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Clarity and purpose in communications

By Raju Mandhyan

SUCCESSFUL selling skills are a reflection of good interpersonal skills. Every sale achieved is an outcome of assessing, approaching, and navigating several interactions between a salesperson and her buyer. Manage and master your ability to connect, engage and ethically influence a prospect and he will become your customer for life.

Research on communication skills from several schools of thought has revealed fundamental practices followed by great communicators in managing their interaction with people so that a large percentage of their conversations rake in success and wealth.

An old story about Socrates goes like this: One day, he was walking the streets of Athens when an acquaintance ran up to him and shouted, “Socrates, Socrates! I have something to tell you about Demosthenes. It’s real juicy stuff!”

Socrates held up his hand and gestured for the man to stop and cool down. “Tell me,” he says, “the thing that you’re about to tell me about Demosthenes, is it a fact? Is it the truth and were you personally witness to it?”

Flabbergasted, the man splutters and stops in his tracks, “No, I wasn’t personally a witness to it; I just overheard some folks down the street talking about it.”

“Well then, in that case,” responded Socrates, “will the content of this juicy stuff do you, me or Demosthenes any real good?” His friend sank to the ground and muttered, “I’m not sure I… Uh, I don’t think it will benefit Demosthenes, you or myself.”

“So let me understand,” said Socrates, “you don’t know if the story you’re about to tell me is the truth and neither will it benefit you, me or Demosthenes. So, what exactly is your purpose in wanting to share this juicy stuff with me?”

Socrates’s acquaintance lowered his head, backed away, and disappeared into the crowded streets of Athens.

The point of the story is whenever we indulge in talk and conversation and prior to creating noise with our mouths, we must carefully reflect upon what we are about to say, why we want to say it, and what positive outcome we hope to generate from the conversation.

Good communicators and effective salespeople are crystal clear about their messages. They spend time researching, reading and pondering upon what to share and ask customers and partners and where to direct their conversations. Think before you speak. First, think through what you want, why you want it, and what it is you might create.

Crystal-clear purpose and well-thought-out objectives will take away anxiety and doubt in how you communicate. It will build confidence and discipline towards achieving positive results in business.

 

Raju Mandhyan is an author, coach and facilitator

www.mandhyan.com

Net foreign buying helps fuel last-minute rebound

By Arra B. Francia, Senior Reporter

LOCAL SHARES recovered on Wednesday as investors bought up select names towards the market’s close, with those abroad remaining predominantly bullish for the second straight day.

The 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) climbed 0.48% or 38.42 points to close at 7,967.90, recovering from Tuesday’s slump, while the broader all-shares index likewise rose 0.38% or 18.37 points to 4,804.82.

“It was a dull day for the market early on in the day, until a buy-up at the close led the index to finish 38.42 points higher,” Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez said in an e-mail.

Mr. Perez noted that sustained net foreign buying could drive the index higher in the coming days.

Foreign investors remained net buyers for the second straight day at P143.15 million, albeit smaller than Tuesday’s P609.78 million.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan also attributed the market’s performance to the rally near the end of the trading session.

“(I)nvestors quietly bought into key names towards closing. US stocks also rallied in the last 10 minutes of the session to end the day little-changed on Tuesday, weighed down by a continuing decline in growth stocks,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile phone message.

Overseas, major Wall Street indices were mostly unchanged as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s policy decision.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.28% or 73.92 points to 26,909.43; the S&P 500 index edged up 0.03% or 0.96 point to 2,979.39; while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.04% or 3.28 points to 8,084.16.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.96%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index jumped 1.78%, while the Shanghai Composite tumbled by 0.41%.

Back home, all sectoral indices moved to positive territory, led by the mining and oil counter which surged 1.28% or 119.76 points to 9,473.64. Property rallied 0.82% or 33.28 points to 4,061.47; industrials went up 0.66% or 72.87 points to 10,965.83; holding firms gained 0.54% or 42.53 points to 7,890.15; services edged higher by 0.21% or 3.37 points to 1,617.04; while financials went up 0.01% or 0.24 point to 1,824.93.

