09 DECEMBER 2013
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| PNoy orders early release of bonuses for gov't workers; Abad: Advanced release of PEI urgent in the wake of calamities |
| Acting on instructions issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released a total of P6.2 billion to support the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) for government employees, which was made available to government workers as early as the end of November. The PEI, which is normally distributed to public servants in December, was released a full month ahead of its regular release schedule to accommodate the urgent needs of government employees nationwide, particularly those stricken by a succession of severe calamities, including the more recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol and typhoon Yolanda. The Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI)—which is distributed to employees at P5,000 each—shall be granted across the board to all public officials and employees holding regular plantilla positions in departments/agencies, SUCs, and GOCCs. Uniformed/military personnel will likewise be supported by this release, as well as contractual and casual personnel who have rendered at least nine (9) months of service for 2013. “President Aquino understands the urgent needs of those affected by typhoons and disasters, especially our government employees who’ve worked tirelessly to help other Filipinos recover in the wake of so many calamities. Aside from the distribution of their year-end bonuses, we have also facilitated the advanced release of the PEI to government employees to help alleviate their plight and allow them to prepare for the larger expenses of the forthcoming holiday season,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said. The release of the incentives will benefit a total of 1,232,717 government employees. The full amount of the incentive will be received by employees still in service as of October 31, 2013. Previously, the PEI was granted only to employees who were in service as of December 31. “Aside from the aid that the incentive brings, it also acknowledges the efforts made by our government employees to accomplish key goals and targets that the President set for our implementing agencies this year. Through the active contribution of their work in their respective agencies, many of our employees have indeed played a central role in fulfilling the Administration’s commitments to the Filipino people,” Abad said. |
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| Statement on the 2012 Full-Year Poverty Statistics |
| STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC PLANNING SEC. ARSENIO M. BALISACAN Press Conference on the 2012 Full-Year Poverty Statistics National Statistical Coordination Board, Makati City 09 December 2013 (Delivered by NEDA Assistant Director-General Rosemarie G. Edillon) Ladies and gentlemen, members of the media, good morning. Allow me to read to you this Statement on behalf of Secretary Balisacan. As the NSCB reported, poverty incidence slightly declined in 2012 to 25.2 percent of population from 26.3% percent and to 19.7 % from 20.5 percent among families in 2009. This is still a slow decline, but we will take it as indication of accomplishment, or more accurately, a work in progress, in the fight against poverty. More importantly, we will take in all of the lessons derived from this recent profile and fine-tune our strategies accordingly. At the regional level, 13 out of 17 regions across the country experienced a reduction in poverty incidence in 2012 compared to 2009. The brightest spot is the region of CARAGA, dropping a remarkable 14.2 percentage points in poverty incidence among families. This marked improvement reflects the impact on poverty of CARAGA’s robust growth of 10.6 percent in 2012, the second fastest gross regional domestic product growth among all regions, coming from an 8.5 percent growth in 2011. The increase in poverty incidence in the four regions – SOCCSKSARGEN (XII), the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Eastern Visayas (VIII) and NCR could be explained by the weak economic growth in these regions and/or the occurrence of major calamities. Poverty incidence in the ARMM increased by 6.3 percentage points than the figure in 2009. This could be partly explained by the weak growth in the region’s output. ARMM’s economy contracted by 0.3 percent in 2011 and grew by a meager 1.2 percent in 2012. Added to this is the high food inflation, averaging 7.1 percent over the 3-year period in the region. As we know, high food inflation disproportionately affects the poor who then needs to spend even higher just to meet their minimum food needs. This also explains the big jump in the incidence of the subsistence poor in the region, from 14.2 in 2009 to 25.1 percent in 2012. Output in Region VIII contracted by 6.2 percent in 2012 because of the temporary shutdown of PASAR early in the year. Hence, the almost 3 percentage points increase in poverty incidence in the region. On the other hand, Region XII’s real GRDP grew by 8.1 percent in 2012. However, its December output may have been drastically reduced due to typhoon Pablo which affected parts of Mindanao. This would explain, for instance, the huge increase in poverty incidence in North Cotabato, of 21.5 percentage points. Even the slight uptick in poverty incidence in NCR could be due to the impact of Habagat last year. So, what do we make of all these? First, this profile supports the thesis that it will require no less than sustained high economic growth, as reflected by the case of CARAGA and some other provinces. Still, the growth impact on the poor can be enhanced by deliberate programs and policies to enable the poor to participate in the growth process. To address this, the government has been implementing programs