recovery prospects for some countries.

In the Philippines, infection rates surged in March, which prompted officials to impose strict lockdowns again in the capital and nearby provinces for two months. Restrictions were eased in mid-May after the case count dropped.

“The Philippines has experienced one of the strictest and longest periods of restrictions since the pandemic began. This has seen the recovery in the Philippines significantly lag its regional peers,” Oxford Economics said.

It estimated that the Philippines can vaccinate only 40% of its adult population by year’s end with the current rate only at around 1%.

The government hopes to vaccinate 50-70 million this year to achieve herd immunity.

If the vaccination program proves to be less effective than expected, Oxford Economics said gross domestic product (GDP) growth could slide to 3.8% this year.

“After a slow start, we look for the pace of vaccination to pick up from June, based on scheduled deliveries of the vaccines. However, we expect that most countries will miss government targets and herd immunity will not be achieved this year with Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam expected to achieve only 35% to 40% inoculation by year’s end,” it added.

Oxford Economics expects restrictions to ease starting June or July, providing impetus to a rebound in the second half. However, it said recovery will be “bumpy” given the uncertainties over lockdown measures and the slow implementation of vaccination programs.

“Economies that will outperform are those that are: able to contain COVID and/or reach high levels of vaccination, have more exposure to the global electronics trade, and have less exposure to tourism,” it said.

Next year, Oxford Economics sees Philippine GDP growth of 8.6%, the highest in the region.

This projection is within the 7-9% target band of the government, and above the projected growth for the region of 6.5%.

“Our forecast is for growth to improve to 6.5% in 2022 as countries move closer to herd immunity and the recovery becomes more synchronized across sectors,” it said. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Duterte certifies POGO tax bill as urgent 

PHILSTAR

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has certified as urgent a tax bill for the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) industry, citing the need to generate revenue and improve controls over firms engaged in the businesses. 

Mr. Duterte certified as urgent Senate Bill (SB) No. 2232, his spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement late Monday. 

“We hope that through this measure we would not only generate the much needed revenue… but also place the industry under stricter government oversight,” he said. 

The government is expected to raise P121.9 billion in revenue over the next four years if the measure passes. 

“If they finish today, we will have a POGO tax bill on President Duterte’s desk during the sine die adjournment. I want this bill passed as soon as possible, so I am open to recommending to the Speaker that we adopt the bill the Senate passes this afternoon,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda said in a statement. 

In the House version of the bill, which passed in February, POGOs will be subject to a 5% tax on gross gaming receipts, Mr. Salceda said. Their service providers will be subject to regular taxes, he added. 

Non-resident employees, meanwhile, will be subject to a withholding tax of 25% of gross income. 

Mr. Salceda said the rates set by the House were adopted by the Senate. 

“There is very little difference between the House and the Senate version since, like the Estate Tax Amnesty earlier, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means saw little need to repeat the extensive hearings and study we have conducted in the House,” he said. “So, the bill is almost identical to that of the House.” 

“If they retain these rates, the House is very open to just adopting the Senate version as its version. After all, we wrote the first draft, so we agree with the principles and key provisions.” 

Meanwhile, Mr. Roque said the President also certified as urgent SB No. 2234, which creates a separate department for overseas Filipino workers. 

The measure is expected “to provide a more efficient, whole-of-government approach to protect the rights and promote the welfare and interest of overseas Filipinos,” he said.  

If passed, the measure would turn the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration into the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos, handling the concerns of migrant workers. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

Addressing corporate income tax concerns under the CREATE law

On April 8, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 5-2021 which implements certain provisions of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprise (CREATE) Act. It particularly implements the new Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rates, new income tax rates on certain passive incomes, and additional deductions from gross income of corporations and sole proprietors.

Many questions arose upon the issuance of the RR as taxpayers were preparing their income tax returns (ITRs). Hence, on May 17, 2021, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 62-2021 to address frequently asked questions and provide clarification on certain provisions of RR No. 5-2021 relative to corporate income taxation. 

To serve as guidelines, below is a summary of the salient provisions of the RMC and related provisions of the RR being clarified in relation to the changes on income taxation:

1. NEW CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE

CIT rates were reduced from 30% to 20% or 25% for domestic corporations. The 20% rate applies if the company’s net taxable income for the year does not exceed P5 million and if its total assets do not exceed P100 million, excluding land on which the particular business entity’s office, plant, and equipment are situated. The cost of land is to be accounted for separately in the Audited Financial Statements (AFS) and may not be lumped in one account title with other asset accounts.

