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Tourism revenue target for 2020 set at P4.454 trillion

THE Department of Tourism has set a 2020 target of P4.454 trillion for tourism revenue, which if realized would exceed the 2019 estimated total by about 9.8%.

According to data obtained by BusinessWorld from the DoT last week, the estimated tourism revenue target for 2020 breaks down into inbound-tourism revenue of P661 billion and domestic-tourism receipts of P3.793 trillion.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat told reporters last week that in the nine months to September, tourism revenue was up 25% year-on-year.

She also said that the department is aiming to attract 9.2 million international visitors this year.

Ms. Puyat said the visitor targets are driven by more airport development projects which allow tourists to fly direct to their destinations, bypassing Manila’s congested airport.

The 2019 tourist arrivals target was 8.2 million. The DoT has said that the detailed report of visitor arrivals for 2019 will be released this month.

“The Tourism Chief has her eyes set on a record-breaking number of visitor arrivals, already besting the 7.1 million foreign visitors recorded in 2018,” the DoT said in a news release in December last year.

According to Ms. Puyat, tourists from South Korea, China, United States, and Japan are expected to remain the leading sources of visitors in 2020.

“For Japan, last August, tumaas ang tourist arrivals niya (tourism arrivals rose), so we are really courting the Japanese market and still the Korean market,” she added.

She said the DoT is allocating P480 million for the rehabilitation of Baguio City’s Burnham Park this year.

Ms. Puyat and Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade also signed a memorandum of agreement on behalf of the DoT and the Department of Transportation (DoTr) last week to “intensify infrastructure development that will support the development and promotion of tourism circuits across the country.”

Under the agreement, both departments will prioritize airport development programs in support of tourism development areas, monitor the progress of airport projects in such areas, and explore, develop and increase the value proposition of destinations “for sustainable tourism through the productive utilization of airport assets and route development.”

“We are happy that there are more airports opening: Clark, according to Secretary Tugade, will be at the latest July, Legazpi, of course that will help. And of course, when we have the approval of the consortium for the expansion of NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airports),” Ms. Puyat also told reporters.

She was referring to the new passenger terminal at Clark as well as the Bicol International airport in Daraga, Albay, in the Legazpi City area.

“We want the tourists not to go via NAIA but to go straight, so we have Mactan, Bohol and of course Clark and Bicol (airports),” she added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Justice department tightens visa rules for Chinese nationals

THE Department of Justice (DoJ) has tightened the rules on the issuance of visas to arriving Chinese nationals to prevent overstaying, Undersecretary Markk L. Perete said, amid reports of Chinese tourists ending up as illegal workers in the Philippines.

The agency will issue within the week a circular that will take effect immediately, he told reporters.

Mr. Perete said the changes in the visa-upon-arrival facility were made to avoid abuses. “We just put in more restrictions specifically because of the complaints that many are using that facility to obtain employment in the Philippines,” he said.

He also said that the government wants to prevent overstaying.

Mr. Perete said the visa upon arrival is open only to visitors, people on business trips, athletes and delegates to international conferences.

Under the new rules, Chinese nationals must now present their departure ticket form the Philippines. The visa will be valid for 30 days.

Mr. Perete said Chinese nationals coming in as tourists must have booked accommodations for their itinerary and the tour operator must be accredited and provide all the details of their stay.

A visa granted upon a tourist’s arrival cannot be converted into a work visa. It also can’t be extended, he said.

A visa given upon arrival expires once the Chinese national leaves the country, even if the length of stay is fewer than 30 days.

Mr. Perete said some Chinese tourists in the past had ended up working for Philippine offshore gaming operators.

The Philippines started issuing visas to Chinese nationals upon their arrival in 2017, in a bid to attract more tourists and investors from its neighbor.

They were allowed to stay for a month, and may extend this to six months.

