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DTI to finish probe into cement safeguards this week

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it will complete this week a preliminary investigation to determine whether the domestic cement industry needs safeguard measures to protect it from an alleged influx of cement imports in the past few years.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in a mobile message on Monday that the probe will come to a conclusion soon.
In September 2018, the agency initiated motu proprio a preliminary safeguard measures investigation to assess whether the rise of cement imports from various countries has seriously injured domestic industry.
Citing Bureau of Customs data, the DTI said cement imports rose 70% in 2014; 4,391% in 2015; 549% in 2016; and 72% in 2017.
This increase was one reason for the decline in sales and earnings of cement manufacturers in 2017 when the domestic industry’s revenues fell 11.64% to P116 million, the first drop after three consecutive years of sales increases.
The weighted average landed cost of imports from major producers like Indonesia, China, and Thailand were lower than the average domestic selling price, undercutting domestic producers by 14.28%, 15.36% and 7.87%, respectively.
Cement manufacturers were forced to reduce prices by almost 10% to compete with lower-priced imported cement.
Republic Act 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act of allows the DTI secretary to launch a preliminary safeguard investigation “if there is evidence that increased imports of the product under consideration are a substantial cause of, or are threatening to substantially cause, serious injury to domestic industry.”
Cement importers protested the imposition of safeguard action against cement shipments, warning of a slowdown in infrastructure and building projects should such a remedy be put in place.
The Philippine Cement Importers Association, Inc. (PCIA) also warned that consumers will bear any additional cost from such a trade measure.
Domestic plants currently produce 26 to 28 million metric tons (MT), short of the 31 to 32 million MT domestic demand, according to the PCIA. — Janina C. Lim

BoI confident of beating 2019 investment pledges target of P1-trillion

THE Board of Investments (BoI) said it is confident it will surpass the P1 trillion target for investment pledges in 2019.
“With the excitement brought about by all the developments in the economy — GDP, investments, manufacturing, demographics, infra support, investment reforms — drivers would be manufacturing, infrastructure, transport and utilities,” Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in a mobile message.
In 2018, the investment promotion agency took in P907.2 billion worth of registered projects, up 47.1% from a year earlier and beating that growth target of 10%.
The biggest driver of 2018 investment commitments was the manufacturing sector, with projects totaling P409.3 billion or more than four times the investment pledges in 2017.
Other sectors also recorded growth, including transportation and storage, water and sewerage, retail, and the accommodation sector.
Majority of 2018 pledges derived from domestic investors who accounted for P803.2 billion of the total.
Investments from foreign investors surged to P104 billion from P21.7 billion a year earlier, with China, the British Virgin Islands, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia as the top five sources of foreign investment. — Janina C. Lim

Boracay rehab action plan to cost P25.27B, NEDA says

AN estimated investment of P25.27 billion is required for the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force to implement the Medium-Term Boracay Action Plan (BAP) which includes installation of safeguards against ecological degradation and sustained tourism activity, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Monday.
According to NEDA, the plan covers the enforcement of laws and regulations; pollution control and prevention; rehabilitation and recovery of the ecosystem; and sustainability of island activities.
The BAP shall be implemented until 2022 once approved by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, according to NEDA.
“It primarily provides the strategic interventions to ensure the island’s rehabilitation over the medium term and sustainable management over the long term,” NEDA Undersecretary Adoracion M. Navarro said in statement.
NEDA said that the private sector will finance P15.89 billion or 62.9% of the total cost, with some P16.21 billion allotted for infrastructure, NEDA said.
According to NEDA, the plan is in line with stakeholders’ goal to “secure a globally-competitive world-class tourism destination with a vibrant, productive and climate-resilient economy that is geared toward inclusive growth and anchored on the sustainable development of its innate natural resources.”
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said that the Boracay rehabilitation is its centerpiece for 2018 accomplishments.
“With the eyes of the world upon us, we set forth to do what cynics thought was impossible: to transform a cesspool back to being one of the world’s best beaches and swimming destinations, within a period of only six months,” Mr. Cimatu said earlier in a statement. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Andaya cites deficit fears in seeking review of 2019 Budget

HOUSE Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. on Monday proposed to “re-examine” the 2019 National Budget when both chambers convene at the Bicameral Conference Committee.
Mr. Andaya, who represents the 1st district of Camarines Sur, made the suggestion in light of the country’s widening fiscal deficit, which he noted may surpass the 2018 target of P523.7 billion.
“Given this development, it is time we realize that the proposed 2019 national budget prepared by DBM is out of touch with reality,” Mr. Andaya said in a statement.
“We may have to re-examine the 2019 budget closely during the conference committee with the Senate.”
The conference committee is yet to convene, considering the Senate is still in the process of deliberating the 2019 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) at plenary level.
The chamber will resume discussions on the budget when session resumes on Jan. 14. The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 8169, or the GAB on Nov. 28.
Asked for comment, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno told BusinessWorld over the phone that “the fiscal deficit is fine in line with our medium term fiscal program.”
Mr. Andaya also said the cash-based budgeting system, as proposed by the National Expenditure Program, may hinder the government in its efforts to address inflation.
“We are walking on tightrope and we need a really good balancing act. The DBCC (Development Budget Coordinating Committee) insists on a smaller contractionary spending program, yet the government needs to spend more just to catch up with inflation,” the Majority Leader said.
In response to this, Mr. Diokno said “on the contrary, we have adopted an expansionary fiscal policy and with tax reform and moderate deficit to GDP ratio of around 3.0% we can embark on an audacious ‘Build, Build, Build’ program and higher investment in human capital.”
The Budget Secretary also noted the state’s infrastructure spending is higher in the present administration than during the term of former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“By comparison, infrastructure outlays as % of GDP under the Duterte Administration was 6.3% (2017-2018) compared to GMA’s 1.6% (2001-2010),” he said.
“No contest! Thanks for the advice but Duterte’s economic team is fine.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

