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USAID project seeking to boost PHL energy competitiveness

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE US Agency for International Development (USAID) said Monday that it launched a $34-million project to improve the efficiency, security and resilience of the Philippine energy industry.

“Through the Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) Project, the US will work with Philippine government and private sector partners to improve the performance and efficiency of energy utilities, deploy renewable energy systems, enhance competition in the power sector, and address energy sector cybersecurity,” the US Embassy in the Philippines said in a statement.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John C. Law and USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean E. Callahan signed a memorandum of understanding in a virtual event.

“The ESP will provide a wealth of opportunities for the (Philippine Department of Energy), as we re-evaluate the appropriateness of our current policies (vis-à-vis) our country’s energy goals,” Mr. Cusi said.

Also Monday, the US Embassy said Washington is also looking at “mobilizing” over $740 million in private-sector investment to help develop 500 megawatts of clean energy generation capacity in the Philippines.

According to its website, USAID has provided over $4.5 billion to help the Philippines achieve its development goals over the past 20 years. — Angelica Y. Yang

Industry counting on vaccines for improved economy by December

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

SOLID PROGRESS on vaccination will be required if industry is to enjoy a healthy Christmas season, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. A. Concepcion said Monday.

In a Senate hearing, Mr. Concepcion said the lockdown “has caused a lot of pain” for many micro enterprises.

“The only solution really here is to solve the health problem,” he said in a Senate trade committee hearing on the effects of the pandemic on business.

He said the private sector is working with the government on a plan to improve the economy’s performance by Christmas and in 2022, which will hinge on inoculating more of the population.

“What we’re trying to do is how do we get to open the economy with 50% of the population already vaccinated. In September, October that should happen,” adding that it should be done as quickly as possible.

However, Mr. Concepcion flagged the possible spread of the more transmissible Delta variant which was first detected in India.

“What we have to look at is the issue on Delta variant this is the most serious variant that I think can really draw a curve ball and destroy our entire plan. We have to be careful in opening up especially our borders,” he said.

“In countries that have high level of Delta variant, because if that penetrates the Philippines then we will not be able to achieve a merry Christmas,” he added.

He said that hopefully, they can come up with recommendations when there is no Delta variant and 50% of the population vaccinated to the government for various industries.

Mr. Concepcion added that the banking community “will not lend if they don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel,” noting that the performance of service businesses such as restaurants, gyms, spas and retail is going to turn on any government decisions regarding capacity limits.

They will also be asking the government to allow greater mobility for the vaccinated “to spur the economy” and also allow establishment to create safe spaces to ensure the protection of both vaccinated and non-vaccinated customers.

“I think it’s a total plan, it hinges basically on the ability of both the private sector and the public sector, the LGUs especially to inoculate as fast as possible and achieve population protection; the ultimate goal is herd immunity for NCR plus. This we have to win in this year,” he said.

Mr. Concepcion also said that they are creating a roadmap detailing which industries can be opened assuming the arrival of a more transmissible variant.

He said there is a “good chance” of reviving the economy and opening up more by the end of this year.

Around 10 million doses have been administered as of June 27, according to the Health department, with over 2.5 million fully vaccinated individuals.

The government hopes to inoculate at least 500,000 people daily in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao to achieve herd immunity by Nov. 27. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Legislator presses for resolution to Hedcor hydro dispute with indigenous peoples

HEDCOR.COM

SHERWIN T. Gatchalian who chairs the Senate energy committee, said the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Department of Energy (DoE) need to help resolve the shutdown of three Benguet hydro plants operated by an Aboitiz Power Corp. subsidiary following the withdrawal of consent from the traditional owners of ancestral land.

The affected facilities in the town of Bakun are the 2.4-megawatt (MW) Lower Labay, 3.6-MW Lon-oy, and 5.9-MW FLS hydro facilities, which the NCIP Cordillera Administrative Region wants Aboitiz unit Hedcor to shut down within five days of receipt of its cease-and-desist order (CDO).

“While the issue confronting Hedcor and the indigenous communities is legal in nature, I implore the NCIP and DoE to work out a possible solution,” Mr. Gatchalian said in a statement Monday, adding that it was important that the facilities continue to operate during the pandemic.

“At a time when there’s a threat of yellow and red alerts in the power supply, we have to make sure that all plants are up and running especially now that we’re in the middle of a global health crisis,” he said.