The DoJ last year said the Immigration bureau was reviewing the rules on visa upon arrival, citing loopholes in the system.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has sought closer investment and trade ties with Beijing, including over resources in the disputed South China Sea, since he became president in June 2016. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Fuel marking volumes miss goal

THE government marked 1.1 billion liters of fuel last year, well below initial estimates, as it rolled out the measure billed as cutting down on tax avoidance in the industry.

The initial plan for the program was to mark 15 billion liters of petroleum products.

“[There were] 1.1 billion liters of fuel marked,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told reporters Friday.

Mr. Dominguez said tax authorities recently found “one company in Davao who was (under) P5 per liter. (I said, the fuel is) obviously smuggled or adulterated.”

Fuel is marked after tax is paid on its import or withdrawal from storage facilities. If fuel is found to be unmarked, it is considered prima facie evidence of smuggling or non-compliance with tax rules.

The government expects to generate an additional P10 billion worth of revenue from the BoC this year.

BIR issued revenue memorandum circular no. 2-2020 on Jan. 3, ordering all fuel stations across the country to submit a “sworn declaration statement of inventory as of Dec. 31, 2019” of all their petroleum products by Jan. 15.

“This report shall state whether the inventory has been marked or not to serve as the initial database for monitoring and field testing,” according to the memorandum.

The government will pay for the fuel marking fee of P0.06884 per liter during the first year of implementation.

The measure was authorized under Republic Act No. 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, which was implemented in January 2018. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Palay procurement funding in 2020 estimated at P53 billion

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said various agencies are expected to spend about P53 billion this year to purchase palay, or unmilled rice, in order to prop up farmgate prices and help farmers recover from sharp price drops last year.

“In all, this year we are looking at an initial P53 billion from the public sector composed of the NFA (National Food Authority), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), provincial LGUs (local government units) and farmers’ federations to buy palay at favorable prices,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement.

Rice prices fell after import restrictions were dropped under the Rice Tariffication Law, which took effect in March. Cheap imported grain pressured prices, reducing trader demand for domestic rice, which is sold by farmers in palay form.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the average price of palay fell 22.3% year-on-year in the first week of December.

“Starting this 2019-2020 dry season, we will buy aggressively from farmers, at P19 per kilo,” Mr. Dar said, citing the support price paid by the NFA as buyer of last resort.

He said that the NFA was instructed to fully utilize its annual P7-billion budget allotted for palay procurement, which should be rolled over at least twice, or up to P14 billion.

The DSWD is also setting aside P31 billion annually for the distribution of NFA rice to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or the 4Ps, instead of giving them directly the P600 rice allowance.

Mr. Dar said that provincial governments in the 30 major rice producing centers are also expected to continue their procurement activities, including top producers like Isabela and Nueva Ecija.

“They commit to allot an initial P6 billion for the purpose,” he noted.

Farmers’ federations from Isabela, Cagayan, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija also committed to purchase at least P2 billion worth of palay from their members. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

NBI autopsy shows Filipina housemaid was sexually abused

AN AUTOPSY by Philippine investigators showed that a Filipina allegedly killed in the hands of her employer was sexually abused, the Justice department said on Sunday.

“There were clear indications of sexual abuse,” Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters in a group message, citing the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) autopsy of Filipina housemaid Jeanelyn Villavende.

NBI agents will submit a report to him on Monday, he said.

NBI medico-legal division chief Ricardo Rodaje conducted the autopsy on Jan. 10 in Cotabato, near Ms. Villavende’s residence, Mr. Guevarra said.

The justice secretary ordered the autopsy last week and said government prosecutors would look at potential liabilities of the Filipina worker’s recruiters.

Ms. Villavende was allegedly beaten up, according to preliminary reports, while a certificate of embalmment from Kuwait showed she died from heart and respiratory failure due to injuries on her vascular system.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration this month stopped the deployment of Filipino housemaids to Kuwait after Ms. Villavende’s death and other reports of maltreatment.

