Govt mulls over waiving fees for OECs

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other agencies to explore the possibility of making the application for Overseas Employment Certifications (OEC) free of charge, the Presidential Communications Office said on Sunday.

The PCO, in a statement, said the President issued the directive during a meeting with officials of the DMW, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in Malacañan Palace, where the migrant agency presented the DMW Mobile App. DMW Secretary Maria Susana “Toots” Ople said they are just waiting for the approval of the DICT for the official launch of the “DMW Mobile App” to ensure its cybersecurity features.

“We are just waiting for the green light from DICT so we can be sure of the app’s cybersecurity features. After that, hopefully within the week he will be launched,” Ople said, referring to the “DMW Mobile App.”

Ople said the President was exuberant over the mobile application as it is a simple yet effective digital solution to problems encountered by the OFWs when processing their OECs.

“His [the President] only order is for the department to ensure that our migrant workers, our OFWs, do not pay anything for using the mobile app, and downloading and getting the OFW Pass,” Ople added.

Marcos earlier directed the DMW and the DICT during his 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA) to automate the verification of contracts, and issue OECs that can be stored on smartphones.

In response to the President’s directive, the DMW developed the DMW Mobile App that aims to “make an overseas Filipino workers [OFW]journey easier.”

Ople said the mobile application is for free as the government’s way of honoring the country’s “modern-day heroes.”

The DMW app contains the OFW Pass, a digital and secure version of the OEC, which serves as the digital identity of OFWs.

After a 2-month to 3-month transition period upon activation, the OFW Pass will completely replace the OEC.

The OFW Pass and OEC have significant differences. The OFW Pass, for instance, is QR-code generated and can be acquired only through the App, while the OEC requires onsite processing with a PhP100 charge.

The OFW Pass is valid until the expiration of the OFW’s work contract, while the OEC only lasts for 60 days.

Those who can avail of OFW Pass include the following: first-time OFWs; “Balik Manggagawa” OFWs or OFWs going to the Philippines temporarily but will be returning to the same employer; and, OFWs who have transferred to a different employer or whose contracts need to be registered and verified by the Office of the Labor Attaché.

To disseminate the app, the DMW established the “OFW Pass Teacher,” a volunteer system where registered OFWs will be given relevant materials to teach other OFWs how to utilize the app.

The DICT will test the cybersecurity features of the App and report its findings to the DMW before its public release.

The agency is also expected to integrate its Mobile App with the BI’s eTravel and e-Gate systems, and eventually link it to DICT’s “eGov PH Super App.”

DPWH Mindanao road sector project brings game-changing devt in Zamboanga Sibugay

AKEY and long-awaited road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Zamboanga Sibugay Province has now contributed to the development of agribusiness, ecotourism, and logistics in the island of Olutanga and the town of Alicia.

According to Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, in-charge of DPWH infrastructure flagship projects under “Build Better More” program, the once horrendous travel experienced about decades ago because of the deep muddy road is now a thing of the past with the concrete paving of a highway known as Lutiman-GuicamOlutanga (LGO) road.

The 29.7-kilometer LGO road, one of the three core road projects under the Asian Development Bank (ADB)assisted Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project (IGCMRSP) implemented and completed by the DPWH through its Unified Project Management Office (UPMO)-Roads Management Cluster II (Multilateral), is a game changer for the socioeconomic growth and development of Alicia and Olutanga Island.

In his report to Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan following an ocular inspection on July 7 to July 8, 2023, Sadain said that the construction of an interisland Guicam

Bridge—a separate, non-core component of IGCMRSP connected with the LGO road— is 43 percent completed to date and target for completion by 2024.

With an entire project length of 1.21 kilometers, the bridge project to link Barangay Guicam, Alicia to Barangay Hula-Hula, Mabuhay crossing the Canaliso Strait will serve as transport and economic connector between the three municipalities of the Olutanga Island which include Olutanga, Talusan, and Mabuhay and mainland municipality of Alicia toward other towns of Zamboanga Sibugay.

The project’s long-term impact will help sustain peace and security in the island, as well as harness the socioeconomic opportunities and growth of the communities.

Oluntanga Island has a vast tourism and agro-fishery potential with its long coastline of beaches, snorkeling and diving sites, production of high-value aqua and fisheries products, especially the fish cage farming of “Lapulapu,” dried fish-making and seaweed industry.

The P25.257-billion IGCMRSP finance with a P19.080-billion loan by the Asian Development Bank and P6.117 billion from the Government of the Philippines, is composed of eight subprojects with

AMEMBER of the House Committee on Ecology said last Sunday that an initial batch of 3,457 victims from the fisheries sector have so far filed a combined P114 million in financial compensation claims for the economic losses they suffered due to the MT Princess Empress oil spill. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel said through a statement that these estimated figures from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds or (IOPC Funds) are “very preliminary.”

“Additional claims from the capture fishery alone have probably been submitted by now, but have not been aggregated and reported yet,” Pimentel said.

“We understand that the IOPC Funds are now managing the civil liability claims with respect to the oil pollution damage caused by the incident,” Pimentel said.

According to Pimentel, the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies involved are also expected to file their respective claims for costs incurred in cleanup operations, preventive measures and sea response.

Beach resorts, tour boat operators and other tourism service providers hit by the oil spill are also expected to file claims, added Pimentel.

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Department of Energy (DOE) expects the hydro power plants to run at below capacity generation this year after the state weather bureau declared the start of the El Niño phenomenon.

