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Rehabilitated Marcos Bridge fully open

THE MARCOS Bridge in Marikina was fully reopened Thursday after five months of rehabilitation work, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced. “The rehabilitation was initially targeted to finish on April 2020 but considering the volume of motorists and commuters affected, the DPWH National Capital Region went 24/7 to finish the project as early as possible,” DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said in a statement following yesterday’s reopening ceremony. “As an integral access to Quezon City from the east of Rizal province, rehabilitation works on the bridge after its 40 years of service are necessary to ensure the safety and convenience of the public,” Secretary Villar said. The P213.46 million project included the re-decking of the 315-linear meter slab, strengthening of girders, and replacement of expansion joints, concrete sidewalks, railing and drain pipes.

Social media stirs ‘emotional connections’ between candidate and voter — Publicus Asia

SOCIAL MEDIA presence is not enough to ensure a candidate victory in an election, but it is an effective tool to boost campaign and allow closer connection to the voting public, Publicus Asia reported. In its Final Social Media Intelligence Report (SMIR), released on Thursday, it presented observations on how social media played in the May 2019 midterm elections. “These conclusions point out to the importance of social media, considering more people are engaging with the platform,” Publicus Asia said in a statement. “Any political brand will have to get involved in these activities to expand his/her base and secure wider presence or coverage.”

EMOTIONS
For one, the SMIR found being active in social media alone will not guarantee winning, but a “detailed, well-organized” social media presence can make a candidate more competitive. Further, the report said “social media helps stir emotional connections with voters.” The report cited the cases of now Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go and losing candidate Willie T. Ong, who ranked 18th in the final count. “Bong Go, who ended up in third place in the election, was consistent in all four categories in SMIR. With a good balance of the President’s endorsement and effective mobilization of social media, Go was able to convert votes with increased virality,” it said. “However, Dr. Willie Ong, who boasts of having a strong social media following in many platforms, was not able to mobilize his online presence well due to lack of air and ground support which is necessary to aid his digital strength.” In assessing social media strength, the SMIR takes into account popularity, virality, exposure and social capacity. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Tacloban ‘AAA’ slaughterhouse awaits permit to operate

TACLOBAN CITY’S new slaughterhouse, classified as a triple-A facility, is now on a test run and is awaiting the permit to operate, the local government said. An “AAA” classification, based on the National Meat Inspection Service’s (NMIS) guidelines, means livestock and poultry processed at the facility can be sold to both the domestic and international markets. City Veterinarian Eunice Alcantara, in a statement from the city government, said the machinery within the abattoir is “undergoing a run-through, but is not commercially operational.” She added, “The dry run is being done to enhance the skills of staff on slaughtering procedure.” The test run is targeted to end by December, after which full operations will commence as soon as the NMIS permit is issued. “The CVO (City Veterinary Office) has already revised and complied with requirements set by the NMIS three weeks ago for accreditation such as Good Manufacturing Manual, Sanitary Standard Operating Procedures and others,” Ms. Alcantara said.

POPCOM-Davao pushes for more teen centers as region records highest teen pregnancies

THE COMMISSION on Population’s (POPCOM) Davao office has called for more teen centers in public and private schools as well as in communities for out-of-school youth as the region recorded the highest percentage of teen pregnancies nationwide. POPCOM Regional Director Bai Agnes Sampulna said the region currently has 103 teen centers, which serve as educational and support venues, but more are needed to curb the teen pregnancies. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data show that in 2017, Davao Region had a 17.9% teen rate out of all pregnancies, followed by the Northern Mindanao Region at 14.7% and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City) at 14.5%, which are all higher than the 8.6% national average rate. Ms. Bai said the recently-launched campaign “No More Children Having Children” involves educational sessions for teens and parents on adolescent health. “We tapped the schools for this and we give lectures… We also gathered children with the help of teen facilitators who will identify and address their concerns,” she said. POPCOM has asked President Rodrigo R. Duterte to issue an executive order declaring teenage pregnancy as a national emergency to avoid a population crisis. — Maya M. Padillo