Some 713.50 million shares worth P6.66 billion switched hands, compared to Tuesday’s 613.73 million issues worth P5.22 billion.

Stocks that advanced were nearly double those that lost at 119 to 65, while 58 others ended flat. Half of Wednesday’s 20 most active stocks ended with gains, including PXP Energy Corp. (up 11.17%); Xurpas, Inc. (up 9.38%); Ayala Land, Inc (up 2.04%); PLDT, Inc. (up 1.44%); and SM Investments Corp. (up 0.99%).

Seven stocks on the same list dropped, led by Puregold Price Club, Inc. (down 2.95%) and Globe Telecom, Inc. (down 1.52%).

Peso weakens as dollar rebounds vs most units

THE PESO declined versus the dollar as the greenback regained its strength amid positive developments in the US-China trade war. — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO weakened on Wednesday as the dollar regained its dominance across global markets.

The local unit closed at P52.15 against the greenback on Wednesday, declining by 17 centavos from its P51.98-to-a-dollar finish on Tuesday.

The peso opened slightly weaker at P52.05 versus the greenback. Its weakest point was recorded at P52.195, while its intraday best logged at P52.05 against the dollar.

Dollars traded on Wednesday dropped to $1.436 billion against the $1.495 billion seen on Tuesday.

“The dollar’s strength was evident across all markets. Yield take-up is getting more attractive with US Treasury bonds yields bouncing back,” one trader said, adding that positive developments in the US-China trade war also boosted the dollar against most currencies.

US Treasury yields climbed to fresh three-week peaks on Tuesday, tracking German bonds, as risk appetite continued to improve amid diminishing US-China trade tensions and expectations of fiscal stimulus measures from Germany, Europe’s largest economy.

Washington and Beijing could be back at the negotiating table sometime this month.

US yields rose for a second straight session, with investors also awaiting a key monetary policy meeting at the European Central Bank on Thursday. Investors expect the ECB to cut interest rates, but may introduce some form of compensation for banks to offset the unwelcome side effects of negative interest rates.

“The greenback gained on news that the German government is considering to inject fiscal stimulus which driven off some appetite for the euro over the US dollar,” another trader said.

Germany’s 30-year government bond yield briefly turned positive on Tuesday, ahead of the ECB meeting and bolstered by possible stimulus measures from its government.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday the government can counter a possible economic crisis by injecting billions of euros into the economy, signaling readiness for a big stimulus package if the economy tips into recession.

For today, the first trader said the peso may continue to weaken due to optimism on a US-China trade deal and ahead of US consumer price index data. The trader expects the local unit to move around the P52.00-P52.40-per-dollar band.

“The local currency might weaken further due to broad market expectations of dovish cues from the European Central Bank policy meeting [today]. Exchange rates might move within the P52.00 and P52.30 range,” the second trader said. — Luz Wendy T. Noble with Reuters

Duterte won’t beg for emergency traffic power

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said would not beg for emergency powers from Congress to solve the traffic gridlock in the capital.

“I didn’t ask for it,” the president said at a briefing, adding that it was Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade who was keen on getting the authority for him.

Mr. Duterte said he asked his officials not to pursue it anymore after a lady senator had said they couldn’t be trusted with more powers.

He also recalled telling lawmakers that he was unable to “clear EDSA with the remaining years of my term.” Mr. Duterte is halfway through his six-year term.

Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who heads the public service committee, earlier said the body is not inclined to grant the Transportation department’s renewed plea for emergency powers to solve traffic congestion in the capital.

The senator, who opposed a similar proposal in the past Congress, said Mr. Duterte could ease traffic in Metro Manila without emergency powers from Congress.

Senators during a hearing on Tuesday also cited the Transportation department’s lack of a master plan.

The Transportation department can hasten road projects including stage three of the Metro Manila Skyway project, and roll out more trains for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 or MRT-3, among other solutions, Ms. Llamanzares said.

Transportation Secretary Tugade last week renewed his call for emergency powers to solve the traffic gridlock on the main EDSA highway in the capital. During a House of Representatives hearing on his agency’s budget, Mr. Tugade said it was possible to solve the traffic problem but it would take longer without giving special powers to the president.

