BusinessMirror July 30, 2024 by BusinessMirror

By Reine Juvierre

will also inch up by 4.75 percent to P5.377 trillion from the P5.133 trillion projection for 2024.

Budget Undersecretary Joselito Basilio said the government has relied on borrowings during the Covid-19 pandemic, and debt could reach its peak in the next few years.

“As the [gross domestic product] GDP expands and we are able to pay off our debts, after its peak, debt will eventually go down,” Basilio explained in a media briefing on Monday. Basilio said the DBM’s outlook is for inflation and interest rates to stabilize as soon as this coming second semester of the year so that debt payments would also decrease in that sense.

2025 borrowing plan

THE state will borrow P2.545 trillion in 2025 to ﬁnance the national government’s programs and projects.

PRA

CHIEF: SPORTS GOODS SALE TO RISE 20-25%

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

THE sales of sports goods in the Philippines is seen to grow by 20 to 25 percent in 2024, likely fueled by the entry of new sports such as pickleball as well as the Paris Olympics, which is generating “strong” following among spectators in sports, according to Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) President Roberto S. Claudio Sr.

“The Philippine sports market in 2024 is expected to reach [pre-] pandemic level of 2018 and is expected to continue to grow in the next ﬁve years,” Claudio, who’s also the chairman of Toby’s Sports, told the BusinessMirror

in a Viber message.

“We are expecting a high growth of 20 to 25 percent growth with worldwide growth of about 30 percent,” Claudio added.

The sporting goods market, he noted, has been growing not only in the Philippines but worldwide. This can be attributed to the post-pandemic trend, brought about ﬁtness and wellness concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Similarly due to the work from home that has made casual and athleisure wear a way of dressing down for oﬃce and business dressing,” he also noted.

The chairman of leading multi-brand sports retailers in

the Philippines Quorum International Inc. (Toby’s Sports), said lifestyle shoes, sneakers and performance have “exploded” in growth in the past ﬁve years.

Meanwhile, he said “New sports such as pickleball and paddleball have been growing in participation,” adding that the Paris Olympics is also generating “strong following spectators in sports.”

“For as long as there are people on earth, we will need to stay ﬁt, engaging in sports will be the most aﬀordable to do so,” said the PRA chief.

Claudio said Filipino children will be “drawn out of juve-

MATURING COVID LOANS TO SWELL DEBT TO P17T

By Jovee Marie

HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday submitted the 2025 P6.352trillion National Expenditure

during the turnover.

“Let us sustain the momentum and stay on track with our Agenda for Prosperity. Through this budget, we can achieve our target of a single-digit poverty level and an upper-middle-income economy.

(center) presented the 2025 National Expenditure Program, detailing the budget of expenditure and sources of finance to the media. From left: Undersecretary Janet Abuel, Principal Economist Dr. Joselito Basi lio, Undersecretary Rolando Toledo, and Assistant Secretary Mary Anne Dela Vega. BERNARD TESTA

Local banks can withstand Pogo ban losses–Fitch

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

DESPITE the govern-

ment’s ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), local banks have adequate reserves to cushion minimal losses, according to Fitch Ratings. Fitch said it believes Philippine banks they rate may be “hurt” in terms of asset quality and performance. However, their loss-absorption buffers will be “sufficient” to withstand likely “limited” losses.

Fitch said the private banks it rates have capital reserves, at 13.6 percent to 16 percent common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratios, that could shield them from possible ﬁnancial losses without pressuring their current standalone Viability Ratings due to the ban on Pogos in the Philippines.

“Banks’ record-high margins

PRA…

and higher loan growth—the key drivers of our ‘improving’ sector outlook for Philippine banks—are likely to compensate for higher credit costs associated with potential new impairments from the Pogo ban,” Fitch said. Moreover, Fitch said it does not expect property-related losses associated with the closure of Pogos to impact banks signiﬁcantly.

Fitch said regulations require banks to demonstrate CET1 and total capital ratios of 6 percent and 10 percent, respectively, after writing oﬀ 25 percent of their real estate exposures.

“This should ensure that lossabsorption buﬀers are aligned with their exposure to the sector,” Fitch added.

Despite residential mortgage and consumer loan credit quality to be aﬀected by job losses if the Pogo sector is wound down quickly, Fitch said additional bank-asset impair-

Continued from A

nile problems if parents encourage their children to participate in a sports activity.”

Claudio said this after a recent blog published on the World Trade

Organization (WTO) website noted that sports goods trade has seen a “massive boost” in recent years, with increased spending by a variety of consumers, ranging from ﬁtness fa-

ments will also remain relatively small since some riskier Pogo-related mortgages have already soured.

The residential mortgage non-performing loan (NPL) ratio improved to 7 percent in the ﬁrst quarter of 2024, from a peak of 9.6 percent in the third quarter of 2021, Fitch said.

However, it remains higher than the prepandemic level of 3.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, which Fitch believes reﬂects in part a fallout from speculative activity and more lax housing loans credit standards during the Pogo boom years in from 2016 to 2019.

“Since then, many banks have become more averse to lending to Pogo workers, given the high policy risk,” Fitch added.

Fitch said the dominance of Pogos in the Philippine property market has gone down since 2019 amid a tightening of over-

natics to aspiring Olympic athletes.

“Over the past three decades, the global market for sports goods has seen remarkable growth. Between 1996 and 2022, annual imports surged from US$ 15 billion to almost US$ 64 billion,” the WTO article noted.

This “signiﬁcant” increase not only reﬂects the global trend of in-

sight and regulation.

Despite the sharp increase of property prices over the past decade, particularly for condominiums in the capital region, Fitch said activities associated with Pogos did not further cause the increase in property prices.

“Under our baseline assumptions, robust economic growth and a projected fall in interest rates should support values and limit impairments,” Fitch added.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also aﬀected the Pogo sector due to travel restrictions in the Philippines, since most Pogo depended heavily on mainland Chinese workers.

Fitch said it estimates large listed ﬁrms’ earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) at over four times annual interest expense, even if all of their Pogo tenants were to leave the Philippines.

creased trade but also changes in consumer behavior, it added.

The WTO article noted that the global landscape of sports goods imports is dominated by the Americas and Europe, which together account for nearly threefourths of total imports.

See “PRA,” A

This is slightly lower by 0.98 percent from the P2.570-trillion borrowing program for 2024.

The government will borrow P2.037 trillion from the domestic debt market next year, lower by 5.91 percent from this year's P1.923-trillion program.

Moreover, P60 billion will be borrowed through the sale of Treasury Bills, and P1.977 trillion from Fixed Rate Treasury Bonds.

External borrowings for 2025 will amount to P507.408 billion, down by 21.46 percent from the P646.084-billion planned borrowings for 2024.

This will include program loans of P236.106 billion; project loans, P73.552 billion; and bonds and other inﬂows, P197.750 billion.

Debt service burden

TO pay oﬀ its ballooning debts, the government will shell out P2.051 trillion in 2025.

Interest payments for 2025 will amount to P848.031 billion, higher by 11.08 percent than the P763.437 billion this year. Interest payments for domestic debt are set at P629.076 billion, while P218.955 billion is allotted for foreign debt payments.

Meanwhile, the government has allocated P2.051 trillion for principal amortization, up by 1.19 percent from the P2.027 trillion in 2024. About P1.614 trillion will go to domestic, and P436.780 billion will go to external debt.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman traced the increase in debt servicing to the matured loans incurred during the pandemic.