Prosecutors to lead investigation of broadcaster’s shooting

PROSECUTORS WILL take the lead in the investigation on the shooting of a broadcaster in the province of Sultan Kudarat, an official from the Department of Justice (DoJ) said. DoJ Undersecretary Markk L. Perete said prosecutors will lead a case build-up as Administrative Order No. 01 mandates that incidents involving media workers are automatically investigated. “It’s a special mechanism where prosecutors lead a team of investigators with law enforcers as team members,” he told reporters in a mobile phone message. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, in a Facebook post Wednesday, said Radyo ni Juan Station Manager Benjie Caballero was shot five times by unidentified assailants at 1 p.m. in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat. Mr. Caballero, who was shot in front of his house and is reported to be in critical condition, posted last year on his Facebook account that he was receiving death threats, NUJP said. The broadcaster is the president of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Task on Media Security. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nationwide round-up

Over 8,000 law graduates taking the Bar exams

Law graduates taking the 2017 bar exams. — BW FILE/SC PIO

A TOTAL of 8,245 law graduates are taking the Bar examination to be held on the four Sundays of November at the University of Santo Tomas, the Supreme Court announced. The number of this year’s examinees is lower than the 8,701 in 2018, where there were only 1,800 passers. The SC will deploy 10 buses to transport examinees to UST at 4:30 a.m. and will leave at 5 p.m. The pick-up points are: Quezon City Memorial Circle, Park and Ride in Lawton, Manila, Supreme Court Compound, EDSA Magallanes Flyover, Greenbelt and Glorietta Ayala Center, and Marikina Sports Complex. In case there is flooding, SC commuter vans will pick up candidates at each examination building to bring them to the area where the buses are parked. Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe is the chairperson of the 2019 Bar Examination Committee. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nation at a Glance — (11/01/19)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

Nation at a Glance — (11/01/19)

3,500 gather at Smart Araneta Coliseum for world’s largest hackathon attempt

After months of anticipation, Impact Hub’s Impact Hackathon finally kicked off on October 30. Serving as an official attempt at the Guinness World Records for biggest hackathon, the 24-hour activity gathered 10,000 participants across the Philippines and Asia-Pacific, with 3,500 stationed at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, its main venue.

The challenge is to create sustainable, tech-based solutions for climate change, education, agriculture, smart cities, and health and wellness. Aside from being anchored on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, these five problem areas were also chosen for their pressing relevance in the country and region.

For example, the smart cities vertical presents various problems from specific locales. This includes the need for solid waste management measurement system in Manila Bay and easier data-sharing and –monitoring within Quezon City Hall.  

Upon code freeze, when all participants must stop developing their projects, the solutions will be judged against four criteria: 

  • technical viability, or impressiveness of the technology utilized
  • business viability, or the solution’s feasibility and scalability in the local market 
  • social index, or the ability of the solution to actually solve the given problem
  • and design and learning stretch, or the learning curve that the team underwent during the hackathon.

Starting small

It’s par for the course during hackathons that the solutions should try to make the world a better place. But according to Donald Lim, Country CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines, it’s time for innovators to aim bigger and go for saving the world.

“Do not create band-aid solutions… Small improvements will not make you win,” he said. “If you think that the problem lies in a particular segment, try to find a transformation solution rather than just making small improvements.”

While the gravity of the goal suggests that the solutions must be global in scale, participants were called to look a little closer to home. “What’s closest to our heart are the [problems] that we experience in our everyday lives,” said former senator and social entrepreneur Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. “Start from there… what situations here in the Philippines can help produce solutions that may be used in other countries?”

Ultimately, saving the world is a collective effort—one that starts from within a team and can bloom into something bigger. 

