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Tips for holiday travelers as new US consumer protections kick in

CLAUDIO SCHWARZ-UNSPLASH

NEW YORK — If you thought last year’s holiday travel was insane, well, buckle your seatbelt.

American Automobile Association projects 79.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from their home over Thanksgiving, an increase of 1.7 million over last year. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says this could make for some of the busiest travel days in American history.

At airports, the crowds will put a lot of stress on the system: Security lines, staffing shortages, equipment snafus, potential delays and cancellations.

But there is good news for consumers: New rules and regulations are designed to make it easier for travelers to get compensated when things go wrong.

Here are tips from the experts.

1. ENJOY NO-HASSLE REFUNDS

Previously, if your flight was screwed up and you wanted a refund, you may have been out of luck.

But now this entitlement has been codified into law.

“If there is a snowstorm in Chicago and you can’t get to Thanksgiving dinner, airlines should now offer a refund automatically without making you jump through hoops,” says John Breyault, travel expert for the National Consumers League.

A caveat: This only applies if you want a refund rather than being rebooked to your destination. If you file for a refund and then have to book a new last-minute ticket, it could end up costing you through the nose.

Other factors to know: The new rules only apply to flights booked after Oct. 28. And the rules only kick in when there is a “significant delay” of at least three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international one.

2. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR NOTIFICATIONS

Turning your phone off or leaving it on silent mode? Big mistake.

“Make sure the airline can text and e-mail you, and install their app on your phone,” says Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the advocacy group US Public Interest Research Group.

“Because if something is going on, you need to know about it quickly — and if you don’t respond to them, it’s on you.”

3. CHECK THE DASHBOARD

When it comes to meal or hotel vouchers for disrupted flights, the airlines all have different commitments that they have made to the Department of Transportation.

“It is up to the airlines to decide their own policies, but they do have to say what they will do for passengers in case of delays,” says Mr. Breyault. “And that is enforceable by law.”

Find that information on the consumer dashboard FlightRights.gov, which lists exactly what you can expect from the nation’s top 10 carriers. Ideally, do your research long before you go to the airport, so you are prepared if chaos hits.

Keep in mind that there is a difference between “controllable” events and those that are not. Staffing or maintenance problems are considered controllable, for instance. But a hurricane obviously isn’t. So in that case the airline would not have the same obligations to the traveler.

4. ASK — NICELY

Customer service responses from airlines are rarely uniform: How smooth your experience is after a problem may depend on the individual you are dealing with.

Remember that the airline representative is a person doing their job and likely is as stressed out as you are. So be polite, Ms. Murray says.

“That person you are talking to didn’t cause your travel problem — so don’t be nasty,” Ms. Murray says. — Reuters

Tala looks to expand customer base to 10M in next three years

TALA PHILIPPINES is eyeing to grow its customer base to 10 million within the next three years as it also seeks to widen its reach to other Southeast Asian markets.

“Where we are at the moment globally, we would like to be in the Philippines in three years from now, so at around 10 million customers,” Tala Philippines General Manager Moritz Gastl said at a briefing on Wednesday.

The financial technology company currently has over three million customers in the Philippines and over 10 million worldwide.

“We still believe that it’s about improving and increasing reach — so, reaching more customers in the Philippines with our existing product, because we do feel that it provides a lot of value and that means really going deeper into certain market segments,” he added.

Tala has disbursed over P100 billion worth of loans in the Philippines, with 500,000 loans granted globally on a monthly basis.

Apart from the Philippines, Tala is also looking to expand its presence in other markets in the region.

“We are actually expanding to other markets in Southeast Asia in the next year or so,” Tala Philippines Senior Marketing Manager Missy de Rivera-Santos said.

“We have proven in several markets now that our model works, that its a very successful product, our customers like the product and therefore we are slowly looking at expanding this to other countries,” Mr. Gastl added.

He said they are closely looking at Vietnam as their next potential destination.

“But we have no rush. We still feel like there is a large opportunity in the Philippines. You think there’s so many players, but in reality, there are still massive gaps in the market,” Mr. Gastl added.

Tala is also working on expanding its product line in the next few years to cater to segments such as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), he said.

