LISTED Prime Media Holdings, Inc. said on Wednesday evening that it had entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RYM Business Management Corp. and New Era Empire Realty Corp. to “revitalize [Prime Holdings] by engaging in business”in several segments.
This development sets New Era to be the majority stockholder of Prime Holdings.
Prime Holdings said after compliance with certain terms and conditions under the MoU, “New Era shall become the majority shareholder of the corporation through subscription to the unissued portion of the authorized capital stock of the corporation by way of a merger, cash subscription and/or infusion of businesses or assets.”
The MoU will allow Prime Media to dive into the commercial and residential real estate development business and real estate leasing with leisure and hospitality.
The collaboration also seeks to engage in the media and entertainment segments through acquiring an existing media or broadcast franchise.
They may also delve into the gaming industry, by applying for a license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. or by entering a partnership with a business licensed by the agency.
Prime Media may also enter an agreement with existing Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs. The MoU also allows for the “provision of allied services” to POGOs.
The parties may also develop or invest in technology providing financial services.
Shares of Prime Media declined by 23.10% on Thursday, finishing at P3.23 apiece from P4.20. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte
THE GOVERNMENT seeks to inoculate more than a million Filipinos weekly against the coronavirus in the second half (H2) as it tries to ensure enough supply of vaccines, according to the presidential palace. Read the full story.
By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporters
HEALTH authorities on Thursday expressed concern about the weakening capacity of hospitals in Manila, the capital and nearby cities to treat patients after a fresh surge in coronavirus infections.
Several hospitals in the National Capital Region were now at moderate to high-risk levels in terms of healthcare use, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo J. Vega told a televised news briefing on Thursday.
Mr. Vega, who also serves as the country’s testing czar, said 52% of about 7,000 ward beds for coronavirus patients in both private and public hospitals in the region had been occupied. Only 34% of intensive care unit beds in the region were available, he added.
“We have to do appropriate measures on capacitating hospitals in Metro Manila,” he said. Almost 80% of hospital beds in the cities of Quezon, Makati and Taguig were already occupied, he added.
Still, Mr. Vega said the country’s health sector was more equipped to handle the spike in coronavirus infections.
“Compared with last year when we barely had an experience in tackling and responding initially, we are in a better off situation right now,” he said. Health workers and institution know better how to handle hospital bed allocations, he added.
Mr. Vega said the government’s One Hospital Command had also allowed proper referrals so coronavirus patients would receive better care.
He earlier said the surge had prompted the center to refer patients in the capital region to hospitals in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
He also cited the Department of Health’s (DOH) partnership with the Public works department to increase hospital beds by building modular hospitals.
The government might be able to justify tightening the lockdown for April once the country’s healthcare capacity reaches critical levels, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque told the same briefing. “But hopefully not.”
The OCTA Research Group from the University of the Philippines on Wednesday said the transmission level in Metro Manila had reached its highest level since May last year.
It also said the region had reached 64% occupancy in terms of ICU beds dedicated for coronavirus patients.
DoH reported 5,290 coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 640,984. The death toll rose by 21 to 12,887, while recoveries increased by 439 to 561,530, it said in a bulletin.
There were 66,567 active cases, 93.3% of which were mild, 3.7% did not show symptoms, 1.2% were critical, 1.2% were severe and 0.64% were moderate.
The agency said four duplicates had been removed from the tally, while six recovered cases were reclassified as deaths. Eight laboratories failed to submit data on Mar. 17.
About nine million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of Mar. 16, according to DoH’s tracker website.
The coronavirus has sickened about 121.9 million and killed 2.7 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.
About 98.2 million people have recovered, it said.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s itinerary would be limited to areas under a modified general community quarantine, Mr. Roque said.
The President on Thursday visited Eastern Samar to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan’s arrivalin the Philippines. He also met with his anti-communist insurgency officials in Tacloban City.
Coronavirus infections may hit a daily record of 11,000 by end-March, the OCTA Research Group from the University of the Philippines said on Tuesday.
OCTA research fellow Fredegusto Guido P. David cited a spike in cases, with a virus reproduction rate of 2.03. This means a sick person may infect two more people.
The spike could be traced to increased mobility, failure to comply with minimum health standards and the detection of more contagious coronavirus variants in the country, he said
The spike started in the cities of Pasay, Malabon and Navotas and has now spread to other cities in the capital region, Mr. David said.
