How PSEi member stocks performed — January 13, 2021
Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.
Stocks decline further as investors pocket gains
By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporter
THE MAIN INDEX closed lower on Wednesday, extending its decline to a second day, as investors booked profits from the local market’s heavyweights.
The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 15.26 points or 0.21% to end at 7,242.85, while the broader all shares index dropped 2.83 points or 0.06% to 4,334.93.
Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a mobile phone message that the market ended lower as investors pocketed their gains on index heavyweights such as Ayala Corp. (AC), Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI), and JG Summit Holdings, Inc.
On Wednesday, shares in AC fell P21.50 or 2.56% to end at P818.50 apiece; ALI stocks declined P1.05 or 2.53% to close at P40.40 each; and stocks of JG Summit lost 30 centavos or 0.41% to end at P72 per share.
“Funds went more into second liners and speculative stocks allowing the overall market to have a positive breadth,” Mr. Tantiangco said.
Advancers bested decliners yesterday, 131 against 105, while 37 names ended unchanged.
AAA Southeast Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said the market closed lower as investors were on a “wait and see” mode.
“Volatility on blue chips continues to die down while second and third liners remain extremely active. Investors are waiting until economic activity can justify current blue chip valuations before buying any higher,” Mr. Mangun said in an e-mail.
“The main index has stalled every time it climbed above 7,200. There is still a lot of uncertainty and we will not see the market go higher until we see more good news,” he added.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez said at a virtual meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Tuesday that preliminary data showed the national government’s budget deficit reached P1.36 trillion or around 7.5% of the country’s gross domestic product.
Majority of sectoral indices finished lower on Wednesday, except for mining and oil, which rose 207.83 points or 2.13% to 9,954.71, and financials, which improved 21.99 points or 1.49% to 1,490.08.
Meanwhile, property retreated 43.65 points or 1.16% to 3,695.47; industrials declined 42.63 points or 0.44% to 9,546.44; services went down 2.61 points or 0.16% to 1,538.85; and holding firms lost 11.46 points or 0.15% to 7,413.42.
Value turnover reached P9.17 billion on Wednesday with 17.08 billion issues switching hands, lower than the P9.74 billion with 41.52 billion issues seen in the previous trading session.
Net foreign selling amounted to P220.06 million yesterday, higher than the P25.03 million worth of net outflows logged on Tuesday.
Peso slips as oil prices spike
THE PESO inched down versus the greenback on Wednesday as oil prices climbed to their highest levels in almost a year.
The local unit closed at P48.069 per dollar yesterday, depreciating by 1.80 centavos from its P48.051 close on Tuesday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.
The peso started Wednesday’s session at P48.03 against the dollar. Its weakest level was at P48.07 while its intraday best was at P48.03 versus the greenback.
Dollars traded increased to $635.1 million from the $476.25 million on Tuesday.
The peso depreciated due to higher oil prices, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.
Reuters reported that pump prices rose by more than 1% on Wednesday. Gains were led by Brent crude prices that inched up 1.7% or 79 cents to $57.37 a barrel by 0420GMT while the US West Texas Intermediate price increased 1.3% or 67 cents to $53.88 per barrel.
Both benchmarks saw their prices at their highest since February, prior to the escalation of the virus into a pandemic.
Meanwhile, a trader said the peso slipped as investors await the stimulus package of US President-elect Joseph R. Biden.
Mr. Biden said he will reveal a trillion-dollar worth of package this week that includes state and local government funds for the pandemic, as well as rent and unemployment support.
For today, Mr. Ricafort expects the peso to move within the P48.04 to P48.09 band versus the dollar while the trader gave a wider P48 to P48.20 range. — LWTN with Reuters
Filipino from UAE tests positive for UK coronavirus strain
The more contagious coronavirus strain first detected in the United Kingdom has reached the Philippines, according to the Department of Health (DoH).
In a statement, the agency said the Philippine Genome Center detected the UK variant from samples of a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7.
The male resident from Quezon City went to Dubai on Dec. 27 and came back last week via an Emirates Flight. His female partner who accompanied him on his trip had tested negative for the coronavirus but was under strict quarantine.
The two had no exposure to an infected person before leaving for the UAE, DoH said. Health authorities have traced people who had contact with them.
“The DOH has also secured the flight manifest of the flight in question and contact tracing of other passengers is now under way,” it said.
“Weekly genomic biosurveillance among incoming passengers, local cases, re-infected patients, and those with reported clustering of cases will be intensified,” it said.