In computing for the total assets for the purpose of determining whether the 20% CIT rate applies, the following clarifications were provided in the RMC:

• The total assets are net of depreciation and allowance for bad debts, if any;

• The amount of land excluded is either the cost of acquisition of land or the Fair Market Value (FMV), whichever is reflected in the financial statements;

• The value of land excluded in the total assets is limited to the particular land where the business entity’s office, plant, and equipment is situated during the taxable year. Hence, if the land is held primarily for sale or for investment purposes, the value of this land is to be included in determining total assets. This is regardless of whether the business of the company is the leasing of land;

• In case there are areas in the company’s office building that are being leased out, the percentage of the floor area devoted to the company’s office is to be multiplied with the total value of the land in determining the value of land to be excluded in the computation of total assets.

The minimum corporate income tax (MCIT) was also reduced from 2% to 1%. The MCIT is imposed beginning with the corporation’s fourth taxable year immediately following the year in which it commenced operations. Hence, if the company launched business operations in 2017, the MCIT applies beginning 2021 if the computed MCIT is higher than the regular corporate income tax.

2. ADDITIONAL DEDUCTION FOR BUSINESS PERSONS

To encourage companies to provide apprenticeship programs to public school students, the CREATE Law is allowing companies an additional deduction of one-half of the value of labor training expenses incurred for skills development of enterprise-based training to students enrolled in public schools/institutions covered by an apprenticeship agreement. Training expenses pertaining to training of regular employees in supervisory, managerial, administrative, and support functions is not included in the computation of the additional allowable deduction.

The deduction is subject to a limit of not more than 10% of the Direct Labor Wage. The Direct Labor Wage pertains to salaries and wages which can be identified and charged directly to a product or to a project or service on a consistent basis.

As clarified in the RMC, the additional deduction can be claimed by any type of business, as the regulation did not stipulate which industries can claim. Moreover, in availing of this additional deduction, these requirements must be complied with:

• The labor training expenses shall not be more than ten percent (10%) of the Direct Labor Wage;

• The labor training expenses are incurred for skills development of enterprise-based trainees;

• The enterprise-based trainees are enrolled in public senior high school, public higher education institutions, or public technical and vocational institutions for the taxable year in which the labor training expenses are claimed;

• The training is covered by an apprenticeship agreement under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines; and

• The company claiming the additional deduction is granted an authority to offer a training program for skills development as certified by the Department of Education (DepED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as applicable.

3. EXEMPTION OF FOREIGN-SOURCED DIVIDENDS

Under the regulations, dividends received by a domestic corporation from another domestic corporation are exempt from income tax.

On the other hand, dividends received by a domestic corporation from a non-resident foreign corporation or foreign-sourced dividends are subject to an income tax rate of 25% or 20% or exempt from income tax provided the conditions and requirements under RR 5-2021 are met.

What about dividends received by a domestic corporation from a resident foreign corporation (RFC)? Is it exempt or subject to tax?

Under RMC No. 62-2021, the BIR clarified that with regard to the tax treatment of dividends received from a RFC, there is a need to determine whether the dividends paid by the RFC are sourced from within the Philippines or without. The BIR referred taxpayers to Section 42(A)(2)(b) of the Tax Code, as amended, which reads:

“Dividends received from a foreign corporation shall be treated as income derived from sources within the Philippines, unless less than fifty percent (50%) of the gross income of the foreign corporation for the three-year period ending with the close of its taxable year preceding the declaration of such dividends (or for such part of the period as the corporation has been in existence) was derived from sources within the Philippines xxx xxx”

Based on the foregoing, the dividends are to be treated as Philippine-sourced if more than 50% of the gross income of the RFC for the three-year period is derived from the Philippines. Otherwise, it is to be treated as foreign-sourced income.

If treated as Philippine-sourced, the dividends are automatically exempt from income tax. However, if treated as foreign-sourced dividends, the taxpayer must comply with the conditions imposed under Section 5 of RR No. 5-2021 before it can avail of the income tax exemption.

