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Entertainment News (10/13/20)

Nicole Asensio to launch new song, ‘Poblacion’

NICOLE Laurel Asensio, having just released her single “Silong” under Warner Music Group, is scheduled to release her next single, an original composition entitled “Poblacion” featuring members of the A.M.P. Bigband and Parokya Ni Edgar’s Chito Miranda with a short-film music video starring Cherie Gil. “Poblacion” will be launched on Spotify on Oct. 16 and on Facebook Live on Oct. 17. The song is about a night out at the bars in Poblacion, Makati where Ms. Asensio has lived since 2007.

New Pinoy folk song tackles fruits

WHILE there is a song about local vegetables — “Bahay Kubo” — and the coconut — “Da Coconut Nut” — there was no song about fruits. To make up for this lack, National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab and lyricist Noel Ferrer came up with “Prutas Pilipinas,” performed by The Company. The song, created in collaboration with local juice brand, Locally, features rhymes and riddles about homegrown fruits, both the familiar and the less known. “Prutas Pilipinas” not only names popular fruits, like mangoes, melons, and grapes but also more unique ones like chico, mangosteen, and dragonfruit. The song also mentions how nutritious and good these local fruits are. It has three versions — the first is the main song which has already been released and is quickly growing in popularity on Spotify. Set to be released soon, the second version integrates a little bit of “bugtungan”— riddles — at the song’s beginning, while the third version is short and easy to memorize, made to be shared in schools nationwide through the Department of Education. “Prutas Pilipinas” is available for streaming on Spotify at this link: https://rb.gy/yp1nc5, and soon, on YouTube. Locally is NutriAsia’s first venture into beverages. Locally juices are available in all leading convenience stores and supermarkets. For more information, visit @Locally_PH on Instagram and Facebook.

Kubra Commander debuts first official single ‘The Now’

KUBRA Commander, which has joined indie record label Lilystars Records’ roster of music acts, has released its latest single “The Now,” a brooding, post-punk number. The Cebu-based psychedelic rock outfit has been making waves online since the release of its breakthrough track, “On Your Left,” which made it to CNN’s 8 New Local Releases for your Listening Pleasure and earned a glowing review from indie music website, Flying Lugaw. “The Now” will be part of Kubra Commander’s upcoming new album, Rhythm Tourists, to be released in 2021.

The Mall the Merrier now on WeTV and iflix

THE VICE Ganda-Anne Curtis comedy movie The Mall, The Merrier can now be streamed on WeTV VIP and iflix VIP. Directed by Barry Gonzalez, based on a screenplay by Daisy Cayanan, the film follows the story of siblings Moira/Moises Molina (Vice Ganda) and Morissette “Setset” Molina (Anne Curtis) who get caught up in a bitter feud when they become the heirs of the family property, Tamol Mall. Upping the ante is the arrival of Aunt Moody (Dimples Romana) who is set to stake her claim as well. Things start to get shady at the mall when mysterious events start to happen and the mannequins and toys come alive after dark. The movie marks the first time that Anne Curtis and Vice Ganda co-starred in a film together, apart from being co-hosts on a popular noontime show. Rounding out the cast are Elisse Joson, Jameson Blake, and Ruffa Gutierrez. The Mall, The Merrier emerged as one of the big hits out of the Metro Manila Film Festival last year. All the mall scenes were shot in the iconic Harrison Plaza before it closed at the end of 2019. Both the iflix and WeTV apps are available on the App Store and on Google Play.

Dominic Chin releases debut EP

SINGAPOREAN pop artist Dominic Chin released his debut EP “License to Cry,” via indie label Umami Records on Oct. 9. The seven-track EP is a diverse collection of songs that document the early stages of self-discovery in Chin’s life, in his efforts to articulate his struggles and explore different sounds. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter creates music with his distinct voice and a blend of electro-pop, soul and R&B. He started covering songs on YouTube in 2010, and his channel has more than 9,200 subscribers and 1.3M views. His songs have been featured on major Spotify editorial playlists including “Electro Mix” and “Singapore’s Top Acts.”

What are consumers’ spending plans in the 4th quarter?

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How PSEi member stocks performed — October 12, 2020

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Monday, October 12, 2020.

