labor reps urged PHL: Halt red-tagging of workers’ unions

LABOR representatives from Norway, United States and Indonesia called on the government to stop the “red-tagging” of trade unions during the session of the Commission on Application of Standards (CAS) of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on Saturday.

T he Philippines was among the countries tackled by the CAS due to its issues related to ILO Convention No. 87 or the Freedom of Association (FOA) and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention.

I n her intervention during the event, Nina Mjøberg, the labor representative from Norway, stressed the need for the government to engage the labor sector to address FOA violations in the country based on the recommendations of the ILOHigh Level Tripartite Mission (ILOHLTM).

D uring its Manila visit in January, ILO-HLTM recommended the creation of a presidential body to address the reported killings of Filipino trade unionists.

A s part of its compliance with the proposals of the ILO-HLTM, the government issued Executive Order No. 23, which created an interagency committee (IAC) to protect freedom of association. Mjøberg, however, reiterated the same concerns of the local labor leaders on the composition of the IAC, which mostly includes agencies from the security cluster of the government. We could not be convinced that the same agencies which have been actively red-tagging, profiling and intimidating trade unionists, alleging infiltrations of the workplace by communism, could assume independence and protect the right to freedom of association,” Mjøberg said.

S ought for a reaction, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma told BusinessMirror in an SMS, “We will wait for the conclusion of the CAS, which is expected to come out on June 15 before considering any comment/statement on the same.”

Samuel Medenilla

B orrowings by the government through auction of Treasury bills reached P35.872 billion.

D ata from the Treasury also showed that gross foreign borrowings in the January-to-April period rose by 22.76 percent to P328.883 billion from P267.905 billion recorded in the same period of 2022.

O f the total gross foreign borrowings, program loans and multitranche dollar-denominated global bonds amounted to P133.297 billion and P163.607 billion, respectively.

T he remaining amount was borrowed through a project loan estimated at P31.979 billion, based on Treasury data.

For April 2023 alone, the national government’s gross borrowings rose by 31 percent to P125.23 billion from P95.588 billion a year ago, Treasury data showed.

For the whole year, the national government plans to borrow P2.207 trillion with a 75:25 mix in favor of domestic sources.

I n terms of domestic borrowings, the national government aims to raise a total of P1.654 trillion, with P54.1 billion coming from the sale of Treasury bills while the remaining amount would come from the auction of Treasury bonds. Meanwhile, the national government plans to borrow P553.5 billion from foreign sources that include bonds, program loans and project loans.

T he Treasury earlier reported that the Philippines’s outstanding debt has climbed to P13.911 trillion, the highest in the country’s history, on the back of more external borrowings worsened by the depreciation of the local currency. (Related story: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/06/01/ phl-debt-hits-new-high-of-p13911-trillion-at-end-april/)

Canada visa-free portal crashes after PHL included in program

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

THE portal for tourists coming to Canada without visas crashed a few days after the Philippines was included among countries extended visa-free privileges.

The online service for Canada’s Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) experienced “intermittent” connection, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said on June 9.

Then the following day, on June 10, the problem persisted.

“IRCC is aware of service degradation issues with the eTA system. We (are) treating this as a priority,” it tweeted.

The collapse of the eTA portal came two days after the IRCC expanded the number of countries that can avail of the no-visa requirements entering via air. Among the 13 countries is the Philippines.

Under the eTA program, Philippine passport holders who were issued visas by

Sen. Imee to Sec. Gibo: Check US request for PHL asylum for Afghanistan refugees

the Canadian Embassy for the past 10 years, or who have valid US non-immigrant visas, are eligible to apply for eTA program.

The Canadian public broadcaster, CBC, quoted a spokesman of the IRCC as saying that “the biggest spike in applications came from the Philippines.”

The crash in the website led to some travelers trying to reach Canada missing their flights, causing travel and financial stress.

Last Sunday, the IRCC announced that the online services for eTA applications have been restored.

“Service has been restored for the eTA system. We continue to monitor the system. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding,” the IRCC said.

The Canadian Embassy in Manila said they have yet to confirm the CBC report from the IRCC if the spike in eTA applications two days ago was caused by a deluge of applications from the Philippines.

DA-Bicol office braces for Mayon eruption

By Raadee S. Sausa @raadeeboy

THE Regional Field Office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced it is closely monitoring the situation in the province following the alert level raised by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for Mayon Volcano.

On June 5, DA-RFO 5 Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla activated the Mayon Quick Response Team and designated the Albay Breeding Station (ABS) in Cabangan, Camalig, Albay as livestock evacuation center.

The Phivolcs has raised its alert level from Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest) to Alert Level 3 (increasing tendency towards a hazardous eruption) because of an increase in the volume and frequency of rock fall.

