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President assures quick relief for flood victims

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday said he would send quick relief to people in the capital region and nearby provinces after Typhoon Vamco, locally named Ulysses, submerged much of Luzon island, prompting residents to climb on rooftops to escape rising floodwaters.

“I guarantee you that your government will do its best to provide assistance in the form of shelters, relief goods, financial aid and post-disaster counseling,” he said in a speech.

The typhoon, the fifth to hit the island in less than three weeks, left millions in Metro Manila and nearby provinces without power.

Mr. Duterte took time out of the 37th ASEAN virtual summit to address the nation over the storm. Ulysses made its landfall on Wednesday in Quezon province.

Mr. Duterte renewed his call for agencies and local governments to expand their assistance especially to those from flood-hit areas.

Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año told a separate news briefing the President would probably call for an emergency meeting to discuss state response to the typhoon.

He said areas hit worst included houses near the Marikina River and Pasig River. The typhoon drew comparisons to Typhoon Ketsana, locally named Ondoy, which submerged eastern parts of the capital region in 2009.

Mr. Año said air assets would be sent soon as the weather gets better.

Manila’s international airport and rail operations were suspended because of the typhoon. Operations of buses on the main EDSA highway were also suspended and only resumed at 1 p.m., the Transportation department said in a statement.

Typhoon Ulysses, which peaked at speeds of 155 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 255 kph, was weaker than Super Typhoon Goni — locally named Rolly —  but more areas reported heavy floods.

Several rivers were being monitored as the local weather bureau issued warnings on Wednesday about the possible rise in water levels at three major rivers.

Four other major river basins in Pampanga, Agno, Bicol and Cagayan were also being monitored, it said in a report.

Vamco was expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday morning, the bureau said in a 5 p.m. bulletin on Thursday.

The typhoon had slightly weakened as it moved over the South China Sea, it said, adding that heavy rainfall was still expected until Thursday night especially in the Cordillera Administrative Region, the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Cavite, the western portion of Batangas and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island. — Gillian M. Cortez and Arjay L. Balinbin

COVID-19 infections nearing 403,000 as deaths hit 7,721

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 1,407 coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 402,820.

The death toll rose by 11 to 7,721, while recoveries increased by 211 to 362,417, it said in a bulletin.

There were 32,682 active cases, 83.6% of which were mild, 9.4% did not show symptoms, 4.4% were critical, 2.4% were severe and 0.1% were moderate.

Davao City reported the highest number of new cases at 214, followed by Eastern Samar and Rizal at 75 each, Cavite at 64 and Quezon province at 54.

DoH said three duplicates had been removed from the tally, while eight cases previously tagged as recovered were reclassified as deaths. Seventeen laboratories failed to submit data on Nov. 11, it added.

The coronavirus has sickened about 52.5 million and killed 1.3 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

About 36.7 million people have recovered, it said.

It added that active cases stood at 14.5 million, 1% or 95,045 of which were either serious or critical.

The United States had the most infections at 10.7 million, followed by India with 8.7 million and Brazil with 5.7 million. The US also had the most deaths at 247,398, Brazil had 163,406 and India had 128,165. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Under water

THE ELEMENTARY public school of Barangay San Roque Madawon in  Nabua, Camariñes Sur is flooded on Nov. 12 following heavy rains dumped by typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco). The town of Nabua was also one of the hardest hit during typhoon Rolly (Goni) in the first week of November.

Nationwide round-up (11/12/20)

Duterte calls for stronger ASEAN collaboration on health, recovery program

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo R. Duterte called on fellow leaders in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen collaboration on health security and labor resiliency in response to the coronavirus crisis. “We have to strengthen our health systems by ensuring the unimpeded supply of medical supplies and technologies, and by enhancing early warning systems for health emergencies,” he said in his intervention speech at the plenary session of the 37th ASEAN Virtual Summit on Thursday. Mr. Duterte pushed for the immediate passage of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies, and the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. The President also said the region should make its coronavirus response and economic recovery program “people-centered” by focusing on the labor force affected by the global pandemic. “The massive displacement of workers, including migrant workers, compels us to upskill and reskill our labor force. We must equip our people for a rapidly evolving labor market under the new normal,” he said. The Philippines has been designated chair of the ASEAN Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council. — Gillian M. Cortez 

