MILLIONS of people returning to the workforce after the easing of quarantine remain fearful of possibly contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a health maintenance organization said, citing the results of a survey.
PhilhealthCare, Inc. (PhilCare) said 77% of respondents had concerns about their safety when leaving home to perform on-site work.
“Nearly 60% of respondents said they were not comfortable about going to work. In fact, 77% of them did not feel comfortable leaving their homes with the ongoing pandemic,” PhilCare said in a statement Monday.
Most respondents were unemployed during the survey, with 22.75% of respondents in the services sector, 11% laborers, and 12.5% professionals.
The study surveyed in 400 respondents on May 10–14 by telephone. PhilCare conducted the survey with University of the Philippines Professor and the study’s lead researcher Fernando D. Paragas.
Apart from going back to work, the respondents also said they had similar safety concerns going to the mall (88.75%), restaurants (87.75%), taking holidays (86%), and hospitals (70.75%).
Another 400 respondents will be interviewed and added to the sample, PhilCare added.
PhilCare president and CEO Jaeger L. Tanco said in a statement, “All throughout the quarantine, all we had were assumptions about how Filipinos feel and think about COVID-19. Once complete, this survey should enable employers and even policymakers to come up with measures that will help employees cope with the situation.” — Gillian M. Cortez
A BILL PROPOSING a P568-billion stimulus package to help workers and businesses deal with the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic made it past committee level, a senior legislator said.
“The PESA bill has been approved at the Economic Stimulus Sub-committee and submitted to the Defeat COVID-19 Committee. Pending for second reading,” Marikina Rep. and Co-chair of the House Economic Stimulus Cluster Stella Luz A. Quimbo told BusinessWorld in a Viber message on Monday.
She was referring to the proposed Philippine Economic Stimulus Act (PESA), a still-unnumbered substitute bill which consolidated 10 House bills seeking to address the revival of the economy after the pandemic.
The committee report on the bill has been submitted to the House committee on rules to schedule a second reading.
The bill is much larger than the proposed P130–P160 billion recovery program proposed by the government’s economic team.
The bill proposes mass testing to “facilitate faster economic recovery and ensure a safe working environment.” The bill appropriates P10 billion this year and another P10 billion in 2021 for this application.
The bill also classifies economic measures to address COVID-19 as transitional, financial, sectoral and structural interventions.
Transitional interventions are to be implemented immediately after the lockdown ends to prevent permanent damage to the economy. These include wage subsidies worth P110 billion for critical businesses, the self-employed, freelancers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The bill also provides P30 billion for temporary employment to displaced workers through the expansion of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) program. Regulatory relief for all business entities in the form of the suspension or waiver of fees for licensing and payment deadlines is also included.
The measure also allocates P18 billion for the emergency subsidy to COVID-19-affected tertiary students in private higher education institutions.
Financial interventions are economic relief intended to accelerate recovery and improve economic performance of businesses by broadening and increasing financial and credit access. These include the creation of credit mediation and restructuring service (CMRS) to act as credit advisers and mediators between micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and banks; P50 billion expansion of existing loan programs for MSMEs of the Small Business Corp. (SB Corp); and the introduction of interest-free loans by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
The measure also provides for a loan guarantee program by the Philippine Guarantee Corp., which will receive P40 billion as a “special guarantee fund” to small firms for 2020. The allocation for 2021 is P20 billion.
Sectoral interventions are relief measures intended for MSMEs, tourism establishments, farms and fishing communities, and other critical businesses.
These include the P10 billion in MSME assistance via the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), a P66-billion agri-fishery sector assistance program via the Department of Agriculture (DA), a P58-billion program for tourism assistance via the Department of Tourism, P44 billion worth of trade assistance from the Board of Investments, and P75 billion in transportation assistance via the Department of Transportation.
