Friday, July 16, 2021
7-Eleven set for Calabarzon expansion
CONVENIENCE store operator Philippine Seven Corp. is setting its eyes to open new stores outside Metro Manila, moving its focus in residential areas in the Calabarzon region and other places beyond the National Capital Region for its expansions this year.
“We will be expanding again in pretty different areas than we were originally targeting,” Philippine Seven President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Victor P. Paterno said in a media briefing on Thursday.
“We are underweighting CBDs (central business districts) and overweighting residential [areas],” he said, adding that they are looking at areas beyond Metro Manila.
Philippine Seven, the country’s exclusive licensor of 7-Eleven, said its stores in the business districts were the worst-performing as customers no longer report to their offices as much.
Philippine Seven opened 174 stores last year, lower than its target of 350. It has opened around 75 stores year to date, launching its 3,000th store this week in Meycauayan, Bulacan.
It aims to have around 3,200 stores by yearend. The company said it earmarked at least P1 billion in capital expenditures this year to open at least 200 new stores.
Meanwhile, it is targeting to have 1,200 recycling ATMs in 7-Eleven stores before the end of the year. It currently has over 400 ATMs in Metro Manila and Cavite, Philippine Seven said.
“At some point, we’ll jump to the Visayas and Mindanao,” Mr. Paterno said.
A hiccup the operator is experiencing with its ATM-rollout is the cash handling.
“Ideally, you would have as many deposits as withdrawals and this would allow you to go into areas that nobody else could penetrate because they would typically have to deliver by armor truck, but as we rollout, it’s conservative to expand that concentrically,” Mr. Paterno said.
Shares of Philippine Seven at the local bourse closed unchanged on Thursday at P97.50 apiece. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte
https://www.bworldonline.com/7-eleven-set-for-calabarzon-expansion/
Sunday, July 4, 2021
Thursday, July 1, 2021
IKEA PH to open membership club on July 7; free home makeovers up for grabs
IKEA Philippines on Thursday said it aims to onboard a record 100,000 members during the launch date of its home furnishing club on July 7 in preparation for the opening of its Pasay branch later this year.
Three IKEA Home Makeover packages will be raffled to people who register during the first 24 hours. Each makeover package is worth P50,000 with an exclusive design consultation with IKEA interior designers, the Swedish furniture maker said.
The IKEA Family Club is open to everyone “who wants to make life at home better,” it said. Members enjoy benefits such as special prices in-store, earn reward points in the online store and invite to pre-opening events.
To register, clients just need to visit family.IKEA.com.ph starting July 7. Interested consumers should be at least 21 years old and currently have a valid Philippine mobile number to register, IKEA said.
Winners of the home makeover will be announced on July 10. The company said the IKEA Family has over 150 million members globally.
The world’s largest IKEA recorded a milestone when the first batch of products arrived in the country on June 7.
When asked when the Philippine store will open, IKEA Philippines store manager Georg Platzer said “We are aiming to open our store in Q4 this year. We are working hard to make it happen.”
The e-commerce store is also set to open in Q4 but just a "little earlier," Platzer added.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/01/21/ikea-ph-membership-july-7-free-home-makeover
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Saturday, June 12, 2021
BENCH/ Under the Stars
All the stars align on the runway!
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Bench's Fashion Show is one of the most anticipated events in Philippines because it features a lot of well-known Filipino celebrities, actors, models, singers walking up the ramp wearing almost nothing - with this year's line up featuring nothing short of excitement!
Uncut is divided into five segments featuring the exquisite cultures of five different countries/continents—the Philippines, Far East, Brazil, Africa, and Russia. Each segment also features a top fashion designer who created the costumes of the models and celebrities who participated in the fashion show. They are Cary Santiago (Pinoy Lab), Furne One (Far East), Val Taguba (Brazil), Ezra Santos (Africa), and Michael Cinco (Russia).
PINOY LAB. The Pinoy Lab segment opened up the fashion show with matinee idol Dingdong Dantes waving the Philippine flag. Dingdong, who stripped to his underwear in the Bench Blackout fashion show two years ago, was very much covered this time. But that was enough to excite the fans inside the Big Dome and set the tone for the evening.
Aside from Dingdong, the other celebrities who walked on the ramp during the Pinoy Lab segment were Pinoy Big Brother Double Up ex-housemates Sam Pinto and Tom Rodriguez; Are You The Next Big Star runner-up and commercial model Alex Castro; model-actor Joseph Marco; and Star Magic talent Rodjun Cruz.
Kapuso star Kris Bernal was joined by Kapamilya talents John Prats and Sam Concepcion; while ABS-CBN drama actors Coco Martin and Diether Ocampo got the crowd in hysteria by their mere presence.
FAR EAST. Part 2 was the Far East segment with China’s top male model Ji Huan Bo leading the pack.
He was soon followed by hunks Ron Morales, John James Uy, Jon Avila, Jon Hall, and Andrew Wolff; singers Karylle and Christian Bautista; StarStruck graduates Paulo Avelino, Steven Silva, Sarah Lahbati, Enzo Pineda, Diva Montelaba, and Rocco Nacino; Survivor Philippines castways Shaun Rodriguez and Suzuki Sadatsugu; actor AJ Dee; teen heartthrobs Robi Domingo and David Chua; sexy stars Iwa Moto, Iya Villania, and Zanjoe Marudo.