and projects like the Pantawid Pamilya Program, the Community-Based Employment Program, and the Sustainable Livelihood Program, among others, to empower the most vulnerable sectors of our society. Second, we really need to consider regional and provincial disparities in poverty across the country. This is why we need to have more focused strategies based on geographical and spatial considerations. Deliberate strategies to promote growth outside NCR, through infrastructure development and investment in human capital provide a pathway towards equalizing development opportunities. Then, for provinces with high magnitude of poverty but low poverty incidence, it is important to promote higher growth to create more employment opportunities, and to improve human capital and introduce flexible work arrangements for the poor. As for areas with low magnitude of poverty but high poverty incidence, interventions in these areas should focus on providing social assistance programs that promote economic and physical mobility, while economic opportunities are being created. The logistics and distribution system also need to be improved in order to reduce the pressure on food prices. Third, and a very important consideration at this time, is the impact of natural disasters on poverty. These occurrences have the power to negate gains in economic growth and development. From 2010 to 2012, there were about eight typhoons that have brought tremendous damages and losses in terms infrastructure and economic activity. Disasters like these have profound effects on the local economies and recovery usually takes an even longer time. These also signal the need for an urgent and deliberate focus on disaster risk reduction and mitigation for these areas, coupled with social insurance protection and income diversification. In some areas, the calamities are actually man-made, like the Zamboanga siege in October of this year. Pursuing lasting peace should then be a major strategy around the conflict areas; still another type of disaster risk reduction. Indeed, poverty is a complex problem that needs a comprehensive, multi-pronged, multi-sectoral solution involving many stakeholders. It is a daunting challenge, to say the least, but this is one we are determined to meet head on. Finally, I would like to thank the Technical Committee on Poverty Statistics, the NSCB Technical Secretariat, the NSO, and the statistical community in general, for coming out with these important statistics. We hope to make use of these statistics and the researches that would come out of these to inform further our strategies to reduce poverty in our country. Salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat. |
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| OWWA, PESO zamables builds stronger partnership for 2014 |
| OWWA RWO3 in partnership with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Zambales conducted a Strategic Planning Workshop on 5 December 2013. 35 PESO Managers and Migrant Desk Officers attended the activity held at the Zambales Capitol Conference Room, Iba, Zambales. The workshop was a whole day event aimed to identify the various programs, projects and activities that will be undertaken jointly by the RWO3, PESO and the different municipalities within the years 2014-2016 for the benefit of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families within the province. According to OWWA RWO3 Director Ma Lourdes V. Reyes, the partnership with the PESO of Zambales through the leadership of Vice Governor Ramon G. Lacbain II serves as bridge that will facilitate delivery of OWWA programs and services in the province, therefore drawing the Agency closer to its client OFWs. Through this leap, it is expected that a larger number of OFW and their families from the province will be catered and assisted by the RWO3. To date, OWWA has 3 graduates under the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), 16 maintained scholars under the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) and Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (ELAP), and 77 availees of the Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) and Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP). As well, there are 77 beneficiaries of the NRCO 10K Livelihood Assistance and 2 availees of the 2-Billion Reintegration Program. Palanginan OFC and Bangantalinga OFC are established family circles in the province of Zambales. A total of 153 OFW members of these organizations have undergone seminars and trainings under the OWWA RWO3. In 12 September 2013, OWWA RWO3 forged partnership with the LGUs of Zambales establishing 15 OFW Help Desks in each municipality of the province. |
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| MB strengthens capital structure of foreign bank branches |
| The Monetary Board (MB) approved amendments to the capital framework of foreign bank branches (FBBs) operating in the Philippines. The amendments will align the capital structure of FBBs with the implementation of the Basel III Accord while further strengthening the capacity of FBBs to absorb risks from their operations in the Philippines. Under the new framework, the capital component of FBB that is classified as Tier 1 shall be predominantly composed of permanently assigned capital (PAC). The concept of PAC was initially introduced by law under Republic Act 7721 (An Act Liberalizing the Entry and Scope of Operations of Foreign Banks in the Philippines and for Other Purposes). On the other hand, FBB accounts which are booked under the “Net Due To” account will now be re-classified as Tier 2 capital. These “Net Due To” accounts typically reflect transactions between the FBB and its parent entity and include placements, investments and borrowings. “Net Due To” accounts were previously categorized as Tier 1 capital under the older Basel II framework. The new