“As we all know, our debt increased at the time of the pandemic because our economy is not open and we only have [smaller] revenues so [we] borrowed because of that,” Pangandaman said in the press brieﬁng.

Pangandaman turned over the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) or the proposed national budget to the Congress on Monday.

The proposed national budget for 2025 stood at P6.352 trillion, higher by 10.1 percent than the P5.768 trillion national budget for this year, and makes up 22 percent of the country’s GDP.

Together, let us fulﬁll the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people to achieve a Bagong Pilipinas for our citizens and future generations,” Pangandaman added.

Top priorities

ACCORDING to Pangandaman, the proposed 2025 budget is deliberately crafted to promote holistic development and inclusivity across several key sectors.

Education is the top priority, with an allocation of P977.6 billion, emphasizing the government’s commitment to enhancing the quality and accessibility of education for all Filipinos.

Higher by 15.4 percent over the 2024 ﬁgure, it covers the allocations for government assistance and subsidies, basic education facilities, and Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE), among others.

In pursuit of the Build Better, More infrastructure program, the public works sector gets the second highest allocations, with P900 billion, or 14.2 percent of the national budget.

Receiving the third biggest allocation is the health sector, with P297.6 or 4.7 percent of the national budget. Priority health programs, such as the National Health Insurance Program and the operations of public health facilities, will be funded under this.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government, which will receive P278.4 or 4.4 percent, has the fourth highest allocation.

This will fund the operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and other agencies that maintain peace and order nationwide.

This allocation includes the Philippine Commission on Women, allowing them to develop policies that promote gender-responsiveness in the government at all levels. To uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Defense Department has been earmarked with P256.1 billion to support their key programs and priorities, such as the Land Defense Program, Air Forces Defense Program, and Naval Forces Defense Program.

Social Welfare will get P230.1 billion, or 3.6 percent, to fund the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

This allocation will go to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, among other programs for social protection.

To develop agricultural industry and achieve food security, the agriculture sector, comprising the Department of Agriculture (DA), its attached agencies, and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), will use its P211.3-billion allocation, or 3.3 percent, to support farmers and ﬁsherfolk.

Transportation, through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), will receive P180.9 billion, or 2.8 percent. This sector receives the highest growth among all sectors, recording a 144.8-percent increase from its P73.9 budget in 2024 to fulﬁll the funding requirements of major rail, land, air, and sea transportation projects.

The Judiciary will be allotted P63.6 billion, or 1.0 percent, to support innovation in the justice system, as well as the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Court and lower courts.

The Justice department will get P40.6 billion, or 0.6 percent, to fund its Law Enforcement Program, Corrections Program, and Legal Services Program.

Per class

THE proposed 2025 national budget allocates P2.421 trillion, or 38.1 percent, to Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), the highest allocation by expense class. This portion will cover the dayto-day operations and priority programs of the National Government (NG), including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (P114.2 billion) and the National Health Insurance Program (P74.3 billion).

Additionally, it includes the National Tax Allotment (NTA) (P1.035 trillion), the Block Grant for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) (P83.4 billion), and the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) (P15.8 billion). Personnel Services will receive the second highest allocation, with a proposed P1.757 trillion, or 27.7 percent of the budget. This will finance the salaries, benefits, and other compensations of civil servants, including P70 billion for the first and second tranches of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) VI and P9.6 billion for additional health care benefits for government personnel. Capital outlays are allocated P1.327 trillion, or 20.9 percent, to fund the Build Better More program and other major infrastructure projects, as well as the acquisition of goods and services to be used beyond the fiscal year and added to the national government’s assets.

Receiving P848.1 billion, or 13.4 percent of the proposed national budget, ﬁnancial expenses will settle, among others, the payments for fees, interest expenses, and other ﬁnancial charges incurred by the NG.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez announced on Monday that job creation, quality education, expanded health care, and social protection are top priorities for the House of Representatives in the proposed 2025 national budget.

“For the 2025 national budget, we aim to allocate funds to create more jobs, ensure quality education for students, and expand support for Universal Health Care,” he said.

Romualdez also highlighted the importance of allocating sufﬁcient funds for social protection programs for poor Filipinos.

“As we receive this document today, we recognize the collective responsibility bestowed upon us as legislators to scrutinize, deliberate, and ensure that every peso is judiciously allocated and spent,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor the expenditure of these funds in Congress, ensuring that every peso in taxes is returned to the citizens through programs and projects,” he said.

The House intends to ﬁnish deliberations on the spending measure before the ﬁrst recess of Congress this year in October. House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Zaldy Co underscored the importance of the NEP.

“This proposed budget represents a 10.1-percent increase from the previous year and accounts for 22.0 percent of our gross domestic product. It is a testament to our collective resolve to foster economic growth, social progress, and resilience among our people,” said Co. He stressed that the 2025 budget proposal is not merely a ﬁnancial plan but a strategic roadmap aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028.

In evaluating the budget proposal, Co said Congress will consider several key elements, including the availability of ﬁscal resources, the readiness of programs and projects for execution, agencies’ capacity to absorb funds, and alignment with spending priorities.

The NEP’s turnover signals the start of rigorous budget discussions aimed at addressing the nation’s most pressing needs and aligning with the vision of the Marcos administration.

Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said the implementation of the 2025 national budget would be a test for the enforcement of the newly enacted New Government Procurement Act.

The law introduces new modalities to achieve value for money, procurement eﬃciency, and quality public services. It modernizes procurement processes with the use of emerging technologies and innovative solutions, as well as integrated systems among relevant government agencies.

SolGen files quo warranto petition vs Guo

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Solicitor General on Monday filed a petition for quo warranto against Alice Guo before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Manila, questioning the validity of her assumption as mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, on the ground of ineligibility based on citizenship.

A quo warranto proceeding is initiated against an individual who usurps, intrudes into, or unlawfully holds or exercises a public office; a public person who commits an act that serves as a ground for the forfeiture of the position; or an association which acts as a corporation in the Philippines without being legally incorporated or without lawful authority to act.

Under Rule 66 of the Rules of Court, the Solicitor General or a public prosecutor may initiate the action for quo warranto upon the orders of the President or on his own initiative. In the case of Guo, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra filed the quo warranto petition.

In the petition, Guevarra specifically prayed that Guo be declared as ineligible to hold the Office of Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, and be declared to have committed acts that warrant her forfeiture of position as mayor. It also asked the court to declare as null and void her proclamation as mayor and eventually be ousted from her post.

The petition has been assigned to Branch 34 of the RTC in Manila presided by Judge Liwliwa Hidalgo-Bucu.

Guevarra argued that Guo is “unlawfully holding the position and illegally exercising the duties and responsibilities” of her office on the following grounds: (1) she is not a

Filipino citizen; she is a Chinese national, thus, ineligible to run for any elective public office, (2) she has committed acts which, by provision of law constitute a ground for the forfeiture of her office, and (3) she has committed acts of serious dishonesty which, under the Local Government Code, warrant her removal from office.

“At its core, Filipino citizenship is a primary requirement for public officers, ensuring their unwavering loyalty and dedication to the nation. With this in mind, the Solicitor General seeks to ensure that only individuals who have met and maintained the requisite Filipino citizenship and remained untainted with acts that warrant their removal continue to hold public office,” the 45-page petition read.

The petition said Guo Hua Ping is a Chinese national and has been posing as “Alice Leal Go” for years now.

It noted that Guo is a holder of a Chinese passport and a daughter of two Chinese citizens—Lin Wenyi and Guo Jian Zhong.