Senate suspends budget hearings due to typhoon, to resume Monday

THE Senate suspended Thursday’s 2021 budget deliberation after typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) caused power disruption at the Senate building. “I have decided to suspend the session until Monday, 10 am,” Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III told reporters over phone message. Mr. Sotto said retired MGen. Rene C. Samonte, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, reported the power transformer blew up three times due to strong winds and heavy rain. Telephone lines and internet service at the building was also affected, he said. Wednesday’s plenary debates on the P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021 was also suspended due to the typhoon, in line with Malacanang’s directive to suspend work and classes. The chamber was scheduled to resume deliberation on the budget of the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, and the National Economic and Development Authority, among other agencies. It has so far concluded interpellations on the budget of the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, State Universities and Colleges, except the University of the Philippines and some agencies under the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Science and Technology. The Senate resumed session a week ahead of the House of Representatives to ensure the timely passage of the 2021 spending plan. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Regional Updates (11/12/20)


Water released from Luzon dams as typhoon Ulysses dumps rain

GATES in three dams in Luzon were opened on Thursday following heavy downpour from typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco). Angat Dam in Bulacan, the main water source for Metro Manila, exceeded spilling level prompting the release of 65 cubic meters per second of water, according to the National Power Corp. (Napocor). “Due to the release of water, the water level and flow in Angat River is expected to rise,” Napocor warned. As of Thursday morning, Angat’s elevation was at 211.30 meters, higher than its spilling level of 210 meters. The Ipo Dam, also located in Bulacan, opened its four gates after its elevation reached 101.20 meters, above the spilling level of 101 meters. In a separate advisory, weather bureau PAGASA announced that Magat Dam in Isabela opened three of its gates, at five meters each, to reduce the water elevation, which stood at 190.70 meters. Magat’s spilling level is at 193 meters. Meanwhile, east zone water concessionaire Manila Water Co., Inc. confirmed that La Mesa Dam in Quezon City reached its spilling level of 80.15 meters as of Thursday morning. “As of 12 noon, La Mesa Dam’s level is at 80.22 meters and has been spilling since 9:20 a.m.,” Manila Water Corporate Strategic Affairs Head Nestor Jeric T. Sevilla said in a mobile phone message. In another advisory, PAGASA said the two dams in Benguet — Binga Dam in Itogon and Ambuklao Dam in Bokod — have also released water. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Typhoon Ulysses affects over 1.9 million Meralco customers

EMERGENCY responders use motorized boats to rescue residents in Estrella Heights Subdivision in Rodriguez, a town in Rizal located east of Metro Manila, after heavy rain from typhoon Ulysses caused flooding. — PHILSTAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

MORE THAN 1.9 million customers in Luzon under distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) were still without power supply on Thursday afternoon as typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) battered the northern part of the country. The affected Meralco franchise areas include Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Batangas. Meralco Spokesperson Joe R. Zaldarriaga, in a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, said the utility giant is slowly restoring electricity service where possible, but it may take some time to repair facilities in areas that were flooded. In a separate advisory, the Department of Energy (DoE) reported that an ongoing assessment by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) initially showed that provinces experiencing full or partial power cuts include Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Pampanga.

TRANSMISSION
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), meanwhile, said 32 transmission lines in Luzon were unavailable as of Thursday afternoon. NGCP said while transmission services may be fully restored in the coming days, distribution systems may take longer to repair. There were about 13 Luzon generating facilities affected, with a combined output of about 4,231.8 megawatts. Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, in a statement, assured that the entire energy sector has been mobilized to immediately restore services. “[The DoE-led] Task Force on Energy Resiliency is working round-the-clock to coordinate the efforts of all our industry players, who remain on their toes and at the ready,” Mr. Cusi said. — Angelica Y. Yang

Renovated Bantayan airport to receive maiden flight as Cebu prepares for tourism revival 

THE renovated Bantayan Island Airport in northern Cebu will receive its first commercial flight on Nov. 27 as the Cebu provincial government ramps up its promotional campaign in preparation for the reopening of tourist destinations. The Cebu Pacific flight, using an 80-seater aircraft, will be a 30-minute ride from the Mactan Cebu International Airport at the central-eastern side of the province. The passengers will consist of a group participating in the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo, the Cebu provincial government’s packaged tours program covering different areas. Bantayan has been a popular tourist destination for its beaches and dive sites. “I’m sure all Bantayanons, Lawisnons and Santafehanons will be very, very proud on that day,” Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia said in a statement. The Bantayan Airport was rehabilitated and expanded through a partnership between the Cebu government and the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority. Leisure travel around Cebu has been reopened for locals, but regular flights to Bantayan has yet to be announced as the the airport’s official soft opening is still being finalized. 