The first order of business: Local business tax and real property tax

As we hit the first month of the year, it is time for another round of renewal and compliance. What better way to start the year than to have a clear mind set of what needs to be accomplished.
Businesses are required to renew their business permits with the local government every year, and for 2019, this is due on or before Jan. 21. Companies need to pay the local business tax, real property tax, and other fees and charges. Because the processing period is short, companies should be aware of the requirements to ensure that the process can be completed within the due date.
LOCAL BUSINESS TAX
All entities doing business are required to pay local business tax (LBT), except for those granted exemption under the Local Government Code (LGC) and special laws. The tax can be paid annually, on or before Jan. 20, or quarterly, within the first 20 days of January and of the first month of each subsequent quarter. Failure to pay the LBT, fees, or charges on time will be subject to a surcharge not exceeding 25% of the amount of taxes, fees, or charges not paid on time and an interest at a rate not exceeding 2% per month of the unpaid taxes, fees, or charges, until such amount is fully paid. However, in no case will the total interest on the unpaid amount or portion thereof exceed 36 months. Since local taxes, fees, and charges accrue on the first day of January of each year, interest on late payments shall be computed from Jan. 1, not from the due date for payment. Failure to pay the LBT means the non-renewal of the business registration, which can be a ground for closure of the establishment by local authorities.
The LBT rate will depend on the local tax code or ordinance enacted by the LGU pursuant to the provisions and limitations of the LGC. Most local tax codes prescribe the annual LBT as a fixed amount, depending on the level of gross sales or receipts. Other rates are set at a percentage of gross sales or receipts. The rates vary depending on the business activity. Hence, an entity can be subject to different rates if it is engaged in several lines of business. If there are new or additional activities undertaken in 2018, confirm with the LGU the LBT rate to be applied.
The LBT for 2019 will initially be based on the gross sales or receipts for 2018. Given that the Audited Financial Statements are not yet available at the time the LBT is due, the taxpayer is required to prepare a Sworn Declaration of its gross sales or receipts for the year 2018. Most LGUs also require presenting VAT returns to countercheck the taxpayer’s declarations. If there is a suspected under declaration of gross sales or receipts, the application shall be tagged by the LGU and may be subject to the examination of books and accounts by the local treasurer after the business renewal period.
The Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), in its Memorandum Circular No. 01-001-2017, enumerated the following items that are not to be included in gross sales or receipts: (a) receipts from the sale of real properties or realty assets, unless one is engaged in buying or selling real estate; (b) determinable discounts at the time of sales, sales returns, excise tax, and VAT; (c) passive income, i.e., interest, dividends, and gains from the sale of shares; and (d) receipts from the printing and/or publishing of books and/or other reading materials prescribed by the Department of Education as school text and reference.
BLGF Memorandum Circular No. 01-001-2017 emphasized that the automatic application of 10 to 15% increase on the previous year’s gross receipts as basis for LBT without legal basis is discouraged. Taxpayers, however, must be aware that this is the practice of some LGUs. The LGU of Quezon City does not mandate an increased LBT payment. Instead, it has announced that entities in the city that would be paying 30% or more LBT, as compared to their payment in 2018, would be exempt from audit for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018 pursuant to Ordinance SP-2780 s 2018.
The BLGF Memorandum Circular also states that the following entities are exempt from paying LBT: (a) Business enterprises certified by the Board of Investments (BOI) as pioneer and non-pioneer for six and four years, respectively, from the date of registration; (b) business that produce, manufacture, refine, distribute, or sell oil, gasoline, and other petroleum products; (c) Cooperatives duly registered with the Cooperative Development Authority; and (d) Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-registered enterprises and other Special Economic Zones as may be provided for by the specific Republic Act. However, if the PEZA or BoI-registered entity has income from unregistered activities, it may be required to pay LBT on such income.
Entities exempt from LBT payment are still required to secure a Mayor’s Permit. Regional Operating Headquarters, as well as enterprises registered with PEZA, are exempt from securing a mayor’s permit. However, some LGUs require them to secure a business or mayor’s permit and to pay certain regulatory fees. BoI-registered enterprises, meanwhile, must secure a business or mayor’s permit and pay regulatory fees.
As part of the renewal requirements, businesses should secure a comprehensive general insurance policy. Some LGUs require business entities to secure their insurance from accredited insurance companies. Though this is not a requirement under the law, it is best to check with the LGU to ensure a smooth renewal process.
REAL PROPERTY TAX
Another obligation of entities with the LGU is the payment of real property tax (RPT) imposed on real property, such as land, buildings, and machinery deemed real property, and other improvements. If you have newly acquired real property, machinery, or additional improvements, file with the Local Assessor’s Office a sworn declaration of the value within 60 days from the acquisition, installation, or completion of the property.
RPT accrues on the first day of January of each year, and may be paid annually in full on or before March 31, or in quarterly installments on or before the last day of each quarter. For advance payments, some LGUs grant a discount of as much as 20% of the annual tax due. Check if your LGU provides this discount, so you can decide between paying in full or on installment.
The RPT is based on the assessed value of the property multiplied by the tax rate. For most cities and municipalities, the RPT rate is 2% and 1% of the assessed value for Metro Manila and the provinces, respectively. The assessed property value is the fair market value multiplied by the assessment level. Some cities may have different tax rates, and so it is best to verify your city’s tax rate with the city treasurer’s office.
Late payments will result in an interest of 2% per month to a maximum of 72% for 36 months. While interest stops on the 36th month, non-payment can result in the foreclosure and auction of the tax-delinquent properties, if the LGU decides to do so.
PEZA-registered enterprises under an income tax holiday (ITH) are not exempt from RPT on land and/or buildings, but are exempt from RPT on machinery (considered real property) for three years from acquisition. A PEZA-registered enterprise that has transitioned to the 5% gross income tax (GIT) regime, in lieu of all national and local taxes, is exempt from RPT on land, buildings, or machinery deemed real property, except for RPT on land owned by an economic zone developer. BoI-registered enterprises do not enjoy exemption from RPT.
Quezon City also announced an amnesty for RPT delinquencies for 2018 and prior years if settled not later than Oct. 30, 2019. You may check with your own LGUs if they are also offering an amnesty to save on interest and surcharge on past due taxes.
Be aware of the dates to avoid penalties and interest charges for late payment, and pay early to avoid long queues.
 