DoH called on the public to observe health protocols to lower the transmission risk. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Gov’t to sign contracts for 30M vaccine doses
By Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporters
THE PHILIPPINE government is expected to sign separate deals for 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccines from two drug makers.
It will sign an agreement with UK-based company AstraZeneca Plc on Thursday for 20 million more vaccine doses, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. told an online news briefing on Wednesday.
The state is also in the final stage of negotiations with Moderna, Inc. for at least 10 million doses of its vaccines, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez said in a statement.
The government may also buy 10 million more doses that may be delivered starting in the middle of the year, he said.
In November, the government and private sector signed a deal with AstraZeneca for the purchase of 2.6 million doses of its vaccines.
After the signing, local government units (LGUs) the National Government and vaccine maker will sign a tripartite supply agreement, Mr. Galvez said.
“It is the local government units’ responsibility to administer the vaccines and the National Government will be in charge of the supply for cold chain requirements,” he said on mixed English and Filipino.
Several local government units have allotted funds for vaccines and are seeking to buy from AstraZeneca.
Meanwhile, Mr. Galvez said the government expects the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the vaccine made by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd by February 20. The government will order 25 million doses from the drug maker.
“We know how many doses will arrive every month,” he said in Filipino, adding that 50,000 doses will be here next month.
Mr. Galvez said Sinovac is still consolidating the results of its phase three clinical trials in Brazil and Turkey. It is also waiting for an emergency use authorization for general use in China, he added.
Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and Pfizer, Inc. have also filed for emergency use with the local Food and Drug Administration.
Meanwhile, Mr. Romualdez said ICTSI would pay for the shipping of vaccines from Moderna’s manufacturing facility in Spain. “I welcome the pledge of support of the private sector led by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s Enrique Razon in shipping and distributing the vaccines.”
Mr. Galvez told senators on Monday the government was expecting to start the rollout of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in February under the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility. About 40 million doses are expected from COVAX, which could inoculate as many as 30 million people.
The Senate will resume hearings on the government’s immunization program on Friday. Senators want to know how the state can buy 148 million doses by year-end to cover at least 50 million Filipinos.
“We’ve not been able to cross all important points,” Senator Vicente C. Sotto III told an online news briefing. “There are still many issues that we’d like to discuss.”
He said the private sector and local government units had been invited to the hearing.
Senators have asked the Health department and other agencies in the past hearing to allow private companies and local governments to directly order vaccines instead of routing these through the National Government.
CASE TALLY
The Department of Health (DoH) reported 1,453 coronavirus infections on Wednesday, bringing the total to 492,700. The death toll rose by 146 to 9,699 while recoveries increased by 458,523, it said in a bulletin.
There were 24,478 active cases, 84.9% of which were mild, 6.1% did not show symptoms, 5.5% were critical, 3% were severe and 0.50% were moderate.
Quezon City reported the highest number of new cases at 95, followed by Cavite at 66, Manila at 54, Davao City at 50 and Cebu City at 44.
DoH said 11 duplicates had been removed from the tally, while 44 recovered cases were reclassified as deaths. Four laboratories failed to submit their data on Jan. 12.
About 6.7 million Filipinos have been tested as of Jan. 11, according to DoH’s tracker website.
The coronavirus has sickened about 92.1 million and killed about two million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization (WHO). About 65.9 million people have recovered, it said.
The OCTA Research Team from the University of the Philippines on Tuesday said Metro Manila is likely to experience a fresh surge in coronavirus infections in the coming weeks after people violated social distancing rules during the holidays.
It also said that there was an upward trend in cases, with the virus reproduction number in Metro Manila increasing past 1 to 1.17 as of Jan. 10, meaning an infected person can infect another person.
The last time it was above 1 was on Dec. 21 and had remained below that during the holiday season after testing was reduced by more than 40%.
Vaccination fears may ease with Duterte’s own shot
GIVING President Rodrigo R. Duterte a coronavirus vaccine shot would probably persuade hesitant Filipinos to get vaccinated, according to the country’s vaccine czar.
Vaccinating the President, who enjoys a 70% approval rating, would boost the confidence of Filipinos in the government inoculation drive, Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. told an online news briefing on Wednesday.
A poll by the OCTA Research Team in December showed that only a quarter of Filipinos in Metro Manila are willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. It said 28% did not want the vaccine, while 47% were undecided.