“We look at specific segments and potentially structure new products around these segments. These MSMEs, they’re currently using the Tala loan to buy inventory. Luckily, our product is flexible enough to allow for that, but an inventory loan is a different loan product from the product that we have at the moment.”

Roughly 38% of Tala’s borrowers are informal MSMEs, he said, but noted that it is difficult to estimate the exact number given how broad the sector is.

“Over time, we really hope, in the next one or two years, we hope to actually have a dedicated product for larger product segments,” Mr. Gastl added.

Tala currently offers a flexible credit line capped at P25,000, but they are looking at raising this limit in the future.

“We will certainly increase that further, but we are focusing a lot on giving customers access in the first place,” Mr. Gastl said.

“We are aware that sometimes P1,000 may not be enough, but at least it’s a way in the door.”

Over time, Tala is planning to upgrade its credit limit to ideally P50,000, he said.

“At some point, maybe even P100,000 at cheaper rates than what we’re offering at the moment, but this is really something more like a three-year plan because over time we need to learn more about the customer and give them better loans,” he added.

Tala will also continue to focus on credit alone, Mr. Gastl said.

“We’re not positioning ourselves to be like the next super app that has a lot of other features. The focus is really on there’s a massive need for credit. Customers are underserved. We want to make sure that we give a good credit product at a good price to the right customers,” he added.

Tala is also working on offering QR payments, which will soon be available to clients.

“We still have a lot of work to do in terms of our industry in general. People don’t always have a positive relationship to credit in the Philippines, and that’s really something that we’re trying to overturn,” Mr. Gastl said.

FINANCIAL LITERACY
To improve credit perception, Tala offers various initiatives on financial literacy to educate Filipinos on credit use and financial management.

It is also currently working with the Atlantic Council Geoeconomics Center for a research partnership on the “global majority.” The global majority mainly refers to women, children, MSMEs and individuals that make up the largest percent of the population, but are more likely to be unbanked and underserved, according to Tala.

“It doesn’t just end with a bunch of data and numbers, but really it sets the groundwork as a reference to influence policy,” Ms. de Rivera-Santos said.

This would also ensure that “investors and stakeholders can actually use this information to create a more inclusive, financially inclusive industry here in the Philippines,” she added.

Tala Philippines External Affairs Director Arianne Ferrer noted the gaps in knowledge on the state of finance in the Philippines.

“That’s what we’re working with this entity to study more about. What are the metrics? How do we make sure these standards of measurement are consistent throughout countries and throughout regions? Because there’s so much data that’s not adequately captured by existing mechanisms.”

The research could help the industry develop frameworks that can be used in the future, she added.

“It’s really the beginning of a conversation, and we’ll try to get various stakeholders in the public sector and the private sector. It’s really getting everybody on the same page and collaborating research, active engagement with the community,” Ms. Ferrer said. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

National Government fiscal performance

THE NATIONAL Government’s (NG) fiscal position swung to a surplus in October, driven by a 23% jump in revenues, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Wednesday. Read the full story.

National Government fiscal performance

How PSEi member stocks performed — November 27, 2024

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

Gov’t urged to act on ‘water crisis,’ ex-Public Works secretary says

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT needs to improve its execution on water management issues and address delays caused by right-of-way (RoW) acquisition, a former Public Works secretary said.

“We are facing what I refer to as the cycle of destruction because we are not properly addressing the water crisis,” Rogelio L. Singson told reporters Wednesday.

“Water is not rocket science. Unfortunately, the funds are not being used properly. It’s sad to say that the funds are there, but they are not being used the right way,” he added.

He said much of the funding is wasted because the right projects are not being pursued.

“What is happening now is we have the wrong project, the wrong cost, and the wrong quality. So, the money is wasted,” he added.

On the topic of right-of-way acquisition, he said that all the government infrastructure projects are experiencing delays due to RoW issues.

“The funds are there, no doubt. There are RoW funds. But for them to be able to use that, the documentation should be complete,” he said.

“If the documentation is not complete, which identifies who will pay and how much, how can you obligate the funds? So, (the funds) are being reverted,” he added. 