policy is consistent with the intention of the reforms under Basel III to classify as Tier 2 the debt instruments that are deemed eligible as Basel III capital. The Philippine implementation of the Basel III framework that is set for the beginning of 2014 will also apply to FBBs since these branches operate locally under either a universal or commercial bank license. This means that FBBs must meet all the prescribed minimum ratios. These include a 6 percent Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio, a 7.5 percent Tier 1 ratio and a 2.5 percent capital conservation buffer which can only be met by CET1-eligible instruments. For the FBBs, common equity is represented by PAC. With the recent amendment approved by the Monetary Board, FBBs which do not meet the prescribed minimum capital ratios on January 01, 2014 will be given a year or up to January 01, 2015 to comply. However, a capital build up plan must be submitted by these FBBs to the BSP by April 01, 2014. This capital build up plan does not only reflect how these FBBs intend to meet the new prudential thresholds but also the necessary approvals from their parent entity. Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr noted that “this new initiative strengthens foreign bank branches in the Philippines because they will have their capital onshore when they take on onshore risks”. He added that this is the “prudent policy direction since it will reduce unwarranted reliance of foreign bank branches on their parent entity for capital support when operating domestically”. |
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| Despite rise in the number of families, extreme poverty among families remains steady at 1.6 million in 2012—NSCB |
| The Philippine Statistical System (PSS), through the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), releases its latest report today on the 2012 full year official poverty statistics in the country. The NSCB report— using income data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in two visits last July 2012 and January 2013 – estimates poverty incidence or the proportion of poor families to the total number of families. The report also examines various monetary and non-monetary measures of poverty in the country. In a press briefing, NSCB Secretary General Jose Ramon G. Albert reports that about one out of every five Pinoy families (19.7 percent) was poor in 2012. Compared with the MDG benchmark, the proportion of poor families has significantly gone down from the 29.7 percent estimated poverty incidence in 1991. The estimate for 2012 is slightly lower than the 2009 and 2006 poverty incidence figures, which were estimated at 20.5 and 21.0 percent, respectively, but these differences are not statistically significant. Although the proportion of poor families has been practically similar between 2006 and 2012, on account of the country’s growing population, the estimated number of poor families has risen from 3.8 million in 2006 to 4.2 million in 2012. Food and poverty thresholds The NSCB report points out that in 2012, a Filipino family of five needed PhP 5,513 to meet basic food needs every month and Php 7,890 to stay above the poverty threshold (basic food and non-food needs) every month. These respective amounts represent the food and poverty thresholds, which increased by 12.4 percent from 2009 to 2012. Such increases can be attributed to inflation of about 4.1% on the average per year between 2009 and 2012. The food threshold is the minimum income required by a family to meet its basic food needs and satisfy the nutritional requirements set by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), while having individuals in the family remaining economically and socially productive. Put another way, the food threshold helps measure extreme poverty (also called subsistence poverty). The poverty threshold is a similar concept, but this incorporates costs of basic non-food needs, such as clothing, housing, transportation, health, and education expenses, among others, in addition to costs of basic food needs. Extreme Poverty among Filipino families Aside from poverty incidence, the NSCB also released statistics on extreme poverty among families—a crucial social indicator that guides policy makers in their efforts to improve the conditions of the poorest of the poor. According to the NSCB report, the subsistence incidence, which represents the proportion of Filipino families in extreme poverty, was estimated at 7.5 percent in 2012, which is almost the same in 2009 but the figure in 2012 is significantly lower than the 8.8 percent estimate in 2006. The NSCB notes that despite the rise in the number of families in the country between 2006 and 2012, the estimated number of extremely poor families has remarkably remained steady at around 1.6 million. Estimated cost of eradicating poverty The NSCB also releases other poverty-related statistics in the report, such as the income gap. This measures the amount of income required by the poor in order to get out of poverty, in relation to the poverty threshold itself. In 2012, on the average, incomes of poor families are short by 26.2 percent of the poverty threshold. This means that a poor family with five members needed a monthly additional income of PhP 2,067 to move out of poverty in 2012. In other words, using figures for the income gap and the poverty threshold, the NSCB estimates that if government were to provide a mere cash transfer to all poor households in terms of what they would require to cross the poverty line, a total of Php124 billion in 2012 would be required to eradicate poverty (exclusive of targeting costs). It may be noted that the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), which provides support to poor households conditioned on these families sending their children to school and on pregnant women receiving pre