Despite the clarifications, some questions still linger as to the threshold imposed in determining whether to use the 20% or 25% CIT rate, such as:

• In the case of taxpayers enjoying tax incentives or taxpayers filing ITRs with a mixed special tax rate and regular tax rate, what will be the basis for computing the total assets threshold? Will the company include the net taxable income subjected to the special tax rate for purposes of checking if it exceeded the P5 million net taxable income threshold?

• In filing the quarterly ITR, will the company use as basis the balance of total assets and net taxable income for the quarter for purposes of determining whether to use the 20% or 25% income tax rate?

These are just some of the issues that taxpayers are hoping will be further clarified to help them in computing their income taxes due and in complying properly with the tax laws.

As the BIR continues to issue implementing rules and guidelines in relation to the CREATE Law, taxpayers will need to keep abreast of these updates to not miss anything, especially on the conditions and compliance requirements in availing of lower income tax rates and exemptions which are not outright. It may be a lot to take in for some taxpayers due to the bulk of information released, but thankfully, the BIR and other organizations provide free tax webinars that can help taxpayers understand the new tax regulations and how to comply with them without having to go through all the BIR issuances.

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.

 

Juvy H. De Jesus is a manager of the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

50,000 Sputnik V doses arrive

THE PHILIPPINES took delivery of about 50,000 more doses of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines from Russia on Sunday night, according to the presidential palace.

The vaccines, made by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, would be given out in areas experiencing a fresh surge in infections, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Monday.

The government has received 80,000 Sputnik V doses from Russia, he said. It took delivery of 15,000 separate doses on May 1 and 12.

Mr. Roque said the government would receive about a million more doses of CoronaVac made by China’s Sinovac Biotech, Ltd. on June 6. The government paid for the vaccines, he added.

He also said about 1.3 million doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer, Inc. and 900,00 doses of the shot made by AstraZeneca Plc would arrive by the second week of June. Mr. Roque said the country is expecting about 200,000 doses of the vaccine made by Moderna, Inc.

The government earlier said the government would start vaccinating economic frontliners and other sectors under the fourth priority group in June.

Mr. Roque said the vaccination of the so-called A4 group would begin in the capital region and other areas experiencing a surge, such as Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Batangas.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 6,684 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 1.23 million.

The death toll rose by 107 to 20,966, while recoveries increased by 6,098 to 1.16 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 54,290 active cases, 1.4% of which were critical, 93.3% were mild, 2.2% did not show symptoms, 1.8% were severe and 1.28% were moderate.

It said 10 duplicates had been removed from the tally, six of which were tagged as recoveries and one as death. Fifty-seven recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Three laboratories failed to submit data on May 29, DoH said.

About 12.5 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of May 29, according to DoH’s tracker website.

The coronavirus has sickened about 171 million and killed 3.6 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

About 153.2 million people have recovered, it said.

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said people should not panic after reports of a hybrid coronavirus variant in Vietnam.

She said following protocols and vaccination would protect everyone from the coronavirus, whatever the variant is. The World Health Organization had not received the details of the variant from Vietnam, she added. 

“For now, we still do not have sufficient evidence for this,” Ms. Vergeire said. “We just need to strictly enforce compliance with minimum health protocols.”

Vietnamese health on Sunday said they have detected a new coronavirus variant — a combination of the more contagious variants from India and the United Kingdom — that spreads quickly by air, Reuters reported.

Ms. Vergeire said the infection rate in Metro Manila and nearby areas have slowed. On the other hand, there’ s an increasing trend in the Caraga region, Mimaropa region, Western Visayas, Ilocos region and Central Visayas, she added.

She said Cagayan Valley had the highest average daily attack rate at 8.8 per 100,000 people, followed by the Cordillera Administrative Region and Metro Manila at 8.4 each.

The average daily attack rate refers to the number of new infections in two weeks, divided by the population. An average of more than seven is considered a high risk. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Biden wants to meet Duterte, Philippine ambassador says

REUTERS

US PRESIDENT Joseph R. Biden wants to meet President Rodrigo R. Duterte, as a military pact on the deployment of troops between the two nations hangs in the balance.

The US President had written to the tough-talking leader, assuring him that strong ties between the two countries would continue, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez said at a taped briefing.

Mr. Duterte had sought closer trade and investment ties with China away from its former colonizer as soon as he assumed the post in 2016. Mr. Duterte had also criticized the US for what he claimed was its ill treatment of its former colony.