Mr. Guevarra last week said the department could only provide legal assistance because Kuwaiti authorities have exclusive jurisdiction over the case.

Ms. Villavende’s body arrived in the Philippines on Jan. 8. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Congressman calls for national minimum wage hike

A CONGRESSMAN is pushing for a P650 national minimum wage, citing inflation concerns and inequitable salaries of workers in various regions.

Kabayan Party list Rep. Ron P. Salo said he had filed a bill that calls for a national minimum wage and the abolition of the regional wage board system.

Mr. Salo said the cost of living in the provinces have also gone up, adding that wages in the private sector were getting behind.

Minimum wages in the Philippines follow a two-tiered system and the amount varies per region. Metro Manila enjoys the highest minimum wage in non-agriculture establishments at P537, while the Ilocos region’s minimum wage is P282 for agriculture workers.

The current wage system is determined by a Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board. The law allows wage hikes once a year.

A similar bill was filed in the previous Congress but it did not go beyond the committee level. — Gillian M. Cortez

USDA upgrades PHL 2020 pork output estimate

THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is projecting a 10% decrease in the Philippines pork production for 2020 due to the impact of African Swine Fever (ASF), though it upgraded a previous estimate made in October due to effective disease-containment measures.

“Production is forecast to fall 10% year-over-year due to ASF impacts,” USDA said in its Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report. The agency is projecting volume of 1.475 million MT for 2020, down from 2019’s 1.640 million MT.

It noted that the latest estimate represents a 5% upgrade of its October projection of 1.4 million MT due to “higher-than-expected hog supplies and fewer disease impacts.” Imports projection are projected to decline 14% this year while domestic consumption is expected to fall 5%, to 1.775 million MT.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said in December that ASF cases are tapering off amid various control measures like movement restrictions which have confined the outbreak to Luzon.

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), pigs culled have totaled 147,334 head as of December 15, of which 18% were infected by the virus and the rest disposed of as a precautionary measure.

The disease was found in 612 barangays in Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Tarlac, Rizal, Cavite, Pangasinan, and Metro Manila.

Hog raisers have said that the supply of pork is sufficient, as the culled pigs represent only a small portion of the entire herd, estimated at about 13.01 million head as of October.

ASF has also figured in upgraded estimates for chicken imports in 2020 as consumers avoid pork.

“Imports for 2019 are revised up 10% to 345,000 tons as consumers substitute chicken for pork following ASF outbreaks,” the USDA said. Domestic production is expected to increase 10% year-on-year to 1.6 million MT.

Domestic consumption of chicken is also expected to increase 11% year-on-year to 1.990 million MT. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Arthaland readies P3-billion green bonds by month’s end

By Denise A. Valdez

ARTHALAND Corp. is targeting the issuance of its P3-billion Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) green bonds before the end of January.

Leonardo T. Po, executive vice-president and treasurer of the listed niche property developer, told reporters last week the company is hoping to receive the permit to sell the bonds from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) soon.

“P6 billion is the total shelf registration. But we’re only activating P2 billion with an option to increase to P3 billion… We’re hoping to get it done by the end of this month,” he said.

Arthaland previously disclosed it plans to use proceeds from the bond issuance for its pipeline of green projects — a requirement by the SEC for companies to offer ASEAN green bonds.

The company has internationally and locally recognized green buildings in its portfolio, such as the Arthaland Century Pacific Tower and Arya Residences in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

It is also building the Cebu Exchange, Savya Financial Center in Taguig City and Sevina Park in Laguna, and has plans to launch projects in its properties in Makati City and Cebu Business Park.

Mr. Po said while green bonds are not yet very popular in the Philippines, noting Arthaland is the first non-financial corporation to do such issuance in the country, there is high interest from foreign investors for the climate-focused financing instrument.

“Investing in sustainable financial instruments is more common in developed markets. But it’s only now that it’s coming here… If you look to what’s happening around the world, we see that there is traction for this type of investment,” he said.