The increase in cases was not just happening in the capital region but also in many areas in Calabarzon including Rizal, Cavite and parts of Bulacan he said. He also cited a rise in cases in Cebu City.
The researcher said a one-week strict lockdown would change the numbers and would “definitely control the spread of the pandemic.”
While he was not advocating a one-week strict lockdown, this could have a bigger impact than health protocols being enforced now.
He called on the public to have a “personal enhanced community quarantine” especially those who can work from home.
MORE than 240,000 people had been vaccinated against the coronavirus as of Mar 17, 3.1% of whom experienced so-called adverse events, according to the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA Director-General Eric Domingo told an online news briefing on Thursday 167,798 of 240,297 people who got vaccinatedwere given CoronaVac shots made by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. He added that 72,499 were given vaccines made by AstraZeneca Plc.
Of the more than 7,000 patients who reported adverse events, 3,700 were given Sinovac vaccines. One patient died, 137 were serious and 7,331 were not serious, Mr. Domingo said.
The FDA chief said serious adverse-events refer to death or life-threatening situations, hospitalization, persistent disability, birth defects and any “medically important events or reactions.”
Any untoward medical events after vaccination, even though these had not been caused by the vaccine, are reported as an adverse event, said Rommel Crisenio M. Lobo, vice chairman of the National Adverse Events Following Immunization Committee.
For example, a person who got bitten by a dog after getting injected with a vaccine should report it as an adverse event, he said.
Mr. Lobo said the 47-year-old woman who got vaccinated and later died from the coronavirus had comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and bronchial asthma.
He added that the patient was vaccinated with CoronaVac on Mar. 4 and did not show any symptoms upon screening. She tested positive for the virus on Mar. 8 and was admitted to a hospital two days later.
“Unfortunately she died on Mar. 13 of COVID-19 infection, and the COVID-19 vaccine does not cause, as we all know, COVID-19 disease,” he told the briefing.
Health Director Beverly Lorraine C. Ho said there is no reason to suspend the vaccination program following the death.
“The vaccine is not what caused the death of the healthcare worker,” she said. “Second, as DoH and FDA have continued to emphasize, the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh the risk of us getting COVID-19 particularly severe COVID-19.”
Meanwhile, 97% of coronavirus vaccines had been distributed to more than 950 vaccination sites nationwide, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said.
The Philippines started its vaccination drive on Mar. 1 using China’s donation of 600,000 vials of CoronaVac and 525,600 doses of the vaccines made by British drug maker AstraZeneca.
Mr. Roque said the private sector would only be allowed to buy vaccines directly from manufacturers once shots are authorized for “general use.”
He said private companies that seek to buy vaccines for their workers must enter into tripartite agreements with vaccine makers and the National Government.
“Even if they try to go straight to manufacturers, there is no vaccine approved for general use,” he said in Filipino.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Wednesday urged the government to allow companies to import vaccines without restrictions and taxes as the country faces a fresh spike in coronavirus infections.
PCCI also asked the FDA to fast-track its review of other vaccines for emergency use.
Mr. Roque said Sinovac would be asked to give additional data on CoronaVac’s efficacy before the vaccines could be given to the elderly.
“Steps will be taken to ask the local representatives of Sinovac to present additional data to the FDA so the emergency use approval issued by the FDA could be modified,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.”
He expressed support for the use of CoronaVac on the elderly since it was already being used on seniors in other countries.
Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia are among the countries that have allowed the use of CoronaVac for old people, Reuters reported. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
MOST governments in low- and middle-income countries managed to come up with a coronavirus vaccination plan, but few trained people to give the shots, according to the World Bank.
About 85% of 128 economies had vaccination plans, while 68% had safety systems for the rollout, it said in a study.
But only 30% trained people to give the vaccines, while 27% came up with public information campaigns, the World Bank said. It did not name the countries in the study.
“Most countries are approaching the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) vaccine rollout as an emergency and are emphasizing speed and expediency over deliberative system-strengthening,” it said.
“As a result, they are missing out on the benefits of long-lasting improvements that a systems approach could bring,” it added.
The World Bank also cited the slow progress in training health staff to conduct surveillance of vaccination events.