Structural interventions are designed to “accommodate, close gaps in, or improve any sector or industry” to reinforce the resiliency of businesses in the event of future crises or recessions. These include the allocation of P25 billion this year to the National Development Co. (NDC) to “minimize permanent damage to the economy” and P650 billion for three years starting 2021 for an enhanced “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
The bill also requires the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to submit to Congress a long-term plan for building economic resilience within six months after the lifting of the various forms of quarantine. It also creates an Economic Stimulus Board (ESB) to identify the components of the fiscal stimulus package, and monitor the delivery of each intervention.
The measure also authorizes the President to reallocate and realign the General Appropriations Acts of 2019 and 2020, and allocate cash, funds and investments held by any government-owned or controlled corporations or any national government agency to provide funding support for the measure.
It also orders the Department of Budget and Management to identify programs, projects, and activities which cannot be implemented effectively as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. — Genshen L. Espedido
A PROGRAM establishing a strategic petroleum reserve remains a priority, with regulations being prepared and a feasibility study by the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) under way, the Department of Energy said.
“That is still a priority project,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi told reporters. “There are a lot of regulatory policies (being prepared). Tuloy-tuloy ‘yan dahil kailangan natin ‘yan para sa ating energy security (We are pushing the program because we need it for our energy security),” he added.
The collapse in oil prices during the pandemic offers an opportunity to stock up on petroleum products, Rino E. Abad, the department’s Oil Industry Management Bureau director, told the publication in April.
On the timing of the project, Mr. Cusi said: “We will make an announcement in due time. I just want to assure you that it is continuing, we are looking at how we can best achieve it for our energy security.”
Meanwhile, he said the investment of PNOC’s exploration unit in the country’s sole natural gas project will not be affected by the government’s policy of redirecting funds for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) aid.
“That will not be affected,” Mr. Cusi said, referring to PNOC Exploration Company’s (PNOC-EC) plan to acquire an additional 10% stake in the Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power project off northwest Palawan.
Mr. Cusi, who heads the PNOC board, said in December that the company will be buying more shares in the Malampaya project.
In April, the PNOC remitted P7 billion to the government to help fund the COVID-19 containment effort, in compliance with the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
Of the total, P2 billion was taken out of the company’s budget for exploration activities.
In March, UC Malampaya Philippines Pte Ltd., a unit of Udenna Corp., completed its acquisition of the 45% share of Chevron Malampaya LLC in the Malampaya project under the DoE-awarded Service Contract 38.
Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., operator of the natural gas project, holds a 45% stake, while PNOC-EC owns the remaining 10%.
PNOC-EC has yet to respond to a request for clarification on whether it intends to go ahead with its plan to expand its stake. — Adam J. Ang
May 15 marks the last day of the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for most parts of the country, including the National Capital Region. In spite of the continuing increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases being reported each day, the government has decided to relax restrictions in certain parts of the country in hopes of gradually getting the economy going again after a two-month lockdown.
Under the modified ECQ or MECQ, certain industries or business sectors have been allowed to partially reopen, where only a maximum of 50% of each business’s workforce will be permitted to work on-site. Included among these sectors are those providing office administrative support and accounting services.
Technically, areas under MECQ are still under quarantine; therefore, many taxpayers expect a further extension of tax filing and payment deadlines. In Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 11-2020, there is a provision stating that, in case of another quarantine extension, the extended tax filing and payment deadlines enumerated shall further be extended by 15 calendar days.
However, the tables have turned when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in a recently published news article, commented that no further extension of tax deadlines will be granted and that an amendatory regulation will be released to repeal the provision granting an additional extension under RR No. 11-2020.
With the varying community quarantine phases and their corresponding restrictions being implemented across the country, taxpayers are facing challenges, more than ever, in fulfilling their tax obligations. Although the BIR has granted two months’ worth of extensions for certain tax filings, not all entities were able to ensure the continuity of their bookkeeping for the affected tax reporting periods. In addition, there are taxpayers who have put their year-end financial audits on hold during the lockdown. The circumstances brought on by the pandemic really came as a big surprise, and not everyone was prepared to deal with the consequences.