Once Arthaland completes the first tranche of its P6-billion shelf registration, Mr. Po said the remaining P3 billion will be offered “as and when we need it.” The bonds will have a three-year validity from the SEC’s approval of the registration.

Arthaland Senior Vice-President for Strategic Funding and Investments Sheryll P. Verano said the cash the company expects to raise from the green bonds is expected to be “good at least for up to 2024.” She noted Arthaland may consider bank financing for other fundraising activities.

Arthaland has a five-year plan until 2024 to expand its development portfolio by five times, increasing its gross floor area to a little over 500,000 square meters from 100,000 square meters.

With its list of projects over the next four years, the company is set to complete P60-billion worth of developments to load its portfolio.

Earnings of Arthaland soared to P647.36 million in the first nine months of 2019 from P75.64 million in the same period in 2018, driven by a 151% growth in its revenues to P1.49 billion.

Its shares at the stock exchange dipped 2 centavos or 2.38% to P0.82 each on Friday.

Kings regain series lead with big Game Three win

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings regained the upper hand in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup finals series with the Meralco Bolts, two games to one, after taking Game Three, 92-84, on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Stanley Pringle led a ferocious run in the third quarter by the Kings to create a considerable distance from which the Bolts could not recover from, handing Barangay Ginebra the win that left it just two victories away from claiming the title in the season-ending PBA tournament.

The match was tightly fought in the opening half, with the Kings up by only a point, 43-42, at the break.

In the third quarter, Barangay Ginebra started to blow the game open.

It open the frame with a 10-0 run as Mr. Pringle started to find his mark, helping his team to a 53-42 lead with 9:43 to go.

The Kings stretched their lead to 21 points, 76-55, with a minute left before settling for a 78-68 advantage heading into the fourth.

But Meralco would not go down without a fight.

Led by rookie Trevis Jackson and import Allen Durham, the Bolts tried to rally back.

They would come to within five points, 87-82, with 2:04 to go but a triple but LA Tenorio at the 1:47 mark gave the Kings more breathing space, 90-82.

A deuce by Chris Newsome 11 seconds later pushed Meralco to within six points, 90-84, but they would not get any closer than that as a basket by Japeth Aguilar with 30 seconds left put the game away for Barangay Ginebra.

Import Justin Brownlee led the Kings in the win with 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Mr. Aguilar had 23 points and seven blocks to win player of the game honors.

Mr. Pringle finished with 21 points, 17 coming from their telling third-quarter run. Mr. Tenorio had 11 markers.

For the Bolts, it was Mr. Newsome who top-scored with 24 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Mr. Durham had 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists while Bryan Faundo came off the bench to fire off 10 points.

Big man Raymond Almazan finished with two points and two rebounds before leaving the game midway into the opening quarter from an apparent knee injury.

He was set to undergo an MRI later last night with his status in future games in the series still to be known.

Game Four of the finals is on Wednesday, Jan. 15, also at the Big Dome.

Help desk, livelihood program set in Iloilo and Lanao for OFWs in Middle East

LOCALIZED initiatives are being rolled out to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families amid tension in the Middle East. In Iloilo province, a 24/7 help desk has been set up at the capitol lobby to help address repatriation and other related queries. The Operation Bulig Ilonggo is manned by representatives from the province’s Public Employment Service Office and various national government agencies relating to OFWs, including the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)and the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA), among others. “As much as possible we would like to only cover requests for repatriation, updates, and communication. All other concerns will be coursed through OWWA and DFA,” Provincial Administrator Suzette A. Mamon said in a statement on Friday.