PSEi posts gains as China cuts risk reserve ratio

By Denise A. Valdez, Senior Reporter

THE MAIN INDEX closed with gains on Monday as investors’ attention remained glued to foreign events due to the lack of a strong local catalyst.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) picked up 5.44 points or 0.09% to close at 5,937.05 on Monday, while the wider all shares index increased 7.97 points or 0.22% to end at 3,571.82. The index hit an intraday high of 5,954.47 and a low of 5,910.73.

Due to the absence of a local impetus during trading hours, the market’s movement was predominantly driven by international events on Monday, Timson Securities, Inc. Trader Darren T. Pangan said.

“The index ended on green territory… as market participants watched the Chinese yuan closely, after the People’s Bank of China moved to lower the currency’s forward reserve requirements over the weekend,” he said in a text message.

China’s central bank said it will lower the reserve requirement ratio for financial institutions when conducting some foreign exchange forwards trading to zero with effect from Monday, Reuters reported.

Under current rules, financial institutions must set aside 20% of the previous month’s yuan forwards settlement amount as foreign exchange risk reserves.

Hopes for additional fiscal stimulus in the United States also helped lift investor sentiment on Monday, Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said.

“The PSEi started slightly higher as investors remained optimistic over prospects for another round of fiscal stimulus from (US) Congress eventually,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile message.

Back home, investors continued to wait for significant developments in the national budget talks, which are scheduled to resume this week, Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Claire T. Alviar said in a text message.

“Possible 2021 budget passage delay would give negative sentiment in the market,” she said.

Most sectoral indices ended Monday’s session with gains. Mining and oil rose 202.21 points or 3.08% to 6,766; property added 21.84 points or 0.79% to 2,754.72; industrials increased 42.60 points or 0.53% to 7,974.14; services climbed 6.05 points or 0.41% to 1,461.77; and financials inched up 2.71 points or 0.23% to 1,162.41.

The sole declining index was holding firms, which fell 38.15 points or 0.61% to 6,164.53 at the close of trading.

Value turnover on Monday stood at P5.34 billion with 11.13 billion issues switching hands, lower than Friday’s P5.63 billion worth of 9.16 billion issues.

Advancers outnumbered decliners, 105 against 96, while 42 names ended unchanged.

Foreign investors recorded their 22nd straight day of net selling worth P436.79 million on Monday, lower than Friday’s P676.51 million. — with Reuters

Peso weakens as market awaits 2021 budget approval

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Monday as the market waits for developments in the 2021 national budget deliberations and amid stimulus hopes in the United States.

The local unit closed at P48.47 versus the dollar on Monday, down by 16.5 centavos from its P48.305 finish last Friday.

The peso opened Monday’s session at P48.35 against the greenback. It logged an intraday high of P48.33 per dollar but closed at its worst showing for the day.

Dollars traded rose to $600.35 million on Monday from $562.37 million last  Friday.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the peso declined amid anticipation of the continuation of deliberations on the 2021 national budget in Congress.

“The peso was weaker as the markets await the progress on the 2021 national budget with special Congressional sessions scheduled on October 13-16 to ensure the timely passage of the 2021 national budget amid changes in the House Speaker position,” Mr. Ricafort said in a text message.

Meanwhile, a trader said in an e-mail that the peso weakened after US President Donald J. Trump announced he wants a bigger stimulus to boost the world’s largest economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The trader said this caused investors to prefer the dollar over the peso.

The Trump administration on Sunday called on the US Congress to pass a stripped-down coronavirus relief bill using leftover funds from an expired small-business loan program, as negotiations on a broader package ran into resistance, Reuters reported.

The administration proposal, which Democrats dismissed as inadequate, was the latest twist in on-again, off-again talks to try to secure more stimulus, as the economy struggles to recover from coronavirus-related shutdowns that threw millions of Americans out of work.

Mr. Trump on Friday offered a $1.8-trillion coronavirus relief package. That came days after he abruptly called off negotiations until after the Nov. 3 election in which he is seeking reelection.

For today, Mr. Ricafort sees the peso moving from P48.40 to P48.55 versus the dollar, while the trader expects it to range from P48.45 to P48.55. — KKTJ with Reuters

Cayetano ousted as Speaker in rogue session

ALAN PETER S. CAYETANO was ousted as Speaker on Monday after a number of congressmen declared his post vacant at a session held outside the House of Representatives.