The previous extensions for filing deadlines for two months at most, and the non-extension under the MECQ, have resulted in most due dates happening in rapid succession. The due dates for May tax returns were also not extended and will fall due within the same period. This situation leaves the taxpayers who can only start working upon the lifting of the ECQ with very limited time to complete the backlogs on their accounting records, as well as to finalize the amounts to be reported in their tax returns. As if these tasks are not burdensome enough, there is also the issue of mobility and transportation in order for people to easily report to work and do the necessary filing or submission with the BIR while under ECQ or MECQ.
It is a good thing, though, that the BIR is doing its part in finding ways to lessen the burden of the taxpayers during these challenging times. Previously, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 43-2020, which allows taxpayers to pay their internal revenue taxes at any Authorized Agent Bank (AABs) nearest them, regardless of the Revenue District Office (RDO) jurisdiction, during the ECQ period. The filing and payment of tax returns may also be done through the concerned Revenue Collection Officers of the nearest RDO, even in areas where there are AABs. To facilitate check payments, the RMC provides that checks shall be made payable only to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, without the need to indicate the name of the receiving AAB Branch. This also allows for the flexibility of taxpayers to pay through any bank that is open. Nevertheless, it is still prudent for taxpayers to verify with the AAB to avoid conflicts upon filing and paying tax returns.
In another effort to ease the process of filing and paying taxes, BIR Revenue Region No. 6 spearheaded a project called “BIR Mobile 2020,” which provides a door-to-door filing and payment service to taxpayers via appointment. This initiative is very helpful for taxpayers in meeting their tax obligations not just promptly and conveniently, but also in a way that is much less threatening to taxpayers’ health and safety. Here’s hoping that more tax offices throughout the country follow suit, and that the BIR keeps this project rolling for as long as the taxpayers need such services.
Despite the very strict timeline for taxpayers to work on their tax returns, it is very important to ensure that the amounts reported are correct and complete to avoid penalties. It is equally of great importance to keep track of the filing due dates, especially now where filing due dates come almost weekly, to ensure that no deadline is missed.
It is truly in the most challenging times that highlight the importance of planning, as well as of being flexible enough to adapt to sudden and drastic changes. Indeed, this year has taken the tax return filing to a whole new level of extraordinary. However, with proper planning and efficient execution, taxpayers should be capable of overcoming the obstacles that lie ahead.
We often say, “a little preparation can go a long way.” If that is so, then we could just imagine what more of an advantage it would be if we were better and earlier prepared.
Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.
Arianne Cyril L. Mandac is a tax manager of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.
THE PESO retreated against the greenback on Monday due to risk-off sentiment after the latest developments in the US-China tensions as well as weak US retail data and the continued increase in global oil prices.
The local unit finished trading at P50.90 per dollar yesterday, going down 14 centavos from its P50.76 close on Friday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.
The peso opened the session at P50.70 against the dollar. Its weakest showing was at P50.915 while its strongest was at P50.67 versus the greenback.
The volume of dollars traded rose to $888.2 million from the $849.9 million logged on Friday.
A trader attributed the local unit’s weakness to the market’s reaction to fresh developments in the US-China trade tensions and US data.
“The peso depreciated amid the growing geopolitical tensions between US and China over the weekend and the sharp decline in US retail sales report,” the trader said in an e-mail.
China’s foreign ministry said on Saturday that the US should end its “unreasonable suppression” of Chinese firms like Huawei Technologies Co.
On Friday, Washington moved to block global chip supplies to blacklisted Huawei, which spurred fears of Chinese retaliation and hammering shares of chipmaking equipment.
Meanwhile, data from the US Commerce department showed retail sales dropped by 16.4% in April, the biggest fall since the government started tracking the series in 1992. Only online merchants were seen with higher retail receipts. The drop in April retail sales followed the 8.3% contraction seen in March.
For his part, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the peso’s depreciation came after another correction in global oil prices.