MINDA
In Mindanao, a livelihood orientation program will be held in Lanao del Sur this week for OFWs from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chair Emmanuel F. Piñol said they have drafted various livelihood programs and income-generating projects that returning OFWs can tap. “The MinDA initiative to contribute to the preparations for the crisis was mainly because of the fact that many of the OFWs in Islamic countries in the Middle East come from Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Provinces,” Mr. Piñol said in a statement last week. “With proper preparation, the feared crisis could yet become a window of opportunity for the agricultural and economic development of Mindanao with the involvement of thousands of OFWs,” he added. — MSJ

Didal determined to see her Olympic push through

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

IN the mix to make it to the Tokyo Summer Games later this year, Filipino skateboarding star Margielyn Didal said she is determined to see her Olympic push through but admitted needing all the help that she can get to make it a reality.

Currently ranked 14th in the world, Ms. Didal, 20, is on the right track in her bid for Olympic qualification.

She, however, still needs to fortify her position by competing and doing well in a series of qualifiers in the lead-up to the Games as other top skateboarders are also expected to go all out to earn an Olympic spot for themselves.

In the Olympics, only the top 20 skateboarders in the world qualify, leaving slots really tightly fought for.

“I’m confident of entering the Olympics but there a lot of competitions that I have to compete in. We need all the support that we can get for these events to sustain the momentum we have built and get the points needed to stay in contention for a spot in the Olympics,” said Ms. Didal in an interview.

She is currently in Hong Kong training for the qualifier next month in Melbourne, Australia. Ms. Didal is also girding for another competition in Peru in March.

The Cebu City native built much momentum in her Olympic thrust as 2019 drew to a close, finishing well in tournaments she competed in, including the 30th Southeast Asian Games here in the country where skateboarding made its debut.

Ms. Didal was a two-time gold medallist in the SEA Games, winning in street skateboarding and Game of S.KA.T.E.

Prior to it, she also competed in the OI STU Open Street/Park Skateboarding in Brazil in November where she finished in the top 10.

Those good showing she had has her confident of her chances even as she said that she hopes to take cue from them in competitions this year.

“Currently I’m in the top 14 in the world and we are on the right path, so there is a chance. If the Olympics started today we can qualify,” said Ms. Didal.

The Asian Games gold medallist went on to underscore that the tack to have Filipino athletes have more foreign exposure must be sustained to gauge “where we are in our game.”

She also welcomes plans to build more skate parks in the country where skateboarders like her can hone their skills and train.

For the SEA Games, skateboard facilities were built in Tagaytay City while the Bases Conversion and Development Authority said that Phase 2 of the development of the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, is planned to include skate parks.

Pasig River ferry service to acquire four more boats

THE PASIG RIVER ferry service is budgeted to expand its fleet by four boats this year, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara said, adding to its current inventory of nine boats.

Mr. Angara said in a statement Sunday that the service has been allocated P176 million this year to make it more viable as a commuting option.

“The P176-million budget lodged with the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) is intended to make the Pasig River ferry system more viable as a mode of transport, especially with traffic congestion on the roads of Metro Manila seemingly getting worse by the day,” Mr. Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, said.

He said the service will buy four 50-seater air-conditioned ferry boats with the funding. Of the nine boats currently in the fleet only two are operating daily.

“The skyway systems that aim to ease traffic along the major thoroughfares such as EDSA are still under construction but this doesn’t mean that we can do nothing to help our commuters. We have to look for solutions and the Pasig River ferry could help” Mr. Angara said.

The funds will also be used to improve the accessibility of ferry stations and intermodal transfer points.

“Purchasing new boats is not enough because the commuting public must be provided with easy access to the ferry stations if they are to be enticed to use this mode of transport” Mr. Angara said.

There are currently 14 ferry stations along the Pasig River, but only 11 are operational. The current system runs from the city of Pasig to Manila via Mandaluyong and Makati.

“We still have a long way to go before the revitalized ferry system that is being envisioned becomes a reality, but this is a good start. We owe it to the public to continuously provide them with solutions to problems such as traffic congestion” Mr. Angara said. — Genshen L. Espedido

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