Guevarra added that based on the records of the Bureau of Immigration, Guo, who was born on August 31, 1990, arrived for the first time in the Philippines using a Chinese passport.

“That respondent Guo Hua Ping is a Chinese national using Chinese passport is consistent with the BI’s [Bureau of Immigration] Certification and List of Travel Records, which show that respondent Guo Hua Ping, born on August 31, 1990, arrived for the first time in the Philippines.”

Likewise, the petition cited the dactyloscopy report issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which stated that the fingerprints of Guo Hua Ping affixed on her Alien Fingerprint Card dated March

28, 2006, from the NBI master files, and the fingerprints of Alice Leal Guo affixed on the biometric printout of the NBI Information and Communication Technology Division, were affixed by one and the same person.

More woes

GUO may soon also face a misrepresentation case from the Commissions on Election (Comelec) as it pushes through gathering more pieces of evidence on her claims in her Certificate of Candidacy (COC).

In a Viber message, Comelec Spokesman John Rex C. Laudiangco said their fact finding team tasked to look into Guo’s case will head to Mabalacat City in Pampanga, and Bamban, Tarlac.

“We will find out based on what will be the recommendation of the Fact Finding Committee,” he said when asked for a time frame on the filing of the misrepresentation case against Guo.

Comelec Chairman George M. Garcia earlier said he will personally join the fact finding team, which will look into the application of registration of Guo in Tarlac.Laudiangco made the remark after the Solicitor General filed a quo warranto petition against Guo.

Citing evidence from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) proving Guo is a Chinese national, the OSG saidher proclamation as Bamban mayor should be declared null and void.

NBI said Guo has the same fingerprint as Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national, who entered the country on 12 January 2003.

Guo is also being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for her alleged links to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban.

Comelec earlier said it will file a misrepresentation case against Guo after she falsely claimed she is a Filipino national in the COC she submitted to run in the 2022 polls.

A COC is a document filed under oath by aspiring candidatesto prove their eligibility before they are included in an election ballot.

Guo has denied all the allegations against her.

The OSG maintained that “there is no credible official record or document establishing that respondent Guo Hua Ping is a citizen of the Philippines, either by birth or by naturalization.”

Furthermore, the OSG said Guo’s purported Filipino parents Angelito Guo and Amelia Leal as shown in her certificate of live birth do not exist in the records of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

This was corroborated by the negative certifications issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stating that it does not have any record of a Philippine passport issued in favor of Angelito and Amelia.

“Nonetheless, these negative certifications, coupled with the documents showing that respondent Guo Hua Ping’s parents are Chinese nationals Guo Jian Zhong and Lin Wenyi, point to the fact that Angelito Guo and Amelia Leal Guo are fictitious individuals created for the sole purpose of falsifying respondent Guo Hua Ping’s birth records,” the petition said.

“And considering the lack of any evidence proving the Filipino citizenship of respondent Guo Hua Ping’s parents, other than her Certificate of Live Birth which is riddled with incomplete, if not false information, her alleged Filipino citizenship by

Roque admits links to owners of Benguet house

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

FORMER Duterte Spokesman Harry Roque on Monday confirmed his links to the owner of the house in Tuba, Benguet, where two foreigners with suspected ties to the Pogo operations in Central Luzon were arrested.

However, Roque clarified that the house had been rented out since January 2024 by a corporation where he had an interest, and said attempts to link him anew to controversial Pogo or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations were part of a continuing “demolition job” against him.

“The house you’re referring to is registered to a corporation. I stayed there when I left the government in 2019, but I don’t have possession of that house,” Roque told Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Women that resumed hearings on criminal activities linked to Pogos.

“I have an interest in the corporation that owns the house,” he however clarified.

Roque identified the renter as Wan Yun, a Chinese national, who he said was required to show an alien certificate of registration (ACR), which she did, indicating she holds a 9-G working visa. This shows she is qualified to rent the house, he said.

Bureau of Immigration officials at the hearing said the two people in their custody arrested at the raid were a female Chinese national and a male Cambodian national.

Roque told senators, “If I’m not mistaken, the male is a partner of the lessee.”

‘Cambodian’ is a Chinese fugitive AT the close of the five-hour hearing, Hontiveros, quoting her reliable informants, said the supposed Cambodian national is actually wanted in China. The “red-flagged fugitive,” added the senator, is wanted for “defrauding 100,000 people” and the Cambodian passport he carried is fake. The two are now in custody of the

Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which sought BI’s assistance in the raid. The Paocc had also led the raids done on Pogos in Bamban, Tarlac, in May and in Porac, Pampanga, in June.

Later in the hearing, Roque was asked by Hontiveros later to clarify anew his role in bringing over his client Cassandra Catherine Lee Ong to the office of Pagcor Chairman Alejandro Tengco to complain against alleged non-remittance by their authorized representative Dennis Cunanan of about US$500,000 for the Pogos run by Lucky South-99. This caused them to incur arrears, and hindered their application for license renewal with Pagcor.

Roque insisted he had “no links” to any Pogo, and his client was Whirlwind, a Pogo service provider where Ong is an officer as well.

Pagcor chief Tengco confirmed anew with senators that Roque and Ong visited him at his office to complain against Cunanan’s alleged non-remittance.

Cunanan, the former assistant director general of the Technology Livelihood Resource Center, attended the hearing for the first time, and strongly denied Ong’s allegations. He insisted that all their “accountabilities with them [Lucky South] were fully documented.”

Tengco said Ong informed him that, in order to get Lucky South’s license renewed, a representative of theirs was making a payment in a LandBank branch to cover part of their arrears. True enough, Tengco said, when he asked a Pagcor officer to check this, US$203,000 was deposited at LandBank; and Ong promised to pay the balance of the arrears, some US$300, over time.

Later in the hearing, Tengco shared information with the committee that the US$203,000 paid by Lucky South’s representative to cover arrears was made in two consecutive deposits: one for US$50,000 and another for US$153,000, with the depositor listed as one Catherine Ong.

Government races against time to contain oil spill

CONCERNED national agencies and local governments in two regions are now racing against time to produce spill booms to contain the oil leaking from the sunken tanker MTTerra Nova.

One of 18 crew members of the ill-fated vessel died when the tanker capsized and subsequently sank off Limay, Bataan, on July 25. It was carrying 1.4 liters of fuel oil. Oil spills have been spotted near ground zero and are spreading fast owing to strong wind and ocean currents brought by the prevailing southwest monsoon orhabagat.

At a joint Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council meeting of Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) held in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga, Interior and Local Government

Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. underscored the need to gather enough rice hull, grass, coconut husks and coconut leaves, including sacks and ropes to produce enough spill booms that will be deployed in affected areas, before they spread and reach the shores.

Big swaths of oil spotted in Hagonoy

AERIAL footage taken by a Greenpeace and Oceana documentation team revealed the extensive spread of the oil spill from the ill-fated tanker.

The team from Greenpeace Philippines and Oceana went to the Hagonoy area following reports of sightings of an oil slick in the area based on the satellite photos posted on the Karagatan Patrol FB page, and the projection of its spread in the area.

The oil spill spread was confirmed by barangay officials of Isla Tibaguin who saw oil when they went out to sea to catch fish the night before. They took videos of the oil slick.

“The Greenpeace and Oceana documentation team and campaigner left the jetty around 9:40 am, and saw the spill at 10:00 am, reaching the thickest part at 10:36 am [Coordinates: lat. 14.7206417, long. 120.75331166666666.],” Greenpeace Philippines said in its official FB Page. Photos and videos were taken from 10:00 am to 10:36 am (and not 12:00nn as stated in an earlier Facebook post).