“Social mobilization and public engagement strategies also have not been enunciated in most countries. As a result, advocacy, community engagement and risk and safety communication remain largely unaddressed,” it added. — BML
Opposition coalition aims to corner majority vote in 2022 elections
FORMER government officials and other civic leaders gathered at a sports club in Makati City on Thursday to launch an opposition coalition that aims to have a united slate and win national positions in the May 2022 presidential and local elections. Lead convenor and retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio led the launch of 1Sambayan, a coalition of so-called democratic forces seeking to challenge administration bets in next year’s polls and rally Filipinos to stand up against state abuses and demand more from the government. “We have discussed this, again and again, and this is the understanding of everybody: That unless we are united, we cannot win in 2022,” he said at the event. “We have the majority, but the majority will become a minority if they are divided. So we have to remain united, and that is the unifying force,” he added. The alliance is composed of political parties “from the Left and to the Right,” Mr. Carpio added, citing progressive Makabayan bloc, Liberal Party and its long-time ally Akbayan, and a political party of soldiers. In the 2019 midterm elections, opposition groups formed separate senatorial slates, few of whom won. The new bloc is convened by personalities spanning the Philippine political spectrum, including former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, former foreign affairs secretary Albert F. Del Rosario, former lawmaker Neri J. Colmenares, former education secretary Armin A. Luistro, former soldier Rommel Ong, among others. Mr. Carpio bared that the party is considering Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo, Manila Mayor Francisco M. Domagoso, former soldier and senator Antonio F. Trillanes, and Senators Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay and Grace Poe-Llamanzares among their candidates for national posts. The coalition will select its final slate based on a vetting process where they would be screened based on their track record, stand on key issues, platforms, and winnability. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Trade chief catches COVID for 2nd time; Rep. Romualdez also positive
TRADE Secretary Ramon M. Lopez on Thursday said he tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the second time. In a Viber message, he told reporters that he received the test result Thursday morning and is experiencing no symptoms. He first tested positive for the contagious disease in December. Mr. Lopez said he was getting ready to join President Rodrigo R. Duterte in a trip to Tacloban City to distribute livelihood kits to former rebels. He will now conduct all his meetings online while he stays in isolation. Mr. Lopez has been advocating for allowing more business operations and relaxing age restrictions to spur economic recovery. He stood against a return to a stricter lockdown even as COVID-19 cases in the country started to resurge, saying there should instead be more health protocol compliance in communities and public market areas. Mr. Lopez, in the Viber message, said he had been wearing face mask and shield and was physically distancing “but still got hit.”
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday said he also tested positive for COVID-19, and is experiencing symptoms. In-person sessions at the House of Representatives buildings have been canceled as the congressional complex was placed on a four-day lockdown starting Thursday. Two other representatives and almost 30 House employees have tested positive for the virus. “Let me assure those who are concerned with my physical well-being that I am coping well despite experiencing symptoms of the disease, and that I am in high spirits,” Mr. Romualdez said in a statement, noting that he will return to work once he has a clean bill of health from medical authorities. Both Mr. Lopez and Mr. Romualdez are taking additional tests to rule out a false positive result. — Jenina P. Ibañez
Over 390,000 Filipino workers repatriated as of Mar. 16
MORE than 390,000 Filipinos working overseas were repatriated due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a Senate hearing on Thursday. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said 390,917 overseas workers have been brought home from more than 90 countries and 150 cruise ships and vessels as of Mar. 16. Of these, 282,252 were land-based and 103,665 were sea-based, she said. Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration told the same hearing that it has recorded about 480,000 workers who have come home. “We have the data pertaining to those who have arrived, whether or not repatriated by DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) or the DFA,” he said, noting that some workers arranged for their own travel through commercial flights. As of Mar. 17, a total of 15,928 confirmed coronavirus cases were reported among Filipinos abroad in 88 countries, Ms. Arriola said. Of these, 1,044 died and 9,645 recovered. “Many of our medical frontliners succumbed to COVID (coronavirus disease 2019). At the onset they had the same problems as we had, lack of PPEs (personal protective equipment), we also discovered that a lot of Filipino nurses are really put in the COVID wards on the frontline because we do not refuse the jobs and because they are afraid of losing their jobs,” she told the Senate labor committee hearing. “But now it’s better, they have more equipment and also they are aware of their rights,” she added. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Supreme Court signs deal with UnionBank for e-payment service
THE Supreme Court (SC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) on Monday for setting up the Judiciary ePayment System that will allow online payment of court fees. The system “will involve an application designed to provide the courts the options to receive fees and payments digitally from litigants, their counsels, and representatives in a safe, secure, real-time, 24/7 basis from anywhere at their convenience,” the SC Public Information Office said on Thursday. “The Judiciary ePayment System will be rolled out nationwide to first and second-level courts with pilot courts,” it added. During the signing, Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta thanked UnionBank for its timely technical assistance “as the Philippine Judiciary is currently in the midst of its quest for digital transformation,” especially now that face-to-face transactions are discouraged due to the coronavirus threat. UnionBank Vice-Chair Justo A. Ortiz, for his part, said they are proud of the partnership and “value greatly this opportunity to be of service to the Filipino people.” The high court said it is also open to the proposal of other banks and electronic payment providers to integrate their services with the Judiciary ePayment System.
