Home Blog Page 9816

NBI, BuCor ordered to report on probe of drug trade in New Bilibid Prison

JUSTICE SECRETARY Menardo I. Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to apprise him on the investigation on the alleged illegal drug trade operated by an inmate in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). In a department order dated March 4, Mr. Guevarra directed NBI Director Dante A. Gierran and BuCor Director General Nicanor E. Faeldon to submit reports to his office on the progress of the probe on the drug operations led by prisoner Rustico R. Ygot. “Further Director Gierran and Director General Nicanor E. Faeldon of the BuCor are directed to submit reports on the progress of the subject investigation and case build-up to the Office of the Secretary,” Mr. Guevarra said in the order. He added that appropriate charges should be filed against those involved in the crime “if evidence warrants.” Mr. Ygot is linked to the P190.4-million worth of shabu seized in twin operations in Cebu. Reports said he gave instructions to his girlfriend through video call. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Russian fugitive caught while attempting to extend visa

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) arrested a Russian fugitive who is wanted for large-scale fraud in his country last March 5 at the BI’s main office in Intramuros, Manila. In a press statement, the BI said Likharev Anton, 37, was caught by immigration officers when he attempted to extend his temporary visitor’s visa. He arrived in the country in 2016 and has not left since. The BI Board of Commissioners issued in Dec. 2018 a deportation order against Mr. Likharev based on information that he is wanted by Russian courts “for large-scale crimes involving acquisition of other people’s property by means of deceit.” “We will not allow fraudsters like him to hide in the Philippines, as they pose a risk to public interest,” BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said in the statement. The Russian national was turned over to the BI Fugitive Search Unit pending his deportation. Mr. Likharev already made headlines in the country in 2017 after he was arrested for violation of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines and a municipal ordinance for killing a green sea turtle with a spear in Dauin, Negros Oriental. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Iloilo City gets P14.3M of sports equipment from PSC

THE PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) donated P14.3-million worth of facilities and equipment to the Iloilo City government following its successful hosting of the Batang Pinoy 2019 Visayas Qualifying Leg last Feb. 24-March 2. “PSC is donating to us a total of P14, 269,780 worth of sports equipment for the sports development of the city,” Iloilo City Sports Director Moises Salomon Jr. announced. The equipment and supplies were for archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, futsal, karatedo, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, lawn tennis, and volleyball, among others. During the regional sports event, Iloilo City emerged as the overall champion for the first time with 57 gold, 49 silver, and 44 bronze medals. Mayor Jose S. Espinosa attributed the success of the athletes to their constant training. “The Cebu delegation was well-prepared. Their delegation was very big. With our constant training, silently that we have continued, we are 15 golds medal higher than Cebu City,” he said. The Batang Pinoy is a grassroots development program that aims to discover new talents among the young athletes in the different localities. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

No confirmation yet of Chinese vessel harassment in Pag-asa, but military ordered to investigate

THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) said Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana has already tasked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to validate the report of alleged harassment by Chinese vessels in the sandbars near Pag-asa Island in the contested West Philippine Sea. “Based on the initial communication from the AFP Western Command (WESCOM), there has been no substantiated report from our units on the ground confirming Mayor (Roberto M.) del Mundo’s statement. The AFP, through the Naval Forces West under WESCOM, will nonetheless continuously validate and report any information relevant to Mayor del Mundo’s claims,” said DND in a statement on March 6. Mr. Del Mundo, mayor of Kalayaan town located within Pag-asa island, recently reported that the presence of Chinese vessels around the island has been affecting the fishing activities of local fishermen. DND noted that the area cited by Mr. del Mundo is also a fishing ground for China and Vietnam. “It has to be noted that the area referred to by Mayor del Mundo is a traditional fishing ground for the Philippines and other countries, including China and Vietnam,” it said. “According to WESCOM, they have been encouraging fishermen from Pag-asa to continue their activities since it has been observed that they have not been fishing in the vicinity of the sandbar, even before the Chinese fishing vessels were sighted in the area,” it added. DND also said that a sheltered port is now being constructed on Pag-asa Island to help local fishermen. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Pasay City, EPD police chiefs relieved over extortion cases

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL Police (PNP) Director General Oscar D. Albayalde ordered on Wednesday the relief of the police chiefs of the Eastern Police District (EPD) in the capital and Pasay City Police over the involvement their stations’ anti-drug units in extortion cases. EPD’s head, Brig. Gen. Bernabe M. Balba, was relieved following the 15-man district drug enforcement unit (DDEU) in connection with the arrest of its unit chief, Police Corporal Marlo S. Quibete during an entrapment operation in Pasig City on Tuesday night. According to the police report, Mr. Quibete was allegedly extorting money from the complainant whose live-in partner was arrested through a buy-bust operation conducted by the DDEU personnel on March 4. Also relieved was Police Colonel Noel Flores as director of the Pasay City police following the arrest of Police Corporal Anwar Nasser for demanding P100,000 from a drug suspect. Brigadier General Christopher Tambungan, executive officer at PNP Directorate for Police Community Relations, will replace Mr. Balba, while Police Colonel Bernard Yang, National Capital Region Police Offices regional operations chief, will replace Mr. Flores. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