and post-natal care, was Php 39.4 billion for the entirety of 2012. More timely and frequent release of poverty statistics This release of the latest official poverty statistics is a remarkable milestone for the country. The FIES, the basic data source for the poverty statistics, could be released as much as 18 months after the reference year, but the 2012 FIES full year results were released by the NSO much ahead of the usual schedule. In consequence, the 2012 full year poverty statistics is now made available to the public less than a year after the conduct of the FIES. Starting this year 2013, NSCB Secretary General Albert points out that upon the initiative of Director General Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the monitoring of poverty will be more timely and frequent, especially since first semester data of the FIES are being examined. In addition, the 2013 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey, conducted by the NSO has made use of the FIES income module. In effect, the latter will allow the PSS to generate poverty statistics from the FIES and even the APIS. Albert says that the NSCB—together with partner institutions, such as the NSO, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), and the NEDA as well as the group of experts on poverty measurement comprising the NSCB Technical Committee on Poverty Statistics– continue to make the estimation and publication schedule of official poverty statistics more timely, while ensuring data quality and accuracy. He hopes that, these initiatives on frequent and timely poverty statistics shall be sustained when the newly established Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), a single body which consolidates the Technical Staff of the NSCB, NSO, BAS, and Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (or BLES), becomes fully operational sometime next year. The consolidation of these statistical agencies comes as a result of the Philippine Statistics Act of 2013, signed into law by President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III last 12 September 2013. These initiatives allow policymakers and poverty stakeholders alike (from both the public and private sectors) to work together in accelerating the reduction of poverty based on more relevant and more up to date snapshots of welfare and living conditions in the country. JOSE RAMON G. ALBERT Secretary General |
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| PH-Italy sign amendments in double taxation agreement |
| Purisima urges Italy to remove PH from its blacklist of tax havens The Government of the Philippines, through the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, negotiated and concluded today the Protocol Amending the Convention between the Philippines and the Italian Republic for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes in Income and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion originally signed on December 5, 1980. Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima and Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Roscigno led the signing of the Double Taxation Agreement at the Department of Finance which seeks to remove the Philippines from its blacklist of tax haven countries of those which have privileged tax regimes for the purpose of attracting foreign investments in their territories. “We welcome the signing of the Philippine-Italy Double Taxation Agreement as a positive step towards competitiveness and fairness in taxation between our countries. We hope that with this move, the Italian authorities would remove the Philippines from its blacklist of tax havens, for the benefit of Italians residing in the Philippines, and the Filipinos in Italy who comprise the fourth largest immigrant nationality,” Purisima said. In particular, the signing amended Article 25 of the Italy-Philippines DTA on the Exchange of Information, in accordance with the current tax treaty model of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN), incorporating changes in the tax system of Italy. The Protocol will need to be subsequently ratified and concurred into by the respective authorities of both governments. |
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| Deficit-to-GDP ratio as of 3Q at 1.2%, way below 2.0% 2013 program |
| BIR posts highest tax effort since 2000 As of September 2013, the National Government posted a Deficit-to-GDP ratio of 1.2%, way below the projected 2.0% for 2013. The budget deficit was P101.2 billion, P2.7 billion lower compared to the same period last year and well within the target of P144.5 billion for the first nine months of 2013. Revenue collections for the first nine months of 2013 reached P1.267 tn, a 13.2% increase from the comparable collections recorded in 2012. For the same period, tax effort for the National Government stood at 13.7%, a 0.6 percentage point (ppt) increase from the same period in 2012. Notably, the BIR tax effort rose to 10.8%, a 0.6 ppt increase from the same period last year. This is the highest BIR tax effort since 2000. BIR collections grew by 16.2% compared to the same period last year, much faster than the nominal GDP growth of 9.3%. Excise tax collections on alcohol and tobacco products, which increased 41.0% and 83.5%, respectively, largely contributed to the growth in BIR collections owing to the implementation of RA 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Law this year. Actual disbursements amounted to P1.368 trillion, an 11.8% increase compared to the same period last year. Revenues grew faster than disbursements over the same period last year. |
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| Faster oil spill clean-up sought three months 'unacceptable' - Roxas |
| Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas today urged the private contractor hired for clean-up operations of the oil spill in Estancia, Iloilo, to work double-time in order to contain the impact areas and keep the environmental damage to a minimum. Roxas, at the same time, advised local officials in Estancia to coordinate with regional officials of national government agencies to plan the permanent evacuation and resettlement to safer ground of families displaced by the oil spill. “The three-month deadline imposed by the private contractor is not acceptable. The clean up should be completed the soonest time possible,” Roxas said. Roxas, along with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, went to Estancia last Tuesday to look into the impact of the oil spill to affected communities and check the progress of the ongoing cleanup. Because of the risks associated with exposure to oil spill, the Department of Health (DOH) had recommended the immediate evacuation of 5,000 affected persons exposed to health risks from deadly fumes. At least 446 families, or 1,892 persons, have been evacuated from Barangay Botongon who are now staying in classrooms and tents at Northern Iloilo Polytechnic College-West Campus about 2 kilometers from the oil-spill site. The team of Gazmin, Roxas and Soliman were directed by Pres. Aquino early this week to check relief and recovery efforts in Western Visayas as the situation in Eastern Visayas starts to normalize. The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) has contracted the Kuan Yu Global Technologies Inc. to siphon off the remaining oil from the tanker and to refloat the barge and tow it away. The work would cost P87 million. Until last Wednesday, however, the coasts of Estancia remain covered with oil. Roxas, the vice chair for disaster preparedness of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), expressed fear about the 1.2 million liters of bunker fuel oil that needs to be contained and immediately removed safely before it leaks out and cause further damage. Dismayed by slow-paced manual clean-up being done in Estancia’s coastal barangays, Roxas wants the Napocor and local officials of Estancia to press the contractor to “shape up or ship out”. “Kung kinakailangang magdagdag ng tao, magdagdag. Kung kinakailangan ng kagamitan, kumuha. If there’s a will, there’s a way. Kung hindi kaya ng kontraktor, siguro humanap ng kaya ang trabaho,” he said. He noted that the company hired to clean-up the oil spill evidently lack the manpower and equipment to do the job, resulting in its dismal performance. About 200,000 liters of bunker fuel oil were spilt at the height of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (International code name Haiayan) when the Napocor power barge was slammed on the coasts of Estancia, causing the massive oil spill last November 8 |
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| Closing Statement of GPH Panel Chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on the 42nd GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks |
| Today the Annex on Powersharing is born. It has 4 major parts; 3,807 words; a set of principles of intergovernmental relations; a section that provides a level of detail on the structure of government of the future BMG; and three lists of powers, 9 reserved to Central Government, 14 concurrent or joint powers of the Central Government and the Bangsamoro Government, and 58 exclusive or devolved powers to the Bangsamoro, not to mention 4 items relating to jurisdiction in a section on “Other Matters”. Such a laborious document as this Powersharing Annex is consistent with the fact that this Annex has many mothers and fathers. Certainly it was not a result of immaculate conception (which is celebrated today in the Catholic world). There are of course the negotiating panels and their principals and the constituents behind them. On the GPH side, one would trace its lineage to the President certainly and the different Cabinet secretaries in all the Cabinet clusters (security, justice and peace; good governance and anticorruption; economic development and finance; human development and poverty reduction; environment and climate change adaptation), including the Office of the Executive Secretary and the Office of the Presidential Counsel for Legal Concerns, and especially the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, down to their undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, heads of special offices, bureaus and agencies; to the different CSOs that have kept watch with their respective advocacies. We have talked to and consulted with all of them. After the labor pains, we have heaved our big, collective sigh of relief. After all, we carried this draft in our wombs (although the men here do not exactly have this facility) for 16 months. It was a mere zygote when the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Powersharing was convened for the first time. This was in our 30th Round of Formal Exploratory Talks that was held in August 2012. The GPH Panel was then chaired by now Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, and I was then assigned the adviser of the TWG. Since then, TWG chairship moved from former panel member Upi Mayor Ramon Piang to Undersecretary Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon. TWG members have included OPAPP Usec Jose Lorena and Secrtary Mehol Sadain of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. All throughout the process, the only other surviving original member of the Panel (other than myself) under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, former secretary Senen Bacani, provided the anchor, supported by the next oldest member of this panel (in terms of length of time in this panel) Usec Yasmin Busran Lao. In between we have met with and even brought over consultants from the Departments of Transportation and Communication, National Defense, DILG, DOJ and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource. We