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‘Vaccine nationalism’ may slow pandemic recovery

WASHINGTON — The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) incoming chief on Monday warned against “vaccine nationalism” that would slow progress in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and could erode economic growth for all countries — rich and poor.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters her top priority was to ensure the WTO does more to address the pandemic, saying members should accelerate efforts to lift export restrictions slowing trade in needed medicines and supplies.

The former Nigerian finance minister and senior World Bank executive was appointed on Monday in a consensus process and starts her new job on March 1.

“The WTO can contribute so much more to helping stop the pandemic,” Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said in an interview at her home in a suburb of Washington.

“No one is safe until everyone is safe. Vaccine nationalism at this time just will not pay, because the variants are coming. If other countries are not immunized, it will just be a blow back,” she said. “It’s unconscionable that people will be dying elsewhere, waiting in a queue, when we have the technology.”

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said studies showed that the global economy would lose $9 trillion in potential output if poor countries were unable to get their populations vaccinated quickly, and about half of the impact would be borne by rich countries.

“Both on a human health basis, as well as an economic basis, being nationalistic at this time is very costly to the international community,” she said.

“A very top priority for me would be to make sure that prior to the very important ministerial conference… that we come to solutions as to how the WTO can make vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics accessible in an equitable and affordable fashion to all countries, particularly to poor countries.”

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said she was heartened by the Biden administration’s contribution to the WHO effort to ensure broader distribution of vaccines, and what she called a “fantastic” conversation with trade advisers in the US Trade Representative’s office. 

“I think our interests and priorities are aligned. They want to bring the WTO back to (its) purpose,” she said. “It’s about people. It’s about inclusivity. It’s about decent work for ordinary people,” she said.

She said she shared the Biden administration’s concerns about the need to reform the WTO’s Appellate Body, but said that would not be a quick or easy process.

“This is the jewel in the crown of the WTO, and we really need to restore it,” she said. The dispute settlement body has been paralyzed since last year after the administration of former US President Donald J. Trump refused to approve the appointment of more judges.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said there were clearly differences among members, but progress was possible, especially given the shift in tone and approach of the Biden administration.

“I’m not daunted. I see a way forward,” she said. “With the US administration being willing to engage… I think the way of working to try and get a solution will be different.” — Reuters

Election protest of late dictator’s son rejected

THE SUPREME Court has rejected for lack of merit the election protest of defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., according to its spokesman.

The 15-member court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, dismissed the lawsuit unanimously, court spokesman Brian Keith F. Hosaka told an online news briefing on Tuesday.

“Out of the 15 members of the tribunal who were present in today’s meeting, seven members fully concurred in the dismissal, while eight concurred in the result,” he said in an e-mailed statement.

The court also dismissed the counter-protest of Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo, he said in a separate e-mail later.

Mr. Hosaka said his office would upload a copy of the court’s order detailing the reasons for the dismissal as soon as it became available.

Mr. Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, filed the protest in June 2016 after narrowly losing to Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo, alleging widespread fraud.

In the Philippines, the President and vice president are elected separately and can come from different political parties. Both are barred by law from seeking reelection.

Their six-year terms will end in 2022.

A resolution released in October 2019 showed that Ms. Robredo’s lead against Mr. Marcos in the pilot provinces of Camariñes Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental — where he alleged cheating took place — rose by about 15,000 votes after the initial recount.

Marcos spokesman Victor Rodriguez said the tribunal had only voted to dismiss their second cause of action, which was for a manual recount and judicial revision.

“As to the issue on how to proceed with our third cause of action which is the annulment of votes in Mindanao, the tribunal has yet to decide on the matter,” he said in an e-mail.

‘RULE OF LAW’
Presidential legal adviser Salvador S. Panelo said the rule of law has prevailed. “Due process was evidently observed with both parties having been given the opportunity to present their respective cases.”

“The electorate’s decision is to be accorded the stamp of correctness,” he said in an e-mailed statement. “We have to abide by the precepts of democracy. We can not be blinded by our personal biases for a particular candidate. That is how democracy works,” he added.