“The peso closed weaker after global crude oil prices increased further to new 2-month highs amid increasing demand,” he said in a text message.
Reuters reported that oil prices rose by more than $1 a barrel on Monday, with support from output cuts and signs of gradual demand recovery as easing measures related to the spread of the virus are gradually being lifted. Moreover, the US oil also showed no signs of last month’s contract expiry rout.
Brent crude rose by $1.06 or 3.3% to $33.56 a barrel by 0452 GMT, after touching its highest since April 13. US West Texas Intermediate crude was likewise up by $1.29 or 4.4%, to $30.72 a barrel, after rising to its highest since March 16.
This Tuesday, the trader expects the peso to move within the P50.80 to P51 band while Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P50.70 to P51. — L.W.T. Noble withReuters
PHILIPPINE shares closed lower on Monday as trading was muted on the lack of positive catalysts.
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) trimmed 62.60 points or 1.13% to end at 5,479.35 yesterday. The broader all shares index shed 31.11 points or 0.92% to 3,325.50.
“The market’s performance is a result of slim market participation which is only at almost P4 billion in value turnover,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Piper Chaucer E. Tan said in a text message.
Value turnover yesterday was P3.95 billion with 445.94 million issues switching hands, a quieter performance compared to the last session’s P4.53 billion with 660.43 million issues.
Mr. Tan said investors seem to be on a wait-and-see mode as they observe how the implementation of a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila will turn out. The government started to relax quarantine measures over the weekend amid the sustained coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Investors are on wait-and-see mode towards the end of the week. We think this is due to the backlash of MECQ in places which were previously on ECQ, (appearing like) it can have a second wave (of COVID-19 cases) since social distancing measures are not strictly imposed,” he said.
AAA Southeast Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun also noted that Asian equities performed better yesterday, triggered by remarks of US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the US economy may start recovery by the second half of 2020.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix indices climbed 0.48% and 0.38%, respectively, China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 index rose 0.26%; and South Korea’s Kospi index increased 0.51%.
“Local investors were less optimistic compared to their Asian peers. Most blue-chips ended at their lowest prices for the day as bargain hunters were nowhere to be found,” Mr. Mangun said via e-mail.
“It could because investors are expecting an increase in new COVID-19 cases as quarantine measures are eased. We may continue to see it move lower in the coming days as most investors are on the sidelines watching the effects of the (MECQ) that started over the weekend,” he added.
All but one sectoral index closed the trading session in red territory. Financials lost 21.42 points or 1.89% to 1,107.98; holding firms fell 98.77 points or 1.81% to 5,338.32; industrials erased 115.47 points or 1.53% to 7,391.20; services dropped 7.22 points or 0.54% to 1,306.82; and mining and oil slid 7.01 points or 0.15% to close Monday’s session at 4,498.47.
The only sectoral index that closed in the green was property, which improved 7.74 points or 0.27% to 2,823.39.
Decliners outnumbered advancers, 141 against 56, while 32 names ended unchanged.
Net foreign selling was trimmed to P342.69 million from the previous session’s P654.56 million. — Denise A. Valdez
THE GOVERNMENT on Monday threatened to close malls under a new lockdown for failing to enforce physical distancing measures meant to contain a coronavirus pandemic.
The state could reimpose the lockdown it had relaxed this month if people continue to ignore the rules, presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told an online news briefing.
“We might return to an enhanced community quarantine if there’s no cooperation,” he said in Filipino. “A reminder to mall owners: You will be ordered closed again if you don’t enforce social distancing.”
Mr. Roque noted that no one is safe in the absence of a vaccine for COVID-19. “The virus is still there.”
The warning comes after photos circulated online showing people crowding at major malls. Photos also showed people working out in gyms and eating at restaurants.
SM, Robinsons and other malls were allowed to reopen at the weekend under relaxed lockdown rules as the government tries to revive an economy that the virus brought to a near standstill.