The government aims to open by early next year the third stage of the Metro Manila Skyway, an 18.7-kilometer toll road connecting Buendia Avenue in Makati City to Balintawak in Quezon City.

Several bills were filed in the previous Congress seeking emergency powers for Mr. Duterte to ease traffic congestion. The measures sought to give the Transportation chief “full power” to manage traffic on EDSA and control road use.

The House approved the bill but the Senate version did not progress. The bills have been re-filed in both Houses. — Arjay L. Balinbin

De Lima asks DoJ to dismiss sedition case

JAILED Senator Leila M. de Lima denied allegations that she was part of a group that plotted the ouster of President Rodrigo R. Duterte by linking him and his family to the illegal drug trade.

In an affidavit submitted to the Justice department, the senator, a critic of the president’s deadly war on drugs, said the police’s complaint of sedition against her and Mr. Duterte’s political opponents lacked sufficient evidence.

“Since the complaint does not impute any particular act against me, it appears that I am not even a respondent, but merely one of those vaguely identified as ‘enumerated personalities’ against whom they have no sufficient proof to make a categorical allegation,” she said in her filing.

Aside from inciting to sedition, police in July also filed cyberlibel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal and obstruction of justice against Ms. De Lima, Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo and more than 30 others whom it accused of circulating a video about the president’s alleged drug links.

Included in the complaint was Peter Joemel Advincula, the self-confessed drug dealer who was featured in the videos.

Mr. Advincula first surfaced in May to seek legal assistance in filing charges against members of the drug syndicate he was formerly in. Later that month he surrendered to police for estafa and tagged the Liberal Party to be behind the propaganda.

Ms. De Lima said she had not committed libel in connection with a press briefing of Mr. Advincula early this year because she has been detained since February, 2017.

“I am expected to refute allegations of fact, not conclusions of law,” the lawmaker said. “Without such allegation of fact, there is nothing for me to even refute.”

She also denied the allegation of Mr. Advincula that he had talked to Ms. de Lima’s staff.

Human Rights Watch has called on authorities to drop the “preposterous complaint,” saying it was an attempt to harass and silence critics of the government’s bloody war on drugs.

A conviction for incitement to sedition carries a maximum penalty of six years in jail.

Ms. De Lima is in jail for allegedly conspiring to commit illegal drug trade inside the national jail in Muntinlupa City when she was still the Justice secretary. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Customs seizes P53M worth of vegetables smuggled from China

THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) seized P53 million worth of smuggled food products from China at the port of Manila yesterday.

In a statement, the bureau said it confiscated 16 containers declared to contain fishballs consigned to Shinerise Trading Service. Upon inspection, they were loaded with carrots, onions, broccoli and potatoes. The consignee paid only P2.54 million in duties and taxes, it said.

“Upon inspection of the subject shipment, Customs examiners found out an estimated P20.08 million worth of carrots, P20.08 million worth of onions, P10.04 million worth of broccoli and P2.51 worth of potatoes,” according to the statement.

Manila Port district collector Arsenia C. Ilagan said they had canceled the consignee’s accreditation and placed the customs broker under investigation.

The shipment arrived in Manila on Aug. 8, while the warrant of seizure and detention was issued on Sept. 4, the bureau said. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Fewer voters in 2019 complained about cheating — SWS

FEWER Filipino voters complained about cheating in the May 2019 elections, according to a poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Only a tenth of voters witnessed vote-buying, harassment, double voting, bribery, cheating and other forms of violence, SWS said in an emailed statement. This compares with 19% in the May 2016 elections.

People who witnessed harassment of voters fell slightly to 2% this year from 4% in 2016.

Voters who witnessed double voting also fell to 2% from 4%, while those who witnessed ballot cheating fell to 1% from 3%, according to the SWS poll.

Those who complained about bribery to dissuade voting fell to 1% this year from 5% in 2016. People who witnessed violence on election day also fell to 1% from 3%.