“We welcome the ruling although how we wish this had been resolved much sooner,” Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, who heads the opposition Liberal Party, said in an e-mailed statement.

“It affirms what we have been saying from day one, which is that the allegations of cheating in the process were baseless,” he added.

“I, together with the more than 14 million Filipinos who voted for Vice-President Leni Robredo in 2016, are pleased with the favorable decision of the PET,” opposition Senator Franklin M. Drilon said in a statement.

“The PET decision should put the issue to rest,” he said. “I enjoin all parties involved to respect the decision. Let us begin the healing process now and focus on what is before us — the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Ibarra Gutierrez, Ms. Robredo’s spokesman, said her office would issue a statement soon.

The Makati Business Club (MBC) applauded the tribunal for settling the 2016 vice presidential election dispute “and doing so with rare unanimity.”

“The decision removes a major source of unnecessary and damaging political uncertainty, confirms our electoral process and strengthens the unity we need to win the war against COVID-19 and accelerate the jobs and economic recovery needed by our people,” it said in a statement posted on its website.

The Supreme Court earlier threatened to hold Solicitor General Jose C. Calida in contempt for seeking to oust a magistrate he had accused of bias in the election protest.

The court ordered him to explain why he should not be cited in contempt for seeking the inhibition of Associate Justice Mario Victor F. Leonen.

It rejected separate inhibition pleas by the top government lawyer and Mr. Marcos, who had both cited news articles alleging bias on the part of the magistrate.

Mr. Marcos had accused Mr. Leonen, who presides over the case, of being biased against his family. He also accused the justice at an online briefing of trying to delay the case.

Mr. Calida, in a separate motion, said Mr. Leonen had failed to act on the electoral protest for 11 months.

The tribunal had warned both parties not to discuss the case to the media and observe the so-called sub judice rule, which bars anyone from issuing comments that could interfere with the court’s handling of the suit. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Philippines will have enough vaccines for adults, palace says

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporters

THE PHILIPPINES will have enough coronavirus vaccines for its adult population this year, according to the presidential palace.

The government will get 44 million doses of vaccines under a global initiative for equal access and 25 million doses from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. that will arrive this month, presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Tuesday.

“While the arrival of vaccines from Pfizer, Inc. and Astrazeneca Plc seem to have been delayed, the ones from Sinovac will arrive on the 23rd,” he said in Filipino.

The country seeks to vaccinate as many as 70 million adult Filipinos this year.

Mr. Roque earlier said about 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by the Chinese government would arrive this month.

The country is expected to get as many as 15 million doses from Russia’s Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, 30 million doses from Novavax, Inc. and 17 million doses from British drug maker AstraZeneca Plc next quarter, he said.

He added that 20 million vaccine doses from Moderna, Inc. and 15 million doses from Pfizer will arrive in the third quarter.

The government expects to take delivery of five million vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson in the last quarter.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 1,391 coronavirus infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 552,246. The death toll rose by seven to 11,524, while recoveries increased by 45 to 511,796, it said in a bulletin.

There were 28,926 active cases, 87.1% of which were mild, 6.7% did not show symptoms, 2.7% were critical, 2.6% were severe and 0.85% were moderate.

DoH said five duplicates had been removed from the tally, while two recovered cases were reclassified as deaths. Ten laboratories failed to submit their data on Feb. 15.

About 7.9 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of Feb. 14, according to DoH’s tracker website.

Meanwhile, the government would help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) get coronavirus vaccines for their employees, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III told a separate news briefing.

He also urged entrepreneurs who want to take part in the private sector’s initiative to immunize “economic frontliners” against the virus to pool their vaccine orders as early as this month.

Mr. Concepcion said coronavirus vaccines ordered by the private sector from drug makers would arrive in the third quarter.

In a related development, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara endorsed to the plenary a bill that seeks to fast-track coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine procurement and administration.