But the government barred mall operators from offering free WiFi and ordered them to use warmer air-conditioning settings to discourage overcrowding. People should also keep a distance from each other.
Mr. Roque said hospital capacity is limited and the country can’t afford a spike in infections. He added that there were only 30 laboratories than can test coronavirus disease 2019 samples.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March to contain the pandemic that has sickened almost 13,000 people in the Philippines.
People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said. Mr. Duterte has extended the so-called enhanced community quarantine twice for the island and thrice for the capital region where novel coronavirus infections are concentrated.
Metro Manila and key cities and regions were kept under a modified lockdown from May 16 to 30, while some businesses were allowed to reopen with a skeletal workforce.
The Department of Health reported 205 new infections yesterday, bringing the total to 12,718.
The death toll rose to 831 after seven more patients died, it said in a bulletin. Ninety-four more patients have gotten well, bringing the total recoveries to 2,729, it added.
Of the 205 new cases, 145 came from Metro Manila, 8 from Central Visayas and 52 from the other regions, DoH said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire warned the public not to swarm into malls to avoid spreading the virus.
Marife Yap, senior policy adviser at ThinkWell, said at the same briefing the country still faces testing capacity problems given the limited supply of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test kits.
The testing kit recommended by the World Health Organization is still being imported and it takes two to three weeks for these to arrive, she said.
Ms. Yap said the government was working with private partners to set up a system that will show the testing capacity of laboratories to address their needs.
Eva Dela Paz, vice chancellor for research at the University of the Philippines Manila, said testing capacity could be expanded by training personnel.
The government is targeting to boost testing capacity to 30,000 samples daily by the end of the month from less than 10,000 now. — Gillian M. CortezandVann Marlo M. Villegas
CROP DAMAGE caused by Typhoon Vongfong has reached P1.04 billion, affecting almost 22,000 farmers, the Department of Agriculture said on Monday.
Hardest hit were the regions of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Central Luzon, the agency said in a bulletin.
Production losses from the storm, locally named Ambo, reached 62,228 metric tons (MT), with 20,652 hectares of agricultural areas affected across four regions, according to the agency’s disaster management council.
High-value crops such as bananas and papayas in Quezon Province were the hardest hit, accounting for almost three-quarters or P755.57 million of the total damage, the Agriculture department said.
Rice, corn, assorted vegetables, livestock and fisheries were also damaged, it added.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said they would fast-track the distribution of aid to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
The agency said it would spend P700 million to repair affected areas and provide rice, corn and vegetable seeds. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
MORE than 400 Filipinos from Saudi Arabia and Myanmar were set to arrive in Manila yesterday amid a coronavirus pandemic that has sickened 4.8 million and killed about 317,000 people worldwide.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido D. Dulay said in a social media post on Sunday night 345 Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia and 114 others from Myanmar were scheduled to land on Monday.
Forty-five distressed Filipino workers from Dubai and four crewmen of a research vessel in the United States also came home on May 13 and 14, bringing the number of Filipino repatriates to more than 27,000.
Meanwhile, almost 40 Filipinos in Libya had reached out to the Philippine Embassy there to avail themselves of the repatriation program, but failed to come home because of a lockdown.
“We can’t proceed with the repatriation at the moment but we’re on standby,” Philippine Ambassador to Libya Elmer G. Cato said at a news briefing.
Mr. Cato said the embassy had moved to a new location after fighting in Tripoli intensified anew in the past weeks. The civil war in Libya stemmed from attempts to overthrow the United Nations-recognized government. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
MALACANANG will decide the fate of a high-ranking police officer who celebrated his birthday this month with friends amid a lockdown meant to contain a coronavirus pandemic.
The presidential palace was just waiting for the results of an internal police probe of National Capital Region police chief Debold M. Sinas and his well-wishers, spokesman Harry L. Roque said at a news briefing on Monday.
“The palace will decide if administrative cases should be filed and whether General Sinas will be fired,” he said.