The photos and videos validated the information shared by barangay officials and the report in Karagatan Patrol. The documentation team did not encounter any Coast Guard personnel in the morning when they went to the site.

DENR activates response team

DURING the meeting in San Fernando, which

was attended by local chief executives and the government agencies representing Central Luzon and Calabarzon, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga via Zoom said all the DENR regional offices have been activated to provide technical as well as other support to the ongoing effort to contain the oil spill.

The DENR has taken water samples in strategic areas in Limay, Bataan, to determine the water quality that may be affected by the oil spill.

Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the DENR is monitoring important bird areas, particularly in the coastal areas of Central Luzon as they also stand to be affected by the oil spill.

Bataan’s marine resources threatened

THE DENR Central Luzon Office said, the coastlines of Morong, Limay and Mariveles are nesting sites of highly threatened marine turtles like the Olive ridley, Green sea turtle, and Hawksbill turtle.

Bataan coast also hosts important habitats such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs which are important to marine species. It harbors seven mangrove species in its 156-hectare mangrove areas. Due to its rich ecosystem, six marine protected areas (MPAs)

birth cannot be proven,” it added.

In addition, the OSG said Guo committed serious dishonesty which warrants her removal from office under Section 60 of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code.

“Respondent Guo Hua Ping’s serious dishonesty arises from her act of representing herself as ‘Alice Leal Guo’ in all her public and private dealings—a name that is different from the name she registered with the BI upon her entry in the Philippines,” the petition read.

Guo has been placed under preventive suspension by the Ombudsman pending her investigation for graft in connection with her alleged involvement in the illegal operation of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) in her town.

The Court of Appeals, on the other hand, has frozen her assets including bank accounts and high-value personal properties after finding probable cause that they are related to unlawful activity or money laundering or both.

All these cases against Guo stemmed from extensive investigations and joint operations led by the Presidential AntiOrganized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on a Pogo hub in Bamban.

Aside from her links in Pogos, the Senate is also looking into the possibility that Guo is a Chinese intelligence “sleeper” trained to infiltrate the Philippine government.

Guo is currently in hiding after the Senate issued an arrest warrant against her for her refusal to attend its hearings.

The embattled mayor has filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to stop

the Senate from compelling her to appear in its hearing and from digging deeper into her personal life.

She claimed her constitutional rights to due process and to privacy were violated when she appeared in the first two hearings of the committee held on May 7 and May 22, 2044.

Guo noted that she was invited as a resource person to discuss “what she knows—but in reality, she was never afforded any opportunity to sufficiently explain her side whenever a certain issue was raised.

Guevarra said the quo warranto petition cannot be considered moot and academic despite the imminent end of her term on June 30, 2025 owing to the possibility that a similar case might arise in the future.

“Relatedly, the matter of foreign national masquerading herself as a Filipino, thereby, unlawfully occupying or usurping a public office which, in the first place, is reserved exclusively to Filipino citizens, is a paramount public interest especially in the realm of national security,” Guevarra said.

“The present litigation is likewise capable of repetition, in that, it is possible that any other person under similar facts may, emboldened by respondent Guo Hua Ping’s seeming success deceiving her constituents in voting her to office, run for elective public office in subsequent elections,” he added.

The OSG said it would present witnesses which include officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), DFA, BI, NBI, PSA and PRA to testify against Guo aside from numerous documentary evidence. With Samuel P. Medenilla

TBy Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE administration of President Marcos has requested that Congress allocate P10.29 billion for the confidential and intelligence fund (CIF) for the year 2025.

During a press briefing at the House of Representatives following the ceremonial turnover of the P6.352 trillion National Expenditure Program, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman confirmed the request.

She said that this amount is 16 percent lower than the P12.38 billion allocated in the 2024 General Appropriations Act. The proposed budget includes P4.37 billion for confidential funds and P5.92 billion for intelligence funds.

“DBM received a request of P11.39 billion [from different agencies], including P5.22 billion in confidential funds, and P6.17 billion in intelligence funds, but we only approved P10.29 billion,” she said.

Several agencies to receive CIFs under the proposed budget are:

have been established in Bataan namely the Abucay Fish Sanctuary, Bagac Marine Protected Area, Limay Fish Sanctuary, Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) Fishery Reserve Area, Marine Turtle Conservation Center and the Orion Kent Fish Sanctuary.

Oil spill boom, cash for work

THE DENR will put up more air and water quality monitoring stations for wider coverage.

Environment Undersecretary Marilou Erni said coconut husks, rice straws, grass, banana trunks, coconut leaves, ropes, and nets, are needed to produce as many spill booms.

Ernie, who is charge of the department’s strategic communications, said four machines have arrived for the shredding of the oil spill boom materials and said the DENR will work with the Department of Labor and Employment and and concerned local governments.

“For each machine, we need four people. We will enroll them to a DOLE program and will coordinate for cash-for-work.This is the scheme we did in Mindoro. The materials for oil spill boom are brought and processed,” says Erni.

The Coast Guard Marine Protection Team has been deployed in Limay since July 25 to assess the oil spill and determine the volume of oil leaking out of the sunken tanker.

Jonathan L. Mayuga

Department of National Defense: P1.70 billion

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA): P991 million

Philippine National Police: P806 million

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA): P500 million

Department of Justice (including the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation): P579.4 million

Department of Finance (including the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue): P79.5 million

Department of Transportation (including the Philippine Coast Guard and (Office of Transportation Security): P405 million

Commission on Human Rights: P1 million Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Peace: P60 million Office of the Ombudsman: P51.4 million

Commission on Audit: P10 million

Anti-Money Laundering Council: P7.5 million Games and Amusement Board: P4 million

National Security Council: P250 million

Notably, the Office of the Vice President, Sara Duterte, will not receive any confidential funds in the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2025. Last year, Congress reallocated the CIFs from various civilian offices, including Duterte’s, to agencies responsible for safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity, particularly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), as well as supporting Filipino fishermen and intelligence information collection and assessment efforts.

Go gives relief to typhoon victims

Kobe Felicia, Go’s team distributed food packs to 150 families in barangay Bagong Ilog. The aid came from Go’s own personal resources reflecting his own efforts in helping those in need. “This is just a small part of what I can do to help,” said Go. “Rest assured, I will work closely with the government to extend further assistance to those affected by this disaster.” Go’s proactive and compassionate response underscores his commitment to public service and his unwavering support for his fellow Filipinos in times of crisis. In addition to Pasig City, Go has extended his support to typhoon-affected communities in numerous areas, such as Hagonoy, Calumpit, and Meycauayan City in Bulacan; various cities in Metro Manila, including Manila, Marikina, Malabon, Caloocan, and

DTI sees Taiwan as potential big market for food exports

PBy Andrea San Juan @andreasanjuan

HILIPPINE exporters of sauces, condiments, snack foods, coconut-based products and ready-to-eat meals, among others, could tap Taiwan as a consumer base as it is another “potentially big market” and is one of the international food hubs in Asia, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. said.

The Philippines’ Trade officials said this after 14 participating Philippine companies generated around $7.3 million in sales (booked and under negotiation) with coconut flower syrup and sap drinks, organic and conventional coconut medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), coconut water, and coconut jams as the top-selling products at the Food Taipei 2024.