He called for specialists dealing with RoW in every infrastructure agency.

“We need a dedicated team and a lot of help coming from the local government units (LGUs). If the LGUs do not accept the project, nothing will happen. So, the LGU must accept the project,” he said.

The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council has identified the amendments to the RoW Act as among the priority bills for passage within the 19th Congress.

However, Mr. Singson said that amending the bill should not be the top priority.

“The law is already there. You can already pay RoW based on market value,” he said.

“But what I suggest is to pay them based on market and replacement value,” he added.

He said that this will allow the landowners to buy land and rebuild their homes once they relocate.

“(Replacement value) is easy to calculate. It is just a measurement — what is the home made of — concrete or wood?” he added.

Mr. Singson, who is the former president of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., was recognized by the Management Association of the Philippines as the Management Person of the Year 2024.

Cement firms seek anti-dumping duties for more Vietnam exports

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

CEMENT manufacturers have requested a review of the anti-dumping duties on specific types of cement from Vietnam in a bid to expand the measure to other types of cement and other manufacturers, the Tariff Commission said.

In a notice Wednesday, the commission said it commenced an investigation on the matter in Nov. 27, with a preliminary conference scheduled for Dec. 6.

The investigation covers the anti-dumping duties imposed on imports of ordinary Portland cement type 1 and blended cement type 1P from Vietnam.

According to the regulator, it received recommendations and endorsements from the Secretary of Trade and Industry regarding requests by domestic manufacturers.

Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc., Holcim Philippines, Inc., and CEMEX Holdings Philippines, Inc. requested a review of the scope of the anti-dumping measure. 

In particular, the cement industry requested an interim review of the anti-dumping duty on the two cement types to include blended cement type 1T, among others.

A foreign exporter, NCL Trading Joint Stock Co., also requested a review of the anti-dumping duty against ordinary Portland cement type 1 from Vietnam.

“Considering that both requests for interim review raised issues involving common questions of law or fact, said requests shall be consolidated and only one interim review shall be undertaken by the commission,” according to the notice.

“The domestic industry shall be considered as the petitioner for the consolidated requests,” it added.

Through a department order dated Dec. 16, 2022, the Department of Trade and Industry imposed anti-dumping duties on ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 and Blended Cement Type 1P imports from Vietnam for five years. 

This was later updated in a department order dated Feb. 14, 2023.

In March 2023, the Bureau of Customs posted Customs Memorandum Order 05-2023, which imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on the imports from Vietnam, ranging from 2.33% to 23.33% depending on the company. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Agricultural trade deficit tops $3 billion in Q3

REUTERS

THE agricultural goods trade was in deficit by $3.01 billion in the third quarter, widening by 1.5% year-on-year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In a report, the PSA said agricultural trade — the sum of exports and imports — rose 12.1% to $6.69 billion, reversing an 11.8% year-earlier decline.

Agricultural exports rose 21.8% to $1.97 billion for the three months to September, accounting for 10.3% of total exports.

Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products, prepared edible fats and animal or vegetable waxes were the top agricultural exports, accounting for 29.5% of the total with a value of $583.43 million.

Farm products shipped to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries accounted for 8.7% of total exports and were valued at $239.85 million.

Malaysia was the Philippines’ top export market for farm goods, accounting for $121.13 million or 50.5% of the Philippines’ farm exports to ASEAN.

Animal or vegetable fats and oils, followed by tobacco, and edible fruits and nuts were the top farm export to ASEAN.

Shipments to the European Union (EU) made up 19.4% of all agricultural exports, and were valued at $410.78 million.

The top destination for Philippine farm products was the Netherlands which took in $185.71 million, or 45.2% of all farm exports to the EU.

Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products, prepared edible fats and animal or vegetable waxes were the top agricultural exports to the region.

The PSA reported that imports of agricultural goods rose 8.7% year on year to $4.99 billion in the three months to September.

Cereals remained the top agricultural import in the third quarter at 21% of the total, valued at $1.05 billion.

Imports from the EU amounted to $450.29 million or 24.6% of farm imports by value.

Spain was the top EU supplier of farm goods, accounting for $112.93 million or 24.3% of overall farm imports.