“Everyone here is competing… but after the time is up and you’ve pitched, I hope that you will find ways to cooperate and collaborate with each other,” said Aquino. “Nobody usually gets the solutions right the first time. But [after] the second and third try, [and] this time powered and supported by other individuals, that’s what usually creates the solutions that can really change the world.”

 

Gov’t eyes checks on imported plywood

By Jenina P. Ibañez

THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) is studying the possibility of putting plywood back on the list of products under mandatory certification in a bid to curb importation of substandard products.

In a statement on Wednesday, DTI said that it had consulted plywood industry stakeholders for their observations and recommendations about the influx of the product into the country since it was removed from the list in 2015.

The department is now considering drafting a Department Administrative Order (DAO) to put the product back on the list of those that need to be certified as meeting standards.

Imported plywood, which are not tested for quality, grew nearly fourfold from 2015 to 2019, DTI noted in its statement. According to DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), imported plywood increased to 32,768 metric tons (MT) worth around $12.75 million as of July from 8,624 MT worth around $4.5 million in the same seven months in 2015.

“In a three-year period since plywood was removed from the list in 2015, imports have rapidly increased and these are not tested for standard compliance,” the department’s statement quoted Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez as saying in his speech at the 2nd Philippine Consumer Congress on Oct. 25.

“We are adding more products in the mandatory compliance since many of them were released from the list. Since then, we saw import surges of these products. And since they are not subjected to mandatory testing, substandard products can come in.”

The Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA), which represents both local companies and importers, supported DTI’s move. “[DTI] is putting plywood back into the mandatory certification [list] because it’s their mandate for construction materials. Substandard products will be a risk to safety,” PWPA Executive Director Maila R. Vasquez said in mix of Filipino and English during a phone interview. “Standards would assure consumers that all products coming in the domestic market are the right quality.”

“We’re not saying that [imports] do not make the standard, but there are many that come in that don’t have the best standard,” Ms. Vasquez added.

DTI said in the statement that the objective is to ensure consumer safety by eliminating the sale of substandard plywood products. “Substandard plywood is ‘unfair to all of us’ and threatens both public safety and the local manufacturing industry,” Mr. Lopez said.

He added that local plywood companies are forced to either sell at a loss or stop operations because substandard plywood can be sold at low prices. “This, in turn, may shrink the country’s manufacturing base and widen the trade deficit.”

During their consultation with DTI, the PWPA asked for more efficient testing for certification so as not to delay entry of plywood. “The concern is, of course, how do we quickly bring out both the local and imported products under testing,” Ms. Vasquez said. “PWPA, of course, we follow the requirements of the government. Our concern is it that it should not affect the business. In business, time is gold; every minute counts… [DTI] should ensure that there will be no delays.”

The DTI, according to Ms. Vasquez, is considering speeding up the process of accrediting plywood testing centers, since there are only two with such permit currently.

Under the possible DAO, plywood products must comply with the Technical Regulation for Mandatory PS Licensing Scheme under the International Standard for Plywood, PNS ISO 12465:2017.

The BPS will then test plywood samples before issuing PS Quality or Safety Certification marks to local manufacturers and Import Commodity Clearances to importers.

DTI has issued new technical regulations for cement, steel bars, and glass. The department is working on drafting a DAO for ceramic tiles and is holding consultations for regulations on black iron and galvanized iron, steel pipes and steel sheets.

Philippines to present nuclear plan to IAEA

By Charmaine A. Tadalan
Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT will present a plan to revive the country’s nuclear energy development program in a meeting next month with the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said at the handover event of the phase one report of the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission at the F1 Hotel Manila in Taguig City.

The IAEA on Wednesday officially turned over to the Department of Energy (DoE) its 19-point INIR on the Philippines’ readiness to develop nuclear energy as a resource.

It cited the Philippine government’s need to hold more public consultations, legislate a legal and regulatory framework, and address infrastructure and other concerns related to a nuclear power program.