DoE Renewable Energy Bureau Director Mylene C. Capongcol confirmed that the department is helping resolve the shutdown of Hedcor’s three hydro plants.

“We are helping,” she told BusinessWorld in an e-mail Monday. “The DoE helps in the earliest resolution of the issue or concerns, explaining the importance of ensuring power supply adequacy in the grid,” Ms. Capongcol said.

Hedcor has said it is exerting efforts to start a dialogue with the indigenous peoples in the area.

According to the CDO issued by the NCIP, indigenous groups issued a resolution of non-consent in April, citing “highly disadvantageous conditions in their memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Hedcor” and the “firm’s alleged use of the (MoA) as a tool to unduly exert pressure on the Bakun local government unit officials to yield to (the company’s) demands.”

Hedcor said it followed all the requirements while obtaining free prior informed consent (FPIC), a requirement for building on ancestral domains.

“We believe that we have been compliant with all the requirements during the course of the FPIC application process, and have been waiting for the issuance of the Certificate Precondition (CP) since the FPIC-MoA was signed,” Hedcor’s Vice-President for Corporate Services Noreen Marie N. Vicencio told the bourse in a June 23 disclosure.

Under the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997, project developers can only acquire permits and licenses after receiving the CP from the NCIP, manifesting consent from the indigenous community hosting the project.

Hedcor currently operates 21 hydropower plants supplying 258 MW of renewable energy. — Angelica Y. Yang

New VAT rules on sale of goods to exporters, PEZA, other ecozones

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recently issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 9-2021 which imposed 12% Value-Added Tax (VAT) on certain transactions that were previously taxed at 0%. The RR took effect on June 27, 2021, 15 days from its publication.

RR No. 9-2021 was issued to implement the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform and Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) which provide that certain transactions previously considered zero-rated shall be subject to 12% VAT upon satisfaction of two conditions: (1) the successful establishment and implementation of an enhanced VAT refund system, and that (2) all pending VAT refund claims as of Dec. 31, 2017 shall be fully paid in cash by Dec. 31, 2019. RR 9-2021 declared that the conditions set forth by the TRAIN Law have been fully satisfied. As such, the following sales of goods or properties are now subject to 12% VAT:

1. Sale of raw materials or packaging materials to a non-resident buyer for delivery to a local export-oriented enterprise;

2. Sale of raw materials or packaging materials to export-oriented enterprise whose export sales exceed 70% of total annual production; and

3. Those considered export sales under Executive Order (EO) No. 226, or the Omnibus Investment Code of 1987, and other special laws (Section 106 (A) (2) (a) (5) of the Tax Code, as amended).

From the foregoing, the sale of goods or properties by local suppliers to exporters IS now subject to 12% VAT.

A big concern, however, has been raised by taxpayers whose exemptions emanate from special laws, such as those with exemptions granted by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Board of Investments (BoI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and the Clark Development Authority (CDA), among others, on the VAT treatment of their local purchases of goods or properties.

RR 9-2021 provides that those considered export sales under EO 226 and other special laws are now subject to 12% VAT. Section 3 of the same RR, on the other hand, also provides the VAT zero rating of sales to persons or entities whose exemption under special laws or international agreements, to which the Philippines is a signatory, effectively subject such sales to a zero rate. This is also found in Section 106 (A) (2) (b) of the Tax Code, as amended. Thus, there is confusion on whether RR 9-2021 removed the zero rating of goods sold to entities exempt under special laws such as PEZA registered entities.

In the 2004 case of Contex Corporation vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the Supreme Court (SC) considered that sales transactions with SMBA, CDA, and PEZA entities, being governed by special laws, are effectively subject to zero rate. In another case (CIR vs. Seagate, 2005), the SC held that sales made by a VAT-registered person in the customs territory to a PEZA-registered entity are considered exports to a foreign country. The SC anchored its ruling on the fiction that an ecozone is a foreign territory. The SC considered that sales to ecozones are export sales and thus, subject to a zero-rate pursuant to Section 106 (A)(2)(a)(5) of the Tax Code.

The Philippine VAT system adheres to the Cross-Border Doctrine which provides that no VAT shall be imposed to form part of the cost of goods destined for consumption outside of the territorial border of the taxing authority. Hence, actual export of goods and services from the Philippines to a foreign country must be free of VAT; while, those destined for use or consumption within the Philippines are subject to 12% VAT.

In RR No. 4-07, it was clarified that the sale of goods to special economic zones and freeport zones is considered export sales under Section 106 (A)(2)(a)(5) the Tax Code.