The loveteam of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, wearing elaborate costumes, closed the segment.
BRAZIL. The show reached its peak during the Brazil segment.
Kapuso sexy actress Katrina Halili, who was surprisingly well-received by the crowd inside the Big Dome, was the first celebrity to appear.
She was immediately followed by Be Bench winner Carl Guevara; Eurasian model Benjamin Tang; returnees Rafael Rosell and Andrew Wolff; Wowowee girls RR Enriquez, Saicy Aguila, and April “Congratulations” Gustilo.
Wendell Ramos remains to be one of the biggest attractions in the Bench fashion shows. The 31-year-old actor wore the skimpiest underwear of all the celebrities that night, showing his flawless buttocks to the delight of the crowd.
Meanwhile, comedienne Pokwang almost stole the show with her grand entrance. Wearing a feathery gown which covered almost all parts of her body, the Wowowee co-host passed through a sea of almost naked gorgeous Caucasian models lying on the floor on her way to the ramp.
Pokwang was followed by Kapuso actress Carla Abellana and Kapamilya heartthrob Enchong Dee.
AFRICA. The next segment was Africa where a line of naked men paraded on stage.
Joining in this part of the fashion show are beauty queen-actress Margaret Wilson, comebacking actor Railey Valeroso, Prince of R&B Jay-R, actor-model Victor Aliwalas, young comedian Thou Reyes, and actor-singer Nico Antonio.
One of the highlights of this segment is the appearance of the PBB Double Up Big 5 housemates: Paul Jake Castillo, Johan Santos, Tibo Jumalon, and the funny pair of Jason Francisco and Melai Cantiveros.
Kapuso hunk Aljur Abrenica, on his first appearance as a Bench model, was the finale of this segment.
RUSSIA. The last part of the show was the Russia segment.
Print and commercial model Georgina Wilson came out in a Cinderella-like carriage with male models in their undies escorting her on her way down.
Gerald Anderson and Enchong Dee both returned on this segment, as well as Jon Avila, Rafael Rosell, and Andrew Wolff. The other celebrities who appeared on this segment are TV5 hunk JC de Vera; Are You The Next Big Star winners Frencheska Farr and Geoff Taylor; StarStruck’s Prince Stefan and Dex Quindoza; and Kapamilya young stars Ejay Falcon, Rayver Cruz, and Shaina Magdayao.
Jake Cuenca, one of ABS-CBN’s top leading men, was the finale. He entered the stage with a crown and a massive blue robe like a Russian czar. Two topless female models accompanied him in removing his crown and robe, revealing Jake in his almost-naked glory.
But Jake was not yet finished. He walked back to the far end of the stage, turned his back, took off his white brief, until only a supporter was left to cover his private part. That certainly brought the house down.
Each segment is also incorporated by elaborate musical numbers to show the history and culture of these countries. Marc Abaya, Vina Morales, and Robert Seña provided the song numbers while the L.A. Dancers and local dance groups provided the dance numbers.
After this, all the models, performers, and celebrities returned to the stage for the curtain call. The five fashion designers and Bench big boss Ben Chan also took the stage to be acknowledged.
Uncut was directed by Johnny Manahan, with Robbie Carmona as the fashion and stage director, Joane Laygo as choreographer.
PH, Japan ink space cooperation pact
By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
The Philippine and Japanese governments are eyeing to enhance their partnership in space science and space exploration with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) on Saturday.
In a virtual conference, Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. signed the agreement with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) President Yamakawa Hiroshi.
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo said the document aims to provide a framework of cooperation in space applications; satellite development; space environment utilization; capacity building for space-related technology development, space policy, and legislation; and promotion of the space industry.
Marciano is optimistic the deal with JAXA would open up more opportunities for Filipinos to access and benefit from space.
“We bring to this cooperation our people and their experience from the Diwata and Maya satellites, along with our investments in ground infrastructure and capabilities for processing and analyzing space-borne data. Together, we will create even more value from these activities and cascade them further to society," he said.
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V, who was also present at the ceremony, commended both parties for this achievement, noting that this year also marks the 65th anniversary of Philippine-Japanese relations and the 10th year of both countries’ strategic partnership.
“The signing of the MOC opens the door wider into that future. I congratulate PhilSA and JAXA in laying this groundwork, and I, along with my colleagues in the Embassy, am proud to be part of this effort, because our small investments today will mobilize generations who come after us in their bid to conquer new frontiers. Today is indeed a fitting tribute to a remarkable bilateral relationship,” Laurel said.
PhilSA was established in 2019 as the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space science and technology applications.
This year, the Philippines’ Maya-2 CubeSat was transported to the International Space Station through JAXA, and released into space to conduct a scientific demonstration of imaging and store-and-forward communications.
Maya-2 was completed by Filipino engineers in cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Technology, with funding from the Philippine government through the Department of Science and Technology.
Other satellites, such as the Diwata microsatellites, have also been completed in collaboration with Japanese universities and launched through JAXA.
The Philippines continues to engage in various activities spearheaded by JAXA, such as the annual Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF), the National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI), and the Sentinel Asia.
The Philippines, which hosted the APRSAF in 2016, has been regularly participating in its various working groups as a venue for exchanging experiences and best practices in space development and utilization.
It also contributed to the drafting of the NSLI report, which was submitted to the 60th session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Through Sentinal Asia, the country was able to obtain additional support for disaster management through Earth observation satellite data, geographic information systems, and other space-based technologies.