In a statement on Monday, DTI said the Food Philippines pavilion highlighted the country’s top export food products such as sauces,

condiments, snack foods, coconut-based products, ready-to-eat meals, fresh seafood, juices, coffee and beverages.

But processed fruits and vegetables like water spinach chips, banana chips, taro chips, and camote chips, along with native delicacies such as fish crackers, crispy anchovy, squid, and shrimp were also well-received, DTI noted.

“This is a very relevant and encouraging result of the PHILEXPORT memorandum of understanding with the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipiei [IEAT] in 2022,” said Philexport President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. “Now on its second year, we are pleased that the increased sales generated from this show and other related activities are helping establish a stronger foothold in Taiwan as another potentially big market for our products,” he added.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said the Philippine exporters participation in Food Taipei 2024 is a “testament to

the quality and competitiveness of Philippine products.”

“It underscores our commitment to supporting our local exporters in reaching new heights in the international market,” Pascual also noted.

For his part, Anthony B. Rivera, Director for Commercial Affairs at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Taipei highlighted the potential of the said Philippine export food products as these could complement the food and food ingredients in Taiwan.

“These products can be easily paired with any food and food ingredients in Taiwan. They cater to the taste of different market segments, food choices that are fit for any time of the day and basically complement the wide selection and trends that you see in the estimated $9.5 billion Taiwan food market,” Rivera said.

According to DTI, Taiwan is known as one of the international food hubs in Asia and offers a “wide and diverse” range of food selections. Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei (IEAT) Secretary

General Peter Huang said “Taiwan is an open market with a very good consumer base, and we welcome Philippine food products to come to Taiwan.”

The Philippine delegation included notable companies such as Bahaghari Global Food, Good Sense Food & Juices, La Carlota Food, P.Togo, Yan Yan International Philippines, KKK Food, Project Beans, Lionheart Farms Philippines, Tropicana Food, Chemrez Technologies, Gemfoods, Fruits of Life, Fenor Foods, Pasciolco Agriventures, and Jing’s Cuisine.

Meanwhile, PTIC Taipei assured the Taiwan market, “As caring as the Taiwan market, the raw materials of Philippine products are responsibly sourced from farmers and communities in the Philippines.”

“They pass the very strict food quality standards in Taiwan, offered at very competitive price ranges, and they can be mainstreamed in both modern trade and general trade channels in Taiwan,” added PTIC Taipei.

Rice imports this year total 2.4M tons so far

RBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia

ICE import arrivals as of July 20 reached nearly 2.4 million metric tons (MMT), according to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Figures from the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed that total rice imports from January 1 to July 20 hit 2.39 MMT.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and Spokesman Arnel de Mesa said on Monday that shipments after July 6 were already levied with the 15 percent tariff rate. Rice imports from the first three weeks of July stood at 56,118 MT.

More than 1.78 MMT of rice imports from this period came from Vietnam, which remains the country’s top source of imported rice.

This was followed by Thailand at 358,727.74 MT.

BPI data showed that the country imported 154,523.82 MT of rice from Pakistan, higher than the 99,280.71 MT full-year import volume recorded last year.

The Philippines also bought rice from Myanmar at 66,640 MT and India at 21,875.14 MT.

Orison Free Enterprise Inc. led the 157 rice importers with a total volume of 152,009.35 MT. This was followed by BLY Agri Venture Trading and Macman Rice and Corn Trading at 147,928.99 MT and 115,410.80, respectively.

These were the only companies whose rice imports reached over 100,000 MT.

Data from the BPI also showed that it approved and issued 4,995 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) which covered

the importation of 5.5 MMT of rice.

Under the rules, rice importers should secure an SPSIC from the BPI before bringing in foreign rice stocks.

An SPSIC would certify that an inbound shipment is safe for human and animal consumption and would not bring in any pests that could be detrimental to the local agriculture sector.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently said that the Philippines’s imported rice purchases will hit 4.7 MMT this year or 1 MMT higher than the 3.61 MMT it imported last year.

The agency had adjusted upwards its rice imports forecast for the Philippines this year from the initial 4.6 MMT.

“Total imports are estimated higher on increases for Malaysia, the Philippines, and Cameroon,” the

USDA report read.

Meanwhile, rice importers may go slow on importing rice while waiting for the ruling on the legality of Executive Order 62, according to Roehlano Briones, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

This, after agricultural groups earlier asked the Supreme Court to immediately issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) or a status quo ante order as provisional relief against the implementation of the order.

“[The impact if a TRO were issued against EO 62] depends on [how] quickly SC will rule to stay the EO. If quickly, then status quo,” Briones told the BusinessMirror via SMS.

“Bigger question is legality. Importers may slow down importing while waiting for ruling on legality of the EO,” he added.

Youth spirit and their expectations–We need to invest in the YOUTH

TBy Henry J. Schumacher

HIS year’s International Youth Day is on 24 August and we must recognize a hard truth: it’s not an easy time to be a young person.

Understandably, young people are deeply concerned about the state of the world: a recentglobal survey showsthat they are seeking real, sustained change. But they’re not just watching from the side lines. Young people are taking initiative through social movements and activism— with extraordinary results! Justconsider the impactof the youth-led global climate movement calling for radical change.

Today’s youth are also making their mark on the fight against corruption. The youth deserve an end to corruption. Young people are not just our future. They are key to creating a just, peaceful and prosperous world just now. Remember: 37 million youth were involved in the last elections!

Taking the “smell” of the youth spirit into consideration, we will have to look at some numbers:

The DepEd targets more than 30 million enrollees this school year. The high school students are dreaming already about the next steps: college or employment. We in business have to catch those heading for employment.

Education must intensify and broaden the need to educate all its people. No longer will it suffice to educate a tiny elite that will then manage and direct the politics, the economy, and the culture of the many. Sonny Angara will be busy!!!

Development will require not only a corps of highly skilled individuals capable of absorbing advance technology; it will also require a minimum of scientific literacy and technological skill; it will also need the setting of professional standards, the delineation of fields of expertise, and the organization of communities of knowledge.

Education can no longer afford to leave anybody behind. All young people— whether they go to college or not—will need a similar set of core competencies if they are to succeed in today’s labor market. Government, the private sector and civil society have to work closely together to Safe the Children. We must realize that about 40 percent of the Philippine population is in school! We cannot fail the next generation! Children are our future. Our objective must be for them to become productive members of society, with competitive skills capacity to ensure a progressive future for the Philippines.

If the Philippines is to survive in the ever-changing, fast moving, technologydriven world taking shape before our eyes, the country has to position itself strategically in this new economy. The endeffort must be to secure the Philippines’s place on the right side of the digital divide the revolutions in communications, information, and computer technologies are creating. This requires a world-class workforce, something that the ICT, BPO and creative industries are asking for. And because knowledge has become the modern economy’s central resource, we must keep in mind continuous learning has become essential. So swift is the generation and transmission of knowledge that learning has become a life-long process for every one of us (as I outlined in last week’s column). The investment in human development is a strategy for economic recovery and inclusive growth. The private sector would love to cooperate with Education Secretary Sonny Angara to specifically focus on technical training and “learning by doing.” Investing more in education, the kind of no-nonsense education that equips young voters with critical thinking abilities and empowers them to becomes responsible, demanding citizens who understand the power of democracy.

In conclusion, let me repeat—again— the wise words of Ramon del Rosario, Chairman of Philippine Business for Education: “It’s the private sector that is creating the jobs. But government has to create an enabling environment for the jobs to be created!”

Feedback is highly appreciated; contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com.