P638M underpass in Cebu City targeted for completion by end-May

THE P638-MILLION underpass along N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City is now 87% complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas (DPWH-7) reported. During the site inspection on Tuesday, DPWH-7 Assistant Regional Director Mario M. Montejo said the project’s construction is on track despite some delays due to rains and a recent typhoon. “On track still, supposed to be the first commitment of the contractor is this month, but because of some delays.. our target now is end of May,” Mr. Montejo said. This date, he added, still within the contract period of WT Construction Inc. The underpass is expected to alleviate the traffic congestion in the city’s southern district. — The Freeman

LGUs declarations of persona-non-grata just ‘PR stunts,’ says NDFP

THE NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has branded the resolutions of some local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region declaring them persona-non-grata as mere public relations (PR) stunts by the military. In a press release signed by Rubi del Mundo, NDFP Southern Mindanao Region spokesperson, said the resolutions condemning the rebels, particularly their armed members under the New Peoples Army, “are the product of the relentless psywar (psychological war) and intimidation campaign of `peace and development outreach programs.’” “In Southern Mindanao and elsewhere in Mindanao, they are in fact mere PR (public relations) stunts which hold neither a grain of truth nor reflect the sentiments of thousands of Lumad (indigenous people) who continue to be victimized by the US-Duterte regime’s hated martial law and hold the revolutionary movement in high esteem, especially the NPA as their true people’s army,” the statement said. Among those that have made the declaration are the Davao City, and the provinces of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte. Bukidnon in Northern Mindanao has issued a similar resolution. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

DA prepares for cloud seeding operations in SOCCSKSARGEN amid weak El Niño

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) in the SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City) is preparing to conduct cloud seeding operations amid the onset of a weak El Niño and a forecast of below normal rainfall in the coming months. DA Regional Director Milagros C. Casis, in a statement, said they already allocated P2.5 million for the intervention. “We are just processing some more documents in order for us to kick-start the cloud seeding operations together with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management,” Ms. Casis said. A total of 40 rounds of cloud seeding will be conducted around the region. Meanwhile, 9,000 bags of palay seeds from the DA’s Quick Response Fund are also ready for distribution in areas that could be affected by the natural calamity. Field Operations Division Officer-in-Charge Ray Embajador said these planting materials will only be released to areas validated by the agency for rehabilitation. “Although there were already municipalities which declared state of calamity in the region, we will still subject the areas for validation,” Mr. Embajador noted. He also advised farmers to select rice varieties that could better withstand the weather condition, or plant legumes and root crops such as cassava, camote, and even watermelon, which are drought-resilient crops.

Nation at a Glance — (03/07/19)

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 — (03/07/19)

In Memory of Governor Nesting

Delivered by then Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Officer-in-Charge Maria Almasara Cyd N. Tuaño-Amador on Feb. 26

My dear colleagues:

News of the Governor’s passing away on Saturday has left us deeply saddened. We wanted to reach out to his family and to pay our respects. We wanted to be able to say our personal goodbyes to him. We also wanted some comfort as members of the BSP community that he had ably guided and led since July two years ago.

I am also sure that your own relatives and friends have offered you words of sympathy… and your hearts are bursting with the desire to share these sentiments with Team BSP. This is because the BSP is not only a place where you work. This is because the BSP is part of your family, and because Governor Nesting was the head of our work family.

We will all be able to do so on Thursday afternoon, when our Governor makes his last visit to his beloved BSP. The schedule of visits has been posted in the iKnow, but Thursday is our very own day as a community to gather around our Governor and salute him.

As we remember Governor Nesting today, let us not ask how he died; instead let us ask how he lived.

Let me borrow some words from Summer Sandercox. The poem goes like this:

Not what did he gain, but what did he give?

These are the units to measure the worth

Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.

Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?

But had he befriended those really in need?

Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?

Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,

But how many were sorry when he passed away.

Very thoughtful words indeed.

So how do we remember his life?

Governor Nesting was a man in constant motion. He had big plans for the BSP to make us future ready. He had a reform agenda that covered the full breadth of the BSP’s responsibilities: price stability, financial stability, a safe, reliable and inclusive payments system and advocacies including financial inclusion, economic and financial learning, and consumer protection.