Ed Warren L. Balauag is a manager of the Tax Advisory and Compliance of P&A Grant Thornton.
Ed.Balauag@ph.gt.com
+63(2) 988-2288

Commodity Price Volatility is a fact of life

2018 is a subdued year for many world-traded commodities. Prices are down. The Philippine countryside was not spared, as it is reeling from the effects of low farm prices of coconut oil palm and rubber. The bitter part is that farmers and workers are saddled with high food prices.
World-traded commodity producers are price-takers There are price cycles since there are many players. Supply and demand law operates. Reality check shows that to mitigate income fluctuation, productivity and unit cost are key. Low productivity can cause losses in a down-price cycle. For example, coconuts are not harvested; rubber trees are not tapped. Farm jobs are also reduced.
GOING SOUTH
2018 appears to be watershed for coconut. In 2015-2016, the situation was the same for natural rubber, as 2015 posted low prices (See Table 1).
Table 1
In the case of coconut, which forms a large chunk of the farming community, low product prices are hurting the already poverty-stricken countryside. Add to that the high food prices. A long-delayed diversification (intercropping) plan under a stakeholder-driven roadmap could have helped balance the risks.
Oil palm farms are also hurting but not as bad as coconut. But many Filipino oil palm farms are producing less than half those of Indonesian and Malaysian plantations.
Rubber prices, since their peaks in 2010-2013, are on a six-year decline. The impact on Mindanao rubber areas is telling as average farm yield is about a third that of India, Thailand and Vietnam (See Table 2).
Table 2
STABLE
Coffee and cacao are doing well. They posted lower price volatilities. However, their harvested areas are smaller and coffee yield is very poor in the Philippines (See Table 3).
Table 3
FERTILIZER AND OIL
Both have volatiles prices. Fertilizer appears “stable” from 2016 to present (See Table 4). Petrol is influenced not only by supply but also by geo-politics (e.g., Trump’s Iran sanctions).
Table 4
Incidentally, low oil prices affect the cost of synthetic rubber from oil, and in turn, farm-grown natural rubber in Mindanao.
WHERE TO?
Investing in perennial crops is a major decision. The farm is tied up for up to 25-30 years, and crops have negative cash flows during gestation. During those 30 years, expect low and high prices. To be sustainable, good practice management to achieve high productivity is primordial. Quality is also a consideration.
To access good planting materials and best-practice, small farms must be under consolidated management or variant thereof. This way, productivity and quality are achieved, and income volatility is remedied.
This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the MAP.
 