Senate Bill 2057 or the proposed COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act would expedite the purchase of vaccines, which is needed to end the pandemic early and quicken economic recovery, he said in his sponsorship speech on Tuesday.

“For the sake of our national recovery and the hopes and aspirations of every Filipino amid this pandemic, we call on this august chamber to act swiftly on our proposal,” he said.

Under the bill, local governments may buy vaccines in cooperation with DoH and the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

Local governments may also give advance payments for 50% of the contact price if required by the vaccine manufacturer.

Manila’s envoy belies claim of inaction on China coast guard law

THE COUNTRY’S ambassador to China on Tuesday belied claims that he failed to block Beijing’s new law allowing its coast guard to fire at enemies in the South China Sea.

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sto. Romana told a televised news briefing his office had filed two reports — when the Chinese law was still being deliberated and when it got passed.

The Chinese law allows its coast guard to “take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea.”

Senator Francis N. Tolentino earlier said the Senate should summon Mr. Romana to explain why the Philippine Embassy in China seemed to have failed to protest the law, which was allegedly railroaded before the National People’s Congress in March.

“Through the objection, diplomatic note and discussion, the Chinese tried to reassure us they would still exercise restraint,” Mr. Sto. Romana said.

China had said it was “not targeting the Philippines or any specific country and that they will not resort to force in the first instance.”

In a statement on Monday, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said President Rodrigo R. Duterte should seek P230 billion in damages from China for destroying the sea instead of demanding payment from the US in exchange for a visiting forces agreement.

Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque blamed President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno S.C. Aquino, Jr. for allegedly failing to seek justice from China.

“Everything that China did happened during the administration of President Aquino,” he told the same briefing in Filipino. “President Aquino’s government should have acted to get justice for our nation.”

The government under Mr. Aquino sued China before an international tribunal to push its claim in the disputed waterway and won. In 2016, the arbitration court favored the Philippines, invalidating China’s claim to more than 80% of the sea.

Mr. Duterte last week said the US should pay in exchange for the Philippines keeping the military pact. Mr. Roque on Monday said the payment could be used in the country’s fight against the coronavirus.

American troops were “slowly converting Subic into an American base,” Mr. Duterte said in a televised speech on Monday night, citing reports from the Philippine military.

“These are the things that are known to us because I have the reports and I have also the assessments given to me by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” he said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Senate recommends cancellation of ‘half-baked’ privatized vehicle inspection policy

THE SENATE public services committee has recommended the repeal of the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) order delegating motor vehicle inspection system to private operators.

Under Committee Report No. 184, the panel chaired by Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares said the order is “half-baked” and will have to go through the legislative process.

“The policy of ensuring only roadworthy vehicles ply our roads is commendable. However, a half-baked policy is a bad policy and this Committee won’t stand for it,” the report read.

“In the meantime, the repeal of DoTr DO (Department Order) 2018-19 and all related issuances is recommended,” it added.

The committee also said that while the fees have been lowered and the testing from accredited private centers is now optional, several issues relating to the new policy remain unresolved.   

The report noted the absence of consultation and lack of transparency in the accreditation of private centers. It also said that of the target 458 private inspection sites, only 24 are operating and all for light vehicles only.

The committee also “strongly recommended” a probe on the “highly anomalous transactions surrounding the accreditation of PMVICs (private motor vehicle inspection centers) and the officials complicit and involved therein” by the Senate committee on accountability of public officers. 

“There is no doubt that we all want safer roads for everyone. The sudden roll-out of a new vehicle registration system that is undisputedly burdensome to our motorists is hardly the way to do it,” the report read.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte last week ordered a recall of the policy. At the same time, the DoTr announced that private inspection centers agreed to lower their fees. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nationwide round-up (02/16/21)