Oil spill reaches Tanza shoreline

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE oil spill from the sunken tanker in Limay, Bataan, reached the shores of Tanza, Cavite, on Monday.

This was disclosed by the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) whose members in Cavite documented the traces of oil using a smart phone.

According to Pamalakaya, fishermen and coastal residents in Tanza were awakened by the distinct odor associated with the oil spill.

As early as July 25, Pamalakaya has expressed alarm over the possibility of oil spill affecting the municipal waters of Cavite.

M/T Terra Nova which capsized on July 25 off the shores of Limay was carrying 1.4 million liters of fuel oil. Fishermen and coastal residents in Tanza are worried that the oil spill will might contaminate fishery resources, consequently adversely affecting their livelihood. In Tanza alone, Pamalakaya said some 5,000 fishermen are their families will be affected should the government fail to contain the oil spill.

Ronnel Arambulo, vice chairman of Pamalakaya, meanwhile chided the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for its alleged failure to act with dispatch to prevent the oil spill from reaching the shores of Cavite.

Oil companies to roll back prices

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

OIL companies announced on Monday a price rollback this week.

In separate advisories, the companies said they will slash gasoline prices by P0.75, diesel by P0.85 per liter, and kerosene by P0.80 per liter.

Petron, Shell, Caltex, Total, Unioil, PTT, Phoenix, Seaoil, and Jetti said they will implement the new pump prices at 6:00 a.m. of Tuesday, July 30.

Cleanfuel, meanwhile, will adjust its prices at 12:01 a.m.

Oil companies adjust their prices every week to reflect movements in the world market.

“The current trend leans bearish owing to the oil market expectations

of plentiful supplies and weak demand. Likewise, the Gaza cease-fire negotiation threatens to erode the geopolitical risk premium of crude and petroleum products,” said Director Rodela Romero of the Department of Energy-Oil Industry Management Bureau (DOE-OIMB).

Last week, oil companies implemented a decrease of P0.40/liter in diesel and P0.70/liter in kerosene while gasoline increased by P0.10/ liter. This brought the year-to-date total adjustment of the said products at a net increase of P7.75/liter for diesel, P0.50/liter for kerosene and gasoline by P10.35/liter. There is an ongoing price freeze for kerosene and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) 11 kilogram (kg) and below owing to the declaration of the State of Calamity in some areas.

Next budget proposals on flood control to pass through needle’s eye–senators

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

FOLLOWING a privilege speech by Sen. Joel Villanueva who angrily denounced the government’s failure to mitigate massive ﬂoods from super typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon, senators on Monday vowed to scrutinize multibillion-peso budgets for ﬂood control when the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) is tackled.

They also vowed to start the scrutiny with this Thursday’s hearing of the Committee on Public works chaired by Sen. Bong

Stop lying over mass relief of security–VP

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

DAVAO CITY—Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday called out National Police Chief, Gen. Rommel Marbil, accusing him of publicly peddling lies behind the mass relief of her police security and fielding agents to shadow her whereabouts.

“Let us spare our people from all the lies. Let us call it what it is—a clear case of political harassment,” Duterte said in a two-page “open letter” to Marbil, which she said she had to write to refute what she described as lies.

“Don’t ever mention me again in your interviews,” Duterte admonished Marbil, who in a series of media interviews explained his order last week pulling off the 75 police personnel from the security detail for the Vice President.

Duterte rebutted five points that Marbil raised to justify the relief order en masse of policemen, which followed the previous relief of 37 police officers, including the chief of police of this city, in May. This was followed by the relief again of 19 station commanders of the city in July, and, two days later, the replacement of the city director by three police colonels—all in a span of only one day.

Duterte said she kept her calm over the relief of her security, saying she could do her duties even without the security details around her. “Kayakong magtrabahonangwalangsecurity (I can work even without security),” she said.

Revilla, where the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chief lead the invited resource persons.

Villanueva’s speech was referred to Revilla’s committee and the Committee on Environment. Revilla said he flew by chopper at the weekend over the Camanava area and Bulacan, Villanueva’s home province that was among the most devastated by last week’s floods, and was aghast at the devastation.

Earlier, senators made manifestations on the floor as they weighed in on Villanueva’s speech. They said those in charge of flood management should stop blaming the climate for the floods because everyone knows the country is listed one of those most “atrisk” countries from disasters. The

to PNP chief

However, she was dismayed by Marbil’s claim that the relief of the 75 police personnel was meant to augment the number of police in the National Capital Region and that her office agreed to it.

Duterte said Marbil, to justify further the reduction of her security detail, alleged that there was no security threat

“Remember that theVice Presidential Protection Division (VPPD) was placed under the PSPG [Police Security and Protection Group] through the order of the National Police Commission to protect my security detail and of those who would succeed me as Vice President. That was clear in the document of the Napolcom and the PNP,” she said.

Duterte also belied Marbil’s claim that the OVP agreed to the relief of such a big number of police personnel ,saying there was never a request but only the PSPG telling the OVP that it would pull out the 75 police personnel.

“We did not argue on it because you are the law, aren’t you?” she added.

She said she respected Marbil’s claim that the pullout was intended to increase police visibility in the NCR, but she expressed anger when the top cop said there was no threat to Duterte. She was aghast that someone “maliciously” released in public video footage shoing her and her family at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week, “exposing to danger my family”.

“I wouldn’t mind if I were only the one, but it also included my children; that put them in grave danger,” she said.

PRA CHIEF: SPORTS GOODS SALE TO RISE 20-25%

Continued from A2

“The Americas lead with US$26.2 billion in imports, but face a relatively high average tariff rate of 19.9 per cent. Europe follows with US$19.8 billion in imports and a lower tariff rate of 9.9 per cent,” the WTO article said.

Asia ranks third in imports at US$15 billion, benefiting from the “lowest tariff rate,” at 7.2 percent, WTO noted.

As illustrated by the WTO Analytical Database, the 1990s saw the beginning of a “burgeoning” interest in health and fitness. The trade body said this led to a period of “accelerated” growth in global imports of sports products from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s.

The WTO website figures showed that sports goods imports grew “steadily” from 1996 to 2022, with two exceptions.

“A significant contraction occurred in 2009, possibly as a result of the 2008 global financial crisis, while 2021 saw explosive growth as part of the initial recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” said WTO.

It noted that government-imposed pandemic restrictions may have led to this “unprecedented” demand for sports equipment, as consumers worldwide became more health conscious at a time

when sports centers were reopened.

The WTO article also cited the impact of tariff cuts on sports goods trade as “significant” reductions in tariffs over the last three decades have helped make sports products more accessible and affordable.

“The most-favored-nation (MFN) tariff applied to imports of sports products decreased from 18 percent in 1996 to approximately 12 percent in 2022,” said WTO.

The largest decreases were for footwear, swimwear and tracksuits, where tariffs dropped from approximately 22 percent to 14 percent.

As to the source of sports goods, WTO said China has long been the “most significant’ exporter of sports goods worldwide.

In 1996, it accounted for 32 percent of the world’s sports goods exports, rising to a peak of 59 percent in 2010. Moreover, WTO said in 2022, China still accounted for 43 percent of global exports.

“In 2022, China’s exports of racquet sports products were particularly notable, representing 63 per cent of world exports,” said WTO.

The WTO recognized Vietnam’s growth in the share of sports goods exports to the world.

“In 1996, it accounted for only 2 percent of the world’s sports good exports. That share grew modestly to 6 percent by 2010,” WTO noted.

question is, what has been done to mitigate damage from such risk? They said.