The national police must get presidential clearance before filing administrative charges, Mr. Roque said. Mr. Sinas is a presidential appointee.
Police filed criminal charges against the Metro Manila police chief last week after he and about 50 policemen were seen breaking quarantine rules during his birthday celebration.
Mass gatherings are prohibited and physical distancing must be observed during the pandemic.
Mr. Roque’s statement comes after police chief Archie F. Gamboa said Mr. Sinas would remain Metro Manila chief pending his criminal case.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra last week said the National Bureau of Investigation would probe the incident, adding that state agents must “enforce the laws fairly.”
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año had called the event “uncalled for,” adding that government officials should observe “delicadeza.” — Gillian M. Cortez
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) plans to require public transport operators, especially buses, to have a record of their passengers for contact tracing purposes amid the continued coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread. LTFRB Chairman Martin B. Delgra III, in a briefing on Monday, said the passenger manifesto should contain names and contact details. “Yan ang dapat gagawin ng driver at konduktor sa loob ng pampublikong sasakyan (That should be done by the driver and conductor inside the public vehicle),” he said. Mr. Delgra also said commuters should keep a log of their public transportation history. — Gillian M. Cortez
QC Hall of Justice placed under lockdown
THE executive judge of Quezon City has placed the Hall of Justice under lockdown starting May 18 “until further notice.” Executive Judge Cecilyn E. Burgos-Villavert ordered the temporary closure following “circulating and unconfirmed” news that an employee of another agency holding office in the building died of severe pneumonia and is a suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient. The employee went to the Hall of Justice a few days before dying, she said in a statement on Monday. “Considering that the instant matter still needs to be verified and, if true, contact tracing and building disinfection must be first undertaken,” Ms. Villavert said. She also denied that an employee of a Quezon City court died of suspected COVID-19. The Supreme Court issued a circular, maintaining the closure of courts in areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Filing of pleadings in both civil and criminal cases will be done online. The areas under MECQ are Metro Manila, provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales, Laguna, and the cities of Cebu and Mandaue. All courts in areas under general community quarantine reopened May 18 with a skeleton workforce. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Cavite malls ordered closed after 1st weekend of relaxed rules
SHOPPING malls in Cavite, including in-house supermarkets and drugstores, have been ordered by the governor to temporarily close starting Monday after the first weekend of reopening due to failure to implement physical distancing measures. Gov. Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla, Jr., in a post on his Facebook page Monday, said all mayors in the province agreed to the directive he signed Sunday evening. “Outside the mall before opening; inside the mall during operations; there was no implementation of measures on social distancing,” he wrote in Filipino. The closure will be in effect until establishment owners present a plan on how health safety standards will be strictly observed. Mr. Remulla said “everyone” is mistaken if they think the police is supposed to implement distancing measures inside malls. He also reprimanded the public for trying to “outsmart” the restrictions by using such tactics as presenting an employee identification card even when not on duty, and buying take-out food and eating it just outside the restaurant or the shopping mall instead of going home. “Don’t abuse the system… the catastrophe is not over yet,” he said. Cavite, a province immediately south of Metro Manila with a population of over 3.7 million as of 2015, has recorded 275 coronavirus disease 2019 cases of May 17. — MSJ
Chinese Davao consulate to organize business match-making
THE Chinese Consulate General in Davao City is organizing a match-making activity between local businesses and buyers in China to help spur the economy badly-hit by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Consul General Li Lin, in an online interview, said apart from the virtual business-to-business meetings, they are also encouraging Davao entrepreneurs to participate in online trade fairs such as the 127th Canton Fair on November 5 to 10. He added that the Chinese Consulate will be facilitating a policy-tuning discussion to ease trade between China and Davao. Among those who will be invited to participate are port authorities. Mr. Lin, in an interview last February, said durian, avocado and other fruits are potential export commodities to China, which is already a top market for the Philippine’s banana industry. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President John Carlo B. Tria, sought for comment, said “all trade possibilities are welcome” as new norms under a continued COVID-19 threat will require the business sector in Davao City and the rest of Mindanao to establish more direct trade links. “All industries can benefit starting with agribusiness but moving forward, we’ll see others following,” Mr. Tria said. — Maya M. Padillo
DTI, DoLE clarify guidelines on testing returning workers
PHILSTAR/MICHAEL VARCAS
TRADE and Labor officials on Monday clarified the rules for employers on testing workers as more industries are allowed to resume operations following a two-month lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread.
