DOST chief to resign if PAGASA, Phivolcs moved to disaster resilience department

Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña says he would just return to private life if the two agencies are attached to the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience

Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said he will resign if two agencies under his department are moved to the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

De la Peña made the statement in a news briefing at the Bicol University College of Engineering on Wednesday, August 8, when asked about the impact of placing the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astrononical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) under the supervision of the proposed department.

“If PAGASA and Phivolcs will be transferred to DDR, we will abide by the law but I will resign from my post as DOST (Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary and be with my family,” De la Peña said when asked about the possible impact of the transfer of the two agencies.

He said the question on the possible impact of the proposed transfer should be referred to Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, the author of the House bill seeking to create the DDR.

PAGASA Deputy Administrator Landrico Dalida, who was at the briefing, was also opposed to the proposal. He said a team from PAGASA may be integrated into the proposed DDR, but not the transfer of the entire agency, which is being modernized under the DOST.

“The modernization of PAGASA has been done under DOST....We can help and form part of the DDR but we don’t want to be under the DDR,” Dalida said.

Salceda said he found De la Peña's pronouncement "very disappointing"

"We appeal to him to review and reconsider his pronouncement,” Salceda said in a text message to Rappler.

“We value his opinion but the climate threat has more force than his personal threat. Ultimately it's the wisdom of the majority of Congress in the plenary that will decide this policy issue,” the lawmaker added.

Malacañang submitted to Congress its version of the DDR bill on July 31. It earlier said the DDR is envisioned to focus on natural disasters and effects of climate change such as cyclones, El Niño, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

Under the Palace version of the bill, the department will be led by a disaster resilience secretary and at least 4 undersecretaries in charge of specific divisions, including a "support to operations with strong ICT (information and communications technology) cluster."

In his third State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte called for the creation of a Department of Disaster Management, which was later renamed the DDR under the Palace bill submitted to Congress.

The bill was approved at the committee level following Duterte's SONA endorsement.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/209214-fortunato-dela-pena-resign-pagasa-phivolcs-transfer-department-disaster-resilience

Matteo G is ‘The One’

Matteo Guidicelli with Cherry Wong-Tan

Matteo Guidicelli is definitely “The One” for someone we all know. But now, Matteo G has also been proclaimed “The One” by Uratex.

At SM Cebu City recently, the triathlete, karting driver, singer, restaurateur and actor was introduced as the celebrity endorser for the 50-year old brand. It’s the first time that it has ever gotten an endorser and he shot for them a TV commercial too.

“Deep sleep is important, going home and laying home having the most comfortable time and waking up like a brand-new person,” said the “Bagani” and “Single/Single: Love Is Not Enough” star said.

Asked why they’ve launched an endorser this time, Cherry Wong-Tan, Marketing Director of Uratex Philippines, said: “As we celebrate our 50th year, we decided to expand awareness for Uratex in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Uratex is an old brand but it is also for the young ones, the millenials.”

As a way of giving back to the community, they donated 50 mattresses each to their chosen public hospitals now numbering 57 and elderly homes all over the country including Jolo.

At the launch, SM Home, the mattress company’s partner of long standing, transformed the North Wing of SM Cebu City NRA into a bedroom showcase.

Said Tom Castañeda, SM Home Asst. VP for Marketing, “We congratulate them for continuing to serve as a leader in the production of high quality foams.”