“Based on Pagasa’s El Niño forecast, the hydro power plants’ deration could be at 50 percent starting July up to 70 percent by the end of this year,” said DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevarra.

As such, the DOE official said there could be yellow alert warnings on the third week of July and possibly three weeks in August. However, there are no expected red alert warnings due to hydro power plant deration for the rest of the year.

A yellow alert means thin power reserve while a red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement.

The DOE is closely monitoring the

The 508-ton MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 in the Tablas Strait and discharging up to 5,600 barrels (900,000 liters) of highly toxic industrial fuel oil into the waters of Oriental Mindoro, Batangas, Antique and Palawan.

Fishing and swimming bans were imposed for an extended period in the areas hit hardest by the spill, thus adversely affecting communities dependent on seafood harvesting and tourism activities.

The London-based IOPC Funds pay compensation to those who have suffered pollution damage from spills of persistent oil from tankers in a member state, such as the Philippines.

Claimants may be individuals, partnerships, companies, private organizations, or public bodies, including states or local authorities.

Compensable claims include property damage, costs of cleanup activities at sea and on shore, economic losses by fisherfolk and seafood vendors, or those engaged in mariculture, economic losses in the tourism sector and costs for reinstatement of the environment.

The IOPC Funds work with The Shipowners’ Club—a mutual insurance association based in Luxembourg—to settle claims.

280-megawatt (MW) Angat plant, 720MW Kalayaan, 345MW Magat, and 435MW San Roque at 435 MW.

Based on DOE’s monitoring, Guevarra said the El Niño phenomenon will not have a major impact on the country’s power supply because the projected demand could be reduced by about 300MW to 500MW. “Nakitanamannatinnaparangsataong ito hindi natin na-reach ‘yung projected demand. Ibigsabihin,mababa‘yungdemand natin by about 300-500 megawatts. Dahil doon hindi namin nakikita na magiging major problem for this year itongatingmga hydroelectric power,” she said.

[We have seen that this year it seems we’re not reaching projected demand. That means our demand is low by about 300-500 megawatts. Because of that we don’t see hydroelectric power to be a major problem this year].

Nonetheless, she added, partly in Filipino, that based on the power outlook, there could be four yellow alerts because of El Niño.

DTI chief prods German gas firm

Messer Grp to set up PHL plant

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

TRADE Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual has encouraged Messer Group, a Germany-based industrial gas manufacturing company, to consider establishing an industrial manufacturing plant in the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced over the weekend.

people in Germany and in over 100 locations globally.

“The company manufactures industrial gases like oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, shielding gases, and gases for medical use,” the DTI said.

portland concrete cement paving of roads of about 151.05 kilometers and construction of 31 bridges—with a total length 2,132.62 meters all located in Zamboanga Peninsula. There are also three bridges with a total gross length of 1,790 lineal meters located in the island province of Tawi-Tawi.

Senior Undersecretary Sadain, along with UPMO Project Directors Sharif Madsmo H. Hasim and Benjamin A. Bautista, Stakeholders Relations Service Director Randy R. Del Rosario, and Project Manager Emmanuel M. Supe also inspected the completed 24-kilometer Alicia-Malangas Road with eight bridges and 17.93-kilometer Siay-Gapol Road with two ongoing bridges located in Zamboanga Sibugay Province; and the ongoing 24.52-kilometer R.T. Lim-Siocon Road with eight bridges connecting the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte.

The DPWH UPMO-Roads Management Cluster II (Multilateral) headed by Project Director Hasim has already completed 122.07 kilometers of paved roads equivalent to 81 percent and 11 out of 34 bridges.

By end of December 2023, DPWH targets to have total paved roads of 143.12 kilometers and complete eight more bridges.

Pascual emphasized that setting up an industrial manufacturing plant in the country “will provide high-quality and better-paying jobs for Filipinos,” according to DTI.

Pascual held a virtual meeting with Stefan Messer, the CEO of Messer Group, to discuss the firm’s interest in supplying industrial gas requirements in the Philippines, said the DTI.

This would be viewed in light of the objective of meeting the country’s growing demands, particularly in the steel and electronics sectors.

Messer Group is a privately-owned specialist for industrial, medical and specialty gases. Its “Gases for Life” products are used in industry, in environmental protection, in medicine, in the food industry, in welding and cutting technology, in 3D printing, construction, and in research and science, its website noted.

As a global player, the firm offers its sustainable products and services in Europe, Asia and America.

According to the DTI statement, the Messer Group has approximately €282 billion in total assets and employs 10,000

During the meeting, Pascual extended the Philippine government’s support to Messer Group by helping it in identifying an “anchor client” in the steel and electronics sectors.

The CEO of Messer Group is scheduled to visit the Philippines in September 2023 for meetings with potential anchor clients in the said sectors, DTI said.

The key government and trade officials who joined the virtual meeting alongside Pascual were Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) President Danilo C. Lachica, Board of Investments (BOI) Director Evariste Cagatan, Special Trade Representative (STR) Nicanor S. Bautista, BOI Director Lanie O. Dormiendo, BOI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo and DTI Undersecretary Kim B. Lokin.

Still in Germany but in a separate meeting, Pascual visited Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) to meet with Professor Ulrich Weinberg, Head of HPI’s School of Design Thinking, where they discussed “significant outcomes” for the future of design thinking in the Philippines.

During the meeting, DTI said HPI provided a “comprehensive briefing” to the Trade chief and the Philippine delegation to shed light on the “inner workings” of HPI and the diverse curriculum offered to both private and public sector organizations.

• Editor: Jennifer A. Ng