The two countries, which will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations next month, earlier concluded bilateral discussions.

His spokesman Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. earlier said the President had not decided whether to keep the visiting forces agreement (VFA) with the US.

Mr. Duterte in February last year said he would end the VFA after the US Embassy canceled the visa of his friend Senator Ronald M. de la Rosa, who led his deadly war on drugs as his former police chief.

Meanwhile, Mr. Romualdez said America’s donation of coronavirus vaccines had no strings attached.

Mr. Romualdez said Washington would announce this week the distribution of the first batch of vaccines that it will donate to the Philippines.

The Philippine envoy earlier said the US would donate its excess supply of the shots made by Moderna, Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc.

“It’s actually free,” Mr. Romualdez said. “It’s part of the help that they’re giving to allies like the Philippines and other countries.”

He said Mr. Biden was seeking to hold talks with Southeast Asian leaders in Brunei this November. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Ruling party urges Duterte to run for VP in 2022 election

PCOO

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s political party on Monday passed a resolution urging him to run for vice president next year.

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) also asked him to choose his preferred presidential bet. The party issued the order during a virtual meeting.

Earlier in the day, Palace spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said the President had left it to God whether he would run for vice president or not.

Mr. Duterte, whose six-year presidential term will end next year, is barred by law from running for reelection.

Mr. Roque said the President skipped the party meeting because he was busy, amid a seeming rift between key officials.

He’s got a full schedule,” Mr. Roque said about the President. “The afternoons are fully booked.”

He did send a videotaped message that was played at the virtual meeting.

“I call on all my partymates to stand together and remain united, not by personal interests, but by our principles and values, as we chart the future of our party and the rest of the nation,” according to the video stream from News 5.

Senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, the party’s acting president, earlier told members to snub the meeting called by PDP-Laban Vice Chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi.

But Mr. Roque said it was Mr. Duterte himself who had ordered Mr. Cusi to start the assembly.

He said the President was not bothered by the tension between the two camps.

“The party rift shows the country’s “rotten political party culture,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center said in a Facebook Messenger chat.  

“The plain fact is we do not have genuinely principled democratic political parties,” he said. “What we have are simply amalgamations of political elites competing for control of political power and largesse.”

“None of the current major parties are able to enforce party discipline,” Mr. Yusingco said. “All of them merely follow the commands of the most powerful member.”

The rift could weaken the ruling party’s ability to “collect resources and mobilize people in the 2022 elections.”

“They will diminish each other’s ability to compete successfully in the elections,” he said. “They will most likely split the Mindanao vote, as both the Duterte brand and Pacquiao brand are very potent as vote-getters in this region.”

He noted that if the political  opposition could field a single candidate, they could make the 2022 race “very interesting.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Poor power consumers to get subsidized under new law 

PHILSTAR

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed into law a measure extending the lifeline rates for poor power consumers for another 50 years. 

Under Republic Act 11521, lifeline rates or the subsidies for poor consumers will be shouldered by non-lifeline rate consumers. 

Marginalized power consumers are household beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer program and consumers who were certified as poor by their distribution utilities, according to the law. 

The law provides for a comprehensive evaluation of its implementation every two years to prevent leakages. 

Consumers with an average monthly consumption of 100 kilowatt-hours and below are given discounts under current lifeline rates. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

Typhoon signal #1 up in parts of Samar as tropical storm Dante moves northwest

POLICE OFFICERS assist residents in flooded parts of Mintal in Davao City late evening of May 30. — PNP-RO11

TYPHOON signal #1 in a 5-level warning system was raised Monday afternoon over parts of Samar in the central Philippines as tropical storm Dante, with international name Choi-wan, slowly moves in a northwest direction, weather bureau PAGASA reported.

The warning was up over the eastern portion of Northern Samar and the northeastern portion of Eastern Samar.

The storm is also expected to continue bringing rains to parts of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, according to the PAGASA. Affected areas are the regions of Caraga and Davao, and the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.

“Under these conditions, isolated to scattered flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps,” PAGASA said. “Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.”

As of 5 p.m. Monday, Dante was located 375 kilometers (kms) northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur in Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 75 kms per hour (kms/h) near the center and gustiness up to 90 kms/h.

Dante is seen to gradually intensify and may reach severe tropical storm category by Wednesday. — MSJ

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