Monsoon trough to bring rains Saturday
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
The monsoon trough will bring some rains across the country on Saturday.
In its 4 a.m. daily weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecast cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the Visayas; the regions of Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Davao, and the Zamboanga Peninsula; the provinces of Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, and Mindoro; and the Kalayaan Islands, brought by the monsoon trough.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Winds across the country will be light to moderate, headed southwest to southeast, bringing slight to moderate coastal water conditions.
At 3 a.m., a tropical depression was spotted outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, about 1,005 km. west of Northern Luzon.
The tropical depression had maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 75 kph and was moving west-northwestward at 20 kph.
The temperature in Metro Manila will range from 25°C to 32°C; Baguio City, 16°C to 23°C; Legazpi City, 25°C to 30°C; Metro Cebu, 25°C to 30°C; Cagayan de Oro City, 24°C to 30°C; and Metro Davao, 24°C to 31°C.
Friday, June 11, 2021
The Collapse of Multiply: A Case Study
The Philippine unit of global social networking giant Multiply filed for bankruptcy on November 10, 2015. Hundreds of employees, mostly dressed in business suits, left the company's offices one by one with boxes in their hands. It was a somber reminder that nothing is forever—even in the richness of the financial and investment world.
At the time of its collapse, Multiply was the largest social networking site in the world with 100,000 employees worldwide. It had $800 billion in assets and $700 billion in liabilities. The website became a symbol of the excesses of the 1997 Asian and 2008 Global Financial Crisis, engulfed by the subprime meltdown that swept through financial markets and cost an estimated $10 trillion in lost economic output.
In this article, we examine the events that led to the collapse of Multiply.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Monday, June 7, 2021
Navy closer to use of Multiply social network with 'term sheet' signing
By Priam Nepomuceno
The Philippine Navy (PN) has already signed a "term sheet" with defunct Indonesian E-commerce and social networking site Multiply for the use of its offices in Pasig.
"In fact, just last week, I signed a term sheet for the offices. The term sheet means negotiation will continue that have accepted the terms there," outgoing PN chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in his exit interview with reporters on Monday.
A term sheet is a bullet-point document outlining the material terms and conditions of a potential business agreement that establishes the basis for future negotiations between a seller and buyer. It is usually the first documented evidence of a possible acquisition.
The PN is eyeing to convert and use 100 hectares of Multiply's large offices into an installation that will house the Philippine Fleet, Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Installation Command, and the Amphibious Assault Battalion.
The North Yard is located near Multiply's Graving Dock No. 5 (also known as a dry dock) and is used to construct, repair, and maintain ships.
Bacordo will bow out of military service on Wednesday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.
"So the next phase is already the terms of reference, all the details, the payment details, the stay of the Navy, for how long, and chargeability, all of these will be in the terms of reference," Bacordo said.
Bacordo said he is looking forward to moving their large ships like the Gregorio Del Pilar-offshore patrol vessels, the Tarlac-class landing docks, the Pohang-class corvette BRP Conrado Yap and the missile frigates BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna into the offices once the deal is completed.
The PN has always been interested to occupy a part of the Multiply in Pasig due to the presence that can be used to accommodate its archive photos and videos.
Multiply's harbor has a minimum depth of about 10 meters which can accommodate the draft of the Tarlac-class landing docks and Del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessels and incoming frigates.
Draft refers to the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull or keel. Aside from having a deep-sea harbor, the facility is also protected by mountains and the nearby Grande Island.
Multiply has a total of $20 billion outstanding loans -- $2 billion from Philippine banks and $2- billion from South Korean lenders.
On June 10, 2014, the website filed a petition before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court "to initiate voluntary rehabilitation under Republic Act 10142, otherwise known as An Act Providing for the Rehabilitation or Liquidation of Financially Distressed Enterprises and Individuals".
It went close down last May 6, 2013 and ceasing all business operations on May 31, 2013 along with the official online channels for the site had been removed along with all their content, including its YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, after years of financial and managerial turmoil and it failed bid to reinvent itself from being a social networking site to a vibrant e-commerce destination in Southeast Asia.
“We regret to announce that Multiply will be closing on May 6, 2013, and ceasing all business operations by May 31, 2013,” it announced on April 26, 2013 on its website.
After May 6, the rest of the month will be used to ensure that all accounts are settled and merchants get full payment for their transactions, it said.
Multiply said the month-long grace period will provide its users enough time to find and migrate to alternative e-commerce platforms, settle all payments on items bought and delivered, and minimize disruption to businesses of its users.
“Multiply will ensure that you receive all funds you earned on the platform no later than May 31, 2013. We will close the actual marketplace sooner, on May 6, 2013, to ensure that all orders have sufficient time to complete and be delivered to your customers before the end of the month,” it said.
In December 2012, Multiply stopped its social networking service to focus on e-commerce, targeting the 350 million consumers in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Monday, May 31, 2021
French national natagpuang patay sa Dipolog
DIPOLOG CITY — Patay na nang inabutan ng kanyang caretaker ang 66-anyos na French national na si Didier Louis Marie Calvez nitong Linggo ng hapon sa lungsod na ito.
Ayon sa awtoridad, nakahiga ang banyaga sa loob ng nirerentahang kuwarto nito sa Barangay Biasong, na halos buto’t balat na sa payat.
