MIF STRUCTURE UP FOR REVIEW

The Palace will now look at the structure of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill passed by Congress on Wednesday before it is signed into law to ensure that “necessary infrastructure” projects, including energy development goals, would be funded by proceeds of the fund.

“It’s so that we, the Philippines, can participate in what would be, what is regarded, of course, as an investment for us. It is necessary infrastructure that we are investing in (through the MIF),” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

“So, that is the plan for the sovereign fund. We now have to go and look at the design or the structuring of the fund. But it is basically seen as our government participation in projects that, mostly, it will really be in the Philippines,” he added.

This developed as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) expressed interest in investing in the Maharlika Fund as it seeks partnerships with Philippine companies for energy development.

JBIC Chairman of the Board Tadashi Maeda expressed this during a courtesy call on President Marcos in Malacañang on Wednesday.

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Ill said once the measure becomes a law, it can be challenged before the Supreme Court.

Pimentel also guaranteed to help anybody who will go to court and question the investment fund.

“For those planning to do this, I will make myself available as source of some facts, information and arguments,” he said.

In the Senate during the deliberations of the controversial measure, Pimentel raised several concerns over the MIF, including its economic viability.

Pimentel, Sen. Imee Marcos, and Sen. Francis Escudero did not cast their votes during the third and final reading of the MIF.

But Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the MIF is “Mission Impossible Fund” no more.

“The version of the measure that we have approved meets the high bar for transparency and accountability. The many amendments that we placed here will assure the Filipino people that this fund will be used properly, efficiently, and effectively,” said Zubiri.

1ST TRILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISES

The Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday welcomed the arrival of its United States and Japanese counterparts in Manila as the first-ever trilateral maritime exercises officially began.

Billed as “Kaagapay Maritime Exercise 2023,” the event aim to improve interoperability among the three countries through communication exercises, maneuvering drills, photo exercises, maritime law enforcement training, search and rescue and passing exercises.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said the maritime exercise would also deal with illegal fishing, smuggling, and a scenario against a suspected vessel involved in piracy.

Asked if the trilateral exercise is related to the ongoing territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea, Balilo said no.

He added that there will be no scenarios involving the Chinese Coast Guard roaming inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

PCG said that it will deploy BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Gabriela Silang, BRP Boracay, and one 44-meter multi-role response vessel for the drills.

The Japanese Coast Guard arrived at Pier 13 onboard the 91.7-meter-long Akitsushima with its Commanding Officer Captain Toru Imai. The United States Coast Guard came shortly afterward with the USCGC Stratton with its commander Capt. Brian Krautler, the 6th Commanding Officer of the CGC Stratton.

“We’re eager to join the Philippine and Japan Coast Guards and participate in meaningful engagements with our allies and partners both in port and at sea,” Krautler said.

MARCOS ORDERS GEO-MAPPING OF ALL AGRI LANDS TO BOOST YIELD

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the geological mapping of all agricultural lands in the country to establish soil maps for specific agricultural products that will help improve farmers’ products.

President Marcos said the government is already using geo mapping in resolving titling issues to boost agricultural production and increase the income of farmers.

“In geo mapping, we’re already using maps of BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority). We are putting together everything because it would be difficult to have a survey on all these lands,” Mr. Marcos said in the meeting with the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) on Wednesday.

“From that, the issue on titling will be easier. We will be able to define the parcels of land. It will be easier if we will solve the titling problem,” he added.

The Presidential Communications Office said the present government interventions addressing these concerns include the implementation of Farm and Fisheries Consolidation and Clustering program (F2C2), provision of various support services including credit and financing by the Department of Agriculture, and the Land Bank of the Philippines, and establishment of climate-smart agriculture infrastructure.

The Marcos administration is also formulating the National Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan and other plans to guide the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

MARCOS CERTIFIES PROPOSED INTERNET TRANSACTION ACT AS URGENT

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has certified as urgent the proposed Senate Bill 1846 or the “Internet Transactions Act," according to a letter to lawmakers released on Friday.

The letter certifying the proposed measure as urgent was dated May 29 and addressed to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. A copy was also furnished to Speaker Martin Romualdez and Presidential Legislative Adviser Mark Llandro Mendoza.

Marcos certified to the necessity of the immediate enactment of SB 1846 under the provisions of Article 6, Section 26(2) of the 1987 Constitution, the letter states.

He cited the “urgent need” of the government to regulate electronic commerce transactions to strengthen consumer protection against fraud and other illicit activities and promote fair competition and security of business.