Meat and edible meat offal were the top imports from the EU, followed by dairy, eggs, honey, and prepared animal fodder. — Adrian H. Halili

Meat importers support use of seized frozen meat, seafood for calamities

REUTERS

THE Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) said seized frozen meat and seafood need to go into a reserve stockpile for use in emergencies, if the shipments are proven safe for human consumption.

“Since meat and seafood that are properly frozen and stored do not pose any health concerns, such products can constitute a reserve stock of protein to be tapped and utilized in emergency situations,” MITA President Emeritus Jesus C. Cham said in a joint statement with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Board.

Earlier, the Department of Agriculture (DA) urged the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to release 580 metric tons of seized frozen mackerel for use in relief operations for typhoon victims.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to conduct tests on the seized frozen fish.

“The seized mackerel underwent laboratory testing and were found to be fit for human consumption. We urge the competent authority to declare and certify the same as wholesome,” Mr. Cham added.

He said that the DA should attempt to put to use all frozen meat and seafood seized by the BoC or abandoned by importers.

He added that both agencies should enter into a memorandum of understanding to formalize procedures.

“They should likewise be declared wholesome if tested and found to be fit for human consumption,” he said.

Mr. Cham added that such a move could boost the government’s food security efforts and decrease food waste.

He said that products should be tested and taken out of port within two months of seizure or abandonment.

“In this manner, port congestion can be avoided, and costs of electricity, storage and demurrage can be lessened,” he added.

Republic Act 12022 or the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, seeks to deter the smuggling or hoarding of farm products. The law classifies agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and engaging in a cartel as economic sabotage. — Adrian H. Halili

SRA considering import clearance fee hike for alternative sweeteners

REUTERS

THE SUGAR Regulatory Administration (SRA) said that it is studying an increase in import clearance fees for alternative sweeteners.

“Our (intent) is to gather accurate data on how much are entering and then what is entering. The charges for import clearances are very minimal,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis S. Azcona told reporters.

He said the planned fee hike for high fructose corn syrup is P30 per equivalent bag of sugar and P10 per equivalent bag for all other sweeteners.

Tariff Code  17.02 of the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature sets tariffs only for high fructose corn syrup.

Mr. Azcona added that a Sugar Order (SO) has been drafted and is up for review by the SRA board.

Mr. Azcona said the SRA is looking to approve the SO by next month with a potential effectivity date of January.

He added that industrial users of alternate sweeteners have also been consulted on the increase in import clearance fees.

“We explained to them that we are first data gathering, and then in the future we will (discuss other policies),” he said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. has ordered an investigation into the entry of other sweeteners after meeting with the sugar industry. Producers have said such imports compete with cane sugar.

The regulator was tasked to look into the actual volumes of other sweeteners and, if warranted, require them to acquire clearances as well.

Additionally, Mr. Azcona said that the SRA is also seeking to address imports of artificial sweeteners.

“We would want to also monitor the volumes coming in. Based on our information it is quite large, between 200,000 to 300,000 tons,” he added.

He said that the regulator will also study the health issues related to artificial sweeteners in potential collabortion with the Department of Health. — Adrian H. Halili

Tourism industry urged to look beyond ‘fun’ and develop non-traditional visitor offerings

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE tourism industry must start developing other potential attractions beyond the usual fun and adventure-oriented offerings, presenting visitors a diversified and “multi-dimensional” experience, Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said at the BusinessWorld Forecast 2025 forum on Tuesday.

“Applying a multi-dimensional approach towards tourism development will make the Philippines not solely and singularly dependent on fun and adventure,” Ms. Frasco said at forum on Tuesday.

Other elements of this approach include improving connectivity, infrastructure, and liberal entry requirements, she said, enabling the Philippines to present to visitors attractions that “we have not yet fully been able to share with the world.”

The Department of Tourism is making a major push to develop non-traditional visitor offerings like gastronomy, health, and wellness.

In the next decade, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts Philippine travel and tourism to raise its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) to P9.5 trillion a year, or nearly 22% of economic output.

“On the aspect of infrastructure, we are pleased that with the President’s very clear articulation that tourism is a priority, the airports here in Manila have now been privatized and are in the process of improvement,” she said.