SWS interviewed 1,200 adults in June for the poll, which an error margin of ±3 points. — Gillian M. Cortez

Davao-Manado flight may be relaunched Sept. 27

THE REVIVAL of an air link between Davao City and Manado in Indonesia is tentatively set for relaunch on Sept. 27, with the maiden flight to be served by Garuda Airlines. An inter-agency coordination meeting was held last Tuesday to prepare for the initial flight that will carry national and local government officials, travel operators, and businessmen from Manado. The meeting was spearheaded by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) with Indonesian Vice Consul Ely Handayani. The route is part of the transport and tourism priority programs under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Eamarie M. Gilayo, in charge of MinDA’s International Relations Divisions-Transport Connectivity and Trade Facilitation, said Garuda Airlines is looking at including Bali in the route to make it more sustainable. “They are looking at a triangular tourism perspective (of the route),” said Ms. Gilayo. She added that businessmen who are and will be using the Davao-Bitung-General Santos sea link is another target market for the air service. “Entrepreneurs would need a faster service (compared with the shipping system which will bring their cargoes between the destinations),” Ms. Gilayo said. The Manado-Davao route was last served by Wings Air in 2012.

DIAA
Meanwhile, the local business sector welcomed the creation of the Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA) through the signing of Republic Act No. 11457. “The long wait is over,” Arturo M. Milan, president of the business organization, told BusinessWorld in a text message. Mr. Milan said the creation of the body will allow “a much faster development in the airport in terms of the upgrading of the terminal and facilities and opening (of) more direct flights.” Simeon P. Marfori II, former president of the business group, said the creation of the DIAA will also “enable Mindanaoans greater freedom to move forward in the area of airport policy and management.” He added that, “It will mean we can manage and develop our air transport facilities and assets at the pace and scope we deem best suited for the local economy. It will enable us to be better connected to the rest of the world. Directly.” The DIAA will manage the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City as well as other airports that will be developed or built within the Davao Region. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

MMDA to escort emergency vehicles

THE METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday announced that its motorcycle-riding traffic enforcers will start to escort emergency vehicles like ambulances that will be going through congested areas. “On-ground traffic enforcers can also assist ambulances through traffic on roads congested with vehicles or when motorists refuse to give way,” the MMDA said. The announcement comes after Agence France-Presse reported that the traffic congestion in the capital is costing lives, particularly of patients in critical condition. The report also cited that the “resulting gridlock costs the city $67 million daily in lost productivity, according to a 2017 Japanese government-funded study.” — Marc Wyxzel C. Dela Paz

PECO asks: Why hasn’t MORE Power started setting up its own assets?

PANAY ELECTRIC Company, Inc. (PECO), which has re-filed an application before Congress for the renewal of its franchise to distribute power in Iloilo City, has questioned the capability of its competitor, MORE Electric and Power Co. (MORE Power), to set up its own network. “It is already six months and we still don’t see any assets that can be verified… If they cannot acquire the properties and facilities of PECO, they (said they) will set up their own assets and facilities… we don’t see any assets,” PECO Administrative Manager Marcelo U. Cacho said in an interview on Monday. The two companies are currently battling it out in more than one court over the expropriation of PECO’s assets as well the provisions of MORE Power’s franchise contained in Republic Act No. 11212, signed into law last February. Mr. Cacho said they have already received notice for Congressional hearings on their franchise application and are hopeful that it will be considered for renewal. He noted that MORE Power has not made good on its promise to immediately deliver better services to Iloilo consumers. “I think it boils down that they deceived the (Congressional) committee because their only plan since the start was the take-over of PECO’s business without the plan of setting up their own facilities. They are not ready, not capable, had no intention of setting up their own technical assets,” Mr. Cacho said. MORE Power officials declined to comment on Mr. Cacho’s statements. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

Nationwide round-up

DBM releases P82.5M for swine fever measures

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) facade

THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) released P82.5 million to the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday to fund measures relating to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

In a statement, DBM said out of the total fund released to the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI), P31.8 million is for the detection of meat products at international airports, P27.7 million for testing of meat samples, P17.6 million for surveillance and monitoring, and P5.4 million for an awareness campaign.

