'We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project,' says SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim
The Pasay City local government has officially given the go-ahead for SM Prime Holdings to proceed with the 360-hectare reclamation project in the city.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday, December 6, SM Prime said that it got the notice to proceed to reclaim land and connect it with the already massive Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex.
MOA is another reclamation project done in partnership with the Pasay City government.
The joint venture agreement specifies that SM Prime will develop the actual raw land reclamation and the structures on it. SM Prime did not specify the cost of the project.
The company said it has finalized the selection of consultants and contractors from a roster of reputable companies with expertise in reclamation and dredging.
"We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project. We expect thousands of job opportunities to be generated in the process, and to also contribute significantly to both local and national development,” SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim said.
SM Prime is also eyeing other reclamation projects in Parañaque City and Manila Bay.
https://www.rappler.com/business/246609-sm-prime-gets-approval-hectare-reclamation-project
Friday, December 6, 2019
Pasay approves SM Prime’s ₱54-B reclamation project
By James A. Loyola
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) has officially received from the City of Pasay the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the ₱54-billion reclamation project covering 360 hectares within the City’s municipal waters.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the firm said this new reclamation project in Pasay City will be connected to the Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex, which is also a reclaimed-land project of both parties.
This will be developed into a vibrant business district featuring world-class mall, offices, residences, entertainment arena, 5-star hotel, and convention center.
As the City’s joint venture partner, SM Prime will undertake to develop the actual raw land reclamation and horizontal development works.
The Company has finalized selection of consultants and contractors from a roster of reputable companies with proven global reclamation and dredging experience to ensure proper and responsible implementation of the project.
“We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project,” SM Prime President Jeffrey C. Lim said.
He added that, “We expect thousands of job opportunities to be generated in the process, and to also contribute significantly to both local and national development.”
SM Prime is also pursuing a ₱50 billion reclamation project covering 300 hectares in the Parañaque portion of Manila Bay that will also be connected to the Pasay project.
https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/12/06/pasay-approves-sm-primes-%e2%82%b154-b-reclamation-project/
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) has officially received from the City of Pasay the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the ₱54-billion reclamation project covering 360 hectares within the City’s municipal waters.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the firm said this new reclamation project in Pasay City will be connected to the Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex, which is also a reclaimed-land project of both parties.
This will be developed into a vibrant business district featuring world-class mall, offices, residences, entertainment arena, 5-star hotel, and convention center.
As the City’s joint venture partner, SM Prime will undertake to develop the actual raw land reclamation and horizontal development works.
The Company has finalized selection of consultants and contractors from a roster of reputable companies with proven global reclamation and dredging experience to ensure proper and responsible implementation of the project.
“We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project,” SM Prime President Jeffrey C. Lim said.
He added that, “We expect thousands of job opportunities to be generated in the process, and to also contribute significantly to both local and national development.”
SM Prime is also pursuing a ₱50 billion reclamation project covering 300 hectares in the Parañaque portion of Manila Bay that will also be connected to the Pasay project.
https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/12/06/pasay-approves-sm-primes-%e2%82%b154-b-reclamation-project/
SM Prime bags 360-hectare Pasay reclamation deal
Property giant SM Prime Holdings is all set to proceed with a much-awaited 360-hectare reclamation project in Pasay, in line with its plan to build a new central business district (CBD) along the Manila Bay area.
SM Prime officially received from the City of Pasay the notice to proceed with the reclamation project within the city’s municipal waters, the company disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.
This new reclamation project in Pasay City will be connected to the Mall of Asia (MOA) complex, which is also a reclaimed-land project of both parties, and has since then been developed into a thriving estate with a massive shopping mall, offices, residences, entertainment arena, five-star hotel, and convention center.
“We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project. We expect thousands of job opportunities to be generated in the process, and to also contribute significantly to both local and national development,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.
https://business.inquirer.net/284832/sm-prime-bags-360-hectare-pasay-reclamation-deal
SM Prime officially received from the City of Pasay the notice to proceed with the reclamation project within the city’s municipal waters, the company disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.
This new reclamation project in Pasay City will be connected to the Mall of Asia (MOA) complex, which is also a reclaimed-land project of both parties, and has since then been developed into a thriving estate with a massive shopping mall, offices, residences, entertainment arena, five-star hotel, and convention center.
