Senate body uncovers illegal airport scheme for Chinese nationals

February 17, 2020 | 8:11 pm

SENATORS on Monday uncovered an illegal scheme that allows the entry of Chinese nationals for a fee.

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel at yesterday’s hearing presented a video supposedly taken by an airport worker showing incoming Chinese nationals being escorted to an office at the Manila international’s airport.

The tourists’ identities were then validated based on a list of names and their corresponding flight numbers and photos.

Ms. Baraquel also showed screenshots of Viber messages among Immigration officers discussing the illegal scheme, as well as a worksheet containing the P10,000 paid by each of the tourists.

The Chinese nationals were allegedly allowed entry.

Immigration officials who attended the hearing denied knowledge of the scheme, prompting the senator to say that they were either complicit or negligent.

“This is the first time we saw this particular rundown of amounts,” Port Operations Division chief Grifton Medina told the Senate committee on women, children and family relations.

The Senate body was tackling the illegal entry of Chinese nationals who end up working in offshore gaming companies in the Philippines.

Some female workers had also been allegedly trafficked and forced to work as sex slaves.

Ms. Baraquel told reporters after the hearing it was unlikely that Immigration officials were ignorant of the illegal scheme.

She noted that if reforms had really been started, the bureau would have discovered the scheme a long time ago.

The lawmaker said the government must order a crackdown against unscrupulous Immigration officials involved in the anomaly.

The Senate committee will examine at its next hearing the cost and benefit of offshore gaming companies, whose operators and clients are mostly Chinese.

Also yesterday, the Justice department said it would follow the Senate inquiry and help in the investigation of the illegal scheme.

“The Office of the Commissioner of Immigration will initiate its own investigation on the matter,” Undersecretary Markk L. Perete told reporters in a group message.

“The department will closely monitor and supervise this investigation to ensure that those responsible will be held to account,” he added. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Mandaue City to declare 3 rivers off-limits after poliovirus result

February 17, 2020 | 8:10 pm

THE MANDAUE City government will declare three of its rivers — Butuanon, Mahiga, and Tipolo — including the tributaries, off-limits to the public following test results indicating that the Butuanon River is positive of the poliovirus. John Eddu Ibañez, chief of staff of Mayor Jonas C. Cortes, said the Butuanon River Management Board was scheduled to meet Monday to discuss the matter. They will also meet with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo C. Labella for coordination as the Butuanon River traverses the two cities. “While it is most unfortunate that this news came at the time when we are still reeling from the effects of COVID-2019, it is good that we knew of this the earliest in order for us to align our time and resources to address this concern,” Mr. Ibañez said. “We will ramp up our vaccination campaign and information dissemination against polio and other preventable diseases,” he added. The Department of Health (DoH), through the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM), announced last Saturday that environmental samples from Butuanon River tested positive for poliovirus. The DoH, in a statement, said it is coordinating with the World Health Organization for an appropriate vaccination response. “It is important that we are able to timely detect any acute onset of paralysis in children — especially within our communities. We have evidence that the poliovirus continues to spread. Our aim is to promptly diagnose and treat all possible polio cases,” said Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque, III. The DoH has been implementing a nationwide vaccination drive after a polio outbreak was declared in September 2019, almost two decades since the country has been free from the virus. — The Freeman

Danger zone markers out, but Taal still a no-go zone

February 17, 2020 | 8:10 pm

MEMBERS of the Philippine Coast Guard on Monday remove the bouys marking the seven-kilometer danger zone around Taal Volcano after the alert level was downgraded to two from three last Friday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology (PHIVOLCS), however, reiterated in its Feb. 17 advisory that at Alert Level 2, “sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur.” As such, the Taal Volcano Island, declared as a permanent danger zone, remains off-limits. Entry into to the island “must be strictly prohibited,” PHIVOLCS said.

Davao Metro Shuttle starts serving intracity route

February 17, 2020 | 8:09 pm

THE DAVAO Metro Shuttle Bus Company has started serving an intracity route in Davao City as part of its expansion program.

“Aside from looking into the possibility of additional revenue for the company, we also see that this would also increase awareness of our presence in the city and all over the (Davao) region,” Davao Metro Shuttle President De Carlo L. Uy said in an interview during Monday’s launch of the initial two bus units that will serve the Davao-Calinan route.

The bus firm, established in 1995 with its main office in Tagum City, has been operating inter-city, inter-province and inter-regional routes.

The two new buses are part of the total franchise of 17 units originally owned by Annil Transport Services Inc., which Davao Metro Shuttle recently bought.