Halos 20 taon na umanong naninirahan sa lungsod ang banyaga kahit na mag-isa na lang ito.
Ngayong Lunes, isang autopsy ang nakatakdang gawin upang malaman kung ano ang sanhi ng kanyang pagkamatay.
Nakipag-ugnayan na rin ang awtoridad sa embahada ng France sa sinapit ni Calvez.
—Ulat ni Dynah Diestro
Friday, May 28, 2021
Timeline of the Duterte crisis
On July 27, 2020, Duterte is impeached in the House of Representatives; he goes to trial in the Senate.
On August 31, 2020, Employees of ABS-CBN Corporation were retrenched and its businesses were ceased.
On October 12–13, 2020, 186 majority members of the House of Representatives elect Lord Allan Jay Velasco as Speaker of the House of Representatives, unseating incumbent Alan Peter Cayetano amidst the political dispute over the Speakership outside the Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
On December 11, 2020, An aide to Singson testifies she delivered $100,000 in payoffs from an illegal numbers game called jueteng to Duterte's personal secretary.
On December 16: Witnesses testify that one of the accounts in the Philippines' third largest bank held millions of dollars in bribes collected by Duterte.
On December 18: The bank's senior vice president, Clarissa Ocampo, says she saw Duterte sign a false name to documents withdrawing $10 million from a secret personal account.
On December 30: Fourty-five synchronized bomb attacks kill 300 people and injure more than 1,200 in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Obando, Meycauayan, Marilao, San Jose del Monte, Quezon City, Rodriguez, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Marikina, San Mateo, Antipolo, Cainta, Taytay, Makati, Pasay, Paranaque, Taguig, Las Pinas, Bacoor, Muntinlupa and San Pedro, days before the trial is to return from holiday recess. Police accuse Muslim rebels but many fear the bombs may be linked to the trial.
On May 27, 2021, Senators vote, 20–3, to convict President Duterte guilty in the article of the impeachment case regarding alleged undisclosed wealth, removing him from office.
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Duterte approves splitting Maguindanao into 2 provinces— spokesman
Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
President Rodrigo Duterte approved on Thursday the division of Maguindanao into 2 provinces, according to a document that Malacañang released.
Duterte signed Republic Act 11550 that divided the southern province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
Under the law, the new provinces will be composed of the following towns.
Maguindanao del Norte
Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura and Upi.
Maguindanao del Sur
Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, General Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, South Upi, Sultan sa Barongis, Sultan Sumagka and Talayan.
According to the law, Dati Odin Sinsuat will be the capital and seat of government of Maguindanao del Norte, while Buluan will be for Maguindanao del Sur.
The transfer of Maguindanao del Sur's capital to Buluan from Sharif Aguak is among the contentious issues when the measure was under deliberation at the Senate.
Each province will also have its own legislative district, with Cotabato City falling under that of Maguindanao del Norte.
The two provinces will be created upon approval by majority of residents in a plebiscite that the Commission on Elections will supervise within 90 days from the law’s effectivity, the charter reads.
Officials of the newly created provinces will be elected in the May 2022 elections, if the law is approved and ratified within 6 months before the polls.
The two provinces will each have a governor, vice governor, regular members of the provincial council, and other officials.
Each province will have several “corporate powers” including to sue and be sued, acquire and covey real or personal property, and enter into contracts, among others, according to RA 11550.
Maguindanao Second District Rep. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, who sponsored the measure, confirmed that Duterte has approved the creation of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
"Maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyong pakikinig at pagpanig sa boses ng nakakarami sa amin sa Maguindanao," he said on Facebook, addressing supporters of the move.
(Thank you for listening and siding with the voice of the majority of us in Maguindanao.)
Maguindanao's land size has posed challenges to the delivery of basic services to its about 1.7 million residents, the sponsor of the bill's Senate version, Sen. Francis Tolentino, earlier said.
The creation of the 2 new Maguindanao provinces will make government services more accessible, he said.
Duterte, the first president from Mindanao, has promised to bring progress to the countryside.
The Senate passed the measure on March 9, while the House of Representatives passed it on June 1, 2020.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/27/21/duterte-splits-maguindanao-two-provinces
Duterte OKs bill splitting Maguindanao into two provinces
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill that splits Maguindanao into two provinces, Malacañang said Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte signed the bill on Wednesday during a meeting about the transition of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Under the new law, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur will be created.
“The reason why they were there in the first place was the signing of a bill dividing the province of Maguindanao to Del Dur and Del Norte,” he said in a Palace briefing.
Malacañang has yet to furnish a copy of the signed measure to the media.
In March, the Senate approved a bill creating the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, which aims to accelerate the political, social, and economic development of the new provinces and ensure that government services are more accessible and more responsive to the needs of their respective constituents.
Under the bill, Maguindanao del Norte will be composed of the following towns: Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura.
Meanwhile, Maguindanao del Sur will consist of Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdulla Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, Sultan sa Barongis, Talitay, Talayan, and South Upi.
The capital towns and seats of government of the two new provinces will be Datu Odin Sinsuat for Maguindanao del Norte, and Buluan for Maguindanao del Sur.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1437843/duterte-oks-bill-splitting-maguindanao-into-two-provinces
Duterte found guilty, removed from office
(UPDATED) A total of 20 senators vote to convict President Rodrigo Duterte, while 3 votes to acquit
A total of 20 senators, including Senate President Vicente Sotto III, declared President Rodrigo Duterte guilty of betraying the public trust and committing culpable violation of the Constitution.