She also noted plans to expand port infrastructure, terminals, roads and bridges.

The government plans to spend 5-6% of GDP on infrastructure annually.

She cited the need for less restrictive entry requirements for visitors.

“The trend that we saw post-pandemic among our ASEAN neighbors is first, the liberalization of visa policy, (including) an electronic component to applying for a visa, or providing visas on arrival.”

“The Philippines still faces the challenge of not being as liberalized and this we foresee to be a continuing challenge,” she added.

She said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration are working to set up an “efficient, fully functioning, and effective electronic visa travel system for the Philippines.” — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Balisacan touts competition policy as tool for boosting economic efficiency

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE GOVERNMENT needs to push competition policy and legislation to make the economy more efficient as companies gear up to enter international markets, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

“Competition policy can be used to improve how markets work, even as businesses scale up their operations,” he said during webinar organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tuesday.

Mr. Balisacan was one of the editors of the ADB’s “Designing Competition Policy for Economic Development in Asia and the Pacific” report.

The report singled out market rules or structures that confer unfair advantages to certain businesses, limit consumer choices, reduce product and service quality, and lead to higher prices.

“Just to be sure, nothing is inherently wrong with bigness or dominance, but it must not be abused or used to foreclose competitors in both input and output markets,” he added.

He warned of the risks of “picking winners,” resulting in significant waste in the allocation of scarce public resources and worsening inequality.

He said the Philippine approach to promoting competition includes the Konektadong Pinoy bill, which seeks to make internet access more affordable and equitable even in remote areas by removing barriers to entry in data transmission.

However, the report noted that government policy may itself be the source of anticompetitive practices.

He cited the example of the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry, which issues import permits for onions to a few large importers, giving them significant market power. 

In terms of mergers and anti-competitive conduct involving multinational corporations, the ADB report cited the Grab acquisition of Uber in Southeast Asia, which prompted the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore to sign a memorandum of understanding for cross-border cooperation.

The PCC was set up in 2015 and became fully operational in 2018.

It is a quasi-judicial body empowered to regulate anticompetitive behavior and review mergers and acquisitions that may reduce competition.

“In the Philippines, we are able to advocate for pro-competitive policy decisions. However, the challenge lies in creating governance mechanisms that institutionalize this practice so that we do not have to rely solely on individuals,” Mr. Balisacan said.

Industrial policy can be harnessed to promote scale without favoring any one particular group or business, he added.

Mr. Balisacan said competition policy can aid ease of doing business, punish cartels and those abusing their market dominance, and object to mergers and acquisitions that tend to reduce competition.

“While regulatory agencies are given their respective mandates under different laws and statutes there is an overarching framework provided the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028,” PCC Commissioner Lolibeth Ramit-Medrano said.

The PDP is the national blueprint for economic and social development.

She cited chapter 10 of the PDP which tackles the promotion of competition and improvement of regulatory efficiency.

“We have constructive engagement and productive working relationships with a lot of these regulators,” she said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

PHL obtains World Bank financing to rehab calamity-damaged schools

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINES has signed a funding agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), an arm of the World Bank, to rebuild over 3,000 schools damaged by typhoons, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

The Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools Project seeks to repair, rehabilitate, retrofit, and reconstruct damaged school facilities affected by natural hazards between 2019 and 2023 outside Metro Manila.

In a statement, the DoF said the total financing package was $555.56 million and 466.07 million euros, with counterpart funds supplied by the government.

The agreement was signed by Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto and World Bank Group Country Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei Zafer Mustafaoğlu on Nov. 18.

This project will run until 2029 and be run by the Department of Education in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“I thank the World Bank for being a trusted partner in our journey towards climate resilience and economic security. Damaged school buildings directly threaten this goal, as these spaces are where we shape our nation’s most valuable asset—our youth,” Mr. Recto said.

He said the damage to the schools interferes with the work of both students and educators and weakens human capital and productivity, worsening poverty.

“Hence, we are prioritizing investments in resilient school buildings to secure a better future for our children and our country,” Mr. Recto said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

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