In another development, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced Thursday that its main office is going on another lockdown from Friday to Tuesday after seven more of employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “I’m constrained to order another suspension of on-site work at the DoJ…we’ll lock down again starting tomorrow (Friday) (until) Tuesday,” Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters. “Everyone will work from home, except a skeletal staff who will receive documents and attend to other frontline services,” he added. The DoJ has recorded a total of 34 COVID-19 infections, of which 17 are active cases. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago
Boracay tourists can now use saliva RTPCR test for entry requirement
TOURISTS going to Boracay can now use a negative coronavirus result through saliva testing for entry, the task force managing the island announced Thursday. Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, chair of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force, made the announcement through a virtual briefing from the island. The Department of Tourism (DoT), in a statement, said it welcomes the approval of the alternative testing option, which costs less and is not invasive. Under the approved policy, saliva testing should only be taken through the Philippine Red Cross or other laboratories with such accreditation from government health institutions. The DoT said it has also recommended to the national task force handling the coronavirus response to relax age restrictions for domestic tourism by allowing those below 15 and above 65 to travel for leisure purposes. At the same time, the DoT reiterated its constant reminder on responsible travel, which means strictly following health safety protocols “to protect both the tourists, tourism workers and the residents of host communities.”
Cagayan Valley Medical Center chief appeals to private hospitals to handle mild COVID cases
THE head of the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has appealed to private hospitals to admit patients with suspected or mild symptoms of the coronavirus as the government-run regional facility is now 100% occupied. In a statement from the Cagayan provincial office on Thursday, CVMC Chief Glenn Matthew Baggao said their ward for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently handling 126 confirmed patients, “the highest” number recorded since the start of the pandemic. “We already added rooms but because of the increase in patients, we really have no more space, we cannot accept more… and it’s the patients who will suffer,” he said in Filipino. The doctor also called on authorities to monitor private hospitals, which are mandated to allocate at least 30% of their bed capacity to COVID-19 cases. “The supposed 30% allocation in private and government hospitals in the region, especially here in Tuguegarao City, is no longer being complied with,” he said. Apart from the confirmed cases, the hospital also has 38 suspected patients awaiting test results. As of Mar. 16, Cagayan Valley has recorded 10,173 coronavirus cases, of which 1,143 are active, 8,820 recovered, and 202 died. The region, with Tuguegarao City as center, is composed of the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Batanes. — MSJ
Davao school brings non-digital ‘smart boxes’ to senior high students for hands-on training
A PRIVATE school in Davao specializing in hospitality, tourism, and culinary courses has partnered with the Department of Education to bring hands-on training to senior high school students at their homes through “smart boxes” that are not of the digital kind. “The delivery of skills training became more challenging during the pandemic. Schools were closed and all training delivery is done online or through modules delivered in homes of students who do not have internet connections. Together with my academic team, we needed to reset and re-calibrate our strategies,” said Joji Ilagan-Bian, chair of the JIB International Schools and founder of MinTVET, a network of technical-vocational schools in Mindanao. As tech-voc skills are best learned beyond reading modules, Ms. Bian and her team developed the JIB Smart boxes, which contain materials specific to a course — such as a cocktail glass and ingredients for those learning bartending, or protective gloves for shielded metal arc welding. “It was fulfilling to see the students wearing their JIB t-shirts and their chefs toques and aprons on screen as they do their assessments in their homes using the JIB SMART Boxes,” Ms. Bian said in an interview. The project is under the Education department’s Joint Delivery Voucher Program-Technical Vocational Learning program, which provides senior high students enrolled in public schools the opportunity to get tech-voc specialization through partner institutions such as JIB schools. The courses on offer include baking, pastry production, housekeeping, bartending, food and beverage services, and welding. — Maya M. Padillo
THE PHILIPPINE Statistics Authority (PSA) said it upgraded its first quarter estimate for production of palay, or unmilled rice, from a previous estimate made in January, with the latest projection representing a 7.5% rise in output from a year earlier.