were ably supported by our legal staff, Atty Armi Bayot from the Office of the Solicitor General and Atty Anna Tarhata Basman, and before that, by the former head of the legal team, Atty Johaira Wahab. Technical support was provided by our secretariat headed by Iona Jalijali. Aside from the parents, aunts and uncles, this rather difficult pregnancy was accompanied by its many godparents (ninong and ninang) – the third party to this process, Malaysian Facilitator Tengku Ghafar and the members of the ICG, all of whom contributed immensely at one point in time during the long wait for the birthing of the Annex. We thank them and especially the ICG members who survived this round – Emma Leslie of Conciliation Resources, Ali Saleem of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and Ahmet Doğan of the Government of Turkey, also the most handsome member of the ICG. Now this newborn baby will have to be introduced to the world. We expect that a good number out there would be eager to see it, scrutinize its different parts and get to know about it more. We of course tried our damnedest best to ensure that it will be a healthy baby, with all the parts in the right places, with the complete sets of toes and fingers, and not an unnecessary piece less or more. In all, it will represent all the good intentions, wise counsel, and difficult sacrifices all the parents had to make in order to bring a healthy baby in this world. In its genes, the shape of the future Bangsamoro political entity is encoded. But we know that all these will have to be translated into the Bangsamoro Basic Law – one that will put in place a strong, viable autonomous governance for the Bangsamoro in Mindanao, and connect with its siblings and cousins who came before and will come after. There remain many challenges ahead. We know that and we are ready for that even as we remain focused on the immediate task on hand, which is to finish once and for all the Annex on Normalization and an addendum on Bangsamoro Waters and put in place the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. These will be our new year’s gift to each other. Thank you. |
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| Opening Statement of the DFA Spokesperson Pre-Departure Press Briefing for the Philippine media delegation ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit |
| Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the press. I would like to brief you on the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit which will be held from December 12 to 14 in Tokyo, Japan which will be attended by the President. While the President and his delegation will arrive in Tokyo on December 12 for a number of bilateral (Philippine-Japan) events and meetings, activities related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit are actually scheduled on December 13 and 14. The ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit will be the culminating event to a full year of activities commemorating 40 years of ASEAN-Japan relations. Activities Related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit Allow me to outline for you the activities related to the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit: · On Friday, December 13, the President and other ASEAN Leaders (with their spouses) will attend an afternoon tea ceremony to be hosted by Their Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. This will not be the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, more of a meet-and-greet high tea that would last for only 30 minutes. · In the evening of the same day, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Madame Akie Abe will host a dinner for the ASEAN Leaders and their spouses. · On Saturday, December 14, is the actual day of the Commemorative Summit. Session 1 will be held in the morning and will be devoted to substantive discussions among the Leaders of ASEAN and Japan. This will be followed by a lunch to be hosted by the Nippon Keidanren (Japanese Business Federation). The Leaders will then reconvene after lunch for the Closing Session, for the consideration and formal adoption of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, including its annexed Implementation Plan. Finally, the day will be capped by a Gala Dinner in celebration of 40 years of ASEAN-Japan relations. With respect to the substantive aspect of the Commemorative Summit, the Leaders of ASEAN and Japan, while looking back on the accomplishment of the past 40 years, will primarily set the future (long-term) direction of ASEAN-Japan relations, to cover politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues. There will be two outcome documents from the Summit: (1) the Vision Statement of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and its Implementation Plan; and (2) the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-Japan Summit. The Vision Statement and its Implementation Plan will focus mainly on medium- to long-term cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, while the Joint Statement will address regional and international issues beyond the dialogue partnership. Meeting of President Aquino and Prime Minister Abe at the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit At the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo, the President will also have a working lunch meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on December 13. During the meeting, the two leaders will discuss cooperation on disaster management and reconstruction in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda, economic concerns, maritime cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and the Mindanao peace process. The two leaders will also exchange views on prevailing regional issues of mutual concern. The President and the Prime Minister will also witness the signing of three (3) Exchanges of Notes on: • a Post Disaster Stand-by Loan worth JP¥ 10 Billion (≈ US$ 100 Million); • a Loan for Multi-Role Response Vessels for the Philippine Coast Guard worth JP¥ 18.732 Billion (≈ US$ 187 Million); and • the revised route schedule for the Philippines-Japan Air Services Agreement At this point, I would be glad to answer your questions. Maraming Salamat at Magandang Hapon sa inyong lahat. |