Thus, prior to the passage of TRAIN, these transactions were subject to zero VAT. With the enactment of the TRAIN Law and the fulfillment of conditions outlined under this law, these transactions are now subject to 12% VAT.

It is worthy to note that the President vetoed the provision under the TRAIN Law which treats the sale of goods to registered enterprises within a separate custom territory as provided under special laws and those registered enterprises within tourism economic zones as export sales subject to the zero rate. With this veto, we see the clear intent of the Executive to remove the zero-rating on the local purchases of goods of PEZA-registered entities and those entities enjoying similar incentives.

In view of the above discussions, it can be gleaned that local purchases of goods or properties of PEZA-registered entities and those entities having similar exemptions under special laws are now subject to 12% VAT.

However, there is an issue on the retention of VAT zero-rating in relation to the recently passed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Law. Section 5 of Rule 18 of the recently-signed Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for fiscal incentives under the CREATE Law provides that VAT zero-rating on local purchases of registered business enterprises (RBEs) may still apply provided such locally-purchased goods and services are directly and exclusively used in the registered project or activity of the RBE during the period of registration of the registered project/activity of the enterprise.

The direct and exclusive use in the registered project or activity refers to raw materials, inventory, supplies, equipment, goods, services and other expenditures necessary for the registered project or activity without which the registered project or activity cannot be carried out.

Considering that the TRAIN Law, through RR 9-2021, effectively removed the zero-rating of goods sold to PEZA-registered entities, and that the IRR of the CREATE Law provides that the VAT zero-rating may still apply, it is now deemed necessary for the BIR to issue clarifications or guidelines on the proper VAT treatment of the transactions mentioned. A clarification that will harmonize the provisions on VAT zero-rating under the TRAIN Law and CREATE Law will be much appreciated by taxpayers.

After all, the Philippines adheres to the principles of sound taxation, particularly in terms of administrative feasibility, which means that tax laws and regulations must be capable of being effectively enforced with the least inconvenience to the taxpayer.

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.

 

Neptali G. Maroto is an associate of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

1M more CoronaVac doses from China arrive

NATIONAL TASK FORCE AGAINST COVID-19 FB PAGE

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES on Monday took delivery of a million more doses of CoronaVac from China, according to the presidential palace, bringing the total vaccines that have arrived to 17.4 million.

On Sunday, the government received its first shipment of Moderna, Inc.’s coronavirus vaccine containing 249,600 shots.

Of the total, about 150,000 doses would go to the government, while 99,600 doses would be given to International Container Terminal Services, Inc., according to the National Task Force Against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The government has given out more than 10 million doses of as of June 27, 7.5 million of which were first doses, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing.

He said 236,867 vaccine shots were given out in the past seven days, adding that the government would probably hit its goal of 500,000 daily vaccinations.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 5,604 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 1.4 million.

The death toll rose by 84 to 24,456, while recoveries increased by 6,154 to 1.3 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 52,029 active cases, 1.4% of which were critical, 90.1% were mild, 5% did not show symptoms, 2.1% were severe and 1.49% were moderate.

The agency said eight duplicates had been removed from the tally, six of which were tagged as recoveries.

Fifty-seven recoveries were reclassified as active cases, while 38 cases tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Six laboratories failed to submit data on June 26, the agency said.

About 13.9 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of June 26, according to DoH’s tracker website.

The coronavirus has sickened about 181.9 million and killed 3.9 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

About 166.4 million people have recovered, it said.

More than 1.1 million health workers have been fully vaccinated, according to the Health department’s vaccine statistics.

It said 672,602 seniors and 710,846 seriously ill people had also been fully vaccinated. About 12,340 essential workers have received their second dose.

The Philippines aims to inoculate at least 500,000 people daily in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao to achieve herd immunity by Nov. 27.

But more cities outside the capital region, such as Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio, Zamboanga, Dumaguete, Tuguegarao, General Santos, Naga and Legaspi, were earlier included in the government’s priority list after local officials complained. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Roque said the general lockdown enforced in Metro Manila was unlikely to be eased next month.

The recommendations of an inter-agency task force, which was set to meet on Monday afternoon to finalize the quarantine classifications for next month, may be appealed by local government units, he said.

The OCTA Research Group on Sunday said the government should brace itself for a potential surge in coronavirus infections because of the Delta variant from India. 