NPC tells teachers: Don’t post photos, videos of students in online classes

THE National Privacy Commission (NPC) is warning teachers against posting on social media photos or video clips collected from online classrooms to protect the privacy of students. The commission said in a statement on Tuesday that schools should enforce social media policies that prevent teachers and staff from using personal data collected in official school activities for personal purposes. Data privacy measures cover screen captures, images, videos, chat messages, and sounds involving students and teachers. “The efforts of schools to simulate physical classrooms to provide a sense of normalcy for education is not unnoticed by the Commission,” NPC Commissioner Raymund E. Liboro said. “However, seeing as the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic caught all of us unprepared, there is a need to develop and improve policies that allow effective online teaching and learning without endangering data privacy rights.” School work should be sent directly to the teacher and should not be publicly available, NPC said. School communications like grades and fee reminders should also be sent directly to the recipient, it added. Primary, secondary and tertiary schools, with a few exceptions such as medical courses, have been operating under a distance learning structure to minimize physical interactions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission said that schools should also consider encouraging teachers and students to use virtual backgrounds to avoid showing private living spaces. “Online classes may be recorded for learners who may have missed a particular class, subject to existing school policies on attendance,” the commission said. “The recording may be used by the school and educators for training purposes, with learners and/or parents and guardians informed beforehand.” — Jenina P. Ibañez

National ID pre-registration reaches almost 16 million

AN additional 5.4 million Filipinos have pre-registered for the national ID so far this year, adding to the 10.5 million who completed the first of three steps last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The total of those who listed since January make up 36% of the 15-million target for the first quarter this year, said Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua in a Viber message. The rollout of the national ID system started in October 2020. The pre-registration stage obtains the demographic information of registrants through house-to-house visits. This is followed by the biometrics registration phase, which started late last month, where applicants are given a schedule to visit PSA registration centers to have their biometrics taken. The third and final step involves the issuance of the unique, Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) number, one of the system’s key features, and the actual physical card, formally called the PhilID. Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act signed in August 2018 provides for a single identification system for all citizens and does away with the need to register for multiple government-issued IDs. The PSA aims to register over 40 million people this year and more than 90 million by June 2022, when the current administration is due to step down. — Beatrice M. Laforga

139 Filipinos in Myanmar repatriated

OVER a hundred Filipinos in Myanmar returned to the Philippines Tuesday night due to the coronavirus pandemic and political situation there. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 139 Filipinos were repatriated, including 11 children and four dependent parents of Filipino workers whose contracts were affected by restrictions due to coronavirus. “This is a testament to our government’s steadfast commitment to assisting our people across the globe. We at the DFA are doing our best to do just that by bringing our people home amid the pandemic,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. said in a statement. The DFA said a total of 509 Filipino workers in Myanmar have been repatriated since March last year due to the pandemic. Protests have erupted in different parts of Myanmar after its military staged a coup against its government on February 1. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials have been detained. The DFA in a statement last week said the Philippines joined China, Russia, Venezuela, and Bolivia in “dissociating” from the United Nations Human Rights Council, which adopted a resolution without calling for a vote. The Philippines has instead called for the “complete restoration of the status quo in which Myanmar had made so much progress.” “As a sovereign country in a world of sovereign states, the Philippines cannot stress strongly enough the primacy of national internal efforts towards democratic reforms, and never by the imposition of foreign solutions whether in regional or multilateral contexts, including through this Council. We reaffirm our support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar,” the statement read. The UN resolution calls for the restoration of the government and release of detained Myanmar officials. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Application for Supreme Court top post extended

THE Judicial Bar Council (JBC) has extended the application period for the Supreme Court chief justice position to February 26, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra confirmed in a Viber message to reporters on Monday. Both physical and online submissions of the required documents for application must be completed on or before the new deadline. Mr. Guevarra said only two senior associate justices of the high court have submitted their requirements as of Monday, Feb. 15, the original deadline. Mr. Guevarra said the extension was made upon the request of senior associate justices. Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta is retiring on March 27, a year earlier than the mandatory age of 70. Mr. Peralta has yet to publicly announce the reason why he sought the early retirement option. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Bar exams going digital, localized this year