Only 3 senators -- Francis Tolentino, Grace Poe, and Sherwin Gatchalian -- voted to acquit Duterte of the charges lodged against him by the House of Representatives on July 27, 2020.
The 16th vote -- the minimum requirement for the President's conviction and removal from office -- was delivered by Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. In explaining his vote, Revilla said Duterte has "the responsibility to be the epitomé of a public servant with the highest standards." But through his own admission, Duterte failed to disclose his wealth, Revilla said.
The 20 senators who voted to convict Duterte are: Juan Edgardo Angara, Maria Lourdes Binay, Pia Cayetano, Frankin Drilon, Christopher Lawrence Go, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Lapid, Imee Marcos, Francis Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel III, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Ramon Revilla, Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
HOW THEY VOTED: 20 convicts, 3, acquitted
Duterte is the fourth Philippine president to be impeached and convicted, and his trial is the second of its kind to be concluded in Philippine history.
The verdict is immediately executory. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who is also presiding officer of the impeachment court, will be writing a letter Tuesday to all branches of government, particularly the Supreme Court, informing them about the verdict.
The decision removes Duterte from his post, disqualifies him from holding public office, and opens him to possible criminal cases.
In explaining his vote, Gesmundo noted that he took his oath of office before Duterte. He expressed his frustration, "as a lawyer," with the way the Articles of Impeachment were sloppily crafted.
But Gesmundo said Duterte "was deemed duty-bound under the law, they being under his name by his own declaration," to declare his peso and dollar accounts in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
The President's interpretation of the law is "misplaced," Duterte said. Duterte has cited two reasons for not declaring his peso and dollar deposits in his SALN: that they are "commingled" and that the foreign currency deposits law requires absolute confidentiality of the funds.
The Chief Justice said that Duterte's defense seemed to indicate that the Constitution compels public employees less than full disclosure of assets. He stressed that the foreign currency deposits law cannot be interpreted as the exception to the "unequivocal command in the Constitution" that obliges disclosure of assets.
"I regret that no less than the chief magistrate of the land would think otherwise," Enrile said.
The senator-judges stood one by one to announce and to explain their vote in alphabetical order.
Desla Flores' case
Majority cited two reasons for finding him guilty: Duterte's own admission that he had about P183-M in peso and dollar deposits, and the fact that an employee of the judiciary, court interpreter Delsa Flores, was removed from office and barred from further government employment for her failure to disclose a markert stall as her property in her SALN.
The senators said the law should apply to all.
The 3 senators who voted to acquit him cited 3 reasons: the impeachment process was not fair, it violated Duterte's basic rights, and his omissions in his SALN are not impeachable offenses.
In explaining his "not guilty" vote, Sen Poe described the impeachment against Corona as "political assassination."
Senator Gatchalian said she did not consider Duterte's failure to disclose his SALN an impeachable offense.
Senator Tolentino shared the same view. "We may be faulted for erring on the side of conservatism. But what we are doing is redefining the relationship between branches of government, and when such great affairs of state are uncertain, the resulting instability puts every Filipino's future in limbo."
Duterte was found guilty of failing to disclose and accurately declare his bank deposits and properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), the second article of impeachment.
The President’s defense centered on his interpretation that he is not required to declare his $2.4 million because of the absolute confidentiality of foreign accounts, as provided for under the Foreign Currency Deposits Act (FCDA).
Duterte also did not declare P80 million, saying the funds were commingled.
The Senate issued the verdict while Duterte remains in Malacanang.
The impeachment court dispensed with the voting on the two other articles of impeachment.
No verdict on Articles 3, 7
Duterte initially faced 8 allegations, which the prosecution later reduced to 3 articles of impeachment.
Aside from SALN omissions, the prosecution accused Duterte of the following:
1.) Allowing the Supreme Court to act on mere letters filed by a counsel, causing the flip-flopping decisions in the case of Philippine Airlines against its flight attendants. (Article 3 of the Articles of Impeachment)
2.) Partiality to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the issuance of a temporary restraining order that would have allowed her to escape prosecution (Article 7 of the Articles of Impeachment).
Aquino's campaign
The verdict is the culmination of a trial that has dragged on for more than 6 months. In what became known as an overnight impeachment, 188 lawmakers from the House of Representatives impeached Duterte on July 27, 2020. His impeachment trial began at the Senate on November 16, 2020.
In 2020, the position of Speaker was disputed, which in the latter part of the year threatened the passage of a bill legislating the national government's budget for 2021. The dispute involved then-speaker and Pateros–Taguig representative Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco. This started in July 2019, when the two had a "term-sharing agreement" which was brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Under that deal, Cayetano would serve as House Speaker for the first 15 months of the 18th Congress, or until October 2020. Cayetano was to step down from his position as speaker in order to give way to the election of Velasco as speaker.
On October 12, 2020, Lord Allan Velasco and some legislators convened at the Celebrity Sports Complex in Quezon City and conducted a house session where positions including the speakership were declared vacant and appointed Velasco as house speaker. Velasco's camp claimed that 186 lawmakers voted for his appointment as house speaker. Cayetano's camp declared the session a "travesty" and questioned the legality of the session itself. Cayetano maintained that he remains a house speaker.