In its palay and corn estimates report, the PSA said palay production for the three months to March is now estimated at 4.583 million metric tons (MT), up about 0.4% from the earlier forecast.
The PSA said total harvestable area for the quarter is expected to increase 4.6% year on year to 1.148 million hectares. Yield per hectare is also expected to increase 2.8% from a year earlier to 3.99 MT.
It added that 259,710 hectares, producing 933,660 MT of palay, have been harvested as of Feb. 1.
“Of the total area of standing palay to be harvested for April-June 2021, 42.8% or 634,511 hectares were at the vegetative stage, 35.1% or 519,794 hectares at the reproductive stage, and 22.1% or 328,499 at the maturing stage,” it added.
The PSA said corn output for the first quarter is expected to hit 2.52 million MT, representing a 0.3% downgrade from its January estimate.
If the projection is realized, corn output will have risen 9.6% from a year earlier.
The PSA said the harvest area for the quarter is expected to increase 2.4% year on year to 699,967 hectares. Yield per hectare was estimated at 3.60 MT, which would be up 7.1% from a year earlier.
It said about 244,093 hectares producing 759,500 MT of corn have been harvested as of Feb. 1.
“Of the total area of 635,986 hectares of standing crop for the April to June 2021 harvests, 30.1% or 191,113 hectares were at vegetative stage, 38.9% or 247,523 hectares at reproductive stage, and 31.0% or 197,349 hectares at maturing stage,” it added.
The Department of Agriculture has said that it targets output of 20.47 million MT of palay this year. Actual output in 2020 was 19.44 million MT. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially submitted its proposal to President Rodrigo R. Duterte for a state of national emergency to help contain African Swine Fever (ASF).
In a March 17 memorandum, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said he sent a draft proclamation to Malacañang seeking the declaration in order to appropriate funds more rapidly to deal with the emergency, which has reduced hog numbers drastically and caused food prices to rise, threatening another inflation crisis.
Mr. Dar said the DA plans to implement biosecurity measures to help rehabilitate the hog industry. More than three million pigs have died or were culled since the virus was first detected in 2019.
“The declaration of a state of national emergency would mandate and capacitate concerned government agencies including local government units (LGUs) to work together to prevent and control the further spread of ASF,” Mr. Dar said.
“Over three million pigs have been lost… causing a contraction in pork supply and an unprecedented increase in the price of basic agricultural commodities,” he added.
During a March 9 hearing, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform approved a resolution requesting the DA to recommend a state of emergency declaration.
Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said at the hearing that such a declaration is needed to unlock the funding needed to address ASF.
Mr. Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 124 which set a price ceiling on pork and chicken products.
The EO, issued on Feb. 1 and implemented a week after, temporarily capped the price of pork shoulder (kasim) at P270 per kilogram, pork belly (liempo) at P300 per kilogram, and whole chicken at P160 per kilogram.
The price controls are in place until April 8.
Asked for additional comment, DA Spokesman Noel O. Reyes told reporters in a mobile phone message that he will leave it to the Palace to announce the exact contents of the proclamation, likely after it is signed.
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Chairman Rosendo O. So said the priority for the government should be the establishment of border inspection facilities.
“The idea of a state of national emergency is to re-channel funds. The priority should be border inspection facilities. The other (government) programs will be useless if the country does not have those,” Mr. So said in a mobile phone message.
Separately, the private sector has agreed to help the government implement programs to control the spread of ASF and to rebuild the hog inventory.
On March 17, the DA signed a memorandum of understanding with Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Co. (UNAHCO) and other organizations to carry out the hog industry’s rehabilitation.
Signing up for the partnership were the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners; the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry; Pig Improvement Co.; Provimi Philippines; Cargill Philippines, Inc.; Novus International Pte Ltd.; Kemin Industries; Philippine Association of Feed Millers, Inc.; and SGS Philippines.
“I am confident that with this partnership, we can attain our goal of reviving the country’s swine sector, which is very crucial in our food security efforts,” Mr. Dar said during the signing.
According to the DA, UNAHCO will create a working group consisting of its industry partners and coordinate efforts with the Bureau of Animal Industry, National Livestock Program, and DA regional field offices.
They will help in the distribution of breeders, gilt and piglets, and disinfectant, among others.