THE annual exams for aspiring lawyers, which was called off last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held in various testing sites across the country this year and will be digital. In a resolution dated Feb. 8, the Supreme Court approved “a digitalized, localized, and proctored modality” for the 2021 Bar Examinations, the high court announced on Monday. The exams will be held on November 7, 14, 21, and 28. Examinees will have the option to take it either in a testing center closest to their location or the law school they graduated from. The Supreme Court will accredit testing sites and announce the list before the exam applications in May. Examinees will be required to bring their own WiFi-enabled laptops that run on Mac or Windows operating systems. Handwritten examinations will be allowed only for examinees who have a physical disability that prohibits them from taking the examinations through a computer. A mock digital Bar exam was held January 31 in several pilot areas to evaluate the feasibility of the new modality. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Regional Updates (02/16/21)

80-ha area in national penitentiary to be used as urban agri site

A FARM-fishery project will be developed within the national penitentiary’s 80-hectare reservation area as part of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) urban farming program. The DA announced on Tuesday that it recently signed an agreement with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for the agriculture initiative at the New Bilibid Prison located in Muntinlupa City. The project aims to help augment food supply in Metro Manila while contributing in the reformation of persons deprived of liberty. “In three years, plant nurseries, seed production facilities, breeder farms, fish farms, and composting facilities will be established, while maintaining fruit, vegetable, livestock, and fish farms within the 80-hectare New Bilibid Prison reservation,” the DA said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

DENR to tighten implementation of rules as Mt. Apo monitoring team finds trash, defaced boulders

ENVIRONMENT authorities in Davao Region are studying how to strengthen the implementation of rules for trekkers in Mt. Apo after a monitoring team that hiked the country’s highest peak over the weekend found trash and defaced boulders along the different trails. “Observations during the activity also led to pushing for stricter trekking rules because trekkers seemed to ignore the existing policies,” the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’s (DENR) regional office said in a statement posted Monday evening. “Trails and campsites were not just left with traces of footprints — so were empty soda and water bottles, face masks, and all other kinds of trash.  Disappointingly, liquors and traces of drug substances were also observed in the area. Boulders were not just imprinted with footsteps and handgrips — it’s also engraved with vandalism,” the agency said on the post accompanied by photos that included one showing a boulder scratched with the marking “D.A CLIMBERS.” Prior to the weekend climb, DENR Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel Evasco led a meeting with stakeholders on Feb. 10 to discuss new policies and health protocols as well as ways to boost conservation efforts as Mt. Apo reopens to visitors. Currently, only residents within the region are allowed to trek or climb, and the maximum number of daily visitors given a pass has been reduced to 25 from the previous 50. The open trails are from Digos City and Sta. Cruz, both in Davao del Sur. DENR-Davao, which chairs the Protected Area Management Board handling Mt. Apo policies, also appealed to trekkers to “be responsible” tourists or face fines and penalties. “Again, we are strongly reminding the public to trek responsibly and to respect all the species inside Mt. Apo. It is all our duty to protect the ‘King of Philippine Mountains’ from exploitation as it is also a royalty when it comes to mitigating the threats of climate change,” DENR-Davao said. 

South Cotabato, North Kalimantan explore sisterhood agreement to boost economic ties

THE South Cotabato provincial government is looking at a possible sisterhood agreement with the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan to boost trade and investment links. In a statement on Monday, South Cotabato said Indonesian Consul General Dicky Fabrian recently visited and met with Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. to discuss the possible “Town Twinning Arrangement” between the two provinces. “With the sisterhood arrangement, the Consul General ensured Governor Tamayo to help South Cotabato in whatever means to enable the businessmen in the province to export their quality products. The ConGen also promised to persuade more Indonesian Investors to locate in the province since he already witnessed the potentials of South Cotabato especially for both agriculture and tourism,” the province said. Mr. Tamayo, for his part, pushed for the development of medical tourism, which is one of the province’s priority sectors. As a start to strengthening relations, an Indonesian Village will be developed in the town of Tupi, which already has a community of Indonesian nationals. The officials are also looking at a possible school-to-school link for student exchange and study programs. The two provinces are part of the regional sub-group East ASEAN Growth Area composed of Brunei and parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. — MSJ

Meralco power rates down in February


The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) announced today a downward adjustment of power rates as the overall rate for a typical household decreased by P0.0704 per kWh, from last month’s P8.7497 per kWh to P8.6793 per kWh this February. This is equivalent to a decrease of around P14 in the total bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh.