“We have complied with all the requirements of national agencies and secured all the required permits and clearances to enable SM Prime to commence with the reclamation project. We expect thousands of job opportunities to be generated in the process, and to also contribute significantly to both local and national development,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.
https://business.inquirer.net/284832/sm-prime-bags-360-hectare-pasay-reclamation-deal
‘Hoy Gising’ days recalled by Korina Sanchez: ‘People had a real voice’
Korina Sanchez could not help but get sentimental as she looked back to her days as an anchor for the public service program “Hoy Gising!” in the early ’90s.
The popular ABS-CBN program covered social issues and served as an avenue for citizens to voice their complaints on poor governance. According to Sanchez, with the show, “the people had a real voice.”
In her post for #ThrowbackThursday, Sanchez uploaded a picture of herself, Kris Aquino and Ted Failon when they were anchors of the show together.
“After the restoration of democracy by the rule of President Cory Aquino, media became FREE. To criticize, to take to task government people for inefficiencies or corruptions — and to reward them with recognition when it was due,” she said.
She emphasized that the show was able to tell news “as it is.” “It was a show, the first of its kind, that everyone, except government, loved.”
She added, “We could tell it as it was, with NO fear of retaliation from government. Even when it was that government who restored the freedom. Democracy. Galeng (Great). Hay.”
Sanchez’s Instagram post comes after President Duterte said anew on Tuesday, Dec. 3, that he opposes the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. The network’s franchise expires in March 2020.
Lawmakers such as Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto have expressed optimism on the renewal of the franchise. /ra
https://entertainment.inquirer.net/354163/korina-sanchez-recalls-hoy-gising-days-people-had-a-real-voice
The popular ABS-CBN program covered social issues and served as an avenue for citizens to voice their complaints on poor governance. According to Sanchez, with the show, “the people had a real voice.”
In her post for #ThrowbackThursday, Sanchez uploaded a picture of herself, Kris Aquino and Ted Failon when they were anchors of the show together.
“After the restoration of democracy by the rule of President Cory Aquino, media became FREE. To criticize, to take to task government people for inefficiencies or corruptions — and to reward them with recognition when it was due,” she said.
She emphasized that the show was able to tell news “as it is.” “It was a show, the first of its kind, that everyone, except government, loved.”
She added, “We could tell it as it was, with NO fear of retaliation from government. Even when it was that government who restored the freedom. Democracy. Galeng (Great). Hay.”
Sanchez’s Instagram post comes after President Duterte said anew on Tuesday, Dec. 3, that he opposes the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. The network’s franchise expires in March 2020.
Lawmakers such as Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto have expressed optimism on the renewal of the franchise. /ra
https://entertainment.inquirer.net/354163/korina-sanchez-recalls-hoy-gising-days-people-had-a-real-voice
Comelec to hold Davao De Oro plebiscite Dec. 7
Registered voters from the 11 municipalities of Compostela Valley are set to decide on Saturday (December 7) whether they will approve or not the changing of the name of their province to Davao de Oro.
This as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold the plebiscite that will ratify the renaming of the province as provided by Republic Act No. 11297.
"All qualified and duly registered voters of the Province of Compostela Valley, as of the May 13, 2019 National and Local Elections, are eligible to vote in the plebiscite," according to Comelec Resolution No. 10614.
In the official ballot, voters will be asked the question: "Pumapayag ka ba na palitan ang pangalan ng lalawigan ng Compostela Valley at gawing lalawigan ng Davao de Oro alinsunod sa Batas Republika Bilang 11297?" (Are you in favor of replacing the name of the province Compostela Valley with the name Davao de Oro pursuant to Republic Act 11297?).
"The voter who will vote for its approval shall write the word 'YES' or 'OO' or its conceptual equivalent in the blank box after the question, or the voter will vote for its rejection, the word 'NO' or 'HINDI' or its conceptual equivalent shall be written in the blank line after the question," added the resolution promulgated on October 24.
Poll body records show there were 462,942 registered voters in Compostela Valley during the May 2019 national and local polls.
The voting period shall be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After the end of the voting process, the Plebiscite Committee shall publicly count in the polling precincts the votes cast and ascertain the results.
RA 11297 was passed into law in April which allowed the renaming of the Compostela Valley province.
The law ordered the Commission to conduct a plebiscite among voters in the present Compostela Valley province.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1088105
This as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold the plebiscite that will ratify the renaming of the province as provided by Republic Act No. 11297.
"All qualified and duly registered voters of the Province of Compostela Valley, as of the May 13, 2019 National and Local Elections, are eligible to vote in the plebiscite," according to Comelec Resolution No. 10614.