“The Philippines needs to involve a broader range of stakeholders in completing the work required to enable a national commitment to introduce a nuclear power,” Milko Kovachev, IAEA head of Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section, said during his presentation of the INIR report in Taguig City, Wednesday.

Another key area of concern cited by the report is the lack of a comprehensive framework that involves, among others, establishment of an independent regulatory body as well as steps to address nuclear security and radioactive waste.

A measure providing a regulatory framework for nuclear energy development and use nearly hurdled the 17th Congress, after it secured third-reading approval in the House of Representatives, but failed to hurdle the Senate when session adjourned on June 3. So far, there are three bills filed now in the House seeking to establish a comprehensive nuclear regulatory framework, but none in the Senate.

The IAEA said the government should also address other requirements of a nuclear power program, such as human resources, leadership development, and a coordination mechanism for emergency preparedness and response.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte in his visit to Russia in May sealed an agreement with state-owned Rosatom for the conduct of a pre-feasibility study for small modular nuclear plants.

“We go in phases,” Mr. Cusi told reporters on the sidelines of the INIR hand-over ceremony.

“As what we have done here, we finished our survey, they have submitted to us their observation,” he added.

“Ngayon naman gagawa kami ng action plan, ipi-present namin ‘yan sa December sa kanila, lalagyan ng (Now we will prepare and action plan which we will present to IAEA in December, complete with) timeline when it will be accomplished.”

The DoE tapped the Social Weather Stations to conduct a survey on the acceptability of nuclear power among Filipinos. Mr. Cusi said the poll, held in May, showed 79% of Filipinos are in favor of nuclear energy.

“The report says that 79% of the Filipinos favor nuclear,” Mr. Cusi said during the ceremony.

“The only problem is that, ang sinasabi (the survey respondents said), ‘not in my own backyard,’ but 79% of the Filipinos favor. Then sinasabi sa survey (says), also is that 72% would follow or would believe the decision of the president.”

In October 2016, Mr. Cusi called for the creation of the DoE-Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization to comply with IAEA’s policy guidelines. The organization led “unified and coordinated” efforts and activities in holding studies and research on the feasibility of nuclear energy development.

On Dec. 10, 2018, the mission’s first phase was held in Manila, during which the DoE presented its self-evaluation report outlining the progress made in meeting the 19 requirements, which serve as a guide for countries considering the adoption of nuclear power.

The mission’s phase one report, which is the first of three, contains IAEA’s initial findings on the country’s existing good practices and the improvements it had undertaken.

It also covers the agency’s recommendations and suggestions for the DoE-NEPIO’s preparation of an integrated work plan, which will answer IAEA concerns should the government decide to pursue the use of nuclear power as a potential source of energy for the country.

The DoE said a meeting between the IAEA and the DoE-NEPIO, with the assistance of officials of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, is scheduled on Nov. 12-15 in Vienna, Austria. The local delegation will be led by DoE-NEPIO Vice-Chairman and DoE Assistant Secretary Gerardo D. Erguiza Jr.

“With energy security at the cornerstone of our country’s energy agenda, we need to bring to the forefront, intelligent, informed, and comprehensive dialogue on whether we could safely utilize nuclear power as one of our alternative sources to meet our ever-growing energy requirements,” Mr. Cusi said.

“But why nuclear? Nuclear is another source of energy that has been proven very dependable, very efficient.”

Mr. Cusi said had the country used nuclear energy in the late ‘60s or the early ‘70s, the Philippine economic landscape would have been different.

He said the discontinued Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) had been “demonized” and continues to affect Filipinos.

“But as I’ve said before, all the accusations, all the allegations about the nuclear, about the BNPP had been proven wrong,” he said.

The government has been advised against reviving the BNPP.

“It still needs investigation,” IAEA Deputy Director General H.E. Mikhail Chudakov told reporters.

“My personal experience, not. You need to construct new nuclear power plant.”