This month’s overall rate is also P0.1830 per kWh lower than February 2020’s rate of P8.8623 per kWh.

This month’s rate still includes the ERC-approved adjustments for MERALCO’s pass-through over/under-recoveries for the period January 2017 to December 2019. In an Order released 29 December 2020, ERC directed MERALCO to refund over-recoveries in transmission and other charges over a period of approximately three (3) months until fully refunded and to collect an under-recovery in the generation rate for approximately twenty-four (24) months until fully collected. MERALCO implemented the ERC-approved adjustments starting January 2021 billing.  The initial impact to residential customers is a net refund of around P0.1150 per kWh.

Overall rate decrease mainly brought about by lower generation charge

February 2021 generation charge is P4.4152 per kWh, P0.0422 lower than January’s generation charge of P4.4574 per kWh. This month’s generation charge is also lower than last year’s rate of P4.5090 per kWh.

The reduction in generation charge this month is due to lower fixed charges from the Power Supply Agreements (PSA). Meanwhile, Independent Power Producers (IPP) rates increased by P0.2103 per kWh due to lower average plant dispatch, higher Malampaya natural gas prices due to the quarterly repricing, and Peso depreciation. Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rates also increased by P0.9577 per kWh due to higher average plant capacity on outage in the Luzon grid.

PSAs, IPPs, and WESM provided 53.4%, 39.5%, and 7.1% of Meralco’s energy requirements, respectively.

Movements in Other Charges

Transmission charge for residential customers also registered a reduction of P0.0128 per kWh due to lower Ancillary Service charges while taxes and other charges also registered a net decrease of P0.0154 per kWh.

Meanwhile, collection of the Universal Charge-Environmental Charge amounting to P0.0025 per kWh remains suspended, as directed by the ERC.

MERALCO’s distribution, supply, and metering charges, meanwhile, have remained unchanged for 67 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015. MERALCO reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges. Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge goes to the NGCP. Taxes and other public policy charges like the Universal Charges and the FIT-All are remitted to the government.

MERALCO continues to serve during General Community Quarantine (GCQ)

Customers may visit their nearest Meralco Business Center, which will continue to open its doors during the GCQ and accept service applications, payments, and other transactions.

Strict safety measures continue to be implemented, like the “No Mask, No Entry” rule, Social Distancing and Temperature Check. Frontliners are available and ready but strictly follow Social Distancing guidelines. Visitors can rest assured that these frontliners have passed the rapid COVID-19 testing authorized by the Pasig City Health Office. There are also acrylic barriers set up in the Meralco branches to protect both the customer and the frontliner.

But, for maximum safety and convenience, Meralco still encourages customers to use Meralco Online to transact from the safety of their homes. Multiple options for transactions have also been offered by the distribution utility, including the Meralco Mobile App via https://onelink.to/meralcomobile, Meralco Online via www.Meralco.com.ph, and the Meralco authorized payment channels at bit.ly/MeralcoPaymentPartners.

For more information and concerns, customers may visit MERALCO’s website at www.MERALCO.com.ph, its social media accounts, Twitter @MERALCO and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MERALCO or may also call the MERALCO Hotline at 16211.

 

DA seeking to raise MAV for pork imports to 404,000 MT

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has proposed to Malacañang a drastic expansion in the volume of imported pork to 404,000 metric tons (MT), a measure intended to address rising food prices and quell a potential inflation crisis.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar told the House Committee on Agriculture late Monday that the import proposal covers the volume of pork shipped in under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme. Imports within the MAV ceiling are charged 30% tariffs while identical products beyond the MAV quota pay 40%.