The lawmakers elected Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Q. Velasco as Speaker in keeping with a term-sharing deal brokered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte that both lawmakers agreed to last year.

Mr. Velasco in a statement said 186 congressmen voted to install him as Speaker, either through Zoom Meetings app or physically at a sports plaza just five kilometers from the House of Representatives complex in Quezon City.

The congressmen moved the meeting from the House building after Mr. Cayetano allegedly refused to open the plenary hall. Under House rules, lawmakers can only elect a new Speaker during a session.

The lawmakers had a version of the House mace — the symbol of authority of the chamber — that should be present during sessions.

Majority of the lawmakers came from the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Partylist Coalition Foundation, Inc. Several members of the ruling PDP-Laban also joined the ouster.

“It has been a difficult journey to get to where we are, one fraught with many frustrations and complications, but then we are all here, and this is a testament to our indomitable spirit and our collective commitment to honoring our word,” Mr. Velasco told his colleagues.

“This is not the triumph of one, this is the triumph of everyone who believes that a promise is a promise,” he added.

He thanked Mr. Duterte and his children — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte — as well as Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, the president’s former aide.

His election came a day before Congress convenes for a special session to discuss the 2021 national budget.

Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda, who earlier supported Mr. Cayetano, joined the voting in Quezon City. He told reporters in a Viber group message 111 congressmen attended the physician session.

“Even if I resign, the deputy speakers shall be the one to assume the speakership, not him,” Mr. Cayetano, who has rejected the term-sharing, told a news briefing. “That’s bastardization of the Constitution.”

After Mr. Cayetano’s ouster, his camp released a manifesto supposedly signed by 200 lawmakers who said the term-sharing deal had become moot after a majority of them rejected his resignation.

He cast doubt on the validity of Mr. Velasco’s speakership, saying his rival’s camp might have fabricated the numbers. “Or maybe they have flying voters.”

The House has 299 members.

Congressmen on Tuesday approved next year’s P4.5-trillion national budget on second reading after Mr. Cayetano moved to terminate debates and sessions until Nov. 16.

This was supposed to prevent Mr. Velasco from trying to take control of the speakership on Oct. 14.

Under the term-sharing pact, Mr. Cayetano would be Speaker in the first 15 months of the 18th Congress, and Mr. Velasco would serve for the remaining 21 months.

Congressmen voted through loud ayes and nays on Zoom Cloud Meetings, but other lawmakers claimed their microphones had been muted during the session.

Instead of continuing plenary debates on the budget, Mr. Cayetano created a small committee that will consolidate proposed amendments during the break. Congress was supposed to suspend sessions on Oct. 17 and resume on Nov. 16 under its legislative calendar.

‘FED UP’
Some party-list congressmen earlier said legislative proceedings had been hijacked, noting that few lawmakers were allowed to go to the House plenary hall in Quezon City. Majority of House members attend sessions via Zoom amid a coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Duterte is sick of the politics at the House, his spokesman Harry L. Roque told an online news briefing on Monday.

“I don’t want to meddle in House politics,” he quoted the President as saying in Filipino. “I’m fed up. “What’s important is they pass the proposed 2021 budget,” Mr. Duterte reportedly said.

“What the President said is clear,” Mr. Roque said. “He is fed up. Let’s set aside the politics and prioritize the budget.”

Meanwhile, several members of the House Minority criticized the power struggle, saying vulnerable sectors would suffer because of the expected delay in approving next year’s appropriations.

“This is not a normal occurrence,” House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, Jr. said at an online news briefing called by his bloc. “Forget politics.”

The Management Association of the Philippines in a statement urged congressmen to set aside “personal political interests” to prevent a reenacted budget next year, which could weaken the government’s anti-coronavirus response.

“We call on our politicians to think of the country first and subordinate their personal  political interests to the public good,” it said in a statement. “Your duty as public servants demands no less and anything short is an extreme disservice to our people.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Gillian M. Cortez

Coronavirus infections nearing 343,000 as deaths rise to 6,332

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 3,564 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 342,816.

The death toll rose by 11 to 6,332, while recoveries increased by 150 to 293,152, it said in a bulletin.

There were 43,332 active cases, 83.9% of which were mild, 10.8% did not show symptoms, 1.7% were severe and 3.6% were critical.