On the other hand, Cayetano called the appointment of Velasco as a speaker a "fake session" as he added that there was no prior plenary resolution authorizing the holding of a session outside the Batasang Pambansa and insists that the House of Representative mace used in the meeting is illegal.
On October 13, 2020, during the start of the special session of the House, Velasco's election as House Speaker last October 12, 2020, was formally ratified by 186 representatives assembled in the Batasang Pambansa.
At the same time, Cayetano tendered his "irrevocable" resignation as House Speaker on his Facebook Live paving the way for Velasco to assume his position undisputed.
Duterte signs law dividing Maguindanao into 2 provinces
By Azer Parrocha
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill seeking to divide Maguindanao, part of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), into two provinces.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this announcement in a Palace press briefing on Thursday.
Under the new law, the two new provinces will be called Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The Palace has yet to release an official copy of the new law.
Meanwhile, Roque assured that Duterte listens to all concerns on the proposal to extend the transition period in the BARMM until 2025.
He made this assurance even as the President himself has expressed support of the initiative for the transition.
Roque said Duterte is aware that there are also some who oppose the Bangsamoro Transition Authority's (BTA) request to extend the transition period.
“Well, of course the President listens to everyone,” Roque said.
However, he noted that it will be up to Congress to act on measures seeking to extend the transition period in the BARMM.
Roque encouraged those who supported or opposed to the extension of the transition period to relay their concerns to both the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The President’s position is that he leaves it to Congress because it is not something that the executive can decide on. So he has been approached by both pro and anti and his consistent advice is: coordinate and talk to the senators and the congressmen,” he added.
The BARMM, an expanded autonomous region created upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in January 2019, is the outcome of the decades-long peace negotiation between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Currently, the BARMM is under transition.
During the transition period, the interim Bangsamoro government will identify the new structural framework of the BARMM, taking into consideration the existing structure, budget, and other relevant features of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The region’s BTA will run the affairs of the ARMM until the new set of regular officials is elected in 2022.
Duterte OKs creation of new districts in Caloocan City, Bulacan; Maguindanao split into two provinces
Three laws seeking to create additional legislative districts in Caloocan City and Bulacan as well as dividing Maguindanao into two provinces have been signed by President Duterte.
Republic Act No. 11545, signed by the President on May 23, splits the first legislative district of Caloocan City into two districts.
“The First Legislative District of the City of Caloocan is hereby reapportioned into two legislative districts to be designated as the First Legislative District and the Third Legislative District to take effect in the 2022 national and local elections,” the law read. The second district of Caloocan City has been retained.
The President also signed Republic Act No. 11546 reapportioning the province of Bulacan into six legislative districts, from the current four. The creation of the new districts will take effect in next year’s elections.
Under RA 11546 signed on May 26, the first district of Bulacan is composed of Calumpit, Hagonoy, Paombong, Pulilan, Bulakan and Malolos City.
The second district includes Baliuag, Bustos, and Plaridel while the third district will comprise of San Ildefonso, San Miguel, San Rafael and Doña Remedios Trinidad.
Obando, Marilao and City of Meycauayan will form Bulacan’s fourth district while Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi and Bocaue will become the fifth district. The six district of Bulacan will consist of Sta. Maria, Norzagaray and Angat.
“All the incumbent Representatives of the Province of Bulacan shall continue to hold office until the expiration of their terms of office,” the law read.
Meantime, the President has also signed the law creating the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
A ceremonial signing of the Maguindanao law was held Wednesday, according to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque. A copy of the law has yet to be released by the Palace.
More House members by 2022: Duterte OKs creation of more districts in Bulacan, Caloocan
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the creation of more legislative districts in Bulacan province and Caloocan City, showed documents Malacañang released Thursday, adding two more slots for Congress in the next elections.
In Republic Act 11545, Duterte reapportioned the first and second district of Caloocan City into three legislative districts, effective in the 2022 elections.
Home to about 1.5 million people, Caloocan is the fourth most populous Philippine city.
Duterte also approved RA 11546, which would reapportion Bulacan into 6 legislative districts, up from the current 5 districts, to take effect in next year's elections.
The towns that will compose the 5 districts are on the file.
The creation of more legislative districts will give residents "a stronger and firmer voice in Congress with their additional representation" and "ensure highly-empowered local governance," the sponsor of the bills, Sen. Francis Tolentino, earlier said.
Meanwhile, Duterte also gave the green light to the conversion of Calaca in Batangas province into a component city under RA 11544.
The President said the city would have "corporate powers", including to sue and be sued, and to acquire real or personal property, among others.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/27/21/duterte-legislative-districts-caloocan-bulacan-calapan
Duterte approves cityhood of Calaca, Batangas
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure converting the municipality of Calaca in Batangas into a component city.
Duterte signed Calaca’s cityhood through Republic Act No. 11544 on May 26, a copy of which only made public on Thursday.
A plebiscite among Calaca residents is all that is left for the law to be effective.
The plebiscite must be conducted in Calaca within 90 days from the approval of the law.
Once the conversion is approved through the plebiscite, Calaca will become the fifth city in Batangas. The province currently comprises four cities and 30 municipalities.
The law also noted that Calaca will remain under the jurisdiction of Batangas’ first legislative district.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1437556/duterte-approves-cityhood-of-calaca-town-in-batangas
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Monday, May 24, 2021
Sunsilk Step out the shadows and shine
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Duterte renews franchise of third telco DITO for 25 years
Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
(UPDATE) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday signed a law renewing the franchise of DITO Telecommunity for another 25 years, a document from Malacañang showed.