DA confirmed on Monday the first outbreak of ASF in the country after the Polymerase chain reaction test showed 14 out of the 20 samples submitted came out positive. A total of 7,416 hogs have been culled since Aug. 18 from Bulacan and Rizal provinces to prevent the disease from spreading further.

DA Secretary William D. Dar said they suspect that the outbreak was mainly from the use of swill or leftovers, especially from hotels. The government, according to DBM, has been implementing preventive measures since the ASF threat started in China, including banning of pork imports, avoiding swill feeding, blocking the entry of hand-carried meat, educating the people and monitoring through the submission of laboratory samples.

To minimize the country’s exposure to the disease, Bienvenido Datuin of Bureau of Customs (BoC) Public Information and Assistance Division said the agency has been releasing memorandums in controlling the entry of food scraps and pork products from ASF affected countries. These countries include Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, China, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa, Zambia, Belgium, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Laos, Mongolia and North Korea. — Beatrice M. Laforga

SC denies Ampatuan bail petition

THE SUPREME Court (SC) has denied the petition of 2009 Maguindanao massacre suspect Zaldy U. Ampatuan to be granted bail. In a July 22 resolution released only on Wednesday, the court’s first division denied for lack of merit the appeal of Mr. Ampatuan seeking the reversal of the decisions of a trial court and the Court of Appeals (CA), which denied him bail as he is “probably guilty” of the charges against him.

Mr. Ampatuan said the lower court failed to comply with the parameters on the exercise of deciding his bail and maintained that the evidence against him is “at best weak,” that he is innocent and not a flight risk. “After a perusal of the records of the case, this Court resolves to deny the petition for failure of the petitioner to sufficiently show any reversible error in the assailed Decision and Resolution of the CA,” the high court’s decision read.

The court also said that it will be prematurely deciding the case “beyond the parameters of judicial review” if it decided on the bail application on the basis of the factual issues raised by Mr. Ampatuan. A former governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Mr. Ampatuan is among the principal suspects in the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre of 58 persons, including 32 media practitiones, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province. Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra last month said the trial for the case was completed on July 17, 2019 and was submitted for resolution on August 15. The department expects the decision to be released before the 10th anniversary of the massacre. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Duterte not certifying SOGIE bill as urgent, wants a general anti-discrimination law

MALACAÑANG ON Wednesday said President Rodrigo R. Duterte is not going to certify as urgent the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) bill, noting that the President wants a general anti-discrimination measure.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo issued this statement to clarify news reports that the President had said during a news conference at the Palace late Tuesday that he would certify the SOGIE Bill as urgent.

“He was referring to an anti-discrimination bill, not SOGIE Bill, much like the anti-discrimination ordinance existing in Davao City, which was passed when he was still the mayor there,” Mr. Panelo said in a phone message to BusinessWorld. Mr. Duterte said during the conference, “Mayroon ako, anti- discrimination. Bakla, iyang mga disabled. Nauna ako sa totoo lang (I have an anti-discrimination (in Davao). Gay, the disabled. I was first on that, in fact).”

He recalled that there were developers in his hometown who did not want to sell housing units to Muslims. “Sabi ko (I said), if you do not allow everybody na magtira diyan… Pilipino rin ito (to live there… They are also Filipinos). Humans — you might not like them but they are Filipinos,” he said.

SOTTO
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, meanwhile, said Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea and Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go have also clarified that Mr. Duterte was “misquoted” regarding his support for the SOGIE bill.

“I am told by ES Medialdea and Senator Bong Go that the President was misquoted. He is supporting an Anti-Discrimination bill pretty much like the ordinance in Davao, which is encompassing,” Mr. Sotto told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr. Sotto also explained a certification of urgency by the President does not guarantee passage of a measure as it only allows the chamber to do away with the three-day rule in between second and third reading approval of a bill. He also reiterated his support for an all-encompassing Anti-Discrimination bill instead of legislating a measure centered on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender group, which he deems unconstitutional.