Metro Manila reported the highest number of new cases with 1,344, followed by Cavite with 215, Laguna with 212, Rizal with 211 and Iloilo with 164, the agency said.

Of the new deaths, four came from the Davao region, three from the Calabarzon region, two from Ilocos and one each from Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

The country’s coronavirus death rate was at 1.85%, lower than 2.86% globally, while the infection rate was at 10.03%, higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) benchmark of less than 5%.

The virus reproduction number as of Sept. 27 was at 0.923. It takes 12 days for cases to double and 17 days for deaths to double, DoH said. More than 3.9 million individuals have been tested for the virus, it added.

Meanwhile, the WHO said governments could avoid large-scale lockdowns if health protocols are strictly enforced.

“We don’t view large lockdowns as the primary response,” WHO Country Representative Rabrindra Abeyasinghe told an online news briefing.

“The primary response should be a public health response and when this fails, when the health systems are being overwhelmed, it is necessary to use lockdowns as a last resort,” he said. “That is what we have been advocating right from the beginning.”

Mr. Abeyasinghe said early lockdowns had helped countries better prepare measures against the pandemic.

But countries should enforce safety standards such as social distancing and better hygiene, otherwise there could be a fresh surge in infections, he said.

Meanwhile, he said he hoped participants in the WHO’s solidarity vaccine trials set later this month could be increased to 4,000 from as few as 2,000.

“The larger the number of people being trialed, the sooner we could get evidence of its efficacy, safety, etc.,” Mr. Abeyasinghe said.

Also on Monday, DoH issued a memo on ventilation to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. People should conduct activities in open air as much as possible, it said.

The guidelines were created to lessen the transmission of the virus, which people could get from droplets and through direct contact.

“While evidence regarding airborne transmission of COVID-19 requires further study, ensuring adequate ventilation is a recommended precaution in enclosed spaces,” according to a copy of the memo. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

PDEA to burn a ton of seized drugs this week on President’s order

THE PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday said it would burn a ton of seized drugs later this week as ordered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Agents were ready to destroy the illegal drugs in Trese Martires, Cavite province on Thursday, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon told an online news briefing. PDEA has an illegal drug inventory of 2.82 tons worth about P15.1 billion, he said.

The agency had destroyed more than two tons of seized illegal drugs worth P13 billion as of Aug. 21, he said then.

Last week, Mr. Duterte said illegal drugs confiscated from various police operations should be destroyed as soon as possible so rogue cops couldn’t resell them.

Confiscated drugs must be destroyed as soon as they are reported in the inventory, based on a Supreme Court order. — Gillian M. Cortez

Nationwide round-up (10/12/20)

Bill on faster permit processing to get urgent stamp

THE MEASURE granting President Rodrigo R. Duterte special powers to expedite permit processing amid the coronavirus pandemic will be certified as urgent, a Palace official said. This comes as Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri requested that the bill be certified to have it passed on final reading before Congress suspends session from Oct. 17-Nov. 15. “May request ako, ‘yung ating (I have a request, the) emergency powers for the Ease of Doing Business, baka pwedeng ma-certify (perhaps it could be certified),” Mr. Zubiri asked Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea at a hearing. In response, Mr. Medialdea said the Office of the President (OP) will act on the request of the senator. Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, who chaired the finance subcommittee hearing, also confirmed the OP’s commitment. The lawmakers were referring to Senate Bill No. 1844, which is currently pending second reading in the chamber. A notice certifying a bill as urgent will allow Congress to pass the measure on second and third reading on the same day, doing away with the three-day interval. In its last version, the bill provides Mr. Duterte the authority to speed up and streamline the process for new permit applications as well as suspend or waive requirements. This was filed after Mr. Duterte consulted Congress for possible amendments to further reduce red tape. Mr. Medialdea was attending the hearing on the P8.239 billion OP budget for 2021, which is slightly higher than the P8.201 billion allocation this year. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Activist mother seeks furlough for baby’s funeral