His plate was always full of responsibilities and his time was gold. But he was never too busy to share his time with his family, his friends, his staff at the Office of the Governor, and of course his One Team BSP.

Governor Nesting was a man who took great comfort from his faith and his beloved family. He was a loyal and dependable friend who carefully tended the friendships that he had formed through the years. Many of us have been blessed with his gift of friendship. We take comfort from it. We are richer because of it.

He was a witty man and an intellectual… with a wonderful ability to articulate his ideas and thoughts… not in fancy words or technical jargon. He was able to break down difficult concepts into plain and easy-to-understand language so the messaging is clear and concise. The mark of a truly wise man.

Invariably, the testimonials that we have been receiving from people sharing about their times with him speak of a humble man. A wise man has said: if you are good, you don’t have to shout. Governor Nesting was good… and he never had to shout. Humility is a rare trait these days… and we are blessed that we had a leader who exemplified this virtue.

On a lighter note, I was told that Governor Nesting was happiest during quiet family moments when he could relax with his beloved dogs by his side. He also loved Mr. Bean movies… who doesn’t? Not many of you may know this…but Gov. Nesting had a playful side… some would say a very sharp sense of humor… and he can laugh as loud — sometimes even louder — than any one of us!

Governor Nesting was man who was full of optimism. He was optimistic that he can bring out the best in each one of us, and he challenged us to do better in whatever task we have been assigned to do. He was optimistic that he can bring the BSP to greater heights as a globally recognized central bank, building on the foundations that had earlier been laid by his predecessors. He was optimistic that his Continuity Plus Plus agenda will promote institutional stability while serving as a rallying point for future-ready Filipino central bankers. His optimism is brave. His optimism is brave and strong because it rests not on wishful hopes but on the conviction that the BSP’s reform agenda is realizable because the organization he led is strong, it is resilient, it is agile and it is capable.

We applaud the legacy of Governor Nesting in prudently formulating and implementing monetary policy to safeguard price stability. We applaud him for leading the financial industry through prudent and forward-looking reforms and for being a vanguard in the digitalization of the payments system in the country. We bask in these achievements because he had always — always — generously said that it is One Team BSP that has made these possible.

Colleagues, as we move forward — with the seasoned and thoughtful guidance of the members of the Monetary Board and the dedication and expertise of the BSP management team, our beloved institution will continue to build on the headway that had been made by Governor Nesting. We are in for exciting — and challenging — times as the amendments to the BSP Charter — which were signed into law just this month — have granted the BSP with greater flexibility in the discharge of its mandated responsibilities.

Governor, you will be greatly missed. But your legacy lives on in every one of us.

Thank you Governor for sharing your life with us. God speed Gov. Nesting!

Let us now offer a moment of silence as we honor the memory… the years of public service… of servant leadership… and the vision of our Governor, Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr.

A banker to remember

The late Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr., who passed away last month after battling tongue cancer, practically devoted his entire professional career to the central bank.

After fulfilling his academic requirements a semester early, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of the Philippines, no less, he wasted no time applying for a central bank post.

“No private sector applications for me. In 1981, I ended up in my dream first job — at the Central Bank of the Philippines,” Mr. Espenilla said at an alumni homecoming in late 2017. He was hired as an external debt analyst.

For most of his career, he led a life in relative obscurity as a central bank employee, gradually climbing the organizational ladder. He held a number of positions through the years and worked in different departments.

In 2005, he was installed as deputy governor of the Supervision and Examination Sector, the central bank post he held the longest. The division, which was recently renamed Financial Supervision Sector, has the critical task of regulating banks and other financial institutions supervised by the central bank.

During his 12-year tenure, he addressed himself to banking supervision, capital market development, credit policy and financial inclusion.

He also implemented risk-based and proportionate regulations that enabled institutions under BSP’s jurisdiction to innovate business models and adopt digital financial services, as well as supported regulations promoting financial inclusion and consumer protection.

But it was only in 2017, when President Rodrigo R. Duterte named him the new BSP governor, succeeding Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., who occupied that position for more than a decade, that Mr. Espenilla rose to great public prominence.

In his speech at BSP’s 24th anniversary celebration, Mr. Tetangco spoke highly of his successor. “I have worked closely with him and I can tell you that Gov. Nesting is a top-notch central banker and a man of integrity, who has what it takes to excel as the BSP’s new leader,” he said.

At an alumni homecoming mentioned earlier, Mr. Espenilla said of his appointment, “My dream was to join the central bank. Thirty-six years after, I was appointed BSP governor. Imagine how thrilled, and how terrified, I was!”

Mr. Espenilla embarked on a “Continuity Plus Plus” initiative, under which major reforms concerning monetary and financial policies and organizational structure were made.