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, a proponent of the SOGIE bill, said this “shows the policy confusion regarding how to address discrimination against the LGBT community.” — Arjay L. Balinbin and Charmaine A. Tadalan

Honasan breezes through confirmation

THE COMMITTEE on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday swiftly confirmed former senator Gregorio B. Honasan II as head of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

President Rodrigo R. Duterte nominated Mr. Honasan to the post in Nov. 22 last year, succeeding acting secretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr.,. Mr. Honasan assumed as DICT secretary only last July 1, after his nomination lapsed in Dec. 2018 for failure to submit documentary requirements.

The House contingent of the CA panel, led by San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo B. Zamora, moved to confirm Mr. Honasan’s appointment, to which the Senate concurred. “There is no question that we are dealing with a singular individual, who is extremely qualified to take this position and the House contingent after deliberating the qualification and fitness of the respective appointee, we have concluded that we have no need for further questions,” Mr. Zamora said. This was concurred with by Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, who led the Senate contingent.

The panel deliberation concluded in under ten minutes. Mr. Honasan, for his part, said he plans to usher the Philippines towards the digital age through electronic classrooms and workplaces among others. “To allow the Philippines, since we have the potential, to leap frog into the digital age. We’re thinking about e-classrooms, e-workplaces, an e-work force, bukod sa tipid at transparency mare-reduce ang corruption, which is the battle-cry of this administration, mapapabilis talaga,” Mr. Honasan told reporters in a chance interview on Wednesday. He also said he targets improving internet speed to 15-20 mbps by the first quarter of 2020 from the current 3.5 mbps. “Well tayo ang pinakamabagal (We are the slowest). We need improvement. Tayo (We have) 3.5 (mbps), Singapore is 65. Pumalo lang tayo ng (We are targeting) 15, 20, by the first quarter of next year,” he said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Bill banning single-use plastics re-filed

A LAWMAKER has re-filed a bill seeking to ban the production, importation, sale, provision, and use of single-use plastics.

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Q. Velasco has filed House Bill 2396 or the “Ban on Single-Use Plastics Act,” which aims to gradually phase out single-use plastics with an interim period of three years. During the interim period, establishments shall charge P20 for every single-use plastic bag; P10 for food and non-food packaging containers, soda, and water bottles; and P5 for utensils such as straws, coffee stirrers, spoon, and fork.

The measure mandates local government units to take primary responsibility in implementation while the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be the lead agency for enforcement. Establishments that will fail to comply with the ban will be fined P100,000 to P750,000, and face revocation of business permits for the third offense. The fines collected should be allocated as follows: 80% to the barangay where the establishment is located, for its waste management capability; and 20% to the national government. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

DILG, BJMP express support for heinous crime jail

THE DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said they would support the creation of a high-risk prison facility for heinous crime convicts.

The Heinous Crimes Penitentiary is planned to be set up in Palawan, near the West Philippine Sea. High-risk criminals currently detained at the New Bilibid prison in Muntinlupa will be among those who will be moved there. Face-to-face visitation, even for family members of the convicts, will be prohibited.

“Mabuti po iyon para mas mabantayan natin iyong mga (That is good so we can keep watch on) illegal drug lords, CPP-NPA (communist insurgents and) terrorist groups,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said during the presentation of the proposed DILG budget for 2020 before the Senate committee on Finance. The DILG will also propose the integration of provincial jails to the BJMP to “professionalize and standardize the management of jails at the local level.”

Republic Act No. 6975, or the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, mandates the BJMP to take operational and administrative control over all city, district and municipal jails. Under the Local Government Code, however, provincial and sub-provincial jails are under the management and control of the provincial governments. — Marc Wyxzel C. Dela Paz

Comelec to set up registration sites for IP communities

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) will put up satellite voter registration centers next week for indigenous people (IP) communities in far flung areas. In a statement on Wednesday, Comelec said they will have at least one registration site in every province identified to have an IP population from Sept. 16-20. “The project aims to intensify voter registration efforts within the different IP communities all over the country; to highlight the importance of IP voters as members of the electorate; and to increase awareness on the electoral issues and concerns of IP communities,” the Comelec said. The Comelec is still finalizing the list of areas where the registration sites will be set up. — Gillian M. Cortez

Nation at a Glance — (09/12/19)

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 — (09/12/19)

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