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| DOTC's P 1.72 billion AFCS project down to 3 bidders |
| SM, Ayala-MPIC, and Comworks Consortia Qualify for Financial Evaluation Stage Three (3) of the five (5) bidders vying for the P 1.72 Billion Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) Project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) have passed the technical evaluation stage, and will proceed to the financial evaluation stage on Monday, 9 December 2013. “We have been speeding up the process. At the rate we are going, we should be able to award the contract by January 2014,” said DOTC Spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal. The SM Consortium, the AF Consortium of the Ayala and Metro Pacific groups, and the Comworks and Berjaya Consortium have all satisfied the technical requirements of the transport agency. Their financial proposals will be opened at 10:00am on Monday, after which the DOTC will conduct financial evaluation over the next couple of weeks in accordance with the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) Law. Meanwhile, the E-Trans Solutions Joint Venture and the Megawide-Suyen-Eurolink Consortium both failed to meet the bid requirements, having substantial deficiencies which did not demonstrate their ability to implement the project. In the case of E-Trans Solutions, its technical proposal did not describe the required Conditions for Use of the project, which would protect the card user’s data privacy. It was also found to be incomplete, unclear, and did not show compliance with the project’s scheme provider principles. Moreover, its business plan did not follow the projection computations contained in the draft Concession Agreement. As for Megawide-Suyen-Eurolink, its business plan was found to be incomplete and inconsistent. It did not contain the required project internal rate of return, making it impossible to evaluate the project’s feasibility. In addition, the payment and revenue numbers it indicated in one section of the business plan contradicted the very same items contained in another section. It also pegged its post-tax equity return at -2.64%, which indicates that the proposal may not be self-sustaining. Since the disqualified groups failed to meet the project’s technical requirements, their financial proposals will no longer be opened. “We will carefully review the financial proposals of the 3 remaining groups only. At the end of the day, we must make sure that both government and the public will get the most advantageous terms possible,” added Sagcal. |
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| Ombudsman observes Anti-Corruption Day on Dec.9 |
| The Office of the Ombudsman leads the celebration of Anti-Corruption Day on December 9. The OMB is scheduled to hold simultaneous activities on December 9 with the launching of the University Integrity Tour at the University of the Philippines – National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) and the holding of the 1st Barangay Integrity Forum in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. Both activities are part of the Integrity Caravan launched by the OMB during its 25th anniversary last May 12, 2012. The Caravan aims to communicate and engage the public and private sector on the various programs and projects of the Office to further build a broad-based strategic partnership of all anti-corruption stakeholders, composed of key government agencies, local government units (LGUs), private institutions, academic institutions, the business sector, development partners, people’s organizations (POs), civil service organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the general public. The University Integrity Tour, which is designed to build the foundations of good governance and anti-corruption in the country’s educational system, shall be launched at the UP-NCPAG from 9:00 – 12:00 noon. OMB and UP-Diliman officials as well as representatives from the UP-NCPAG Student Council and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are expected to attend the event. It is scheduled to be duplicated in other universities in Visayas and Mindanao next year. On the other hand, the series of Barangay Integrity Fora is aimed at educating barangay officials on ethical standards, good governance and public accountability. The 1st Barangay Integrity Forum, to be held in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, is expected to be attended by OMB and LGU officials. Similar activities are also scheduled to be held in Cebu and Davao. Recognizing that corruption is a serious crime that slows down economic growth and development, “this year [the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime] UNODC and UNDP have developed a joint global campaign, focusing on how corruption hinders efforts to achieve the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals and impacts education, health, justice, democracy, prosperity and development.” On October 31, 2003, the UN General Assembly adopted the United National Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), an international legal instrument against corruption, and designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day. President Benigno Aquino III through Proclamation No.506 dated November 16, 2012 declared December 9 as National Anti-Corruption Day. Republic Act No. 10589 (May 27, 2013) declares December of every year as “Anti-Corruption Month.” |