“Livestock raisers within the sixkilometer danger zone are advised to evacuate their carabaos, cattle, horses, goats and other ruminants to the ABS where drugs and biologics, vitamins and mineral blocks for livestock as well as ropes and animal feeds were already prepositioned,” Tornilla said.

Rice, corn and vegetable seed reserves are also being maintained.

Moreover, animals can also be brought to local government-designated animal evacuation centers in Muladbucad Grande, Pequeño, and Masarawag in Guinobatan; and, Nasisi in Ligao City, the agriculture official said.

Hauling trucks were previously stationed at the ABS and at the DA Research Outreach Station in Tabaco City to help in the transport of animals and crops.

“Farmers are advised to harvest all harvestable crops with the aid of nine Rice

Combine Harvesters previously distributed by DA Bicol to farmers’ cooperatives and associations in Albay. Farmers may also avail of the services of the three rice processing centers established in Balinad and Balangibang in Polangui and in Maporong, Oas, Albay,” Tornilla added.

There are

25,457 Registry System for Basic

Sectors in Agriculture-listed rice, corn and coconut farmers in the eight municipalities and cities along the 6-kilometer to 8-kilometer permanent danger zones (PDZ), namely Camalig, Ligao City, Tabaco City, Daraga, Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Malilipot and Santo Domingo.

Furthermore, residents who live within the PDZ were advised to evacuate their homes because of the risks posed by the increasing volcanic activity in the area.

The DA said its Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Center will continuously provide updates regarding Mayon Volcano.

Meralco: Human error caused T3 power failure

By Lenie Lectura

HUMAN error caused the power failure that struck Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 3 last week, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said last Sunday.

“We are issuing this statement to confirm that [employees of] MServ (Meralco Energy Inc.), in the presence of MIAA [Manila International Airport Authority] personnel, was conducting testing activities of NAIA Terminal 3’s electrical facilities when the brief power outage occurred last Friday,” Meralco Vice-President and Head of Corporate Communications Agapito R. Zaldarriaga said. The activity was part of the comprehensive technical audit aimed at improving NAIA Terminal 3’s electrical system following the outage that hit the airport terminal last May 1.

According to an incident report submitted to airport authorities, an MServ personnel accidentally left grounding conductors attached to an electrical equipment during a testing activity, which triggered an electrical fault at 12:50 p.m. that subsequently caused the power interruption of NAIA Terminal 3’s facilities last June 9.

The affected facilities were immediately isolated and power was restored at 1:29 p.m of the same day. Meralco also dispatched crew on site to assist MServ and MIAA.

Part of the report submitted were specific recommendations to ensure smoother conduct of succeeding audit and testing activities of NAIA Terminal 3’s facilities, Meralco said.

These include, among others, the strict implementation of toolbox meeting among MIAA, MServ and Meralco prior to any activity and conduct of thorough joint inspection of work area prior to energization of facilities being tested.

“We would like to apologize for the inconvenience the power interruption last Friday caused. We also assure the MIAA, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the commuting public that measures are being undertaken to prevent a similar incident from happening again,” added Zaldarriaga.

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

Imelda Josefa

SENATOR Maria

Remedios “Imee” R. Marcos has urged newly-appointed Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año to shed light on a request by the United States to grant some Afghans special immigrant status in the Philippines.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, asked why the US government wanted to house Afghans in the Philippines instead of the American mainland or countries closer to Afghanistan.

In Senate Resolution 651 filed last Thursday, she called for an inquiry into the real intention behind Washington’s request since no data have been made public on the said Afghans’ status as legitimate refugees or employees of the US government or American companies.

“During the past year, security and espionage threats have substantially increased because of the sharp escalation in tension between rival superpowers,” Marcos said.

The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) held a “technical coordination meeting” with other government agencies last Wednesday to take up the “proposed temporary housing in the Philippines of Special Immigrant Visa applicants from Afghanistan.”

However, the government agencies called to attend could not thoroughly discuss the matter because the PMS did not provide details about the meeting other than its general topic, date, and venue.

Sources privy to the meeting told Marcos that a memorandum of agreement was already in the works.

“There’s a lack of transparency in the present case,” Marcos said, comparing the previous administration’s policy of accepting Afghan refugees when the Taliban took over their homeland in August 2021 following the withdrawal of American troops.

The Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 states that the admission of refugees for religious, political, or racial reasons should serve a humanitarian purpose and not be opposed to the public interest.

“We need to know the real nature of the agreement between the Philippines and the United States and the course of action the executive branch plans to take,” Marcos said.

Govt assures help for families evacuated as volcano stirs up

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

ALEADER of the House of Representatives has assured evacuated families of coordinated efforts among government agencies, relief and assistance following Mayon Volcano’s increased alert level as the Lower Chamber facilitated the release of a total of P33-million worth of assistance to the province of Albay.