Survey set for Davao MSMEs on coronavirus impact, recovery plan

MICRO, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Davao Region will be surveyed in the third week of November to determine the actual impact of the coronavirus crisis on their operations, and use the results to identify specific programs for recovery. The survey will be conducted by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., together with the Davao regional offices of the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Higher Education, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology-Mindanao Cluster 3 under the Davao  Regional Inclusive Innovation Center. The Davao chamber, in a statement on Thursday, said the survey is part of the Innovation for Business Recovery plan initiated by USAID Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development (USAID-STRIDE). After the survey, sessions on rapids needs assessment and suggestive next steps will be conducted by University of the Philippines-Mindanao School of Management for participating firms and research partners “to further understand the current situation of MSMEs, identify their priorities, and assist them in accessing specific innovation programs.”

Crop damage estimate from Rolly upgraded to P5.79B

AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE caused by Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) was estimated at P5.79 billion, against the previous estimate of P5.01 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In a bulletin, the DA said the typhoon affected 48,682 farmers across 127,298 hectares of farmland. Lost agricultural output amounted to 177,091 metric tons (MT).

Farm losses have been reported in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Luzon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (Calabarzon), Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (Mimaropa), Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.

Affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops such as abaca and coconut, livestock, and agricultural facilities.

Losses to high-value crops amounted to P2.05 billion, with 97,130 MT of lost production volume. Some 11,218 hectares were affected.

Damage to rice amounted to P1.18 billion, equivalent to 64,254 MT of lost produce, affecting 23,009 hectares of farmland.

Losses to the abaca crop were reckoned at P1.02 billion, with 12,918 MT in lost production across 39,790 hectares.

Other damage estimates were: coconut P569.81 million, agricultural facilities P516.58 million, fisheries P341.32 million, corn P63.55 million, livestock P49.18 million, and agricultural machinery P875,000.

Combined with Typhoon Quinta (international name: Molave), which preceded Rolly and caused P2.66 billion worth of losses, total agricultural damage has been valued at P8.46 billion.

The two typhoons affected 106,540 farmers and damaged 223,772 hectares of farmland.

However, the totals are set to increase as losses from the most recent storm, Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco), have yet to be validated.

As of Thursday morning, the DA said it has not yet received any reports of agricultural damage and is awaiting updates from its regional field offices.

According to the DA, rice production areas damaged by Quinta and Rolly amount to 106,833 hectares.

Some 76.44% or 81,663 hectares were planted during the 2020 wet season, while the remaining 23.56% or 25,170 hectares were due for harvest in the 2021 dry season.

“Furthermore, Quinta and Rolly caused a combined volume production loss of 176,249 MT for palay (unmilled rice), which amounts to 2.10% of the fourth quarter projected palay production of 8.40 million MT,” the DA said in the bulletin. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

GDP seen contracting 9.8% this year, more BSP easing expected

THE ECONOMY could contract by 9.8% this year, weighed down further damage to the economy from calamities, according to Nomura Global Markets Research, adding that the absence of an “additional, sizeable” fiscal package to match those rolled out by governments in the region could also lead to another round of easing from the central bank before the year ends.

Issued following the weaker-than-expected third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data, the latest estimate represents a downgrade from Nomura Global’s previous projection of minus 6.6% GDP growth. The official government forecast for 2020 GDP performance is between minus 4.5% and minus 6.6% estimated by the government.

“This partly reflects the impact of recent typhoons, which led to substantial damage to the agriculture sector but also, importantly, our expectation that fiscal spending growth will continue to be a significant drag on the economic recovery at a time when private sector confidence remains fairly weak,” it said in a note.