It noted that based on experience, cases multiply when new variants of the coronavirus arrive.

People should protect themselves from the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus from India after dealing with the Alpha and Gamma variants from the United Kingdom and Brazil, respectively, said molecular biologist Nicanor Austriaco, a member of the research group.

The variants from India and Brazil are swiftly overthrowing the variant from the UK, which used to be the most-dreaded, in the United States. Health experts are worried that outbreaks would continue in the US because of these variants, unless vaccination efforts could be boosted further.

More parts of Australia were locked down as authorities tried to locate workers from a remote gold mine linked to five coronavirus cases thought to be of the highly infectious Delta variant.

The city of Darwin and two nearby areas were locked down for 48 hours on Sunday after officials failed to locate 15 of 211 workers who flew into the city from the Granites Mine in central Australia.

The Northern Territory, which covers 548,000 square miles of mostly desert, reported four new coronavirus cases on Sunday, all linked to a worker who had tested positive.

The UK variant, which is 50% more transmissible than the version from Wuhan, China swept the US at the start of the year. It was also linked to a surge in infections in the UK last fall, accounting for more than 90% of cases there.

In the US, the UK variant became the predominant strain in a matter of months and accounted for about 70% of cases by end-April.

The Indian coronavirus variant is considered the most concerning because it is said to be 50% to 60% more infectious and may cause a more severe disease.

When the Indian variant first appeared in the UK at the start of April, it rapidly overcame the Alpha variant and now accounts for 90% of new cases.

The variant from Brazil is said to be not as transmissible but may slightly affect the effectiveness of vaccines. — with Vann Marlo M. Villegas

DoJ may seek help of Interpol for arrest of drug lord suspect

@DOJPHILIPPINES

THE PHILIPPINES might seek the help of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) about a suspected drug lord who may have left the country, according to the Department of Justice (DoJ).

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) had no record of convicted drug suspect Peter G. Lim’s departure from the Philippines, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters in a Viber group message on Monday. “His last recorded foreign travel was in 2017,” he added.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año earlier said the suspect might have left the country.

Mr. Guevarra said the Philippines has a very extensive coastline and there are known backdoors in the nation’s south. “We cannot really be sure,” he said, adding that Mr. Lim’s Philippine passport expired in 2019.

Mr. Guevarra said the agency would intensify efforts to track down Mr. Lim, and might also “request the Interpol to assist if there are indeed indications that this fugitive has slipped out of our country.” 

BI spokesperson Dana Krizia M. Sandoval said Mr. Lim has several namesakes, with at least one having left the country recently. The real Mr. Lim, however, had no recent departure record, she added.

Government prosecutors earlier accused Mr. Lim of supplying at least 90 kilos of crystal meth to members of the widely known Espinosa drug group in Regions 7 and 8 in 2013 and 2015, and of conducting other separate drug transactions in 2014.

The government put out a P500,000 bounty for Mr. Lim’s arrest. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

ICC asks victims of drug war to come forward, complain

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FB PAGE

THE INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court (ICC) has asked victims of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs to come forward by filling out an online form on its website.

The court provides an online form that victims can fill out to inform it of their experiences in connection with the Philippines’ anti-illegal drug campaign.

Victims may also download the form and e-mail it to the international tribunal. The forms are available on the ICC’s website at www.icc-cpi.int/.

The court said the form, which is in English, would be translated into local languages and would be made available to the public soon.

The international court said the submission is “voluntary and free of charge.”

It added that submission of the form “is not an application process for participation in court proceedings against an accused person or for obtaining reparations before the ICC.” The deadline for submission is on Aug. 13.

On June 14, ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked the Hague-based tribunal’s pre-trial chamber to allow her office to probe the killings committed in the Philippines from Nov. 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019 in connection with Mr. Duterte’s drug war. She said her office found sufficient evidence that local police had committed human rights violations by executing drug suspects who allegedly resisted arrest.

On June 22, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said “the cooperation of the victims’ families and their witnesses is crucial” as it would be easier for investigating agencies to build up cases against erring law enforcers if the victims come forward and testify.

“Nothing prevents the families of victims and their witnesses from filing their complaints directly with the DoJ (Department of Justice) or the OMB (Office of the Ombudsman),” he added.

He also said his agency would provide witness protection, if necessary.”