“We submitted to Malacañang the resolution by the MAV Management Council recommending the increase in the MAV for pork for MAV Year 2021. It is now awaiting the President’s signature,” he said.

The current MAV for pork imports is 54,000 MT.

“May quota na 54,000, ang dinagdagan natin ay 350,000 (The MAV quota is 54,000 MT, and we added 350,000 MT),” Mr. Dar said.

Mr. Dar said the Tariff Commission is also preparing a report proposing to reduce pork tariffs.

“The Tariff Commission is finalizing its report and recommendations to the Cabinet committee on tariff and related matters regarding our separate proposal to further lower tariffs on pork for a period of one year,” he said.

The DA has said it proposes to reduce current tariff rates in the first six months to 5% for imports within the MAV and 15% for imports beyond the MAV quota. Mr. Dar said expanding the supply of imported pork is part of a strategy to stabilize prices, along with a cap fixing market prices of pork at between P270 and P330 per kilogram.

Hog raisers have protested the price ceiling, which was imposed via Executive Order No. 124 signed earlier this month. They noted that the industry is incurring greater costs to deal with African Swine Fever (ASF), which has greatly reduced the supply of hogs and exerted upward pressure on prices.

Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines President Edwin G. Chen said at the hearing that the industry views P330 to P360 as an appropriate price ceiling, which it said was a viable alternative to subsidizing the transport costs of hog growers.

“We consulted our members and (the P330-P360 price range was the) consensus nationwide. Ito ‘yung maluwag sa lahat na susuportahan (This is what everyone is comfortable with and will gain broad support),” Mr. Chen said.

He added that the government should also more aggressively to eradicate ASF, which has decimated the hog population of Luzon. — Gillian M. Cortez

Energy dep’t clears 3 geothermal bidders for next auction stage

THE Department of Energy (DoE) has allowed three geothermal companies to proceed to the next stage of the open and competitive selection process round three (OCSP3), after declaring the applicants to be compliant with all requirements at the opening of bids Monday.

The three bidders declared eligible are Energy Development Corp. (EDC), Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc. (PGPC) and Mase Power Corp. (MPC), after receiving 13 applications for 11 Predetermined Areas (PDAs), out of the 22 PDAs offered under the OCSP3.

The OCSP3 selection and bidding process was launched last month, requiring applicants to submit, among other items, a work program and their technical and financial qualifications. The three will undergo further document evaluation until March 2.

EDC submitted bids for the 27-megawatt (MW) Daklan geothermal project, and 17-MW Puting Lupa geothermal project. PGPC submitted bids for Daklan and the 30-MW Mount Labo Geothermal projects; and MPC submitted a bid for the 17-MW Puting Lupa project.

“Three of five predetermined areas (for geothermal projects) have received a proposal,” Director of the DoE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) Mylene C. Capongcol said during the opening of OCSP3 bids. She said the PDAs containing the sites of the prospective 9 MW Itogon and 4-MW Maricaban Island geothermal projects received no bids.

In a statement Tuesday, the DoE said that “all geothermal applications had complete documentary requirements.”

On Monday, the DoE announced that no bidders have been qualified for its OCSP3 hydropower projects, due to failure to comply with documentary requirements.

Total Power, Inc. (TPI) and Century Peak Energy Corp. (CPEC) submitted eight proposals for various hydro projects, but were not allowed to move on to the next stage of the bidding, pending submission of documents required by the DoE.

TPI submitted bids for the Plants A (3.2 MW) and C (0.8 MW) of the Amlan Hydroelectric power project, and the 2.1-MW Tibao project.

CPEC applied for the upper (4.8 MW) and lower (3 MW) cascade of Hilabangans; the upper (4.5 MW) and lower cascade (3.1 MW) of Maninila; and the middle cascade (4 MW) of the Sibalom hydro project.

According to the DoE, all applicants have until Feb. 18 to file motions for reconsideration.