House Committee on Appropriations Chairman and Ako Bicol Party List Rep. Elizaldy S. Co has mobilized their efforts to extend a helping hand to the families who have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the increased alert level of Mayon Volcano.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has issued an Alert Level 3, which signifies an increased probability of eruption within weeks or even days. The Phivolcs advises immediate evacuation for those in the identified permanent danger zones (PDZ).

Co expressed his commitment to ensuring that no family is left unsupported amidst the volcanic threat.

The lawmaker said members of the Ako Bicol Party List has collaborated closely with local government units, disaster management agencies, and humanitarian organizations to coordinate efforts and provide relief to the affected communities.

“Immediate actions have been taken to address the urgent needs of the evacuated families, including the provision of food, water, shelter, and medical assistance,” he said.

In solidarity

RECENT reports have highlighted the urgent need for evacuation in the municipality of Daraga, Albay, as families residing near the Mayon Volcano express their concerns and heed the call to ensure their safety, said Co.

“We stand in solidarity with our fellow Bicolanos who have been displaced from their homes due to the imminent danger posed by Mayon Volcano. [We remain] steadfast in our commitment to support and protect the welfare of our constituents. We are here to provide not just immediate relief but also long-term solutions to help rebuild their lives,” the lawmaker added.

The partylist group has mobilized a network of dedicated volunteers who are actively engaged in assessing the needs of affected families and distributing essential supplies efficiently and effectively while working closely with relevant agencies to ensure that the necessary resources are readily available to assist in the evacuation, monitoring, and support of the affected communities.

As the situation continues to evolve, Co said they remain on high alert and ready to adapt their response efforts accordingly as they are closely monitoring updates from Phivolcs and will continue to work hand in hand with local authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the affected families.

Historical experience

HOUSE Committee on Ways and Means

Chairman Jose Ma. Clemente “Joey” S. Salceda has expressed gratitude to Social Welfare and Development Secretary

Rexlon T. Gatchalian for quickly responding to his request for food packs for 9,829 families in the 6-kilometer PDZ and 7-kilometer danger zone around Mayon

OCD assures support to towns near Mayon

THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has assured its support to the towns and municipalities that will be affected by Mayon volcano in Albay and Taal volcano in Batangas, which continued to show unrest and forced the evacuation of already more than 2, 000 families in Albay.

The assurance was made by OCD Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant

Secretary Hernando M. Caraig Jr. and Deputy Administrator for Operations Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV during their visits to Batangas and Albay, respectively, to coordinate preparations and response activities with the affected areas. Caraig visited the municipalities of

Balete, Mataas na Kahoy, Laurel, Agoncillo and Talisay to check on their preparations against Taal Volcano in Batangas.

A total of 8,800 pieces of N95 face masks were distributed to the municipalities.

“We want to ensure that all activities to prepare the communities surrounding Taal are done by the local government units with the support of the OCD, the NDRRMC [National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council] and the national government,” Caraig said.

On the other hand, Alejandro together with Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian, met with Albay Governor Edcel Greco Alexandre B. Lagman and other local officials in the municipalities of Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Santo Domingo and Malilipot, as the volcano has been elevated to Alert Level 3.

“The scenarios are based on historical experience with Mayon volcanic activity, where evacuation tends to be protracted to 47 days or 90 days. We hope that the DSWD will be able to grant at least 50 percent of the food pack requirements for the 45-days scenario, considering that most of these requirements will materialize once Alert Level 4 is declared,” Salceda said.

Following the advice of the Phivolcs, an initial 4,749 families or more than 18,000 persons have already been evacuated to safety, mostly in public school buildings and previously identified evacuation centers.

A subsequent statement quoted Salceda as saying that the five towns have the most families in immediate danger.

“Southeast quadrant, and Malilipot in the northeast – these have the most people exposed to immediate risk. So, we prepare what we need for their evacuation first, before anything else,” the lawmaker said.

The southeast quadrant is composed of Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan and Santo Domingo towns with 7,963 families or 29,880, while the northeast quadrant has the town of Malilipot with 1,966 families or 7,226 individuals.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog Party-list have facilitated the release of assistance—in cash and in kind—to the province of Albay amid the rumblings of Mayon Volcano that has forced the evacuation of residents living in the PDZ.

Relief goods to address issues, hear their concerns and check on their preparations.

ROMUALDEZ and Tingog Party-list Reps.

The OCD has committed to deploy its water filtration units to Albay to provide clean and potable water to the affected areas. To address sanitation issues, OCD Bicol Region will outsource the siphoning and declogging of septic tanks for evacuation centers.

Alejandro also inspected the warehouse of OCD and the stockpile of family food packs in the province.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support to all the affected LGUs as they address concerns at the evacuation centers. We will coordinate with all relevant agencies to ensure the wellbeing of the affected residents,” Alejandro said.