The DoJ is reviewing 52 case records of drug-related deaths from police and 107 cases from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. — Bianca Angelica D.Añago

BFAR needs at least 6 more vessels to monitor waters, marine resources — advocacy group

BFAR.GOV.PH

THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) should have more big vessels for patrolling Philippine waters, food advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan said.   

Tugon Kabuhayan convener Asis G. Perez, a former BFAR national director, said in a virtual briefing on Monday that the agency currently has two specialized ships used in patrolling the country’s waters and for humanitarian missions.   

He said at least six more boats of similar specifications should be acquired by the government to strengthen monitoring and surveillance.

“The Philippines is an archipelagic nation. We need to increase the number of vessels, particularly the big ones, since BFAR only has two big ships, the BRP Francisco Dagohoy and the BRP Lapu-Lapu,” Mr. Perez said.   

“These vessels are classified as multi-mission vessels. They are also used to tend to Filipinos who are stranded as a result of typhoons,” he added.   

Further, Mr. Perez urged BFAR to also prioritize the hiring of additional personnel to monitor the country’s waters.

Mr. Perez served as BFAR national director from 2011 to 2016 under the term of former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III who just passed away on June 24. “I think BFAR should hire around 500 new employees. During my term as BFAR national director, around 1,000 new employees were hired and given plantilla positions. But it is still not enough. The current leadership can add more since our country has many islands and has vast waters,” Mr. Perez said.   

“While law enforcement efforts are being continued, there is a need to upscale these efforts in light of the threat of foreign poachers,” he added.   

Meanwhile, Mr. Perez noted that it was under the Aquino administration when the Philippine fisheries resource management and law enforcement were given further importance with the passage of Republic Act (RA) No. 10654, which amended RA 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code and the acquisition of patrol vessels, among others.   

“The objective of these efforts is to rehabilitate and protect the resource base in order to increase and ensure sustainable production and food security, which is one of the primary reasons for the enactment of the Fisheries Code,” Mr. Perez said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave   

Duterte hasn’t dropped idea of arming civilian anti-crime volunteers

PCOO.GOV.PH

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has not dropped his idea of arming members of civilian anti-crime groups, the Palace said on Monday, amid warnings by government officials and various sectors that the move could lead to human rights abuses.

Mr. Duterte made the recommendation last week during the launch of a civilian anti-crime coalition, which is composed of organizations that would partner with the police in promoting peace and order.

Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr., in a televised news briefing on Monday, clarified that the recommendation is not yet final and would probably be subject to full staff work.

“If that becomes policy,” he said in Filipino, “I’m sure there will be corresponding training.”

The Palace official echoed Police chief Guillermo T. Eleazar’s statement that the civilian volunteers should be armed to protect themselves against criminals.

Mr. Eleazar earlier said the idea is meant to encourage volunteerism, not vigilantism.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights earlier said “arming civilians without proper training, qualification, and clear lines of accountabilities may lead to lawlessness and proliferation of arms,” which could worsen the country’s human rights situation. “The Philippine National Police is more than enough,” it said.

Senators on Monday also expressed opposition to the proposal, citing the potential for abuse of powers.

In a statement, Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel called on the police chief to review the plan of the administration, nothing that crime rate during the previous administration was low without the need for more police powers.

Instead of arming citizens, communities should be helped. Police should not “outsource” their duty to maintain peace and should be involved with the citizens to understand their needs, she said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, in a separate statement, said more guns will not make a country safe and will not help address other issues such as poverty, hunger and unemployment.

“More guns will not bring back investor’s confidence,” he said. “What the government needs to do is to bring back good governance to address the causes of criminality which are poverty, hunger and joblessness. These are the main factors that drive people to commit crimes.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Duterte leaves BTA fate to Congress 

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has taken a neutral position on the proposed extension of the transition body handling the new Bangsamoro region in southern Philippines, according to the presidential palace.

“The President po decided to become neutral and will let Congress to fully discuss the matter and to decide accordingly, respecting the plenary powers and wisdom of Congress,” Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing Monday.

Mr. Duterte values opposing views on the proposal, he added.

Mr. Roque noted that the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has yet to pass an election code that would serve as basis and guideline for voting parliamentary members in the autonomous region in 2022 as provided under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.   

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim — among those pushing for the BTA’s extension by another three years to 2025 — on June 15 told members of the BTA who currently make up the parliament that the electoral code being drafted by the Cabinet will be transmitted “as soon as possible.”

Various groups have been urging the President to certify as urgent proposed measures extending the term of the BTA. The 18th Congress opens its third and last regular session on July 26.