Rolando T. Dy is the vice chair of the M.A.P. AgriBusiness and Countryside Development Committee, and the executive director of the Center for Food and AgriBusiness of the University of Asia & the Pacific.
map@map.org.ph
rdyster@gmail.com
http://map.org.ph

The laughable quotes of 2018

I have cited in past columns the most laughable statements in 2016 and 2017 of high profile public officials of the Rodrigo Duterte Administration. Many of the regular jesters in the Court of DU30 stayed on in 2018 to provide again much comic relief with their absurd, vacuous, or incredible utterances. While two of them have left the court, their replacements proved to be as capable as they drew much laughter with their ludicrous pronouncements. Here are what I consider the most laughable statements of high-ranking officials in 2018.
Resigned or relieved Secretary of Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II said: “In our own humble way, we have delivered on our promise to make the DOJ better than when we found it. As I leave the Department of Justice, I find comfort in the thought that, by our collective efforts, we have improved the DOJ in key areas. We have achieved this by hard work and indomitable faith in the protection, providence and guidance of the Almighty.” That statement is ludicrous as he was relieved by Pres. Duterte because Department of Justice prosecutors dismissed criminal charges against alleged drug lords Peter Lim, Kerwin Espinosa, and Peter Co.
His replacement proved he could be as ludicrous at times. In response to Sen. Antonio Trillanes’ appeal not to allow the Department of Justice to be used for political persecution, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, “Since the time I assumed office as Secretary of Justice, I have always made it a point for the department to observe the rule of law and base all of its actions on available evidence and nothing else. We assure the senator that the DOJ will live up to its name of being the administrator of justice to everyone.”
But when Senator Trillanes presented incontrovertible evidence of his application for amnesty and admission of guilt of the offense for which he was charged, Secretary Guevarra dismissed them.
That makes as ludicrous the assertion of former chief justice Artemio Panganiban about Secretary Guevarra. Said he: “I have publicly said it before, and I will say it again: In my humble opinion, Secretary Guevarra has the nonpartisan gravitas, the proven competence, integrity, probity and independence to be a member of the Supreme Court.” The endorsement would not be laughable if the former chief justice meant the Supreme Court at the time of President Gloria Arroyo, when justices were submissive to the wishes of the president, or to the present Supreme Court which is made up of the remnants of the Arroyo Court and the appointees of President Duterte. Secretary Guevarra fits well in either court.
In his farewell message to the Philippine National Police, Director-General Ronald de la Rosa cried as he said, “I did everything I could.” This is the same PNP chief who went to Las Vegas to watch Manny Pacquiao fight, leaving his post as ground commander in the war against the proliferation of illegal drugs, and who attended the concert of Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams while the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.by police officers inside the PNP headquarters, a short walk away from De la Rosa’s official residence, was under investigation….
His successor turned out to be as ridiculous. For not arresting former First Lady Imelda Marcos immediately after the Sandiganbayan found her guilty of seven counts of graft and ordered her arrest, PNP Chief Director-General Oscar Albayalde explained: “In any arrest or anybody for that matter, that has to be taken into consideration, the health and age.” Yet, just weeks later, in the early morning of December 7, the police arrested 72 year old Peace advocate Patricia Cora Casambre for alleged illegal possession of explosives. The prosecutor found the allegation “preposterous” that he ordered her release from detention a few days later.
A regular DU30 court jester, Benjamin Diokno didn’t let 2018 pass without his own ridiculous statement. Denying links to the sole unqualified contractor who bagged billions in government projects, the Budget Secretary declared, “I’m known for my integrity.” Not after he said in 2017, “The budget is a political tool to reward administration allies and punish political enemies. If you’re with us, then you get something. If you’re not with us, then you don’t get something.”
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez was not to be upstaged by his fellow economic manager. He lectured: “Those guys who bribe people to look the other way, who give them nice contracts, who give them concessions for many, many years, who let them make money for no risk. That’s a big, big corruption crime. But you have to be really be very smart, you have to be smarter than them to catch them because it’s white-collar crime.”
Anti-corruption agencies need not be smarter than the bribe givers and bribe takers to catch them. The bribe givers are easily identifiable by the number of big-ticket contracts they get and the bribe takers by their unexplained wealth like huge bank deposits without any legitimate source. There is just no political will to arrest them. No one has gone to jail for the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu in 2017 and the P11 billion worth in 2018.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea joined the DU30 court jesters in 2018. He denied giving Stephen David, lawyer of Janet Napoles, advice on what he should do with regard to the transfer of Napoles from the Bicutan detention center to a Witness Protection Program safe house. “Why would I give legal advice for his client? If I were his client I will fire him. I gave him an opinion,” Sec. Medialdea said.
That is laughable of the Executive Secretary to try to avoid accusation of acting as legal counsel to a person charged with plunder. There is no substantive difference between advice and opinion. Advice is what the sage thinks one should do, opinion is what he thinks.
DU30 Court resident jesters constantly draw laughter with their unabashed denials. When he was still the presidential spokesman, Harry Roque said in reference to the election of Gloria Arroyo as Speaker, “The President did not interfere, this was purely a decision of the House of Representatives.” If so, why did the President’s daughter, who is not a member of the House, call congressmen, who assumed she was speaking for her father, to replace Alvarez?
Mr. Roque’s successor, Mr. Salvador Panelo, is as good in drawing loud and long laughter with his brazen statements. In rebuttal to Australian nun Patricia Fox’s criticism of the government and its “reign of tyranny,” Mr. Panelo said, “Perhaps what she refers to is reign of fear on the part of those who violate the law. They know for a fact that there is a reign of strict enforcement of the law against violators of the law.” Oh yeah?
But the most laughable quote of 2018 has to be President Duterte’s reaction to Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle’s homily on bullying. “When did I ever scare or bully people?”
 
Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. is a member of Manindigan! a cause-oriented group of businessmen, professionals, and academics.
oplagman@yahoo.com

CHR investigates ‘carbon majors’ by using more fossil fuels

The Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has accepted the petition by Greenpeace and other environmental groups in mid-2016 and it has launched the “National Public Inquiry on the Impact of Climate Change on the Human Rights of Filipino People and the Responsibility of the Carbon Majors Therefor, If Any.”
Most of the climate investigations were done in their Quezon City office but some were also done in the provinces and abroad.
On Aug. 30, 2018, I sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the CHR, asking among others the following information:

• Amount of public resources spent and to be spent on each investigation and hearings abroad.

• Funding, how much: (1) Paris meeting in December 2015; (2) Sept. 24-28, 2018 in New York City; (3) Nov. 5-9, 2018, London School of Economics.

On Sept. 13, 2018, CHR Commissioner Roberto Eugenio “Totsie” Cadiz, Chairman of the National Inquiry on Climate Change (NICC), replied to my FOI request, saying that, regarding funding, “(1) Paris trip was partially funded by the Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC)…. costs to CHR Regular Fund for the various meetings amounted to P124,396.80. (2) NYC trip September 2018 will be funded by the European Union through its GoJust facility… The budget allocated by GoJust for this activity is P523,600.00. (3) London trip November 2018, CHR is still looking at potential donor agencies.”
Commissioner Totsie Cadiz is a friend. In 2017 I went to his office and over coffee and cookies, we talked about this thing and I verbally expressed my dismay why the CHR would investigate companies for their phony “crimes” of causing less rain and more rain, less flood and more flood, less storms and more storms, less cold and more cold. Totsie asked me to send a written position paper. In their letter last September, he reiterated the invitation for me to participate in CHR’s inquiry.
On Oct. 29, 2018, I sent Commissioner Cadiz a formal position paper, seven pages, and argued that “I think the Commission has demeaned the main purpose of its creation, that it focus on civil and political rights.”
I attached charts, numbers, news reports, photos and other facts showing that climate change is natural and cyclical. Nature-made, not man-made.

a. 4.5 billion years, warming-cooling cycle and CO2 levels.

b. 500 million years of unrelatedness between atmospheric CO2 and temperature.

c. 420,000 years, Vostok ice cores, temperature and CO2 level.

d. 2,000 years temperature reconstruction for N. Hemisphere.

The CHR has fallen into the trap set by Greenpeace and other environmental groups of using lots of scare-alarm-Frankenstein tactics about the “man-made” climate change. Among these tactics are the following:
A. “Last chance to save the planet” warnings.
From 1992 to 2018, there are almost yearly news reports on this. Below are five examples.

1. “FEATURE: Last chance to save the planet?,” New Scientist, May 30, 1992.

2. “A Global Warming Treaty’s Last Chance,” TIME, July 16, 2001.

3. “Climate talks ‘last chance’ to avoid catastrophe,” NZ Herald, Dec. 2, 2007.

4. “Climate change: Paris ‘last chance’ for action,” BBC, April 22, 2015.

5. “Global Warming and Climate Instability: One Last Chance to Save Ourselves,” Global Research, March 12, 2018.

B. Predicting climate apocalypse, all failures.

1. “Arctic summers ice-free ‘by 2013,’” BBC, Dec. 12, 2007.

2. “NASA Climate Scientist Says ‘We’re Toast,’” CBS News, June 24, 2008.

3. “Gore: Polar ice cap may disappear by summer 2014,” USA Today, Dec. 14, 2009.

C. Exaggerated warming predictions by computer models.

The UN IPCC climate models have produced on average about 2x more warming compared to actual rates in global surface temperature and deep ocean.
HYPOCRISY OF THE ANTI-FOSSIL FUELS LOBBY
People who lambast fossil fuels use lots of fossil fuels via frequent jet-setting and global travels. The double talk can be avoided if they use solar planes, or wind-powered giant kites, or witchcraft-powered brooms but they don’t. Three examples here.
1. Greenpeace. It has launched several polyster airships with big bold slogan, “Say No to Fossil Fuels” — when those airships use propane, a fossil fuel. In addition, Greenpeace people have frequent global travels to sustain campaigns in their 26 global offices covering all seven continents except Antarctica.
2. United Nations. The UN Conference of Parties (COP) annual and global meetings attract on average some 30,000 people: from national and local governments, multilaterals, media, NGOs. COP 1 in 1995 Germany, COP 2 in 1996 Switzerland, COP 3 in 1997 Kyoto Protocol Japan, 1998 Argentina, 1999 Germany, 2000 Netherlands, 2001 Morocco, 2002 India, 2003 Italy, 2004 Argentina, 2005 Canada, 2006 Kenya, 2007 Indonesia, 2008 Poland, 2009 Denmark, 2010 Mexico, 2011 South Africa, 2012 Qatar, 2013 Poland, 2014 Peru, 2015 France, 2016 Morocco, 2017 Germany, 2018 Poland.
On Nov. 30, 2015, New York Daily News report “Paris climate change conference creates its own massive carbon footprint”, it noted that “A whopping 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be churned out during the two-week climate change summit in Paris… an estimated 50,000 people, including media and world leaders, gather to discuss ways to wean the world off fossil fuels…”
3. CHR. As mentioned above, they have made the following jet-setting travels: (a) December 2015 in Paris, (b) Sept. 27-28, 2018 in NYC, (c) Nov. 7-9, 2018 in London. Then (d) 3rd week of January 2019, The Hague, Netherlands.
The CHR is wasting its time, wasting taxpayers’ money by hearing such phony claims while exhibiting the double talk on high fossil fuel use and carbon emissions. There are thousands of cases of Filipino people whose civil and political rights have been violated by the past and current administrations, tens of thousands of human lives unjustly ended by the continuing dirty “drugs war.” CHR personnel and other resources should focus there.
 
Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers.
minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Letter to the Editor

This is in response to the article of Mr. Ramon Clarete published on 7 January 2019 titled, “Property Valuation Service: Are we losing international competitiveness?”
I thank Mr. Ramon Clarete for his interest in our work and for the stimulating comments which highlight our profession and offer a broader perspective. I am certainly in agreement with the writer on the role of property valuation to economies in weathering crisis. However, I was appalled by some points in his article and allow me to comment. His assertion on the maturity of the real estate appraisal profession; quality of service and the valuation standards are quiet disturbing.
Real estate appraisal in the country is in its infancy stage, as a profession. Even though it started in 1961, it was considered as a trade rather than a profession. However, since July 2009, with the passage into law of Republic Act 9646 or the Real Estate Service Act of the Philippines (RESA), real estate appraisal has been recognized as a profession and strengthened.
Mr. Clarete pointed his pen on the 90% of the appraisers. He consistently mixes the know-how in real estate practice and the quality of service. However, Mr. Clarete misses the point. The number of appraisers might triple in number, but the question is, have the opportunities to practice the profession also tripled?
To practice the profession, appraisers have been subjected to different barriers that only few can endure. Take for example the government projects under President Duterte: the Department of Public Works and Highways required appraisers to have an accreditation with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to qualify in a bidding. BSP has its own criteria in evaluating appraisers as outlined in its guidelines “BSP Acceptable Appraisal Companies for Ocular Inspection and Appraisal of Real Estate Properties.” To be part of the list, the appraiser or the appraisal company must comply with certain criteria to be accredited. One is the setting of company net worth to P4 million; and the other one is the setting of ten (10) years’ experience in the real estate-appraisal business as a requirement to manage and sign the appraisal report.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Energy Regulatory Commission, and other government agencies and even commercial banks have their own guidelines and requirements. It is not surprising that only 11 companies, as of December 31, 2017, were accredited by the SEC, and 22 under the BSP.
In the broader context, these accreditation requirements and non-implementation of certain provisions of the Real Estate Service Act have a multiplier effect on appraisal practice. Negating the appraisers of the opportunity to participate in government projects and practice their profession. And it has been 10 years now.
On the International Standards: Mr. Clarete should never forget that the International Valuation Standards was adopted and prescribed as the reference standards in the country only in October 2009, by prescribing the Philippine Valuation Standards. It is only since then that the country laid down the foundation, through education and training, in developing the capability of property appraisers in the country to be at par with other countries. Thus, appraisers now are attending international seminars and conferences to learn best practices of other countries and also share our situation and experiences. In an increasingly globalized world, the consistency and compatibility of standards across jurisdictions is an important issue.
The valuation practice and standards in the appraisal are intertwined. Theories will remain theories if they will not be applied. Provide the appraisers with the venue to practice their profession, and they will surely rise to a new and higher level of professional practice.
We should endeavor in helping real estate appraisers to developed and fulfill their role in the economy, society and our people and be globally competitive in professional practice and standards.
 
Augusto B. Agosto
PAREB Vice-President for the Visayas,
2018 PAREB Chairman on Appraisal Committee
Faculty, University of San Carlos
School of Business and Economics