In the official ballot, voters will be asked the question: "Pumapayag ka ba na palitan ang pangalan ng lalawigan ng Compostela Valley at gawing lalawigan ng Davao de Oro alinsunod sa Batas Republika Bilang 11297?" (Are you in favor of replacing the name of the province Compostela Valley with the name Davao de Oro pursuant to Republic Act 11297?).
"The voter who will vote for its approval shall write the word 'YES' or 'OO' or its conceptual equivalent in the blank box after the question, or the voter will vote for its rejection, the word 'NO' or 'HINDI' or its conceptual equivalent shall be written in the blank line after the question," added the resolution promulgated on October 24.
Poll body records show there were 462,942 registered voters in Compostela Valley during the May 2019 national and local polls.
The voting period shall be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After the end of the voting process, the Plebiscite Committee shall publicly count in the polling precincts the votes cast and ascertain the results.
RA 11297 was passed into law in April which allowed the renaming of the Compostela Valley province.
The law ordered the Commission to conduct a plebiscite among voters in the present Compostela Valley province.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1088105
‘Be independent’: Journalists ask Congress to pass ABS-CBN franchise renewal bill
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Friday called on Congress to pass the legislative franchise renewal of broadcasting giant ABS-CBN.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s vow of blocking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise has become “more than another idle threat,” which puts the ball clearly in Congress’ court, NUJP said.
“The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines urges the legislature to uphold its independence and pass the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN,” the organization said.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano—who earlier said he has a “personal complaint” against the television network—said the lower chamber would not be deliberating bills seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise for the rest of 2019.
Cayetano, an ally of the president, said legislators have “more than enough time” to tackle the proposed measure in January and February of next year.
ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise expires on March 30, 2020, at which point their radio and broadcast operations will have to shut down if no renewal is approved.
Early this week, Duterte, who has the power to veto bills that Congress approves, said the franchise will not be renewed.
NUJP said between 10,000 and 11,000 who depend on ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries or sister companies for their bread and butter will lose their jobs or will indirectly be dislocated once the company’s franchise is denied.
“Do not allow one man’s vindictiveness displace thousands of workers, including journalists and artists, and spell the end for freedom of the press and of expression,” the organization said.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/12/06/1974810/be-independent-journalists-ask-congress-pass-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-bill
President Rodrigo Duterte’s vow of blocking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise has become “more than another idle threat,” which puts the ball clearly in Congress’ court, NUJP said.
“The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines urges the legislature to uphold its independence and pass the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN,” the organization said.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano—who earlier said he has a “personal complaint” against the television network—said the lower chamber would not be deliberating bills seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise for the rest of 2019.
Cayetano, an ally of the president, said legislators have “more than enough time” to tackle the proposed measure in January and February of next year.
ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise expires on March 30, 2020, at which point their radio and broadcast operations will have to shut down if no renewal is approved.
Early this week, Duterte, who has the power to veto bills that Congress approves, said the franchise will not be renewed.
NUJP said between 10,000 and 11,000 who depend on ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries or sister companies for their bread and butter will lose their jobs or will indirectly be dislocated once the company’s franchise is denied.
“Do not allow one man’s vindictiveness displace thousands of workers, including journalists and artists, and spell the end for freedom of the press and of expression,” the organization said.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/12/06/1974810/be-independent-journalists-ask-congress-pass-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-bill
Duterte threatens to shut down Philippine broadcaster ABS-CBN
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his government should not show bias in renewing broadcasters’ licenses and should cease threatening the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
On December 3, Duterte threatened ABS-CBN, a privately owned broadcasting network whose franchise agreement is due to expire on March 30, 2020, saying, “Your franchise will end next year. If you expect it to be renewed, I'm sorry. I will see to it that you're out,” according to a report by Philippine news website Rappler.
Five bills have been filed with the country’s legislature to extend the broadcaster’s franchise, according to a report by CNN, but lawmakers said today that they will not vote on the measure until next year, according to local daily BusinessMirror.
Previously, Duterte accused ABS-CBN of “swindling” him for not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign, and in 2018 he threatened to deny the network’s renewal as he approved the franchise renewal of the GMA Network, its rival, according to Rappler.
If the franchise agreement is not renewed, ABS-CBN’s television and radio channels will have to cease broadcasting, according to Rappler.
“Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte should walk back his politicized threat to shut down news broadcaster ABS-CBN, and should steer clear of intervening in its franchise renewal,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “Duterte’s threats aim to encourage self-censorship, and must stop now.”
ABS-CBN’s current franchise agreement was enacted in 1995; if renewed, it would be valid for another 25 years, according to BusinessMirror.