The economy contracted by 11.5% in the three months to September following the record 16.9% contraction in the second quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Nomura Global expects GDP to continue contracting, though it will moderate to minus 9.8%. If realized, this would mark the fourth consecutive quarter to post declines.

“As was evident in the Q3 GDP details, a lack of fiscal support will still likely weigh on private sector spending with sentiment remaining weak and business uncertainty still high,” it said.

Capital formation slumped 41.6% in the third quarter, following the 53.7% decline in the three months to June. Meanwhile, government spending growth slowed to 5.8% from 21.8% in the second quarter.

“We believe the passage of the fiscal measures called Bayanihan II (Republic Act No. 11494) is unlikely to raise meaningfully fiscal expenditures, particularly on capital outlays because its total size was just 0.9% of GDP,” it said, noting this is also unlikely to support a rebound in public construction activity.

Bayanihan II, passed in September, allocated P165.5 billion in additional pandemic responses. It is the follow-up to RA 11469, which provided P275 billion to address the crisis.

Nomura Global said it does not expect the government to consider further rounds of fiscal packages to revive the economy from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as it focuses its efforts on passing the P4.5-trillion 2021 budget and the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act) bill which will lower corporate income taxes.

“We have argued before CREATE is unlikely to be effective if the goal is to provide emergency support to vulnerable sectors as well as to stimulate demand in the short run,” it said.

Given a likely slow recovery awaiting the economy as well as the relatively small fiscal measures, Nomura is pricing in a 50 basis point rate cut from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in the fourth quarter.

“A benign inflation outlook allows BSP to focus on measures to support growth, and we believe the Q3 GDP outturn disappointed official forecasts, and hence supports our call of a rate cut in the near term,” it said.

October inflation was 2.5%, picking up from 2.3% in the prior month. Year-to-date inflation averaged 2.5%, above the BSP’s 2.3% forecast for the year but still well within the 2-4% target range.

The central bank has slashed rates by a total of 175 basis points this year, bringing down the overnight reverse repurchase, lending, and deposit facilities to 2.25%, 2.75%, and 1.75%, respectively. The Monetary Board will hold two more policy-meetings this year on Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Philguarantee approves P42B in guarantees for MSME loans

STATE-RUN Philippine Guarantee Corp. (Philguarantee) approved P42.3 billion worth of credit guarantee facilities to cover loans taken out by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from banks, easing their access to credit during the economic crisis.

“The P42 billion approved facilities for banks are all new, and still part of a program launched earlier,” Philguarantee President and CEO Alberto E. Pascual said in a text message Thursday.

Citing a report from Philguarantee, the Department of Finance said in a statement Thursday that 6,000 borrowers are expected to apply for P3.6 billion worth of loan guarantees by year’s end, while 40,000 more are likely to avail of a combined P20 billion towards the end of 2021.

So far, Philguarantee has accredited eight universal banks, one commercial bank, six thrift banks and 10 rural banks for its MSME guarantee facility. It is also currently reviewing the applications of 16 more banks.

“This is the first time Philguarantee is providing guarantee coverage for MSMEs,” Mr. Pascual was quoted in the statement.

Providing state-backed loan guarantee is part of the government’s relief package to the private sector, allowing banks to lend more to MSMEs, a sector hit hard by the pandemic. With the need for working capital to survive the crisis mounting, small businesses are typically deemed by banks to be bad credit risks.

In June, Philguarantee approved a credit guarantee scheme valued at P120 billion to provide 50% guarantee cover on loans to MSMEs by banks.

Loans covered under the program range from P100,000 to P1 million, with micro enterprises making up a large portion of the borrowers and most of them seeking credit from rural banks, according to the statement.

Up to P50 million worth of loans per bank can be guaranteed under the program with a guarantee fee of 1% per annum.

The program offers terms for working capital loans of between one to five years with 50% guarantee cover; and up to seven years at 80% cover.

Mr. Pascual said “on a case-to-case basis, (Philguarantee) can extend the guarantee up to 10 years depending on the banks’ risk appetite.”

He said the agency will offer more guarantee cover for small-, medium-sized and large companies once the Budget department releases the P5 billion in additional equity it is due to receive under Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan II).

The upcoming facility will cover bigger loans needed by such firms, up to P300 million per borrower.

“We can leverage the P5 billion in additional equity 15 times. This will allow an extra guarantee capacity of P75 billion,” he said.