Senators and other sectors on Monday raised concern over the lack of required testing under the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force. “We need to test workers returning to work.
This needs to be arranged by employers and DoH (Department of Health),” Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement.
“We cant ease quarantine if we’re not doing mass testing.”
Department of Trade and Industry Secretary (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, in a statement, explained that companies will be required to screen all employees and test symptomatic or suspected COVID-19 patients, while those without symptoms will be allowed to return to work.
“Companies also have the option to conduct testing for all their employees,” Mr. Lopez said, reiterating that the cost of testing will be shouldered by the company.
“But this also means the employer can reimburse the cost from PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.) up to the amount allowed and under such conditions sanctioned by PhilHealth.”
The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) also issued an advisory indicating that employers should pay for testing-related fees, along with other health and safety protection measures.
“The employer shall shoulder the cost of COVID-19 prevention and control measures such as but not limited to the following: testing, disinfection facilities, hand sanitizers, personal protective equipment (PPEs i.e. face mask), signages, proper orientation, and training of workers including IEC materials on COVID-19 prevention and control,” DoLE said in Advisory No. 18 released on Monday.
The Palace, meanwhile, said the government does not have a mass testing program that is as expansive as in other countries and it is counting on the private sector to help in this aspect of containing COVID-19 transmissions.
“Wala pa pong ganiyang programa at iniiwan natin sa pribadong sektor (We don’t have that kind of program and we will leave it to the private sector),” Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said in a briefing.
The government aims to have a testing capacity of 30,000 per day by the end of the month.
DoH data show that as of last week, only about 200,000 people have been tested out of the country’s population of over 100 million.
WORK SCHEMES
DoLE also issued guidelines on job arrangements that employers should implement to keep their business running while observing employee safety.
In Labor Advisory No. 17, the department listed alternative schemes that could be adopted to avoid terminations and closures.
These are: 1) Transfer of employee to another branch; 2) Assignment of employee to another function or position, in the same or another branch or outlet; 3) Reduction of normal workdays or work hours; 4) Job rotations; 5) Partial closure of an establishment while some department or unit is continued; and 6) Other schemes that is necessary or peculiar for the survival of a specific business or establishment.” — Charmaine A. TadalanandGillian M. Cortez
ABS-CBN asks high court to hasten TRO request
ABS-CBN Corp. asked the Supreme Court to immediately issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the cease-and-desist order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which forced the network to go off air on May 5 after its franchise expired.
In a nine-page urgent reiterative motion, the broadcasting network said that it will take some time before it gets a new congressional permit even if members of the Senate have expressed willingness to act immediately on the measure of the House of Representatives to grant it provisional authority to operate until October 2020.
The measure has been passed at the committee level. “This may take some weeks if not months,” it said.
“In the meantime, ABS-CBN, its employees, various stakeholders, and the general public will continue to suffer grave and irreparable injury as a result of the cease and desist order issued by the NTC,” it added.
ABS-CBN reiterated that the order endangers the livelihood of its 11,000 employees.
The shutdown, it said, “means a significant reduction of income” for the company and its affiliates, which results in reduced tax revenues for the government.
It said it paid up to P70.5 billion between 2003 and 2020.
The company said in its May 7 petition that it would lose up to P35 million per day it is off air.
ABS-CBN also said the order deprives the public of a leading source of news and entertainment, impairing their right to information.
The NTC issued the order on May 5 after the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN expired on May 4.