To illustrate the ridiculous reasons given for last week’s floods, Villanueva cited a text message to senators by Senate President Chiz Escudero, on information given to him that a crucial pumping station in Metro Manila was not working because “it had not been switched on, kasi walang [because there was no] gasoline, and [was] blocked with trash.”

Sen. Loren Legarda said a navigational valve in Navotas has not been working for years, and wanted to know “if this was part of the reason—first, there was a storm; second, high tide; then third, faulty navigational valve—was this why Camanava was easily flooded?”

One-third of DPWH budget

SEN. Grace Poe, who chairs the

Arta: PHL rank to rise in competitiveness index

ADDITIONAL improvements in government efficiency are expected to further improve the country’s ranking in the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) of the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development ((IMD) next year, according to the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta).

On Monday, Arta said the 2024 WCY has yet to take into account the full effect of the new policies issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last year to streamline government processes.

“It is important to note that the WCY rankings for 2024 are predominantly based on data from 2023,” Arta said in a statement.

“Consequently, the ranking has not yet fully captured the effects of the reforms implemented by the administration in 2023 aimed at improving the country’s competitiveness,” it added.

Among the said initiatives are Executive Order (EO) No. 18 or the “Greenlane for Strategic Investments” and EO No. 59 or the “Streamlining of the Permitting Process for Infrastructure Flagship Projects,” which were signed by the President last year.

ARTA said the strict implementation of both EOs will allow the “Philippines to notch higher in other pillars of the WCY.”

In the 2024 WCY, which was released by IMD in June, the Philippines improved its ranking from 52nd to 49th in terms of government efficiency.

The country ranked 40th for economic performance, 43rd for business efficiency, and 61st for infrastructure.

The WCY covers 67 economies, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico, which were just added in its 2024 edition.

Arta expects the country will have a better ranking next with the full implementation of its Ease of Doing Business programs, which will help in “streamlining and digitalizing government services.”

It also said the government will address the concerns raised in the 2024 WCY regarding the sustainability of the job-generating investments in the country through more infrastructure projects.

“The call to replace red tape with red carpet—ensuring the government processes are more efficient and not burdensome--is expected to create a climate that propels economic growth, boosts investments, and promotes ease of doing business,” Arta said.

Samuel P. Medenilla

Senate Committee on Finance that will lead the vetting of the budget, noted that in the 2025 NEP submitted to Congress on Monday, P254 billion or almost a third of the 2025 DPWH P900-billion budget is for flood control.

MMDA also has its own budget—P5.5 billion; of which 40 percent is for flood control.

“In budget deliberations, flood control budgets of DPWH, MMDA and other agencies should pass through the eye of the needle—we can’t add budgets for flood management until they can explain how they spent it in past years,” said Poe.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, quoting initial analysis of flood control budgets, said that based on the General Appropriations Acts (GAAs) for FYs 2015-2024 GAAs, a total of P1.8 trillion were allocated for flood control. Minority

Leader Koko Pimentel highlighted the same figure. Flood control constituted nearly 30 percent of the DPWH budget in the last decade and this, she said, should have resulted in significant reduction in flooding.

Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito said part of the failure lies in the tendency in recent years to break up budgets for highimpact projects that would have greatly prevented or mitigated floods, into “unending, piecemeal” projects for “slope protection, drainage improvement and dredging.”

Villanueva, meanwhile, pointed out that the Supreme Court had issued in past years a continuing mandamus for a cleanup of Manila Bay, ordering 13 LGUs ringing the Bay and several government agencies.

BusinessMirror

Quad nations unite to strengthen maritime safety and cybersecurity amid rising regional tensions

By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press

TOKYO—Top diplomats from Japan, the US, Australia and India meeting Monday in Tokyo compiled a set of measures to reinforce maritime safety and cybersecurity and to support other Asia-Paciﬁc countries in improving their defenses during growing tensions in the regional seas.

After the meeting, host Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmayam Jaishankar said they were “seriously concerned” about the tensions and expressed “strong opposition” to unilateral changes to the status quo by coercion. They noted “the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea” as examples, but carefully avoided identifying China in their joint statement. Several regional governments dispute China’s sweeping territorial claims over the South China Sea, which has crucial maritime trade routes and potential energy reserves. It also claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. At what are known as the Quad talks, the four ministers agreed on a number of initiatives to counter

cyberattacks, ensure maritime security and deal with disinformation. They also announced expanded support for other countries, including in Southeast Asia and Pacific islands, to bolster their abilities in those areas as the Quad seek to expand its partnerships. The ministers plan to launch a maritime legal dialogue to focus on the international law of the sea. They said they were determined to

Italy and China sign 3-year action plan as Italian leader tries to reset relations

By Ken Moritsugu

BThe Associated Press

EIJING—Italy and China

signed a three-year action plan on Sunday to implement past agreements and experiment with new forms of cooperation, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on an official visit to the Chinese capital.

Meloni is trying to reset relations with China as fears of a trade war with the European Union are interwoven with continued interest in attracting Chinese investment in auto manufacturing and other sectors.

“We certainly have a lot of work to do and I am convinced that this work can be useful in such a complex phase on a global level, and

also important at a multilateral level,” she said in remarks at the start of a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Her five-day visit comes several months after Italy dropped out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a signature policy of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to build power and transportation infrastructure around the world to stimulate global trade while also deepening China’s ties with other nations. Still, Italy remains keen to pursue an otherwise strong economic relationship with China. Stellantis, a major automaker that includes Italy’s Fiat, announced in May that it had formed a joint venture with Leapmotor, a Chinese electric car startup, to begin selling EVs in Europe.

Li, addressing Italian and Chinese business leaders after the meeting with Meloni, said that China’s push to upgrade its economy will increase demand for high-quality products, expanding opportunities for cooperation between companies from their two countries.

He pledged to open Chinese markets further, ensure that foreign companies get the same treatment as Chinese ones and create a transparent and predictable business environment, responding to frequently heard complaints from businesses operating in the world’s second-largest economy.

“At the same time, we hope the Italian side will work with China to provide a more fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies doing business in Italy,” he said.

Meloni told the business leaders that the two sides had signed an industrial collaboration memorandum that includes electric vehicles and renewable energy, which she described as “sectors where China has already been operating on the technological frontier for some time...and is sharing the

contribute to maintaining and developing free-and-open maritime order consistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in the Indian and the Pacific Oceans and to enhance cooperation and coordination on it. Their initiatives included support for installing a secure telecommunications network in Palau and building cybersecurity capacity in the Philippines

new frontiers of knowledge with partners.”

Electric vehicles have also become a symbol of growing ChinaEU trade tensions, with the European Union imposing provisional tariffs of up to 37.6 percent on China-made electric vehicles in early July. The two sides are holding talks to try to resolve the issue by an early November deadline.

Meanwhile, China launched an anti-dumping investigation into European pork exports, just days after the EU announced it would impose the tariffs on Chinese EVs.

Meloni, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday, is making her first trip to China as prime minister. She has held talks with Li before, meeting in New Delhi last September during the annual G-20 summit, which brings together the leaders of 20 major nations.

Italy’s decision to join the Belt and Road Initiative in 2019 appeared to be a political coup for China, giving it an inroad into Western Europe and a symbolic boost in a then-raging trade war with the United States. But Italy says the promised economic benefits didn’t materialize, and its membership created friction with other Western European governments and the United States.