Ricardo C. Alba, president of UNAHCO, said the company has also launched its own swine repopulation and biosecurity initiatives for backyard hog raisers.
“The extent of ASF has reached alarming proportions and the DA openly welcomes our help. This is a classic example of public and private helping each other,” Mr. Alba said during the signing.
Mr. Dar said LGUs are vital in the successful implementation of the hog repopulation and ASF control programs.
“I wish to reiterate my call on our partners — LGUs, hog industry stakeholders, veterinary associations, universities, and research institutions, farmers’ cooperatives and associations, and backyard and commercial hog raisers — to join us to implement stringent and sustainable biosecurity measures,” Mr. Dar said.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has estimated that the national hog inventory as of Jan. 1 fell 24.1% year on year to 9.72 million animals. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) will launch a digital platform unifying business permit transactions and contact tracing systems next month.
The Go SmARTApp, donated by Multisys Technologies Corp., will be used by local government units for business permit issuance and other transactions, ARTA said in a statement Thursday.
The platform will also incorporate the National Government coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contact tracing application StaySafe.ph along with the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s electronic business permits system.
ARTA is also in talks with other agencies to integrate Social Amelioration Program fund transfers into the platform.
The Go SmARTApp expands and renames the Smart City platform initially intended solely for local government transactions. The expanded functions were endorsed by the Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council Wednesday.
The seven-person council includes representatives from various government agencies, the ARTA Director-General, and two private sector representatives.
The council will also endorse a multi-agency draft circular suspending illegal fees and taxes charged by local governments on goods transport.
“Among others, the memorandum will move to repeal policies, issuances, or ordinances imposing pass-through fees in several LGUs (local government units),” ARTA said. — Jenina P. Ibañez
CONSTRUCTION starts, as measured by permit approvals, fell sharply in the fourth quarter, headlined by a 20% decline in the largest segment, residential buildings, as commercial construction declined nearly 32%, the Philippine Statistics Authority, noting disruption and reduced confidence due to the pandemic.
Approved building permits in the three months to December period totaled 31,026, down from 39,242 a year earlier.
The building projects were equivalent to 5.78 million square meters of space and were valued at P62.96 billion. The estimated value was down 46.6% from a year earlier.
Residential construction, which accounted for 70.6% of all approved building permits, declined 20% year on year to 21,892 permits. The value of all approved residential projects was P32.61 billion.
Permits to build duplexes/quadruplexes fell 69.8% to 255, followed by residential condominium (minus 64.1% to 14), apartments/accessorias (minus 46.3% to 2,010), “other residential” buildings (minus 31.9% to 32), and single houses (minus 13.7% to 19,581).
Non-residential construction declined 29.4% to 4,670 permits. Non-residential buildings for which permits were sought were valued at P25.95 billion.
The commercial category contracted 31.9% year on year to 2,854 permits. Permits to construct institutional buildings fell 30.6% to 961, followed agricultural buildings (minus 27.4% to 183), industrial buildings (minus 16.7% to 533), and “other non-residential” buildings (minus 10.3% to 139).
Permits to add to existing structures dropped 66.1% to 465, while permits to make alterations and repairs rose 2.9% to 3,999.
The Calabarzon region — composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon — had the highest number of approved permits with 6,368. The Ilocos Region and Central Luzon followed with 4,199 and 3,589, respectively.
John Paolo R. Rivera, an economist with the Asian Institute of Management, said the decline in construction activity reflects shaky confidence in the economy due to the pandemic.
He also cited possible factors like “liquidity constraints, rapid increases in inflation,” which reduced builders’ confidence in making significant financial commitments, Mr. Rivera said in an e-mail.
Inflation in the fourth quarter averaged 3.1%, the highest since the 3.8% recorded in the first quarter of 2019. Meanwhile, inflation in January and February came in at 4.2% and 4.7%, respectively. The February was the highest since the 5.1% posted in December 2018 and was attributed to higher food prices and transport costs.
“Unless we reduce economic uncertainties, a declining trend is possible. Construction companies must also feel the confidence that economic prospects (are improving),” Mr. Rivera said, referring to the 6.5% to 7.5% growth target set by the government’s economic managers this year, as well as the 8% to 10% target in 2022.
“Recovery is conditional on initiatives by the government to manage and contain the pandemic that will regain trust and confidence in the economy,” he added. — Marissa Mae M. Ramos