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Aug. 9, go to Pocholo Romualdez, Bong Quintana, Firmo Liwanag, Tweetums Gonzalez, Philip Mangawang, Chit Montenegro, Atty. Arturo del Rosario, Tess Rigonan-Teo, Dona Nena Oreta, Dr. Larry Mallari, "TWBA" production manager Lani Gutierrez, Bong Quintana, Eduardo Gravoso, Ninebeth Crespo-Cagalawan and Ricardo Balbido Jr.…Belated b-day greetings to Jerk Ornillio (Aug. 2)…Condolence to the family of PGH Director Dr Gap Legaspi on the demise of his beloved mother-in-law… Aug. 10: Rep. Lito Atienza, Toni Daya, Criselda Lontok, Ruby Tiong, Ruby Tan, Ester Lomboy, Adela Gwiazda, John Derick Taperla, Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Prof. Danny Cruz, Lyka Ugarte, Bong Diga, Manny Freires, Baby Avril Carolino, Mark Bautista, and awarded broadcaster Mel Tiangco…

House version of tax reform bill could dampen expenditure

ECONOMIC MANAGERS warned of spending reductions due to weaker revenue prospects of the second tax reform package, amid attempts to keep military pensions under control and a Supreme Court ruling calling for more funding for local governments.

“TRAIN 2 is supposed to be revenue-natural,” Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said in a briefing on Wednesday, meaning that any foregone revenue needs to be offset by savings elsewhere, thereby preserving the spending program.

He was referring to the second package of the tax reform program, formerly known as Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) but now rebranded after modification in the House as Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities (TRABAHO).

Commenting on the apparent change in emphasis in the House to focus on jobs, Mr. Diokno said TRAIN 2 was already expected “to attract more workers.”

The version that the House committee on ways and means approved on Tuesday did not include the Finance department’s proposal to index corporate income tax cuts to the savings generated from streamlining fiscal incentives.

Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said that in the first year of implementing the measure would cost about P62 billion.

“We’re not sure if that will stick. If it’s revenue negative, that’s serious. So we will try to convince them to try to make it at least revenue neutral,” he said, noting that the proposal has yet to pass through the House plenary. Other opportunities to modify the legislation are in the Senate, which must also pass its own version, and the bicameral conference committee, where the two versions must be reconciled.

“That is a serious fiscal breach. It could result in a higher deficit. We don’t want that to happen or we will have to cut back on our expenditures, which we also do not want to happen,” he added.

The House bill proposes to cut the corporate income tax rate to 20% from 30% gradually, or a 2 percentage-point reduction every other year beginning 2021.

It also proposed to limit incentives to a single menu, with perks capped for five years. The menu will only be available to industries included in the annual Strategic Investments Priority Plan (SIPP), and those availing of the perks must satisfy performance targets as determined by the Board of Investments. The bill also includes a sunset period of two to five years depending on the contracts that firms enjoying incentives have with investment-promotion agencies (IPAs).

Mr. Chua said: “It would be better if (tax rate cuts) are conditional to ensure revenue neutrality. We are not sure the version passed will be revenue neutral, but we will try our best.”

Mr. Diokno said government revenue is already under pressure because of a Supreme Court ruling ordering the automatic and prospective release of local government claims on national government revenue. The claims are known as internal revenue allotments (IRAs), which the court ruled are based on all national government taxes, including those collected by the Bureau of Customs. The current practice is to share out taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

He said during a Senate hearing yesterday that complying with the ruling would cost the government P195 billion on top of the funds already allocated for local government units (LGUs) this year.

Mr. Diokno said that the government through the Office of the Solicitor General submitted yesterday its motion for reconsideration to the high court, seeking clarification on which taxes are to be included in the computation of the IRA.

He added that giving LGUs the expanded share of national revenue will expand the fiscal deficit to 4% of the economy from 3% currently. He said that in the event the ruling is final and executory, the government will devolve some functions to LGUs to keep its fiscal position intact.

“We cannot afford a higher deficit, we cannot risk it.”

Mr. Diokno also identified the growing pension liabilities for uniformed personnel as a fiscal risk.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III in the same Senate hearing said that economic managers will submit to Congress a draft that will create a new contributory pension scheme, as the government budget currently shoulders over P33 billion of retiree’s pensions annually.

“We will be presenting the package to the President for his approval (and proceed to) legislation… to address the pension issue. It’s a very difficult problem and I’m not sure we can solve it all, but at least we are going to start solving it,” Mr. Dominguez said.