The 9th Infantry Division based in

Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre said last Sunday that P1-million worth of assistance was allocated to each of the three districts of Albay.

The affected areas include: the 1st District under Rep. Edcel C. Lagman; 2nd District under Salceda; and, 3rd District under Rep. Fernando T. Cabredo. The assistance from the Speaker’s office will be coursed through their respective offices.

“The members of the House are one with the people of Albay during this challenging time. Mayon Volcano’s eruption is something that we cannot stop, but so is showing malasakit to our countrymen when difficulties arise. Together, we will ride out this calamity,” the Speaker said. The P1-million assistance for each of the districts is broken down into P500,000 in cash and P500,000-worth of relief packs from Romualdez’s personal disaster response fund.

Before dawn Sunday, hundreds of volunteers trooped to a department store in Embarcadero de Legazpi, Albay, to repack and prepare relief goods for the displaced families. About 1,420 relief packs for each district were readied for distribution.

On top of this, the Speaker’s office coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) so that P10-million worth of assistance would be released to each district through the agency’s “Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations” program.

According to the House leader, the P500,000 cash assistance will be turned over to each of the three districts on Monday. The relief packs will be distributed soon after.

Camarines Sur has activated its Task Force Sagip, which is assisting in the ongoing evacuation of residents in Mayon’s 6 km.radius danger zone.

Major German Franco H. Roldan, 9th ID spokesman, said the task force has already moved out 2,638 families from the towns of Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan and Malilipot as well as in the cities of Tabaco and Ligao in Albay.

Roldan said the number is expected to rise after the declaration of the State of Calamity in the entire province due to the continuous threat of Mayon.

Aside from the evacuation efforts, government troops are also distributing food packs and tents for the affected families.

Rene Acosta

Negros Occ. LGU to bid for organic agri event

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

THE province of Negros Occidental is bidding for an international conference that will help position Bacolod as a major meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (Mice) destination in the country. In a speech at the recent Organic Asia Congress in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose “Bong”

V. Lacson announced the province’s bid to host the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (Ifoam) World Congress in 2027.

“Negros Occidental has been the host of several international assemblies and events. We have good hotel accommodations, several malls, outstanding tourist destinations and cuisine, and an airport that is half an hour from the city center. As a province and as a people, we are famed for our gracious hospitality, which we cannot wait to share with our fellow advocates in organic farming,” Lacson said.

The international event, held every three years, is expected to attract 1,300 delegates, 300 of whom will be coming from all over the world. Founded in 1972, Ifoam-Organics International works to bring sustainable agriculture practices to farmers across the globe.

Lacson said that “hosting the Ifoam Organic World Congress will shine a spotlight on our province’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.”

“It will allow us to showcase our success stories, our organic farms, and the unique biodiversity that thrives within our province. By doing so, we can inspire others and encourage the adoption of organic practices worldwide,” he added.

Known as the sugar bowl of the Philippines, Negros Occidental has slowly transformed itself into a successful example of organic farming and sustainable agriculture in the country. The province is now the seat for Ifoam Asia and SlowFood Asia.

“The presence of these groups signifies the importance of Negros Occidental in the local and regional development of the organic sector,” he said.

Conventions in Bacolod

MEANWHILE, Bacolod is looking to attract 1,000 to 3,000 MICE delegates this year. The city has established the Bacolod Meetings and Conventions Promotions to market the city as an important MICE destination. This month, it is hosting events of the Municipal Health Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Neurological Association.

John Bernard G. Ongsingco, senior branch manager of SMX Convention Center, expressed optimism that the MICE sector is already picking up.

“We are hosting a minimum of two events per month,” Ongsingco said adding that the number of tourism destinations in the city, “and the warm hospitality we are known for,” can also help attract more MICE events. He noted the city is also easily accessible via local and international carriers through the Bacolod-Silay International Airport.

SMXCC is the only convention space in the Bacolod, but other meeting rooms and event spaces are located in nine hotels, with the largest event space at L’Fisher Hotel (954 square feet).

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 60 MICE events in Bacolod with 3,163 participants in pre-pandemic 2019.

Last year, the city attracted 618,682 visitors, of which 31,000 were foreigners. Including other cities and municipalities, the entire province of Negros Occidental attracted 1.13 million visitors, of which some 36,000 were international travelers.

Among the goals of the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028 is to increase investments in the development of high-value tourism experiences such as MICE and special events. In the Asean, major MICE destinations include Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. For the Philippines to get a slice of the big MICE pie, it must increase its usable space for exhibitions to at least 171,000 square meters by 2030.

According to Allied Marketing Research, the Asia-Pacific MICE industry generated a revenue of US$229 billion in 2017, with China and Japan dominating the market. The industry is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 8.6 percent to reach $441.1 billion by 2025.