During the opening of bids, Ms. Capongcol said there were no bidders for the 3 MW Dalanas, the 3 MW Aklan River Lower East Tributary, the 2.4 MW Aklan River Middle West Tributary, the 2.4 MW Aklan River Upper West Tributary, the 0.3 MW Vera Falls, the 0.2 MW Palali, the 0.2 MW Coyaoyao Upper Cascade, the 1.4 MW Dapnan, and the 52-MW Balintingon projects.

In a timeline released last month, the DoE said that it aimed to complete the legal, technical and financial evaluation of documents by March 2, and obtain the Secretary of Energy’s approval for the results by March 16. It added that it plans to award the contracts for OCSP3 projects by April 14. — Angelica Y. Yang

Senate asks DoE for details of clean energy plan

THE SENATE is seeking assurances that the government’s moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, a measure intended to allow renewable power to develop, does not raise costs or disrupt supply.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who chairs the chamber’s energy committee, said in a statement calling for hearings on the coal ban that the transition needs to be part of a workable strategy in shifting to clean energy, in order for the Philippines to meet its commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement.

“Until when will the coal moratorium be? How can other technologies fill in the gap left by coal and how do we ensure that power cost will not increase while ensuring continuous supply?” Mr. Gatchalian said.

He said that it is “uncertain” whether the moratorium issued by the Energy department “is in the context of a larger energy transition plan and what the higher targets are for Renewable Energy (RE) and alternative fuels within a specific timeframe.”

“Investing in renewable energy is the win-win solution for sustained economic growth. We can have cleaner air at a much cheaper price and RE investments can bring in lots of job opportunities especially since many of our (countrymen) lost their jobs during this pandemic,” he added.

The Department of Energy (DoE) in October declared a moratorium on new coal power plant projects to effect a shift to a “more flexible” power supply mix while building a more “sustainable power system.”

Mr. Gatchalian cited a study by Fitch Solutions which projected that coal-fired power generation will account for 59% of the energy mix by 2029.

If the projection is borne out, it would represent an increased share from 54.59% in 2019 and more than double the share in 2009, which was 26.6%, he said. Renewable energy’s share in the power generation mix fell to 20.79% in 2019 from 32.6% in 2009.

“There’s a need to look into the country’s energy transition plan, or lack thereof, in aid of legislation, with the end view of developing and ensuring an equitable, secure and sustainable energy transition,” he said.

Mr. Gatchalian said Philippine greenhouse gas emissions rose 5.4% in 2019 to 130 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

ERC sets Q2 timeline for GEAR pricing

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said hopes to set the Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) Price by the second quarter, along with a template for power supply agreements to be concluded by winning bidders and utilities.

“The ERC is currently working on the GEAR Price as well as the power supply agreement template for the winning [bidder] and the DU (distribution utility),” ERC Commissioner-In-Charge Floresinda G. Baldo-Digal said Tuesday during an event organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, “REPH100 launch in support of the GEOP (Green Energy Option Program).”

“These will be subject to public consultation within the quarter and I believe this is targeted to be finalized in the second quarter to make it to the target auction (date) in June 2021,” she added.

The GEAR price is expressed in pesos per kilowatt-hour. The green energy auction allows eligible RE developers to offer their output to the rest of the power industry.

Last month, Energy Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola said that the department hopes to launch the planned first green energy auction by June, adding that it was still in the process of determining the volume to be auctioned.

On Tuesday, Ms. Digal said that the ERC is also looking into setting net-metering rules for off-grid consumers, with deliberations set for the third quarter.

“Existing net metering rules are only for those connected to the grid. We think that more end users will benefit if we promulgate the net metering rules for off-grid. This is to be presented to the commission for deliberation as targeted (in the) third quarter of 2021,” Ms. Digal said.

The net metering program is a non-fiscal incentive authorized by the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, for consumers owning RE facilities that generate power of 100 kilowatts or less. Under the program, these consumers can generate electricity for their own consumption, and sell excess power to the distribution grid. — Angelica Y. Yang

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