Mr. Pascual said banks are now more willing to lend to the sector after the agency launched the program early this year.

“Just like in Thailand, the freed-up reserves or extra liquidity of banks was not used to lend to MSMEs. But now we are seeing banks becoming active again and some in fact have been pre-clearing with us bigger loans for new projects,” he said.

Philguarantee has P23 billion worth of unimpaired capital, bringing its potential guarantee capacity to P345 billion, assuming leverage of 15 times.

Its outstanding guarantees declined 17% to P170 billion at the end of September from P207 billion at the end of 2019.

Mr. Pascual said the agency expects this to increase when the applications of guarantee cover for housing and SME loans are approved. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Managing transition to renewables seen as key challenge confronting power industry

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Asian power industry considers the transition to renewables a major challenge, second only to finding investment during an economic downturn, according to a survey conducted by a US engineering and construction firm.

According to Black & Veatch’s (B&V) Strategic Directions: Electric Industry Asia 2021 report, 34.4% of respondents considered renewables to be challenging, the second-largest share after uncertainty of investment at 37.1%. Respondents who cited energy storage challenges took up a 25.7% share.

“The renewables challenge can be construed as one of change management, rather than a challenge rooted in the technical aspects of decarbonizing Asia’s power infrastructure. The theme of managing change, often through the prism of government policy, regulation and socio-economic factors, is a trend across survey responses,” Black & Veatch said.

Regulators wielded significant influence in the Asian energy businesses, according to 65.6% of respondents. The financial and investment sector and customers were ranked second and third with a share of respondents of 56.3% and 50%, respectively.

“Renewable energy is critical to Asia’s future, but delivering on its promise will require a coordinated effort between the energy sector, regulators and other critical stakeholders,” B&V said.

The Philippines and Indonesia can attract investors for clean energy by shortening the time for project approval, B&V Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of Power Business-Asia Narsingh Chaudhary said.

“The time period for getting those approvals for this kind of clean energy solution needs to be faster, with policies which streamline bringing investment into the country,” he told BusinessWorld in an interview.

Mr. Chaudhary also said that the Philippine Feed-In-Tariff policy — a form of subsidy for renewables producers — as well as other incentives can encourage investors and developers.

According to the B&V report, the share of coal-fired energy in Southeast Asia in the power mix rose in 2018. However, 70% of respondents had “strong views about the decline of future investment in coal.”

Last month, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi announced a ban on all new coal-fired power plants, and the opening of a competitive bidding process allowing foreign investors to fully own large-scale geothermal plants.

During a BusinessWorld Insights webinar Wednesday, National Renewable Energy Board Chair Monalisa C. Dimalanta said the transition to renewable energy requires a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society” approach.

According to the Department of Energy, coal accounted for 44.5 % of the energy mix, with renewables at 25.4 % in 2015. — Angelica Y. Yang

LGUs gain more say over dev’t funds

THE GOVERNMENT issued new rules giving local government units (LGUs) more leeway to decide on which projects to support with their development funds (DFs), but added reporting requirements to ensure accountability.

Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1 was issued by the Departments of Finance, (DoF) Budget and Management (DBM) and the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to overhaul the rules for using DFs.

LGUs are required to set aside at least 20% of their annual internal revenue allotment for development projects — the so-called 20% DF.

“This JMC is being issued to increase the responsiveness of the guidelines and promote greater autonomy, transparency and accountability in the LGUs’ appropriation and utilization of their respective 20% DFs, as provided under RA No. 7160,” according to the circular dated Nov. 4 and published on Wednesday. RA 7160 is the Local Government Code.

LGUs now have more freedom to decide on which projects and programs to support with 20% DFs, removing specific restrictions contained in the old rules, according to John Aries S. Macaspac, director of the DBM’s Local Government and Regional Coordination Bureau.

“The LGUs will now have greater leeway and flexibility to choose programs and projects, which they deem are responsive to the development needs of their respective constituents, since we did not prescribe the specific project menu, but merely general policies that should be observed by LGUs,” Mr. Macaspac said in a Viber message Thursday.

The circular noted that LGUs can use the funds to support priority development projects based on their medium-term plans. Such projects must be identified as necessary, vital in promoting general welfare; well-planned; and ready for procurement and implementation.