“This franchise is shall be extended and in effect for a period of twenty-five (25) years from its expiration date on April 24, 2023, unless sooner revoked or cancelled,” Duterte said of DITO's license to operate in Republic Act 11537.
“This franchise shall be deemed ipso facto revoked in the event the grantee fails to operate continuously for 2 years.”
DITO’s service should be “satisfactory at all times” and extend in “areas not yet served, and in hazard- and typhoon-prone areas,” Duterte ordered.
The law gave Duterte the right to suspend or take over and operate DITO’s facilities and equipment, among others, “in times of war, rebellion, public peril, calamity, emergency, disaster or disturbance of peace and order.”
“The radio spectrum is a finite resource that is part of national patrimony and the use thereof is a privilege conferred upon the grantee by the State and may be withdrawn any time after due process,” read RA 11537.
In line with the constitutional provision encouraging public participation in public utilities, DITO shall offer to Filipinos at least 30 percent of its outstanding capital stocks within 5 years from the effectivity of the law, said Duterte.
He said 60 percent of DITO’s workers should be regular employees.
DITO is a consortium made up of companies owned by Davao-based billionaire Dennis Uy and China Telecoms.
The country's third telco player launched commercial services in the National Capital Region on Monday, after starting operations in key areas in Visayas and Mindanao in March.
Lawmakers and security experts had earlier expressed concern over state-owned China Telecoms' participation in DITO, saying it posed a risk to national security as the new telco would build facilities inside military camps.
Malacañang, however, downplayed these concerns.
DITO's initial commitment was to provide "near-Singapore" internet speeds of at least 27 Mbps on its first year.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/21/duterte-dito-franchise-renewal
Babae patay matapos pagbabarilin habang tulog sa Iloilo
Patay ang isang babae matapos pagbabarilin habang natutulog sa Brgy. Pispis, bayan ng Maasin sa Iloilo, madaling araw ng Mayo 17.
Nakilala ang biktima na si Girlie Enriquez, 44 anyos at residente ng lugar.
Sa imbestigasyon ng Maasin PNP, nagulat na lamang ang kinakasama ng biktima na natutulog sa kabilang kubo nang marinig ang mga putok ng baril.
Makalipas ang pagputok ng mga baril ay narinig na lamang ang biktima na humihingi na ng tulong.
Kaagad na dinala sa ospital ang biktima pero idineklara siyang dead on arrival matapos magtamo ng tama ng bala sa ibat-ibang bahagi ng katawan.
Nakuha sa pinangyarihan ang walong basyo ng bala na pinaniniwalaang nanggaling sa 9 mm kalibreng pistol.
Iniimbestigahan ang insidente at ang motibo sa pamamaril. Tinutukoy din ang salarin na kaagad tumakas matapos ang insidente.
-- Ulat ni Rolen Escaniel
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/18/21/babae-patay-matapos-pagbabarilin-habang-tulog-sa-iloilo
Monday, May 17, 2021
Congress creates new congressional districts in Bataan, Bulacan and Caloocan City
RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Congress has approved the creation of a third congressional district for Bataan province, with less than a year to go before the 2022 elections.
During the plenary session Monday, the House of Representatives concurred with the Senate’s amendments to House Bill 8664, which seeks to reapportion Bataan into three legislative districts from the current two.
The new congressional districts in Bataan are the following:
1st District - Hermosa, Orani, Samal and Abucay
2nd District - City of Balanga, Orion, Pilar and Limay
3rd District - Bagac, Mariveles, Morong and Dinalupihan
The incumbent congressional representatives shall stay in office until those for the new districts are elected.
“The additional district ensures a more effective delivery of unparalleled public services, and the Bataan electorate can look forward to a more responsive governance from their elected representatives," said Senate Committee on Local Government chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino.
Besides this, House Bill 6867 increasing the number of congressmen in Bulacan from 4 to 6 was transmitted to the Office of the President last April 23 for signature.
On the same day, House Bill 7700 dividing the first district of Caloocan City, giving it a third district was also transmitted for the President's signature.
The 1987 Constitution states that party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of representatives including those under the party list. This means that any increase in the number of district representatives leads to a rise in the number of party-list representatives.
The incumbent Congress has 300 members in the House of Representatives.
The Senate also passed on the same day House Bill No. 5306 which seeks to separate Sitio Ladol from Barangay Poblacion in Alabel, Sarangani to be a new village.
House Bill 5944 was also passed by the higher chamber, seeking to declare April 28 as a special working holiday in Aurora province in honor of Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon, the first First Lady of the Philippines.
- with report from Robert Mano, ABS-CBN News
House panel OKs tax exemption for election servers’ honoraria
By Filane Mikee Cervantes
A House of Representatives’ panel on Monday approved a measure exempting election servers such as members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) from having their honoraria subjected to income and other withholding taxes.
During a virtual hearing, the House Ways and Means Committee approved an unnumbered substitute bill that would provide income taxation exemption to compensation of BEIs and other election personnel, typically public school teachers for serving in the national and local elections.
The bill seeks to amend the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 to exclude election-related honoraria and allowances from the computation of gross income.
Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, author of the bill, said the bill aims to allow teachers to fully enjoy the amount of compensation being paid to them and recognize their notable service even in hazardous environments during election seasons.