T-Wolves rout Lakers, sack head coach after

LOS ANGELES — Jeff Teague contributed a pair of 3-pointers to a game-opening, 15-1 run on Sunday afternoon that paved the way for the host Minnesota Timberwolves to post a 108-86 rout of a Los Angeles Lakers’ squad missing LeBron James.
The win came shortly before head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau was fired, ending his tenure midway through his third season in Minnesota. The team announced the move after the game, with assistant Ryan Saunders being named interim head coach.
Teague finished with 15 points and a game-high 11 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double of his own with 28 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who swept a two-game homestand that began with a win over Orlando on Friday night.
Lance Stephenson came off the bench for 14 points and six assists to lead the Lakers, who lost for the fifth time in six games since James suffered a groin injury in a Christmas Day win over the Golden State Warriors.
After the Lakers’ Ivica Zubac opened the game with a free throw, the Timberwolves ran off 15 straight points, with Teague (eight) and Andrew Wiggins (five) combining for 13 of them.
Minnesota went on to lead by as many as 21 points in the first quarter and 64-45 at halftime before coasting home for its second win in three meetings with the Lakers this season.
Wiggins matched Towns’ game-high points total with 28, and Taj Gibson had a third double-double for Minnesota with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Timberwolves outshot the Lakers 46.1% to 36.8% and outscored them 33-15 on 3-pointers, with Teague and Wiggins each hitting a game-high three.
Brandon Ingram had 13 points for the Lakers, who were tipping off a two-day, two-game trip that concludes Monday night in Dallas.
Michael Beasley (11 points) and Josh Hart (10) also scored in double figures for the Lakers, while Tyson Chandler complemented six points with a team-high 10 rebounds.
BEAL, PORTER LEAD WIZARDS PAST THUNDER
Bradley Beal scored 25 points, including seven in the decisive third quarter, to lead the Washington Wizards to a 116-98 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It was Washington’s first road win since Dec. 5, breaking an eight-game road losing streak. The Wizards had never won in Oklahoma City. Their last road win against the franchise came in March 2008 when Washington picked up a win at Seattle’s Key Arena against the SuperSonics. The next season, the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City.
The Thunder led 58-54 early in the third quarter after scoring the first eight points of the second half. But from there, the Wizards dominated the rest of the third, outscoring the Thunder 36-21 the rest of the way.
Beal and Otto Porter did most of the damage, with Porter scoring eight of his 20 off the bench in the third. Washington’s bench scored 42 points overall.
Porter was 4 of 6 from behind the 3-point line in the win. Jeff Green added 16 for Washington, while Tomas Satoransky scored 15. It was the third time in four games Satoransky scored 14 or more points. He’d done it just once before this season.
The Wizards extended their lead to as much as 23 early in the fourth quarter before the Thunder briefly cut the lead to as little as 15.
A big reason for Washington’s win was its success on the offensive glass. The Wizards entered the game as the third-worst offensive rebounding team in the NBA but came up with 16 in the win, one off their team high for the year.
Washington outrebounded the Thunder overall 55-41.
The Wizards also protected the ball well, turning it over just nine times, only the third time this season they’ve turned the ball over fewer than 10 times.
Russell Westbrook finished with 22 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, earning his 12th triple-double of the season and his third in the last four games by the time the third quarter ended.
Paul George added 20 and Jerami Grant 17 as the Thunder had their three-game winning streak snapped.
WALKER’S LATE FLURRY LIFTS HORNETS PAST SUNS
Kemba Walker scored 29 points, including 18 in the final 4:26, and the visiting Charlotte Hornets snapped a two-game losing streak with a 119-113 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
Walker scored 18 of the last 19 points scored by the Hornets, who didn’t take the lead for good until a free throw by Walker with 1:00 remaining gave them a 112-111 edge. Walker then also hit a clutch jumper with 21.7 seconds remaining to up the lead to 114-111.
The Hornets avoided matching their longest losing streak this season.
Tony Parker and Willy Hernangomez came off the bench to spark the Hornets, with Parker scoring 20 and Hernangomez adding 19 points and nine rebounds. The Hornets also got 16 points from Marvin Williams.
They were without Cody Zeller and Jeremy Lamb due to injuries.
The Suns lost their sixth straight, all at home to start a seven-game homestand.
T. J. Warren led the Suns with 23 points. Josh Jackson scored 22, Deandre Ayton 19 and Jamal Crawford 16. Crawford and Warren both missed jumpers in the final minute that turned out to be pivotal.
The Suns played the second half without leading scorer, Devin Booker. The guard left the game early in the second quarter because of back spasms, and he watched the final period in street clothes. He finished with seven points in 12 minutes.
Phoenix led 30-29 after one quarter and 60-57 at halftime. The Hornets were on top 85-81 after three quarters. The Hornets seemed to be in control when they went on an 8-0 run midway through the fourth, but this one was destined to go to the final minute.
The Suns conclude their homestand with a visit from the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The Hornets will face the Clippers in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the third stop on a six-game road trip. — Reuters