The franchise covers the Roxas-Bankerohan-Calinan route.

Mr. Uy said they will be assessing demand before purchasing more buses.

The bus units are Euro 5 low-entry buses, with ramps for wheelchairs. It is also equipped with CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi access, and a cashless fare collection facility.

The operating hours are still being adjusted based on “lean days and peak hours,” he said.

Mr. Uy said the company’s expansion plans are in line with the government’s transport modernization program.

With a current fleet of about 300 buses, Mr. Uy said they are looking at opportunities in other regions. — Maya M. Padillo

3,000 drivers to get training for new Davao City bus service

February 17, 2020 | 8:08 pm

THE 3,000 drivers who will be employed for the High Bus Priority System (HPBS), with priority given to existing jeepney drivers, will undergo training to get a certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Assistant City Administrator Tristan Dwight P. Domingo said about 300 drivers have already signified their interest in securing the TESDA National Certification III for bus and truck driving course. “This is a good sign. Many have inquired already following the HPBS implementation, and during our consultation dialogues, most of these drivers said they are interested to apply for the NC III training,” Mr. Domingo told the media last week. He added that if there are not enough passers of the certification process, those who failed could still be employed, depending on their rating. The drivers will cover the three routes — Toril, Catalunan Grande, Diversion Road — under the project’s initial phase. The training is part of the social intervention program being offered to jeepney drivers and operators who will be affected by the new public transport system.

TOR
Meanwhile, the city government is still finalizing the terms of reference (TOR) for the HPBS, but several bus companies and jeepney cooperatives have already indicated their intent to apply for the contracts. “Although there are many inquiries already, we still can’t process anything yet as of the moment as there are still no terms of reference,” Mr. Domingo said. The city plans to limit the number of HPBS operators to five. Late last year, the national government approved the implementation of the project, which will cost about P19 billion, of which P2.8 billion will come from the city government as counterpart. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

Camp Abubakar now a joint peace team barracks

February 17, 2020 | 8:07 pm

CAMP ABUBAKAR, former headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has been formally turned over to the Joint Peace and Security Committee (JPSC) and will now serve as the barracks for the first JPS Team tasked to safeguard weapons of decommissioned MILF combatants. The new barracks for the JPST — composed of decommissioned members of the MILF Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine National Police — is the first of 11 that will be set up in seven provinces across Mindanao, according to a statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). The other facilities will be in North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao Del Norte, and Lanao del Sur. OPAPP, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is partly funding the construction of the camps. “Today’s turnover of the first of 11 JPST barracks that will be established in mutually agreed areas symbolizes our desire to ensure the implementation of the security component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB),” OPAPP Undersecretary David B. Diciano, head of the Joint Normalization Division and chair of the government’s Peace Implementing Panel, said during the February 14 ceremony. “The decommissioned weapons you will be securing here in this camp represents the decades of armed struggle of the Bangsamoro People. And now that they have been put to rest, they will serve as a reminder to all of us of the sacrifices made by our Moro brothers and sisters in order to uplift the lives of their people,” he said. The weapons are kept in the Secured Arms and Storage Area inside the camp under the oversight of the International Decommissioning Body, which is composed of representatives from the governments of Turkey, Norway, Brunei, and local experts nominated by the Philippine government and MILF.

‘FORMER GLORY’
Camp Abubakar, also referred to by its old name Camp Iranun, “had been witness to some of the most memorable historical events of the Bangsamoro struggle’s struggle for self governance, culminating in the signing of the historic CAB,” OPAPP said. Shuaib Adam, a member of the MILF Joint Task Force on Camps Transformation, is optimistic that the camp and all the other MILF communities will be restored to their “former glory.” In January last year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) signed an agreement with a business group backed by Russian and Swiss investors to set up a banana plantation in Iranun. — Mindanao Bureau

Nationwide round-up

February 17, 2020 | 8:06 pm

Malacañang ready for court battle over VFA termination

THE PRESIDENT’s spokesperson said the Duterte administration is ready to defend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States should legislators question the move before the Supreme Court. “As far as we are concerned in the Executive, there is no need for a concurrence in the Senate because the Constitution, if it’s clear to them, it’s also clear to us,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a briefing in Malacañang on Monday. Minority Floor Leader Franklin M. Drilon was the first to make a statement that senators could bring the matter to the high court. Mr. Drilon said last Sunday that Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III will prepare the case, which is supported by several other legislators. Mr. Panelo said they are aware that at least four senators are backing the move. The VFA termination notice was received by the US Embassy in Manila on Feb. 11. Mr. Panelo earlier said the end of the military pact will take effect six months after the US government receives the notice. — Gillian M. Cortez