ABS-CBN has published critical reports on Duterte’s war on drugs campaign, domestic terrorism, and other sensitive topics.
CPJ called the Presidential Spokesman’s Office for comment on Duterte’s remarks, but no one answered.
Duterte’s government has previously used its regulatory powers to stifle media; in January 2018, the Duterte administration’s Securities and Exchange Commission revoked Rappler’s certificate of incorporation for violating a regulation that local media must be locally owned and operated, as CPJ reported at the time. This March, authorities arrested and briefly detained Rappler CEO Maria Ressa for allegedly violating that regulation, according to news reports.
Ressa received CPJ's 2018 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award in acknowledgement of her bravery in reporting in the face of official harassment.
https://cpj.org/2019/12/duterte-threatens-to-shut-down-philippine-broadcas.php
On December 3, Duterte threatened ABS-CBN, a privately owned broadcasting network whose franchise agreement is due to expire on March 30, 2020, saying, “Your franchise will end next year. If you expect it to be renewed, I'm sorry. I will see to it that you're out,” according to a report by Philippine news website Rappler.
Five bills have been filed with the country’s legislature to extend the broadcaster’s franchise, according to a report by CNN, but lawmakers said today that they will not vote on the measure until next year, according to local daily BusinessMirror.
Previously, Duterte accused ABS-CBN of “swindling” him for not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign, and in 2018 he threatened to deny the network’s renewal as he approved the franchise renewal of the GMA Network, its rival, according to Rappler.
If the franchise agreement is not renewed, ABS-CBN’s television and radio channels will have to cease broadcasting, according to Rappler.
“Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte should walk back his politicized threat to shut down news broadcaster ABS-CBN, and should steer clear of intervening in its franchise renewal,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “Duterte’s threats aim to encourage self-censorship, and must stop now.”
ABS-CBN’s current franchise agreement was enacted in 1995; if renewed, it would be valid for another 25 years, according to BusinessMirror.
ABS-CBN has published critical reports on Duterte’s war on drugs campaign, domestic terrorism, and other sensitive topics.
CPJ called the Presidential Spokesman’s Office for comment on Duterte’s remarks, but no one answered.
Duterte’s government has previously used its regulatory powers to stifle media; in January 2018, the Duterte administration’s Securities and Exchange Commission revoked Rappler’s certificate of incorporation for violating a regulation that local media must be locally owned and operated, as CPJ reported at the time. This March, authorities arrested and briefly detained Rappler CEO Maria Ressa for allegedly violating that regulation, according to news reports.
Ressa received CPJ's 2018 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award in acknowledgement of her bravery in reporting in the face of official harassment.
https://cpj.org/2019/12/duterte-threatens-to-shut-down-philippine-broadcas.php
La Trinidad cityhood pressed
A CALL for cityhood of La Trinidad, Benguet's capital town, has been made anew.
Lawmakers of La Trinidad have asked the aid of Benguet Representative Nestor Fongwan Sr. for the filing of a bill for the conversion of the municipality into a component city of the province.
The resolution was approved by the Municipal Council during Tuesday's (December 3) regulation session. It was introduced by Councilors Teddy Walang, Apolinario Bagano Jr., John Botiwey and Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan.
"Conversion of the municipality into a component city of the province will pave way for more development and added services to its growing population and to properly address issues and concerns commonly seen in rapidly developing urban communities," the measure reads.
Lawmakers said the Bureau of Local Government finance-Cordillera Administrative Region certified that the town has an annual income of P131,445,297.69 and P143,776,838.28 for 2013 and 2014.
The town's land area is 8,079.50 hectares and 129,133 population, based on August 2016 census where it is expected to balloon based on a consistent population growth rate of 3.8 percent.
As per Republic Act 9009, requirements for cityhood include locally generated income of at least P100 million (based on constant prices in the year 2000) for the last two consecutive years, as certified by the Department of Finance, and a population of at least 150,000, as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority; or a contiguous territory of 100 square kilometers, as certified by the Land Management Bureau, with contiguity not being a requisite for areas that are on two or more islands.
The town had been clamoring for cityhood through past resolutions requesting legislators to file a bill in Congress.
Copies of the resolution will be transmitted to mayor's office and office of Benguet congressman for his appropriate action.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1835223/Baguio/Local-News/La-Trinidad-cityhood-pressed
Lawmakers of La Trinidad have asked the aid of Benguet Representative Nestor Fongwan Sr. for the filing of a bill for the conversion of the municipality into a component city of the province.