Holder Australia falls to shock Jordan loss

AL AIN — Australia made the worst possible start to the defense of their Asian Cup crown on Sunday as Graham Arnold’s Socceroos were handed a 1-0 defeat by unfancied Jordan.
The Australians, who won the title on home soil four years ago, dominated for long spells but were unable to find a way to cancel out Anas Bani Yaseen’s 26th minute header in the Group B clash at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
“It was one of those days,” Arnold said.
“A frustrating day and the ball didn’t seem to bounce. But you’ve got to give full credit to Jordan and they’ve shown that they had a lot of fight.”
The Jordanians lead group B after the opening round of fixtures after a 0-0 draw in the later game between Syria and Palestine, with the Palestinians holding on for a point despite Mohammed Saleh’s 69th minute sending off.
Vital Borkelmans’ Jordan were resolute in defense against an Australia side that struggled to turn their domination into chances. The Socceroos went into halftime trailing by a goal and were fortunate not to be further behind.
Bani Yaseen put his side in front when he was given the time and space to head Baha Abdelrahman’s corner home unchallenged, powering the ball beyond the flat-footed Maty Ryan.
Four minutes later Abdelrahman almost added a second when his freekick from the edge of the area speared towards goal, only for Ryan to push the ball onto the woodwork before it was cleared.
For all their possession, Australia crafted few clear-cut opportunities, with Awer Mabil’s shot coming back of goalkeeper Amer Shafi’s legs and Jamie MacLaren heading high over the bar.
Mabil hit the woodwork late in the second half as Australia grew increasingly desperate to find an equalizer and Shafi was kept busy until the final kick of the game. However, Jordan held on for a famous victory.
Also notching up an historic win were Stephen Constantine’s India side, who handed Thailand a surprise 4-1 thrashing with veteran striker Sunil Chhetri claiming a brace as he led his country to their first victory at the tournament in 55 years.
Chhetri put the Indians in front from the penalty spot before Teerasil Dangda equalized, only for the 34-year-old to restore his team’s lead with a fine finish early in the second half.
Anirudh Thapa and Jeje Lalpekhlua added to the scoreline as India won for the first time at the Asian Cup since defeating Hong Kong in 1964. It put India top of the early standings in group A ahead of hosts the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, who drew 1-1 on Saturday evening.
THAILAND FIRE COACH
Thailand have sacked head coach Milovan Rajevac following their 4-1 defeat by India in their opening game of the Asian Cup, the country’s football association (FAT) said yesterday.
Serbian Rajevac, who was appointed in April 2017, was already under pressure going into the tournament after Thailand failed to defend their ASEAN Football Federation Championship title in December.
“I hereby announce the suspension of Milovan Rajevac’s contract as coach of Thailand’s national team,” FAT President Somyot Poompanmoung said in a statement.
Rajevac’s assistant, Sirisak Yodyardthai, has been put in interim charge of Thailand, who are bottom of Group A and play Bahrain on Thursday.
CONSTANTINE TELLS INDIA TO STAY GROUNDED AFTER THAI HIGH
AL AIN — India made a storming start to their Asian Cup campaign with a 4-1 thumping of Thailand in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, but coach Stephen Constantine has urged his team to temper celebrations and focus on qualifying for the knockout stages.
Constantine’s men marked their return to the continental showpiece event after an eight-year hiatus with a brilliant second half display to secure a surprise triumph against the more-fancied War Elephants to move top of Group A.
“We try to win every match that we play in,” the English coach told reporters after India, who were fortunate to go into the break locked at 1-1, registered a first victory at the tournament in 55 years.
“We still have two games left and we still need another two points to qualify from the group stages. After we have qualified, we can get a little bit excited, but our primary job is still to qualify out of the group stages.”
Constantine attributed his team’s slow start to “nervousness” and took heart from their second half display when they scored three times without reply to add to a contentious first-half penalty.
“It was important to not concede a goal in those minutes and that is what we did,” the 56-year-old, currently in his second stint with India, added.
Talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri, who scored twice, was already looking ahead to Thursday’s match against hosts United Arab Emirates. — Reuters

Big stage no problem for Asian Cup debutants Yemen — assistant coach

AL AIN — Yemen will be making their Asian Cup debut when they face three-times champions Iran on Monday and while the players are set to be thrust into the limelight like never before the team’s assistant coach is confident stage fright will not be an issue.
Milos Brozek told Reuters that Yemen, the tournament’s lowest-ranked national team at No. 135, had nothing to lose when they face the highly fancied Iranians in Abu Dhabi.
“Sometimes if you are somewhere for the first time you don’t really realize just how big it is,” the Czech said in a telephone interview.
“We will show our best without any problems with nerves.”
WAR TORNED
The path to the 24-team competition was an unlikely one for a nation embroiled in a nearly four-year long war that has killed more than 10,000 people and triggered the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis with the country on the brink off a mine.
Their journey has been a rare source of good news for both the country and its players, who play abroad because the war has forced the suspension of the national league.
“We have players from all over Yemen,” Brozek said.
“Sometimes we talk with the players about the conflict but wekeep the focus on football.
“We have had big support from Yemeni supporters around the Gulf and we see how the people support the players.”
It has not been easy for Brozek and Slovak head coach Jan Kocian, who only took over at the end of October.
The pair had little time to experiment with tactics and formations and instead have had to focus on simply getting to know what the players could do, Brozek said.
And with most of the team scattered around the Gulf, logistical issues such as contacting players and clubs to get them to training camps gobbled up time, he added.
“It was a very short time to know everything and to collect the players,” Brozek said.
“Playing-wise there was no time to try different systems. We are not in a position to switch from system to system because we have not had time to test different ones.”
The Czech and Slovak coaches have guided the team to three narrow pre-tournament warm-up losses to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Syria, matches that have offered a glimmer of hope the team will not be a walk over at the Asian Cup.
But Brozek said whatever happens at the competition — where the Yemenis also face Iraq on Jan. 12 and Vietnam on Jan. 16 in Group D — the team led by former Slovak national team coach Kocian would be ready.
“The players are not afraid,” he said. “They are fighters and want to represent their country the best way they can.” — Reuters

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