“He gave us until the end of the month for the package,” he added.

He said that the government’s outstanding liabilities to military retirees are at P4 trillion.

“For every position, we are paying two and a half people who are retired. You have the guy who is doing the job, and there are two more guys who are retired, and getting the pay of this guy now,” he said, referring to the indexing of retiree pensions to the levels enjoyed by active-duty personnel. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

http://www.bworldonline.com/house-version-of-tax-reform-bill-could-dampen-expenditure/

Speaker GMA: House to pass bill on rice tariffication soon

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said that the House is close to passing the rice tariffication bill.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Arroyo said that the House passed the bill on its second reading Tuesday night, and that she expects it to be passed on its third and final reading within the week.

"I would imagine we will pass it in the House on third reading at the very latest three days after we passed it on second reading last night," the former President said.

Currently, private rice traders can ship 805,200 tons of rice annually without tariffs.

The bill aims to do away with this restriction, and instead, impose a general tariff on all rice imports, which will allow more rice imports to lower the price of rice.

Economic managers of the Duterte administration flagged rice prices as one of the main causes of last month's inflation, which reached another five-year high at 5.7 percent.

"Part of the supply problem is the country's declining rice stock inventory -- caused by weather disturbances in the country and in other rice-producing countries like Thailand and Vietnam -- which is taking a toll on the prices of rice," said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno in a statement as the joint economic team.

They called for the amendment of Republic Act No. 8178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act to bring down the price of rice.

The bill for rice tariffication is also one of the priorities stated by President Rodrigo Duterte during his 2018 State of the Nation Address.

The counterpart bill in the Senate is still pending at the committee level.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/08/08/gloria-macapagal-arroyo-house-bill-rice-tariff.html

Don’t deceive Ecijanos, Umali chides critics

FORMER Nueva Ecija governor Aurelio “Oyie” Umali on Wednesday called on his detractors to “not fool the minds and mislead the opinion” of their constituents for their self-serving agenda.

Umali reacted to the attacks on his persona and his family through the media over his supposed involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel scam.

He said he has not yet received any order from the Office of the Ombudsman denying his motion for reconsideration.

“I just don’t know where they (critics) got such interpretation that I can no longer run for any elective position. Clearly this is just another one of those dirty politicking by my detractors designed to condition the minds of my beloved Novo Ecijanos,” Umali said.

“This is nothing but a reflection of their desperation. They are hurrying up to discredit my name by making premature and sensational conclusions but their irrationality is glaringly seen,” he said.

The three-term governor, the husband of incumbent Nueva Ecija Gov. Cherry Umali, stressed that their family and their supporters “invested blood, sweat and tears” to bring change in Nueva Ecija thru sincere and honest public service to Novo Ecijanos.

“Politicking is yet too early. We should focus on how we could deliver true and faithful public service, instead of criticizing people left and right,” he said.

“What they are doing, using the media to spread lies and attack people, is just a waste of precious time and money that should had been better spent addressing the needs of our constituencies,” the former governor added.

The people themselves are aware of their “cheap black propaganda,” the latest of which is what Umali called a “bogus story” over the Ombudsman’s alleged denial of his plea.

“Don’t treat our constituents as ignorant of the law,” the ex-governor said.

He believes the Ombudsman would reverse its previous decision dismissing him from government service for lack of merit.

He said former vice governor Edward Thomas Joson has an axe to grind against him when he defeated the latter in the 2010 gubernatorial elections.

Umali said more than 20 cases had been filed by the Joson and Vergara clans against him and his family, of which “90 percent” had already been dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.

“They have not stopped their dirty politicking. Come hell or high water, they will do anything to besmirch our reputation,” Umali said. “But that will not discourage us from doing good for our constituents.”

“We will continue to give them the best of our public service,” he said.

http://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/272515