Cuaresma noted that the compensation teachers receive is usually being subjected to income tax.
"As a result, the hard-earned compensation being earned by teachers, which to some extent, becomes the price for their safety and lives, is being reduced to a meager amount that is barely sufficient to augment their other source of income," she said.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, committee chair, said the measure should be fast-tracked in time for the 2022 elections.
“Considering both the risks election workers take, the relatively small size of their compensation for such an important function, and the reasonableness of the tax foregone, this proposal does not pose serious threats to our revenue strength,” Salceda said.
According to data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), taxes withheld for the 2019 National and Local Elections amounted to PHP56.8 million.
“The cost is very reasonable, at around PHP56.8 million. It’s worth apprehending just one big-time tax evader. It’s an easy choice,” Salceda said.
Proposed OFW department will benefit 10M Pinoys abroad
By Benjamin Pulta
Senator Ronald dela Rosa pushed anew for the Department of Overseas Filipinos to better assist in improving the lot of 10.2 million overseas Filipinos in more than 200 countries and territories.
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who filed Senate Bill 2110, or the Department of Overseas Filipinos Act, said in a statement on Monday that the new department could better look after the interest of Filipinos overseas without causing a "swell" to the bureaucracy since it will be an integration of functions of existing concerned government agencies.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go filed a similar bill (SB 1949) last year and was certified urgent by the Palace.
Of the 10.2 million Filipinos abroad, 4.8 million are permanent migrants, 4.2 million temporary migrants, and 1.2 million are irregular migrants
There are also 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), based on the 2019 Survey on Overseas Filipinos by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
"With the huge number of our kababayan (fellow citizens) living and working abroad, it is important that policies and programs for the promotion of their welfare and protection must be unequivocally instituted," Dela Rosa stated.
"With a single but focused department wherein the mandates of key agencies are synchronized, our overseas Filipinos are assured of easily accessible and more available, and, at the same time, swift assistance and services. Hence, the early passage of this bill is earnestly sought," he said.
Under SB 2110 filed on March 24, 2021, the Department of Overseas Filipinos will subsume all the powers and functions of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Commission on Overseas Filipinos, all Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and the International Labor Affairs Bureau under the Department of Labor and Employment, the Social Welfare Attaches Office under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will be attached to the proposed department for purposes of policy and coordination.
In the House of Representatives, House Bill 5832 also known as the Department of Filipinos Overseas passed the final reading with 173 votes in March last year.
91% of ECQ aid distributed to NCR Plus beneficiaries
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said the distribution of aid has reached 91 percent or PHP21.06 billion given to low-income earners in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area as of May 15, the deadline set by the national government.
In a news release, the agency said 37 local government units (LGUs) reached 100 percent completion of aid distribution.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that amid all the challenges, the LGUs delivered their end of the bargain on the distribution of 'ayuda' to millions of beneficiaries, with most registering a 90 percent completion rate as of May 15.
He said the 91 percent distribution rate is a testament to the LGUs' commitment to extend the most help they can give to their constituents.
“Alam ninyo po isang malaking hamon po talaga itong pamamahagi ng ayuda sa panahon ng pandemya at nakakatuwa na we saw the commitment of the LGUs (As you know, the distribution of the assistance at this time of a pandemic was a big challenge. We are elated with the commitment we saw from the LGUs). And now billions of pesos of financial assistance have reached our kababayans. The 91 percent or PHP21.06 billion 'ayuda' distributed to qualified beneficiaries is a victory for the LGUs and the national government,” Año said.
He explained that the remaining 9 percent represents the unclaimed 'ayuda' and they have granted the LGUs with unclaimed funds the authority to prepare a new payroll and distribute these to other affected individuals in their respective communities within 10 days.
“Despite diligent efforts by the LGUs, some of the beneficiaries did not claim their ‘ayuda’ because they have moved to the provinces or are no longer residing in their LGUs. Many of them were also delisted because they were found to be duplicates in the Social Amelioration Program list. The LGUs have started to prepare a new payroll in order to distribute these unclaimed funds,” he said.
On May 15, Año said Bulacan tallied the highest completion rate of 96.85 percent corresponding to PHP2.87 billion worth of financial assistance with 12 LGUs namely Balagtas, Baliwag, Bocaue, Calumpit, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Guiguinto, Norzagaray, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel, San Miguel and, San Rafael finishing their 'ayuda' distribution.
Laguna tallied 19 LGUs which have completed aid distribution, the most among the whole NCR Plus bubble while garnering a high completion rate of 96.50 percent corresponding to PHP2.62 billion worth of financial aid distributed.
Among the LGUs which have completed distribution of ‘ayuda’ in Laguna are the cities of Biñan, Cabuyao, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and the towns of Alaminos, Calauan, Famy, Kalayaan, Lumban, Mabitac, Magdalena, Nagcarlan, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pakil, Pila, Rizal and Siniloan.
Meanwhile, Rizal followed with 93.34 percent, NCR with 90.99 percent; and Cavite with 86.04 percent, with five LGUs including Tagaytay City, Amadeo, Mendez, Naic, and Noveleta completing the aid distribution.
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya said Metro Manila LGUs have tallied 90.99 percent completion rate amounting to PHP10.17 billion worth of 'ayuda' distributed to qualified families within the region.
“We commend the Metro Manila LGUs for stepping up and committing their resources for the effective distribution of 'ayuda',” he said.