Mr. Galvez said he and other officials were willing to get vaccinated with whatever drug will arrive in the country first.
Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque said earlier Mr. Duterte preferred the vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and Russia’s Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
A poll by the Social Weather Stations in 2019 showed that most Filipinos do not trust China, which had a “bad” net trust score of minus 36.
Aside from China’s Sinovac, vaccines developed by US drug maker Pfizer, Inc. and British firm AstraZeneca, Plc may be among the first to arrive in the country, Mr. Galvez said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
One-line ‘Cha-cha’ easier to pass, top Senate leader says
THE SENATE might push for a one-line amendment of the 1987 Constitution that will relax foreign ownership limits to increase its chances of being passed, its top leader said on Wednesday.
“If you’re talking about Charter amendments, it might take time,” Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III told an online forum on Wednesday in mixed English and Filipino. “If you’re talking about a charter amendment, there’s a chance.”
Some lawmakers want to insert the line “as may be provided by law” in economic provisions of the Constitution that reserve 60% ownership of certain areas of investments to Filipinos. This will allow legislators to pass a measure that will increase the 40% limit on foreign investors.
Mr. Sotto earlier said they might also amend a clause on the party-list system, but he now wanted to file a bill instead.
“I will be drafting a bill that will amend the party-list law to make it clearer,” he said. “That way, we would no longer be subject to the interpretation of the Supreme Court or whoever.”
A plebiscite on Charter change (Cha-cha) could be held next year, Mr. Sotto said, dismissing fears that it may be used to extend the terms of incumbent officials.
Separate resolutions seeking to convene the House of Representatives and Senate as a constituent assembly to proposed changes to the Constitution have been filed.
Speaker Lord Allan Q. Velasco earlier said changing the Charter’s economic provisions was urgent amid a coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Aurelio R. Montinola III, the newly appointed president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said reopening the economy to more foreign investments would benefit the country.
“Freer trade has always been beneficial in general,” he told the ABS-CBN News Channel, adding that Filipino-owned businesses remain competitive.
Mr. Montinola said he would leave the debates about the wisdom of constitutional change to the experts.
“Our main task is to safely reopen the economy given the existing conditions,” Mr. Montinola said, referring to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Makati Business Club (MBC) has said changing the Constitution now would divide the nation. All major presidential and congressional candidates should instead commit to relax the limits in the basic law once they start their new terms.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) this week lawmakers to instead prioritize the passage of pending economic bills.
American and European business groups in the Philippines said they support Charter change to improve the country’s competitiveness in attracting foreign investors and spur an economic rebound.
Also on Wednesday, Marikina Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo said the Philippines should allow limited foreign ownership of land just like some of its neighbors.
The government should set conditions, including ensuring that foreigners use land for their operations and not for investment.
“If a foreigner owns land but does not use it in a specified period of time, the state can forfeit it,” she said in mixed English and Filipino at a House hearing on Charter change.
The Constitution limits land ownership to Filipino citizens. — Charmaine A. Tadalan, Jenina P. Ibañez and Gillian M. Cortez
Nationwide round-up (01/13/21)
OFWs withdraw from repatriation program as host countries roll out vaccines
A NUMBER of Filipino migrant workers have withdrawn from the government’s repatriation program as their host countries have started vaccinations against the coronavirus, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday. DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola, in a televised press briefing on Wednesday, said a number of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have backpedalled on their plan to return home with the renewed confidence on economic opportunities abroad. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) Hans Leo J. Cacdac earlier said around 80,000 OFWs planned to return to the Philippines in the first half of 2021. “We noticed that many OFWs are backing out (of the repatriation program), especially in Middle East, because mass vaccination programs are now implemented in their host countries,” said Ms. Arriola. “We heard that the plan of Middle East countries, the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), is to have herd immunity before the Ramadan,” she added. “Many of our countrymen are now deciding to stay in their ‘country of destination’.” Citing data as of January 12, Ms. Arriola said more than 342,000 overseas workers returned to the country since repatriation efforts began in February last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Vaccine czar assures equitable vaccine distribution nationwide