Asked for his assessment on the Philippines’ move to revive nuclear energy development, Mr. Chudakov replied: “It depends on the country, it depends on existing infrastructure.”

“I must say that the Philippines is actually not absolutely a new comer for the nuclear power.” — with Victor V. Saulon

Farm output could have recovered in Q3 — economists

By Vincent Mariel P. Galang
Reporter

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION could have recovered slightly in the third quarter from contractions in the preceding three months and a year ago, economists said when asked for expectations on farm data which the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will report on Nov. 6.

Rolando T. Dy, executive director of Center for Food and Agri-Business of University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), said “[i]t looks like agriculture is heading towards near one percent” growth, with some pullback from palay which contributes nearly a fifth of value of farm output that was partly offset by corn.

The PSA last month estimated that production of palay dropped 4.7% to 3.05 million metric tons (MMT) in the third quarter from the 3.2 MMT produced in 2018’s comparable three months, while corn output increased by a fourth to 2.76 MMT from 2.2 MMT.

Agricultural output, which accounts for a fourth of the country’s jobs but contributes just a tenth to gross domestic product, dropped 1.27% in the second quarter and by 0.87% in last year’s third quarter. The sector’s production managed to edge up by 0.64% in this year’s first three months.

These brought first semester farm performance to a 0.24% contraction, versus a 0.63% gain in last year’s first six months. That compared to the 2.5-3.5% target range for farm output growth under the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan.

In a telephone interview, UA&P Professor Victor A. Abola said he expected third-quarter farm output to have posted “a recovery from last year” with a 1.2% expansion.

University of the Philippines School of Economics Professor Ramon L. Clarete did not give an estimate for third-quarter farm performance, but noted that the third quarter every year is considered a lean season for palay production and that a dry spell aggravated the situation.

Michael L. Ricafort, economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said in a mobile phone message that “agriculture growth could still be modest at low single-digit year-on-year growth rate in third quarter 2019” with rice production reeling from increased importation under a recently liberalized regime.

IMI slumps to loss in 3rd quarter

INTEGRATED Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI) slumped to a net loss in the third quarter as it continued facing a global slowdown in its main market segments.

The Ayala-led manufacturing firm reported yesterday an attributable net loss of $5.33 million in the three months ending September, a turnaround from the $9.78 million attributable net income it posted in the same period last year.

Revenues in the three-month period declined 11% to $303.88 million, alongside an 8% drop in cost of sales to $281.74 million.

Year to date, IMI’s attributable net income was slashed to $451,000 from $41.35 million last year. Revenues in the three quarters slipped 7% to $939.57 million, while cost of sales dropped 5% to $860.48 million.

In a statement, the company pointed to the industry slowdown and various geopolitical issues that dragged its performance during the period.

“A lingering contraction in the automotive space, particularly in China, has brought down customer demand forecasts that led to challenged margins as new manufacturing lines are temporarily underutilized,” IMI said.

“China’s domestic market challenges prove to be the biggest drag, with IMI’s factories in the region showing a 22% decline versus the same period in 2018,” it added.

IMI said its wholly owned businesses posted a revenue of $755.2 million during the period, down 3% from last year.

Revenues from Via Optronics and STI Enterprises, Ltd. also went down 20% to $184.4 million due to production delays in the company’s consumer laptop business and political tensions in United Kingdom.

However, IMI Chief Executive Officer Arthur R. Tan believes the company is strong enough to power through the “cyclical nature of the industry.”

“Despite market challenges and geo-political uncertainties, technology and electronics remain to be the biggest drivers in the future of society. We remain committed to our long-term strategy of establishing ourselves in emerging technology platforms,” he was quoted in a statement as saying.

“I am confident that we have the right strategies in place, and that our experience, technological flexibility, and wide global footprint will enable us to seize the many opportunities ahead despite the headwinds affecting the entire industry,” he added. — Denise A. Valdez

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