The Associated Press writer Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report.

and India, according to the joint statement. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to improving the region’s connectivity through the development of resilient infrastructure such as undersea cables.

“We are committed to putting our collective resources, our collective strength to work to benefit people across the region that we share,” Blinken told a joint news conference after the talks. “We continue to work with partners to ensure that freedom of navigation, overflight, the unimpeded flow of lawful maritime commerce that these continue to go forward. They are critical to the region’s security. They’re critical to its ongoing prosperity.”

Kamikawa said maritime security in the region is increasingly unstable, so unity and cooperation were needed more than ever among the Quad countries in securing a rules-based free and open international order.

Without naming China, Kamikawa said escalating tensions in “a certain region” and cyberattacks by “a certain country” could easily spill to other countries and

increase their risks.

“In order to have the prosperity in the region, we must ensure stability of the foundation in maritime, cyber and space domains,” she said. “We Quad nations aim to protect the foundations of prosperity in the Indo-Pacific as we seek to achieve an international community of coexistence and coprosperity.”

Australia’s Wong said the Quad nations were working to achieve a region that is governed by “accepted rules and norms where all of us can cooperate, can trade and thrive” and where “sovereignty is respected and competition is managed responsibly.”

The talks came after Japan and the United States held their “2+2” security meeting Sunday, when they called China “the greatest strategic challenge.” They agreed on further deepening military cooperation by making major upgrades to their command structures and bolstering Japanese production and repair of US-licensed weapons.

The Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Singapore contributed to this report.

Ukraine says it struck an oil depot in Russia, as Moscow claims gains in Donetsk region

By Samya Kullab

The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine on Sunday said it struck an oil depot in southern Russia that supplies the Kremlin’s troops as Russian strikes in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where Moscow claimed further gains, left five civilians dead and 15 others wounded.

Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement Kyiv’s security services were responsible for a drone strike in Russia’s southern Kursk region that morning on an oil depot used to meet the needs of the Russian military, and contains 11 tanks with a total volume of 7,000 cubic meters (about 247,202 cubic feet), adding the attack prompted “powerful explosions and a fire...probably involving containers with oil products.”

“The defense forces continue to take all measures to undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian occupiers and force the Russian Federation to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said.

Earlier Sunday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said seven Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russian territory, while a regional official said a drone strike set fire to the oil depot in the Kursk province. Firefighters were battling the blaze on Sunday morning after three fuel tanks went up in flames, according to acting regional Gov. Alexey Smirnov. Smirnov said nobody was hurt.

The Kursk region lies on the border with

Ukraine’s Sumy province where Ukraine has in recent months repeatedly targeted various sites, including oil depots and other military infrastructure, inside Russian territory, with drones and other weapons. Ukrainian officials have been pressuring Western allies to be able to use their modern and more sophisticated weapons to strike more valuable targets inside Russian territory. Also on Sunday, Russian troops continued to eke out gains in Ukraine’s war-torn eastern Donetsk province as they pushed westward toward the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday said that its forces had taken control of two neighboring villages some 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Pokrovsk, Prohres and Yevhenivka. The day before, Moscow claimed the nearby village of Lozuvatske, one of nearly a dozen it says it has captured in the province this month.

Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022, sending millions of people fleeing to neighboring countries. Taking control of all of Donetsk, part of the country’s industrial heartland that now bears the scars of years of fighting, is one of the Kremlin’s main war goals. Five civilians died and 15 more suffered wounds following Russian strikes in the Donetsk region on Saturday and overnight, local Gov. Vadym Filashkin reported on Telegram Sunday. Shortly later, other Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling wounded more civilians, including children, in the east and south.

Indonesian leader starts working in new capital despite construction work and lack of facilities

By Fadlan Syam & Niniek Karmini The Associated Press

ENAJAM PASER UTARA, Indonesia—

POutgoing Indonesian President Joko Widodo started work Monday from the new presidential palace in his country’s ambitious new capital, where he intends to spend the last few months of his presidency.

“Today I have started receiving officials for meetings here, in the president’s office,” Widodo told reporters at the new presidential palace, as authorities race to complete other key infrastructure projects in the future capital city of Nusantara before Independence Day celebrations next month. The capital, also known as IKN, is located in East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo.

Widodo said his first agenda item on Monday was a meeting with executives of the Nusantara development authority. He is also

scheduled to meet with provincial leaders.

To facilitate the move, the presidential secretariat is preparing all the necessary furniture for the presidential office, including tables, chairs and lighting, while the supply of clean water, electricity and internet is “all running well,” Widodo said.

“We came here to check the latest progress of the IKN, especially the construction of the palace, I see everything is still in process,” Widodo said, adding that there are thousands of workers racing to complete the infrastructure projects, and that “I don’t want our presence to hamper its development progress.”

He is optimistic that the new “Garuda Presidential Palace” will serve as the backdrop of the country’s Independence Day ceremony on Aug. 17.

Only one month is left before Nusantara is slated to hold its first ever Indonesia Independence Day celebration, which is also

expected to be the official transfer of the capital city from Jakarta. Its relocation plan has come into question, however, amid slow construction progress and missed deadlines, forcing the resignations of the head of the Nusantara Capital Authority and his deputy last month.

Most of the new city’s buildings are unfinished, with the new state palace 88 percentcomplete and several ministry buildings only with their lower floors usable.

The project to build the new capital is estimated to cost $33 billion, of which the state budget would shoulder only 20%. Widodo’s administration has relied heavily on investments from the private sector to build key infrastructure and public facilities, as the state budget will mainly cover the construction of basic infrastructure, buildings, and utilities within the “core area” of the government. In a bid to lure investment, earlier this

month Widodo signed a presidential regulation that grants investors certain rights, including land rights of up to 190 years in the future capital.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono who also serves as the acting head of the IKN Authority, said the government is still working to procure another 40 megawatts for the city, but the current capacity of 10 megawatts produced by a solar power plant has been established in Nusantara. A nearby reservoir provides “more than enough to meet the needs” for clean drinking water in the new city, he said. Despite the progress made, questions still remain as to when the new capital will officially be relocated as Widodo is yet to issue the official decree. Until the decree is signed, Jakarta remains the country’s capital. Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia

FOREIGN minister from left to right, Indian External Aﬀairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose for a photo ahead of the Quad Ministerial Meeting at the Foreign Ministry’s Iikura guesthouse in Tokyo on Monday, July 29, 2024.

July 30, 2024

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP/S)

NO.ESTABLISHMENT NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

1 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas

DU, FULIN

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description: Perform routine maintenance, repair malfunctioning machines and systems

2 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas LI, YUHANG

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description:

Perform routine maintenance, repair malfunctioning machines and systems

3 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas WANG, MING

4 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas

5 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas

6 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description:

Perform routine maintenance, repair malfunctioning machines and systems

WANG, MING

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description:

Perform routine maintenance, repair malfunctioning machines and systems

ZHOU, WENBING

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description:

Perform routine maintenance, repair malfunctioning machines and systems

ZHU, XIONGJUN

Electromechanical Technician

Brief Job Description: Repair malfunctioning machines and systems, Perform routine maintenance

7 C AND U PHILIPPINES INC.

Block 7, Lot 1-8 Millennium Drive, Light Industry & Science Park III, San Rafael, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas GUO, LEI

Maintenance Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensure adherence to uality standards and health and safety regulations

B sic i c tion:

Vocational Course/ Training, able to speak English and mandarin, strong technical and Interpersonal skills, pro cient ith Microsoft of ce and related soft are, e cellent communication skills