The resolution was approved by the Municipal Council during Tuesday's (December 3) regulation session. It was introduced by Councilors Teddy Walang, Apolinario Bagano Jr., John Botiwey and Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan.
"Conversion of the municipality into a component city of the province will pave way for more development and added services to its growing population and to properly address issues and concerns commonly seen in rapidly developing urban communities," the measure reads.
Lawmakers said the Bureau of Local Government finance-Cordillera Administrative Region certified that the town has an annual income of P131,445,297.69 and P143,776,838.28 for 2013 and 2014.
The town's land area is 8,079.50 hectares and 129,133 population, based on August 2016 census where it is expected to balloon based on a consistent population growth rate of 3.8 percent.
As per Republic Act 9009, requirements for cityhood include locally generated income of at least P100 million (based on constant prices in the year 2000) for the last two consecutive years, as certified by the Department of Finance, and a population of at least 150,000, as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority; or a contiguous territory of 100 square kilometers, as certified by the Land Management Bureau, with contiguity not being a requisite for areas that are on two or more islands.
The town had been clamoring for cityhood through past resolutions requesting legislators to file a bill in Congress.
Copies of the resolution will be transmitted to mayor's office and office of Benguet congressman for his appropriate action.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1835223/Baguio/Local-News/La-Trinidad-cityhood-pressed
Back to square one for 2020 national budget
The House of Representatives-Senate conference on the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for next year is back to square one.
The conference is supposed to reconcile the two chambers’ versions of the budget, but conferees decided to discard both versions and use the National Expenditure Program (NEP) as basis for coming up with a common draft of next year’s spending program.
The NEP refers to the President’s original spending proposal, which Congress uses to come up with a national budget. The decision to go back to it apparently stemmed from the wide disparity between the House and Senate drafts of the 2020 outlay.
In its version, the House realigned P9.5 billion, including a P3-billion addition to the palay procurement fund of the National Food Authority (NFA), increasing it to P10 billion.
On the other hand, the Senate introduced a whopping P206 billion in realignments, which included removing the House’s P3-billion palay buying augmentation and transferring it to the Land Bank, which was mandated to lend it to local government units, also for palay procurement, at an annual interest rate of two percent.
For the entire P3 billion, the state-owned commercial bank stands to make P60 million in interest income on money that belongs to taxpayers.
“We disregarded the amendments (realignments) and started with the NEP in our discussions with Sen. (Sonny) Angara,” Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, who heads the House appropriations committee, said yesterday.
He and Angara, his Senate counterpart, jointly chair the budget conference.
He said each chamber would come up with its own amendments all over again and the conference committee would reconcile the proposed changes.
He added that both chambers could revive their original suggested amendments.
Some House conferees, including Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga, want their panel to insist on the P3-billion augmentation for palay procurement that would allow the NFA to expand its market intervention and prop up palay prices.
In a privilege speech last week, Gonzales said rice farmers from Pampanga’s third district, which he represents, lost P4 per kilo of palay yield in last month’s wet season crop harvest.
Angara has said Senate agriculture committee chair Cynthia Villar is the proponent of the removal of the House augmentation.
Villar has said she wanted the money given as cash assistance to farmers or beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, but that is not what is contained in the special provision the Senate has written in its budget version governing the use of the P3 billion.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson is expected to continue pushing for his “institutional amendments,” including a P3.174-billion funding for the upgrading of the basic pay of government nurses as mandated by a recent Supreme Court decision and P2.15 billion for the national identification system.
On schedule
Despite their decision to go back to the NEP, Ungab and Angara are optimistic that their panel could finish its job by weekend. They have set a meeting for the entire conference committee for Monday, during which panel members are to sign the report containing the two chambers’ common version of the 2020 national budget.
Later on Monday, the House and the Senate are set to ratify the committee report, then print the final budget bill and send it to President Duterte for scrutiny before Dec. 21.
The conference committee’s work timeline and the plenary ratification schedule have been cleared with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate President Vicente Sotto.
Cayetano had assured the President that he would have a budget bill on his desk before yearend.
Explaining her proposed amendment to the NFA budget, Villar said farmers would benefit from the transfer of P3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines, which would release the funding assistance to farmers affected by the initial implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
She allayed fears that the transfer of the funds would undermine palay procurement by the NFA.
DOH appeal
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging the Senate to observe the status quo on the budget allocation for subdermal implants, saying the products have been proven safe and effective.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said there was no reason for the budget for contraceptive implants to be removed.