THE national government will assist local governments that cannot afford to procure vaccines for their constituents, the vaccine czar assured on Wednesday, as urban areas with higher income have cornered advance orders from British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc. “Provinces and towns that cannot procure their vaccines, we will provide the vaccines. If others lack supply, we will fill that gap,” Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said in mixed English and Filipino in a televised press briefing. The national government will sign on Thursday an agreement with AstraZeneca for 20 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine. Mr. Galvez also assured that the cold chain facilities needed to store the vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPEs) for health frontliners who will be involved in the inoculation program would be provided by the national government. The government could begin distributing vaccines to the public as early as February, Mr. Galvez said. At the same briefing, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian asked the national government to allow local governments and private firms to directly purchase vaccines from manufacturers to speed up the rollout. The government, meanwhile, is beefing up its information campaign regarding the country’s vaccination program. At the same briefing, Philippine News Agency Director General Ramon L. Cualoping III said the Presidential Communications Operations Office will hold online townhall meetings with representatives from the Philippine Medical Association and Philippine Nurses Association, among others, to brief the public on the coronavirus vaccine program and address reservations and concerns. “We were given the mandate to hold information drives in priority areas across the nation,” he said in Filipino. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Solon dismisses ‘constituent assembly’ claim of Charter change chair
A LAWMAKER has dismissed the assertion of a fellow House of Representatives member that Wednesday’s committee meeting constitutes a “constituent assembly.” Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel C. Lagman pointed out that a constituent assembly will need the presence of both senators and congressmen. Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr., chair of the House committee on constitutional amendment, said during Wednesday’s hearing on the proposed economic provision adjustments is already considered a “constituent assembly.” Mr. Lagman further said voting on the proposed changes in the Constitution will need a resolution from the Supreme Court before it proceeds. “This will have to be resolved by the Supreme Court… we will not have sufficient time to effectuate any proposed amendment,” Mr. Lagman said. House members are pushing for the lifting of restrictions on foreign ownership in certain sectors, which is seen to attract investments in the country and boost the economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Economists, among them former socioeconomic secretary Ernesto D. Pernia, invited to the hearing expressed support for the proposals, citing that the Philippines has the most restrictive policies among southeast Asian countries. “The easing of restrictions on foreign participation of the economy is very important because it is not only going to speed up economic growth but also improve quality of growth,” said Mr. Pernia. On the other hand, Rosario Guzman, executive director of the non-profit research foundation IBON, said allowing more foreign control in certain sectors will hamper goals on having policies focused on local needs and instead build on the demand of foreign investors. “We will become even less able to pursue effective measures to build national industries,” she said. — Gillian M. Cortez
Law on hybrid election needed by Feb for implementation in 2022 polls
CONGRESS needs to pass the measure providing for the conduct of a hybrid election by February to allow the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to implement it in the May 2022 national and local polls, the senate leader said. “January to February now, kapag naipasa namin, madali nilang magagawa (when we pass it, Comelec can work on it),” Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said at an online media forum on Wednesday. Senate Bill No. 1950, the Hybrid Election Act, is now pending second reading in the Senate. It is among the priority measures of the chamber when sessions resume on Jan. 18. Six counterpart bills have been filed at the House of Representatives, which are all pending at the committee level. If enacted, the system will allow a combination of automated election and manual election, intended to ensure transparency and credibility of the electoral process. Mr. Sotto said this will also allow Comelec to move the filing date of the certificate of candidacy to January 2022, instead of October 2021. He added Comelec may also opt to conduct a three-day election in 2022 to observe physical distancing in polling stations, should the coronavirus pandemic persist. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Senator pushes for realignment of GOCC subsidy to vaccine procurement
THE subsidy allotted to non-performing government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) in the 2021 national budget must be realigned to boost the country’s inoculation drive against coronavirus, a senator said on Wednesday. Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said the Department of Finance (DoF) is already studying the suggested realignment of some P200 billion in subsidies appropriated to “unproductive” GOCCs to augment the funds needed for the procurement of vaccines. “This was my suggestion and the DoF is already studying this. We are looking into the GOCCs that are not productive or not generating revenue, to use the supposed subsidies for other important matters,” he said during a televised press briefing in mixed English and Filipino. Senators earlier urged the national government through the DoF to re-channel the assistance to government-owned firms under the P4.5-trillion national budget to pandemic and typhoon response efforts. They cited 118 GOCCs that remitted only P47 billion in dividends last year. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Regional Updates (01/13/21)
Bays in 2 Samar provinces, Leyte added to list of red tide positive areas
THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has warned consumers against eating shellfish harvested from Daram Island and Cambatutay Bay in Western Samar, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, and Carigara Bay in Leyte after testing positive for red tide contamination. In its first shellfish bulletin for 2021, BFAR said these areas are the latest additions to the list of red tide positive zones in the country, which include Honda and Puerto Princesa Bays and Inner Malampaya Sound in Palawan; Milagros in Masbate; Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; and Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol. Other areas that are affected by red tide include Tambobo Bay in Negros Oriental; Zumarraga in Western Samar; Calubian and Cancabato Bay in Leyte; Biliran Islands; Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Balite Bay in Davao Oriental; Lianga Bay and Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur; and Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur. All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang harvested from these areas are not safe for human consumption. However, other marine species can be eaten with proper handling. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
4 farmers to represent PHL in 2021 International Cocoa Awards
FOUR farmers were declared winners in the Philippine Cacao Quality Awards 2021 on Wednesday and will be representing the country in the International Cocoa Awards (ICA) set October 2021 in Paris, the Agriculture department’s Davao regional office announced. The winners, among 23 cacao bean entries submitted, are: Christopher Fidraga of Bago City, Negros Occidental; Arthur Lagoc of Tugbok District, Davao City; Solidad Robillo of Gumalang of Baguio District, Davao City; and Carlos Brasicula of San Isidro, Davao del Norte. Malagos Agri-Ventures President Charita P. Puentespina, chair of the Philippine awards this year, said showcasing the produce as well as best practices of the local cacao industry in the international scene “will create market linkages which will open more market doors and vast opportunities for our cacao farmers.” “We are confident with our national entries to the ICA as we believe on the unique and exceptional quality of our cocoa. For years, Filipino cacao farmers have been making it big in the international market. This has been made possible with the support from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Davao City Agriculture Office,” Ms. Puentespina said in a statement from the DA-Davao. In 2019, Jose Saguban of Paquibato District in Davao City, a partner farmer of Auro Chocolate, bagged the country’s first Top 20 Best Cacao Beans Award in Salon du Chocolat Paris. — MSJ
Samal-Davao bridge gets ECC; design-build contract under final review
THE design-and-build contract for the bridge that will connect Samal island to mainland Mindanao is now under final review after the project was recently granted an environmental compliance certificate (ECC), according to a public works official. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) “is now reviewing and perfecting the Contract for Design and Build for the Samal Island-Davao City Connector project,” Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said in a text message last week. He said the ECC was released by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on January 4. DENR issued the Protected Area Management Board clearance in November last year. Mr. Sadain said once the contract is fully reviewed, it will be submitted to the Department of Finance for the loan negotiation with the Chinese government. The 2.8-kilometer bridge between Samal and Davao City is estimated to cost P23.04 billion and is planned for funding through official development assistance. Meanwhile, the legal team of the Rodriguez family that is questioning the bridge’s design and location is eyeing to file administrative and criminal cases before the Office of the Ombudsman against those involved in the issuance of the clearance and ECC. “We are preparing a complaint against all those involved in the irregularity in the issuance of the PAMB clearance and the ECC. These people have violated the very procedure which they themselves crafted, in order to railroad the issuance of the ECC,” said lawyer Ramon Edison Batacan in a text message. The Rodriguez family, owner of Paradise Island and Beach Resort and Costa Marina Beach Resort in Samal, has asked DPWH to realign the landing platform of the bridge, citing adverse environmental impacts. — Maya M. Padillo
Sotto: No need for 3rd stimulus after extension of Bayanihan II
SENATE President Vicente C. Sotto said he does not see the “necessity” for another stimulus package with the extension of the validity of the second package, known as Bayanihan II, to the end of June.
Mr. Sotto said a sequel to Bayanihan II, known more formally as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Republic Act (RA) 11494, is not being discussed in the chamber.
“Right now, there is no Bayanihan III. We are not discussing it because we extended Bayanihan II,” Mr. Sotto said at an online media forum Wednesday.
Bayanihan III bills that provide up to P485 billion in assistance to hard-hit sectors have been filed in both Houses.
“I don’t think there is a necessity for Bayanihan III,” he added, referring to Senate Bill No. 1953 and House Bill No. 8031, the proposed “Bayanihan to Rebuild as One Act,” which both seek to boost government spending to help the economy recover from the pandemic and the various natural disasters of 2020.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11519, which extends the validity of Bayanihan II until June 30. The law initially expired on Dec. 19, 2020.
Bayanihan II allocated up to P165 billion to various sectors, of which the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has so far released P107.96 billion, as of Dec. 19.
Mr. Sotto said the implementation of the first Bayanihan law, RA 11469, could have been improved if the government had rolled out the national ID system. He said the ID system would have been instrumental in the distribution of the emergency funds.