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| The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation wins the Deposit Insurance Organization (DIO) of the Year Award for 2013 |
| The International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI), an organization of 71 member deposit insurance organizations based in Basel Switzerland, announced that the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) has been selected as the “Deposit Insurance Organization (DIO) of the Year”for 2013. The announcement was made during the Twelfth IADI Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting of Members (AGM) in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 7 November 2013. Other organizations who won in the other categories include the Deposit Insurance Agency of Russian Federation for the “Award for Achievement in Banking Resolutions and Payouts”, Bank Guarantee Fund of Poland for the “Award for Core Principles and International Participation” and Kazakhstan Deposit Insurance Fund for the “Award for Deposit Insurance System Improvements.” The DIO of the Year Award for 2013 was presented to PDIC being the IADI member with significant achievements in all three categories. PDIC President Valentin A. Araneta said that he is humbled by the award which reflects the hard work and commitment of the Board, officers and staff of PDIC. According to Araneta, international recognition of the effectiveness of Philippine government institutions serve to inspire domestic and foreign confidence in the Philippine economy. The PDIC organization has adopted a slogan of “Committed to Serve” aligned with the call of President Benigno S. Aquino, III to government institutions for service commitment and accountability to the public. The PDIC has Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima as Board Chairman and BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. as Director. Their respective alternates are National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon and BSP Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. The other directors are Rogelio W. Manalo, Protacio T. Tacandong and Valentin A. Araneta who also serves as President and Vice Chairman. The PDIC has two Executive Vice Presidents, Ms. Imelda S. Singzon and Ms. Cristina Q. Orbeta handling the Examination and Resolution Sector and the Receivership and Liquidation Sector, respectively. Finance Secretary Purisima lauded the Board officers and staff of PDIC on the international recognition. He exhorted PDIC to sustain and continually improve its good governance standards and its oversight over the handling of bank deposits. He said that good governance of banks is the best measure of depositor protection. In its continuing efforts to comply with the Core Principles for Effective Deposit Insurance Systems and other international best practices, PDIC has subjected itself to assessments and is an active participant in IADI activities. In 2005, the IADI began conferring the DIO Award to a member in celebration of an important achievement and/or in recognition of the contribution that the Member has made to furtherance of IADI’s goals. The first organization to receive the award was the Central Deposit Insurance Corporation of Taiwan. Since then, the conferment of the Award has been part of IADI’s tradition and is among the highlights of its annual meetings. The previous awardees of the DIO Award are the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (2012), Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation (2011), Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan (2010), Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey (2009), U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (2008), Brazil’s Fundo Garantidor de Créditos (2007) and the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (2006). |
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| PDIC raises P9.53 million from public bidding of closed banks’ assets |
| The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) was able to raise P9.53 million from the successful sale of 20 properties during its public bidding conducted on November 25, 2013 held at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panlunsod in General Santos City. The properties sold were owned by closed banks that have been placed under receivership of the PDIC. Collectively, these had a minimum disposal price of P7.08 million and generated a premium amounting to P2.45 million. A total of 175 properties were bidded out on an “as-is, where-is” basis by the PDIC in General Santos City, with combined minimum disposal price valued at P38.97 million. These consisted of commercial and residential lots located in various provinces of Mindanao. The recently-concluded bidding was the fifth to be conducted this year by the PDIC. The regular conduct of public biddings for closed banks’ assets is in support of the PDIC’s mandate as Receiver and Liquidator of closed banks. The initiative to expeditiously dispose non-financial assets is included in the PDIC’s Roadmap to 2016. Proceeds from the public biddings involving properties of closed banks are automatically added to the funds held in trust for the closed banks and are used to settle claims of creditors and uninsured depositors. In accordance with the law, payment to these parties is subject to the rules on concurrence and preference of credits. Unsold properties during public biddings are made available through negotiated sale. Interested buyers are encouraged to visit the PDIC website at www.pdic.gov.ph and use the PDIC’s Property Finder for information on available inventory of assets for sale. Prospective buyers may also call Mr. Ferdinand Beluan, Department Manager III of the Asset Management and Disposal Department II at (02) 841-4770 for inquiries on available assets. |
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