Duque was reacting to the Senate’s decision to cut the DOH’s budget by P195 million supposedly intended for the procurement of the implants in 2020.
The health chief noted the budget is “necessary to sustain an effective family planning program” in compliance with provisions in the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) law. He added the products have already been “cleared by the Food and Drug Administration as non-abortifacient.”
Commission on Population executive director Juan Antonio Perez III voiced support for the DOH’s position as he expressed concern over the impact of the budget cut on the program in the second half of 2020.
“The action is regrettable since there is no scientific basis for its removal since the FDA has not declared it as contrary to the provisions of RPRH law. There is no evidence that the implants are abortifacient,” he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sheila Crisostomo
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/12/06/1974782/back-square-one-2020-national-budget
The conference is supposed to reconcile the two chambers’ versions of the budget, but conferees decided to discard both versions and use the National Expenditure Program (NEP) as basis for coming up with a common draft of next year’s spending program.
The NEP refers to the President’s original spending proposal, which Congress uses to come up with a national budget. The decision to go back to it apparently stemmed from the wide disparity between the House and Senate drafts of the 2020 outlay.
In its version, the House realigned P9.5 billion, including a P3-billion addition to the palay procurement fund of the National Food Authority (NFA), increasing it to P10 billion.
On the other hand, the Senate introduced a whopping P206 billion in realignments, which included removing the House’s P3-billion palay buying augmentation and transferring it to the Land Bank, which was mandated to lend it to local government units, also for palay procurement, at an annual interest rate of two percent.
For the entire P3 billion, the state-owned commercial bank stands to make P60 million in interest income on money that belongs to taxpayers.
“We disregarded the amendments (realignments) and started with the NEP in our discussions with Sen. (Sonny) Angara,” Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, who heads the House appropriations committee, said yesterday.
He and Angara, his Senate counterpart, jointly chair the budget conference.
He said each chamber would come up with its own amendments all over again and the conference committee would reconcile the proposed changes.
He added that both chambers could revive their original suggested amendments.
Some House conferees, including Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga, want their panel to insist on the P3-billion augmentation for palay procurement that would allow the NFA to expand its market intervention and prop up palay prices.
In a privilege speech last week, Gonzales said rice farmers from Pampanga’s third district, which he represents, lost P4 per kilo of palay yield in last month’s wet season crop harvest.
Angara has said Senate agriculture committee chair Cynthia Villar is the proponent of the removal of the House augmentation.
Villar has said she wanted the money given as cash assistance to farmers or beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, but that is not what is contained in the special provision the Senate has written in its budget version governing the use of the P3 billion.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson is expected to continue pushing for his “institutional amendments,” including a P3.174-billion funding for the upgrading of the basic pay of government nurses as mandated by a recent Supreme Court decision and P2.15 billion for the national identification system.
On schedule
Despite their decision to go back to the NEP, Ungab and Angara are optimistic that their panel could finish its job by weekend. They have set a meeting for the entire conference committee for Monday, during which panel members are to sign the report containing the two chambers’ common version of the 2020 national budget.
Later on Monday, the House and the Senate are set to ratify the committee report, then print the final budget bill and send it to President Duterte for scrutiny before Dec. 21.
The conference committee’s work timeline and the plenary ratification schedule have been cleared with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate President Vicente Sotto.
Cayetano had assured the President that he would have a budget bill on his desk before yearend.
Explaining her proposed amendment to the NFA budget, Villar said farmers would benefit from the transfer of P3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines, which would release the funding assistance to farmers affected by the initial implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
She allayed fears that the transfer of the funds would undermine palay procurement by the NFA.
DOH appeal
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging the Senate to observe the status quo on the budget allocation for subdermal implants, saying the products have been proven safe and effective.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said there was no reason for the budget for contraceptive implants to be removed.
Duque was reacting to the Senate’s decision to cut the DOH’s budget by P195 million supposedly intended for the procurement of the implants in 2020.
The health chief noted the budget is “necessary to sustain an effective family planning program” in compliance with provisions in the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) law. He added the products have already been “cleared by the Food and Drug Administration as non-abortifacient.”
Commission on Population executive director Juan Antonio Perez III voiced support for the DOH’s position as he expressed concern over the impact of the budget cut on the program in the second half of 2020.
“The action is regrettable since there is no scientific basis for its removal since the FDA has not declared it as contrary to the provisions of RPRH law. There is no evidence that the implants are abortifacient,” he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sheila Crisostomo
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/12/06/1974782/back-square-one-2020-national-budget
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