PEZA proposes private sector-funded military reservist program

THE PHILIPPINE Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is proposing to institutionalize the military reservist program for ecozone workers, which can be funded by locators and the cost for training and equipment included in their tax deductible expenses. The reservists would primarily be tapped for rescue operations during calamities and terror attacks. In a statement on Monday, PEZA said it wants to issue an administrative order (AO) that would establish the trained personnel as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reservist units. “PEZA’s unique structure with 404 operating ecozones and 4,478 locator companies, once trained, will provide 1.5 million directly and 7 million indirectly employed reservist manpower, as more than enough for the 80% Reserve component of the AFP,” said PEZA Director-General Charito B. Plaza, who met last Feb. 13 with AFP Chief of Staff Felimon T. Santos, Jr. on Feb. 13 along with industry leaders. The proposed AO would also allocate a budget for training, uniforms, and equipment. Ms. Plaza is also pushing for the establishment of “defense ecozones,” or hubs for military technology and equipment. — Jenina P. Ibañez

‘Bikoy’ posts bail

PETER JOEMEL Advincula, the man who confessed to be “Bikoy” in the video linking the President and his family to illegal drugs, has posted bail for the charge of conspiracy to commit sedition along with Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV and nine others. Lawyer Larry Gadon, legal counsel of Mr. Advincula, told reporters in a mobile phone message that his client posted the P10,000 bail before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 138 on Monday. Mr. Gadon said Mr. Advincula, the sole witness of the police when the complaint was filed, does not want to be under the Witness Protection Program but is willing to be a state witness. Others charged are Joel Saracho, Boom Enriquez, Yolanda V. Ong, Vicente Romano III, Fr. Albert E. Alejo, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Jonnel P. Sangalang, Eduardo Acierto, and “a certain Monique.” Messrs. Villanueva and Alejo posted bail on Friday when the arrest warrant was issued by the court. Mr. Trillanes said he will post bail this week upon his return from an engagement abroad. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Nation at a Glance — (02/18/20)

February 17, 2020 | 8:05 pm

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

New partnership with Transfez furthers PearlPay’s expansion into Indonesian market

February 17, 2020 | 3:10 pm

Philippine fintech PearlPay signed last January 23 a strategic partnership with Transfez, am Indonesian fintech firm focusing on cross-border payment solutions.

The partnership acknowledges a shared mission for both firms, catering to their countries’ foreign workers. According to the World Bank, the Philippines was the fourth top remittance recipient in the world in 2018, following only India, China, and Mexico.

Despite this, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas found that only one-third of households receiving remittances allocate any portion towards savings, with a majority of remittances spent on day-to-day expenses and debt payments.

With the establishment of PearlPay Hong Kong last year, the local fintech aimed to service OFWs looking for an easier way to send money home. Now, through their recent partnership with Transfez, PearlPay is hoping to do the same for Hong Kong’s Indonesian workers.

Transfez will collaborate with PearlPay in helping Hong Kong’s 150,000 Indonesian migrant workers send remittances affordably, with real-time settlement, cash pick-up, and e-wallet top-up services.

According to Uniteller’s recent Asia Survey Report, 95% of Indonesian respondents claimed that the money they received significantly improved their quality of life, while 82% stated that they were able to meet essential costs that they may have not been able to pay.

“Through this partnership, we aim to provide a better way to send money that will help address the financial needs of not just the Indonesian workers but also their families,” PearlPay shared.

Livestreaming platform Kumu expands into live audio with new podcasting feature

February 17, 2020 | 12:24 pm

Livestreaming content platform Kumu has made waves as the fastest-growing Filipino social media app, connecting talents and audiences with their suite of app-based streaming tools. Their latest feature expands their content sharing into audio, enabling social radio or live podcasts on the platform.

With the audio streaming feature integrated within the mobile app, content creators and users can now join in on relevant conversations, exchange information on relevant topics, and share KUMU diamonds (the in-app currency for the app’s users), in six settings. Developers of the app also intend to highlight exclusive functions that allow audio streamers to accommodate guests and co-hosts in ‘public’ and ‘friends only’ options; as well as ‘mute’, ‘kick’ or ‘block’ listeners.

Recognizing how netizens who want to spark discussions of topical interests would prefer audio streaming over going live on the internet, developers are keen on launching the feature within the month to give users more leverage to stream their original and interesting ideas online.