In a statement, BSP said, “During his tenure, the amendments to the BSP charter were finally passed, strengthening the capability of the central bank to deliver its mandate to promote price and financial stability and to foster a safe, efficient and inclusive payment system.”

Mr. Espenilla also led the digitalization of the retail payment system to make the broader financial system more inclusive and efficient.

At the central bank’s silver anniversary last year, the late governor said, “As I close, I recall my mission as head of team BSP. It is not only to deliver on our mandates today. Rather, it is to build capabilities to address challenges and develop skills needed to conduct our mission given likely scenarios, ready to respond where it matters, when it matters. This is the rationale for the bold organizational changes we have embraced thus far. These changes are meant to make the institution and its key officers more agile and resilient, ready too, as individuals and as an organization, to navigate the future.”

Deputy Governor Maria Almasara Cyd Tuaño-Amador, who was chosen to be the officer-in-charge of BSP shortly after Mr. Espenilla’s demise, described the late governor as a man in constant motion.

“He had big plans for the BSP to make us future-ready. He had a reform agenda that covered the full breadth of the BSP’s responsibilities: price stability, financial stability, a safe, reliable and inclusive payments system and advocacies including financial inclusion, economic and financial learning, and consumer protection.”

She also remembered him for his optimism that he could bring the bank to greater heights as a globally recognized central bank and that his “Continuity Plus Plus” agenda would promote institutional stability and serve as a rallying point for future Filipino central bankers.

“His optimism is brave and strong because it rests not on wishful hopes but on the conviction that the BSP’s reform agenda is realizable because the organization he led is strong, it is resilient, it is agile and it is capable,” she said.

Near the end of her speech honoring the memory of Mr. Espenilla at BSP, Ms. Tuaño-Amador further commended the late governor for the prudence with which he formulated and implemented monetary policy to ensure price stability, for leading the financial industry through prudent and forward-looking reforms, and for acting as vanguard in the digitalization of the payments system in the country.

“We bask in these achievements because he had always, always, generously said that it is One Team BSP that has made these possible,” she said.

A champion of financial inclusion

When he first took office as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) Governor in May 2017, Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. vowed to push for general policy continuity under a plan of action dubbed, “Continuity++.” At the time, the Philippine economy was at the peak of its years-long bull run, with strong government and consumer consumption, as well as a good investor outlook putting the country among the best-performing economies in the world.

“It’s all about continuing what we have been doing in the constant surveillance of the monetary and financial system to make sure it is resilient and stable,” Mr. Espenilla said following his appointment as BSP chief.

He made good on his promises. Under his leadership, the BSP continued to support the Philippines’ economic growth through constant vigilance over the monetary and financial system. At the same time, Mr. Espenilla spearheaded major reforms covering Philippine monetary and financial policies, including the digitalization of the country’s retail payment system for a more inclusive and efficient financial system.

After the news of his passing broke, many of his contemporaries in government and the financial industry hailed Mr. Espenilla as one of the country’s foremost champions of the pursuit of financial inclusion. Not only did his initiatives toward bringing the Philippine banking system to the digital age made it more accessible for ordinary Filipino, but they also fueled economic growth through the promotion and development of emerging financial technologies.

“Fintech innovations can also help drive financial inclusion as access and usage of financial services continue to be limited,” Mr. Espenilla once said. “An important part of this solution is digital enablement.”

Digital initiatives, according to the BSP, could help the growth of Filipinos’ Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA), the voluntary retirement accounts comprising personal savings and investments launched to promote capital market development as well as the value of savings among Filipinos. Such initiatives would also benefit women and speed up economic growth by improving the efficiency and productivity of consumers.

“[Digitalization] provides the convenience of being able to do banking and financial services from home. Even if you’re taking care of your family, you’ll be able to do banking,” he said.

“The fact that liquidity cycles to the economy more quickly creates efficiency and productivity and that’s going to help economic growth. So, in fact, studies show that economic growth rises as the economy becomes more digitalized,” he added.

In his duty, Mr. Espenilla led policies to increase incomes by strengthening the banking sector and developing the domestic capital market, working with major players like the Asian Development Bank to make financial services and literacy available to all Filipinos, and to modernize the payment system as a means to safely and securely distribute the benefits.

 Of these initiatives, many are ongoing efforts to develop the domestic bond market, to bring modern, efficient, accessible banking to rural underserved areas.

“Mr. Espenilla’s leadership in BSP’s pursuit of financial sector development and inclusion will remain an inspiration to all of us working to expand access to financial services for the poor and smaller enterprises, a key challenge in Asia,” ADB President Takehiko Nakao said.

“We look forward to continuing our support to his vision — a Philippines with strong, sustained growth and where no one is left behind,” he added. — Bjorn Biel M. Beltran