“The implementation of Bayanihan I, I think was very good. I cannot not say excellent because there was a problem with the Social Amelioration Program (SAP),” he said.
“The reason was the national ID system… di agad tinrabaho noong nakaraang administration hanggang ngayon… naipasa pero hindi na-rollout (it was not worked on by the past administration until now).”
According to DBM data, as of Dec. 19, P386 billion had been released under Bayanihan I. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
National ID system biometrics collection kicks off in Laguna
THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it began collecting biometric information for the national ID system on a small scale last week in Laguna, and will expand registration soon for the program, which is deemed a critical component of effective aid distribution.
In a statement Wednesday, the PSA said biometrics collection is the second step of the three-step process for the national ID, known formally as the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).
It conducted the first biometrics collection in San Pablo City, servicing 218 registrants on Jan. 8-9. Collected were scans of fingers, eyes and faces. In the next few weeks, the PSA said it will set up more registration centers in Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite and Rizal.
By Monday next week, Jan. 18, PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said in a text message that pre-registration — which is step one, the collection of demographic information, will be expanded nationwide, including cities and provinces with high COVID-19 case counts.
Initial registration for the national ID was delayed early last year due to the lockdown and quarantine restrictions. The PSA began step one in late 2020, pre-registering 10.5 million people in 32 priority cities and provinces chosen for their low infection rates.
“(The small-scale rollout) allows us to ensure our system’s functionality and security before a bigger deployment, and to put in place strict health and safety protocols at our registration centers,” he added.
Those who completed the first step of registration will be scheduled in batches to go to their assigned registration centers with supporting documents and appointment slips to proceed with the biometrics collection.
During the second step, the PSA said representatives from Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to help registrants open bank accounts, helping meet some of the national ID’s other goals — expanding financial inclusion and enabling the direct deposit of cash aid.
“Our collaboration with PSA significantly advances… greater financial inclusion. Through LANDBANK accounts, we can reach and provide financial services and government support interventions to as many underserved and unbanked Filipinos nationwide,” LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo said in the same statement.
The third and final step of the registration process involves the issuance of the unique, PhilSys Number (PSN), one of the system’s key features, and the actual physical card, formally called the “PhilID.”
“The PSN is randomly generated and will serve as a permanent identification number for every registrant which can be used for digital transactions. PSA partnered with PHLPost for the delivery of the PSN and PhilID to successful registrants,” the PSA said.
The 32 priority, low-risk areas identified by the government are: Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon province, Rizal, Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo City, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu City, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Compostella Valley, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental and Tawi-Tawi.
Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act signed in August 2018 provides for a single identification system for all citizens and does away with the need to register for multiple government-issued IDs.
The PSA aims to register over 40 million people this year and more than 90 million by June 2022, when the government is due to step down. — Beatrice M. Laforga
Finance dep’t flags inflation risk from calamities, wants other provinces to also cultivate vegetables
THE Department of Finance (DoF) said the December uptick in inflation highlighted the vulnerability of the food supply to calamities, and called for the development of other vegetable-growing regions to guard against any disruptions to the transport links or storm damage to intensively-farmed areas.
In an economic bulletin Monday, the DoF attributed the 3.5% inflation reading in December to the surge in prices of vegetables and meat, which rose 19.7% and 10% year on year, respectively.
“Vegetable supplies were dented by the successive typhoons that swept the country during the last quarter. Meat was adversely affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF),” it said.
The price of rice also rose 0.1%, completely reversing the 4.45% decline seen the year prior, after rice-growing regions such as the Cagayan Valley and Bicol sustained serious damage from typhoons and flooding in November.
“The (Department of Agriculture’s) food programs may have to be re-strategize so that unaffected regions can supply alternative supplies of vegetables to typhoon-battered regions immediately after a typhoon,” the DoF said.
Last month’s inflation number pushed the 2020 average to 2.6%, up from 2.5% in 2019 but well within the central bank’s 2-4% target.
To address the rising price of meat, the DoF also called on the DA to roll out a “stronger program to stamp out” ASF.
In a statement Monday, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the DA has signed partnerships with two organizations to curb the spread of ASF and help restore the hog population.
Mr. Dar said the Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company and the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners will also help implement a local ASF surveillance system to help with early detection of the disease.
The DA had yet to respond to requests for comment at deadline time. — Beatrice M. Laforga