The KUMU team is also well on track with the app’s combined audio and live streaming features as both forms are now used widespread globally with over 138 countries using streaming features to broadcast nearly 16,000 events.

While livestreaming remains one of the top choices for KUMU users who want to gain a wider following online and to show more content, the new audio streaming feature should see their community grow with aspiring Filipino podcasters all over the world.

Renewed dreams after battle with leukemia

February 17, 2020 | 9:00 am

A Vietnamese patient finds hope and a new lease of life after treatment for blood cancer at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore

One of the first changes Ms. Le Ngoc Anh noticed in her body was the profuse sweating that began to happen daily. Not long after, she became pregnant. In the 12^th week of her pregnancy, she went for a maternal serum screening and discovered that the white blood cell count had skyrocketed to an alarming 201,000, way above the normal limit of 12,000. A second test at another hospital confirmed the results, and she was advised to head to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to check for blood disease.

The diagnosis turned out to be Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). A cancer of the white blood cells, CML is a serious and rare disease that was previously considered fatal. “Once I learned I had leukemia, I had a complete breakdown,” she recalls. Not knowing whether she can be cured, her family too suffered the emotional toll as they grappled with the uncertainties and confusion.

She sought treatment at a hospital in HCMC. However, she found the experience of sharing the room with several patients unsettling. Fearful of possible exposure to cross infection, she decided to travel to Singapore in search of better treatment conditions.

Ms. Anh chose Mount Elizabeth Hospital and sought the care of Dr. Patrick Tan, an experienced hematologist who subspecializes in bone marrow transplant and transplant immunology. He is also known as a pioneer in cord blood and stem cell transplant, having performed the world’s first successful case of unrelated blood stem cell transplant and unrelated cord blood transplant for thalassemia major, a rare inherited blood disorder. In 2004, Dr. Tan became the medical director of the Haematology and Stem Cell Transplant Centre at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. At the hospital, the level of comfort catered to overseas patients was another plus. Aside from providing international cuisines, the hospital has created a Vietnamese-themed ward to help patients like Ms. Anh feel at home. Signboards are translated into Vietnamese, and the staff can converse in basic Vietnamese. In addition, a translator is always on hand to translate the patients’ medical questions.

According to Dr. Tan, Ms. Anh stands a chance of being completely cured due to her young age and the disease being discovered at an early stage. She was suitable for treatment with oral medication, which she responded well to. Dr. Tan explains, “From my previous patients, we know that if the leukaemia becomes undetectable, she can continue the medication for another two more years and the medication can be stopped without the disease coming back. Most of my patients who have been treated this way have a 90% chance of cure.” For Dr. Tan, his hope for Ms. Anh is to cure her condition for good. He says, “She is also at child-bearing age. Should she have to continue the medication for the long term, there is no chance for her to form a family as the medication is not safe for mothers during pregnancy. The chance of having a cure and to stop the medication is a big bonus for her and she will be able to return to her normal way of life.”

Having been on a long, arduous journey to recover her health, Ms. Anh is ready to move forward and chase her dreams again. “When I first arrived at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, my gene mutation rate was about 45. Now, after two years, it has returned to 0. According to Dr. Tan’s anticipation, my rate would be back to 0 in month 18, but in reality, it already stayed at 0 by month 16. My health is better and my confidence is back,” Ms. Anh shares. “My dream was to travel around the world. So, I will visit places I like and continue doing my business.”

This article is brought to you by Mount Elizabeth Hospital. For more enquiries, please contact our Philippine office at manila.ph@parkwaypantai.com.

Police rescue four Malaysian kidnap victims in Laguna

February 17, 2020 | 1:00 am

POLICE rescued four Malaysian kidnap victims at the weekend and arrested seven of their captors working for an offshore gaming company in San Pedro, Laguna province, according to the police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG).

AKG chief Brigadier General Jonnel Estomo said the victims had been rescued from a safehouse in the village of Chrysanthemum at about 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Mr. Estomo identified the victims as Tan Hang Yi, Kho Soon Chiang, Cheam Chun Keat and Jonathan Ting Zhi Haw. Seven Chinese nationals whom authorities had yet to identify face charges of kidnapping.

The victims were being kept and forced to work at the house that had been converted into an offshore gaming hub, according to AKG spokesman Major Ronaldo Lumactod.

“Our teams were able to locate the safehouse where the kidnap victims were being held,” he said in a report.

Policemen initially took into custody 17 Chinese nationals but released 10 of them after the victims failed to identify them as among their captors.

The suspects were brought to the Anti-Kidnapping Group’s main office at Camp Crame in Quezon City for investigation. — Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star