DETAINED ACTIVIST Reina Mae Nasino asked a Manila regional trial court to allow her to attend her three-month old child’s wake and burial. Ms. Nasino on Monday filed the motion through her legal counsel from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL). Her daughter died of pneumonia on October 9, the same day she filed a motion for furlough to see the child at the hospital. That motion has yet to be acted upon by the court. “She implores, nay, pleads and begs, this Honorable Court to immediately give her the decent and humane chance to be with her baby daughter, whom she was not able to comfort and hold while in sickbed up to her dying hours, for the last time, and to properly grieve over her tragic and untimely passing,” she said in her latest motion. The NUPL also sent a letter to Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta appealing for possible intervention. “We are compelled solely by the circumstances to humbly bring this matter to your Honor’s attention for your information and for any appropriate action as you deem necessary and warranted,” the letter read. Ms. Nasino was among the more than 20 political prisoners who asked the Supreme Court in April to allow their release from jail on humanitarian grounds due to the coronavirus threat. The high court in July referred the case to the respective trial courts where the petitioners’ cases were pending, treating the lawsuit as an application for bail or recognizance. Ms. Nasino, charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives and currently detained at the Manila City Jail Female Dormitory, was pregnant when she was arrested on November 5, 2019. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Parts of Metro Manila flooded due to heavy rains from storm, monsoon

TROPICAL STORM Nika, with international name Nangka, was already out of the Philippine area as of Monday afternoon but it still brought heavy rains, combined with the southwest monsoon, to parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila. Parts of the nation’s capital were flooded, with some roads rendered impassable to all types of vehicles, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority. Weather bureau PAGASA said other affected parts of the country were the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), and the provinces of Camariñes, Mindoro, and Palawan, including Kalayaan, Calamian, and Cuyo Islands.

ANOTHER LPA
Meanwhile, a low pressure area (LPA) east of Mindanao is “likely to develop into a tropical depression within 48 hours,” according to PAGASA’s Monday afternoon advisory. As of 4 p.m., it was about 540 kilometers east of Surigao City in Surigao del Sur and moving northwest towards Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region. It will be named Ofel once it develops into a tropical depression.

Impassable

MMDA

The E. Rodriguez-G.Araneta intersection in Quezon City was flooded waist-deep  on Monday. The Metro Manila Development Authority issued a warning that it was impassable to all types of vehicles as of 5:16 p.m.

Regional Updates (10/12/20)

P154M released to Calabarzon hog raisers affected by ASF

INDEMNIFICATION for hog raisers affected by the onslaught of the African swine fever (ASF) in Calabarzon — composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon — has reached P153.96 million, according to the Agriculture department. In a statement on Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-A office said as of October 7, around 49,393 pigs owned by 6,644 growers had been culled and paid by the government as part of the livelihood intervention and support program. The regional office also distributed broiler chickens and mushroom production packages to affected farmers in the towns of Catanauan, Candelaria, and Sariaya in Quezon under its Recovery and Rehabilitation program for ASF-affected farmers. “The goal of this program is to provide an alternative source of livelihood for ASF-affected pig growers as they recover from severe damage and losses caused by ASF,” the DA said. As of late September, the DA said the death toll from the virus has reached 316,637 pigs since its detection in August 2019. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, ASF is a hemorrhagic viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. It poses no health risk to humans. A vaccine against the disease has yet to be developed. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Boracay tourism workers to get DoT fund for COVID-19 testing

BW FILEPHOTO

THE TOURISM department will provide P1.6 million to have Boracay workers undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing as more local tourists are anticipated to go on holiday at the popular island destination. “By supporting RT-PCR testing among workers in Boracay, the Department reiterates that safety is the unparalleled priority in reopening domestic tourism. “We want to restore confidence amongst travelers and protect their health and well-being as our tourism workers get their livelihood back,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement on Monday. Boracay was reopened to local visitors on October 1. The Department of Tourism, together with the World Health Organization and the Department of Health, also provided a P1.8 million fund to Baguio City in support of antigen testing for visitors in the mountain city. Baguio and provinces in Region 1 launched the first domestic tourism bubble also on Oct. 1. Ms. Puyat said the Tourism Promotions Board is undertaking more project for the rest of the year to assist destinations in terms of readiness with health and safety protocols. “All of these efforts by the DoT, our attached agencies, together with our partners in the public and private sector, support the President’s directive to boost the country’s domestic tourism. We are hopeful that, by reviving tourism with health and safety measures in place, the tourism industry will make it through the pandemic and be a strong catalyst for economic growth in the new normal,” Ms. Puyat said.