At the same briefing, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Mahail Tan expressed opposition to the extension of the BTA’s term, saying the proposal is unlawful.

“We are opposing that because the law provides that the term of the BTA will only be three years,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English. “That will end in 2022, and that the elections will be synchronized with the national polls.”

If the BTA extension does not get approval, the BARMM will vote not just for local government and national officials in 2022 along with the rest of the country, but also at least 80 members of the region’s parliament.

Mr. Tan said he would challenge the postponement of BARMM elections before the Supreme Court. “It will be very awkward for BARMM officials to be governing without any mandate.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Ebrahim said a three-year period to reform the region is not enough.

“We have been requesting this extension. Very short ang three years in order to restructure the Bangsamoro government,” he said at the same briefing. He also cited that the coronavirus pandemic has distracted the BTA from its outline tasks.

The BTA took over the new Bangsamoro region in mid-2019, replacing the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

DENR questions study saying Pasig River is top plastic polluter

Pasig river — PHILSTAR

THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) questioned the results of a global study that claimed that 28% of rivers responsible for global plastic pollution are in the Philippines, with the Pasig River being the top contributor of ocean plastic waste.

The DENR was referring to an April study published by the peer-reviewed Science Advances journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Citing the study, the Philippine Climate Change Commission previously said the “world’s most polluting river when it comes to plastic is the 27-kilometer Pasig River which run through Metro Manila, making up 63,000 tons of plastic entering oceans from rivers per year.”

Speaking to reporters in a virtual briefing on Monday, DENR Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda refuted the research’s conclusion.

“There are some aspects (in the study) which are correct, but when it comes to the conclusion, I can categorically say that it’s wrong… It’s very clear that the major action of the government in coming up with mitigation (efforts) on the plastic (problem) was not considered in the research,” he said.

Mr. Antiporda said that an in-depth review, assessment of data based on government efforts and subsequent consultations with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and UN Habitat showed a different conclusion.

“The method used did not reflect the actual condition on the site. Plastic wastes which came from lands going to these rivers may have huge variations during the summer (bringing in) a low discharge rate and rainy (drawing in a) high discharge rate,” he explained.

The study pointed out the Philippines had 466 out of 1,656 rivers across the globe, dumping over 356,371 metric tons of plastic waste per year or around 9% of the total generated mismanaged plastic waste (MPW) in the country.

Mr. Antiporda said the parameters used in getting the MPW were based on “secondary studies,” adding that data reflecting this should ideally come from a national government report. He added that the study used a probabilistic approach, referring to models and calculations instead of data.

The DENR official noted that some of the sources used in the research were from 2016, which he said are not up-to-date.

There are various efforts to rehabilitate Pasig River involving both government and the private sector.

Among these are San Miguel Corp., which earlier said it is allotting P2 billion for its five-year plan to extract 50,000 metric tons of silt and solid waste monthly from the river. International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Group (ICTSI) Foundation also said it has allocated $1 million to build a sustainable river waste collection system along the river, in partnership with Finnish company Riverrecycle Oy. — Angelica Y. Yang

Maynilad partners with MetraWeather for data analysis 

MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has tapped international weather intelligence provider MetraWeather to improve its climate data analysis and forecasting, which will allow quicker interventions on weather disturbances that affect the delivery of water service. 

The west zone water concessionaire said Metraweather has mounted automated weather stations in several locations at the Angat, Ipo, La Mesa, and Laguna Lake watersheds for constant calibration and validation of weather models to improve accuracy of weather forecasts.   

“The site-specific forecasts of Metraweather on rainfall patterns, wind direction, and temperature in vital watersheds will yield valuable advance information on weather trends that could impact Maynilad operations, such as sudden increases in the turbidity level of raw water at Ipo Dam,” the water provider said in a statement.   

Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado said the partnership with MetraWeather is part of the company’s response to the impact of climate change.

“Given this, we have to keep stepping up our interventions so that water service can be sustained despite inclement weather. It all starts with getting more in-depth data on the status of our watersheds,” he said.   

Meanwhile, Maynilad also commissioned MetraWeather to re-examine weather data since 2010 and provide a climate outlook that will help the water provider to craft immediate, short-term, and long-term initiatives to address changing water demands.   

Maynilad provides water to customers in Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas, Malabon, Manila, Makati, and Quezon City, as well as parts of Cavite province including Bacoor, Imus, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

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