Meanwhile, lawyer Lorenzo G. Gadon asked the court to deny the petition of ABS-CBN, saying the network failed to exhaust available administrative remedies before going to the high court, violated the hierarchy of courts, and did not comply with the basic requirements under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
ECOP pushes for benefits for freelancers
THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) urged lawmakers to include freelancers in the informal sector to allow them to avail of government assistance.
“I’m quite surprised that freelancers, like writers, painters, artists and sculptors as well as the gig economy, the singers and dancers… in bars and restaurants have not been included as members of the informal sector. They should be in the informal sector, they are not registered with the government. They are not in any way taken care of by the government at all,” ECOP Governor Antonio H. Abad said during the virtual hearing of the House of Representatives committee on employment on Monday.
Mr. Abad added that the government should also provide informal workers with a venue that will serve as their workplace.
“Private property should not be subjected to the use of informal workers under the coercion of the local government unit,” he said.
Defend Jobs Philippines (DJP) Spokesman Thadeus Ifurung, for his part, said the informal sector helps address poverty and unemployment. Mr. Ifurung, speaking in Filipino, said informal workers are an “essential and important sector” that should be recognized and given protection under the law.
The panel was discussing House bills seeking to provide a Magna Carta of workers in the informal economy. A subcommittee has been formed to consolidate all related measures. — Genshen L. Espedido
DoJ orders prosecutors to prioritize complaints over cash aid anomalies
JUSTICE Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said he will direct prosecutors to prioritize complaints against local officials charged over anomalies in the distribution of cash aid for low-income families affected by the lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
“I will direct our prosecutors to give priority attention to the preliminary investigation of these criminal complaints,” he told reporters in a Viber message.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said the police already filed 12 criminal complaints for graft and corruption against 23 barangay officials relating to the social amelioration program.
“Puspusan na rin ang imbestigasyon at case build-up para masigurong makakalaboso ang mga walang-hiyang tao na ito na nakuha pang manggantso sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan (We are thoroughly investigating and conducting case build-up to ensure the imprisonment of these shameless people who had the nerve to defraud our poor countrymen),” Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement.
He said four more cases will be filed in the next few days and case build-up is ongoing for 110 more officials.
The National Bureau of Investigation on May 11 also charged three barangay officials in Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Interior Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya said the anomalies are usually splitting the amount intended for one household, falsification of the master list of beneficiaries, and getting a “cut” from the beneficiaries. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Bill imposing higher penalty for perjury OK’d in Senate
THE bill imposing stiffer penalties for committing perjury has been approved on third and final reading in the Senate.
With 20 affirmative votes and no negative, the chamber passed on Monday Senate Bill No. 1354, amending the Revised Penal Code by subjecting offenders to penalties of six- to 10-year imprisonment and up to P1 million in fine.
At present, offenders are only sentenced to four months to two years and four months in prison.
The bill is intended to ensure that testimonies made under oath in proceedings, such as legislative hearings, remain truthful.
“The current penalty for perjury is subject to probation and the bail imposed is also low, roughly P6,000 only,” Senator Richard J. Gordon, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement.
“Given the high costs involved in prosecuting a crime, there is no motivation to prosecute the crime of perjury,” he said. Two counterpart measures at the House of Representatives are pending at the committee level. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Malacañang says federalism shift not a priority
MALACAÑANG on Monday said shifting to federalism is not in the government’s priority now as it battles the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is pursuing the information campaign and signature drive for constitutional reform.
“It is not really a priority. They (DILG) are continuing because the mechanism is there. Pero nakatutok po talaga tayo ngayon sa COVID-19 (But the focus now is on COVID-19),” Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said in a briefing.
Mr. Roque added that it is part of DILG’s mandate to conduct the charter change campaign, noting that officials could be charged with dereliction if they fail to do so.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte created in 2017 the Consultative Committee to review the 1987 Constitution and prepare recommendations for a new one. A draft was completed by 2018, but constitutional reform has failed to gain traction in the Senate. — Gillian M. Cortez