It said local governments can also seek technical assistance from agencies in the national government such as the Agriculture department, DBM, DoF, DILG, Public Works department, and the National Economic and Development Authority, among others, to help them assess which relevant and responsive projects to prioritize.

The funds cannot still be used for personnel service expenditures such as salaries, overtime pay and other benefits, for administrative and travel expenses, registration and participation fees for training and seminars, payment for furniture, equipment and appliances of administrative offices, as well as to buy or repair vehicles.

However, Mr. Macaspac said the new rules also contained an improved reporting system for the use of DFs.

“As regards transparency and accountability, that was further strengthened in the new JMC given the institutionalization of the use of the system of the DoF-BLGF (the Bureau of Local Government Finance) in the reporting of utilization by LGUs,” he said.

The circular directs local governments to submit quarterly reports on their usage of the 20% DF following the requirements of the BLGF.

The BLGF will monitor and maintain a database of fund usage based on the submitted reports.

“The responsibility and accountability in ensuring that the development projects funded under the 20% DF comply with the guidelines under this JMC and optimally contribute to the attainment of desirable socio-economic targets and outcomes of the LGU shall rest upon the local chief executive and other officials concerned,” it said.

In March, the government allowed LGUs to use their 20% DF to supplement their spending on pandemic containment measures. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Gov’t agencies top NPC’s data breach tally

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES received the most number of data breach notifications so far this year among sectors monitored by the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

Government data breaches accounted for 41 of the notifications received by the commission, Privacy Commissioner Raymund E. Liboro said in an online event Wednesday.

The health sector followed with 20 notifications, while education had 18. Transportation and logistics as well as outsourcing companies each had 14 notifications, while banks had 13.

Mr. Liboro said that 24 of the notifications involving government breaches are from malicious attacks such as hacking, while 12 were the result of human error. The rest are from system glitches, among other reasons.

“We continually build on this and improve on this because we want to build resilience sa lahat ng ating (among all our) institutions,” he said.

He added that technology and data will be instrumental in addressing the pandemic, noting that the pandemic exposed gaps in Philippine data management.

The commission is investigating a website that claimed to be associated with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for possible breach of personal information of registered motorists. The NPC said it is preparing a cease and desist order to take down the site, after the LTO confirmed that the website lisensya.info is not officially connected with the LTO.

The NPC last month also flagged lapses in data privacy standards in the health sector, particularly its management of contact-tracing information during the pandemic.

In the 10 months to October, 64% of breaches in the health industry were caused by human error.

In contrast, human error accounted for 39% of breaches among all sectors monitored, making it the second-highest source of data breaches after malicious attacks, with 48%. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Farmers report difficulty accessing weather data

FARMERS have reported difficulty in accessing and making use of weather and climate data provided by the government weather service, known as PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), according to studies conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

The government think tank said farmers in Benguet, a key vegetable growing area, reported difficulty in obtaining raw weather data from PAGASA’s website.

Problems faced by farmers include the lack of access to online information, including social media and mobile applications, lack of knowledge, insufficient financial resources, and  the dearth of weather and climate forecasts tailored to their area.

“Some farmers have low trust in forecasts as they are not applicable to their needs or locality and seem different from their own experiences,” PIDS said.

PAGASA Assistant Weather Services Chief Thelma A. Cinco said the agency plans to strengthen its radio weather distribution channel, which is expected to improve farmer access to its products and services.

At a webinar in which PIDS presented its studies, Ms. Cinco said PAGASA will also conduct regular education drives and training for farmers under a joint program with the Agricultural Training Institute.

“The state weather bureau also plans to establish climate field schools and develop systematic and consistent dissemination of warning protocols,” Ms. Cinco said.

Ms. Cinco said PAGASA will issue climate projections and hazard assessments to assist local government units in creating their climate change action plans and comprehensive land use plans.

She added that the agency will develop plans for climate threats and create a communication channel for farmers and extension workers.

“The agency is moving toward impact-based forecasting, which focuses on what the weather will do and not on what the weather will be,” Ms. Cinco said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said in October that the agriculture sector accounted for P290 billion or 62.7% of the P463 billion worth of damage caused by natural extreme events and disasters between 2010 and 2019. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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