Davao City reimposes 7 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew until Dec. 31

DAVAO CITY Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered a return of curfew hours, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., until the end of the year following a recent spike in locally-transmitted coronavirus cases and in anticipation of a potential surge due to “after-work non-essential activities” with the coming Christmas holidays. In Executive Order (EO) No. 55, issued Monday and takes effect on Oct. 15, the mayor also cited that “there is a need to control the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in Davao City because of the full occupancy of the COVID-19 beds in the Southern Philippines Medical Center,” a government-owned facility that serves as the only COVID referral hospital in the city. Curfew exemptions cover only  medical frontliners, government workers on official duty, family members attending a wake, and those on an emergency situation. During the curfew period, drinking in public spaces as well as the disruptive use of private sing-along equipment are also banned. As of Oct. 10, the city had 499 active cases out of the total 2,363.

Labor dep’t to consult employers, workers on delayed 13th month pay

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will be meeting with the employers and workers’ groups to discuss the possibility of deferring the 13th month pay this year as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis continues to affect businesses.

In a briefing Monday, Labor Undersecretary Benjo Santos M. Benavidez said due to the “extraordinary times” there may be a need to consult both sides before deciding on a mutually-beneficial course of action.

“This is a delicate balancing act for the Department of Labor and Employment: timbangin ang interes ng manggagawa, timbangin ang interes ng employer (weigh the interest of workers and employers),” he said.

DoLE will be meeting with the sectoral representatives today to discuss the possibility of deferment and the extension of the period allowed to classify workers as temporarily displaced. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said last week he will release a department order soon on extending the maximum period of six months by three more months.

Payment of a 13th month pay is required under Presidential Decree No. 851.

Mr. Benavidez said there is no provision in the decree that allows employers to defer their payments. He added that a deferment will require a law to exempt distressed businesses that are not capable of paying their employees.

However, he added the implementing rules and regulations for the decree indicate that distressed employers can be exempted from making the payment altogether if they apply for an authorization from DoLE, which will examine whether they are qualified.

Section 3(a) of the implementing rules and regulations for Presidential Decree 851 exempts the following from making payments: “Distressed employers, such as (1) those which are currently incurring substantial losses or (2) in the case of non-profit institutions and organizations, where their income, whether from donations, contributions, grants and other earnings from any source, has consistently declined by more than forty (40%) percent of their normal income for the last two (2) years.”

Mr. Benavidez said in the last few years, no company has applied to DoLE for an exemption. — Gillian M. Cortez

DoTr signs deals with LANDBANK for road transport, rail projects

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it signed six agreements Monday with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to support various projects, including the distribution of cash subsidies to transport workers, financing to acquire modern jeepneys and buses, and testing the automatic fare collection system.

In a virtual signing, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan said the department will avail of LANDBANK’s appraisal services to acquire about 10 million square meters of land for use by the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

The second agreement, according to Mr. Batan, is to distribute cash benefits to individuals, communities, or businesses affected by the North–South Commuter Railway project.

“We need to ensure that they are compensated in a timely and orderly manner. That’s why the DoTr and the PNR are entering into a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with LANDBANK to facilitate the distribution of cash entitlements,” he said.

Three agreements were signed between the department and the state-run bank for the distribution of cash subsidies for public utility vehicle operators and their fuel needs, as well as to test the automatic fare collection system.

The DoTr and LANDBANK will lead the testing of the fare collection system, which will accept MasterCard EMV-compliant bank cards for jeepney and bus fares.

LANDBANK said it will start pilot-testing the cashless system in February and also serve as an issuer of the EMV-compliant cards.

The cards will be tested on 130 modernized jeepneys and buses with routes in Metro Manila, nearby provinces and Metro Cebu.

“Itong card na ito pwedeng gamitin sa supermarkets retail stores at online payments. Interoperable po ito dahil pwedeng gamitin sa ATMs para mag-withdraw, pwede rin for bill payment at fund transfer sa accounts ng ibang tao (This card can be used for retail purchases and online payments, as an ATM card, for bill payments and fund transfers to other people),” LANDBANK Vice-President and Head of Card and Electronic Banking Randy Montesa said.

They also signed an agreement for LANDBANK to finance the acquisition of modernized jeepneys, with total funding of P3 billion.

The agreement also provides P3 billion for the acquisition by eligible cooperatives of modern buses in Metro Manila, according to Emmellie V. Tamayo, first vice-president and head of lending program management for LANDBANK. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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