“This bill, if enacted, will build an environment of trust between online merchants and consumers, and this enhance the growth of E-Commerce in the country,” Marcos said.

The measure is currently pending Second Reading in the Senate.

Bills certified urgent by the Chief Executive maybe approved by either chamber of Congress on 2nd and 3rd reading on the same day.

The House of Representatives had already approved its version back in December 2022.

DTI TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF LOCAL PRODUCERS AS RCEP TAKES EFFECT: STAKEHOLDER

MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry as well as lawmakers have put in place safeguards to ensure that the country's membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will not be detrimental to local producers, a stakeholder said Friday when the agreement starts taking effect in the Philippines.

RCEP, or the free trade agreement among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, eliminates up to 90 percent of tariffs, or the taxes imposed on imports among its member countries, within 20 years.

Philippine Exporters Confederation President Sergio Ortiz-Luis said the country would be "losing out" if it did not join the RCEP, noting it only has two trade agreements while its peers have more, such as Thailand which has 13.

"There are protections that are given there. DTI will be watching that. There is also a monitoring team set up by Senate to monitor flooding. It should not be detrimental to producers," he told ANC.

He said small businesses won't be "losers" due to lowered tariffs on imports because they could also export and become more competitive.

Lawmakers in February approved the country's entry to the RCEP, the last signatory in the trade pact.

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR LAST PHASE OF ORIENTAL MINDORO OIL SPILL CLEANUP

MANILA — A dynamic support vessel (DSV) chartered to siphon the remaining oil from the sunken MT Princess Empress in Oriental Mindoro will begin its operations on Saturday, June 3, the National Task Force on Oil Spill Management said.

The DSV Fire Opal left Singapore on May 19 and arrived at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone on May 26. From there, it proceeded to the affected waters to conduct its siphoning operations.

“Since Monday, upon arrival, they have conducted ocular inspection sa loob at ilalim, and until now, they are clearing the area, mga debris, para maavoid ang obstructions in the conduct of the siphoning operations,” Commodore Fideles Sallidao of the Philippine Coast Guard said in a press briefing on Thursday.

The oil extraction is expected to be completed within 20 to 30 days if weather conditions permit.

REMULLA: DOJ TO PROBE DEGAMO SLAY SUSPECTS' TORTURE CLAIMS BUT EXPRESSES DOUBTS

MANILA — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday he has ordered a probe into allegations by some of the accused in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo that they were supposedly tortured by law enforcements agents and forced to link suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. to the crime.

“We will investigate it anyway,” told reporters during a press conference.

But he expressed doubt on the veracity of the claims.

“Pero ito tatanungin ko sa inyo. Bakit gusto nila maiwan sa NBI kung tinorture sila sa NBI? I’ll ask you that. Kung talagang tinorture sila sa NBI, bakit gusto nila maiwan sa NBI? Bakit ayaw nilang malipat palabas ng NBI? So is that consistent with somebody who was tortured in that place? No. It’s an afterthought. It’s a cover,” he said.

“They just want to muddle the issue now that the case is very clear against them. And mind you, it’s not just testimonial evidence. It’s real evidence. There are other evidence to prove the case and it’s going to be proven sooner or later,” he added.

Five suspects on Wednesday recanted their allegations against Teves by submitting affidavits in court and filing petitions for habeas corpus through their lawyers to question their arrest and subsequent detention.

Five more suspects also did a similar move through their lawyers while one more accused, Marvin Miranda, did not issue any statement from the very beginning.

There are only 11 accused currently under custody.

But Remulla insisted the prosecution still has enough evidence in the Degamo murder cases.

The Justice chief also sought to clarify the effect of the “recantations.”

THE REST

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'BETTY' LEAVES ONE PERSON DEAD, 77K AFFECTED — NDRRMC

MANILA — Cyclone Betty (Mawar) left one person dead and over 77,000 individuals affected, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Friday.

In its latest report, the NDRRMC said the country’s second cyclone of the year has affected 77,801 people in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

One person was reported to be dead, and one individual was injured, it added.

Betty left minimal damage on the country’s agriculture and infrastructure.

According to the NDRRMC, the initial cost of damage to infrastructure was estimated at around P68,695. Meanwhile, the cost of damage to agriculture was initially pegged at P25,000.

“The effects were very minimal. Our preparations paid off,” Raffy Alejandro, NDRRMC spokesperson, told ABS-CBN News Channel.

The government has provided assistance amounting to P9.74  million to residents affected by Betty.

Betty—which brought heavy rain and strong wind, and enhanced the southwest monsoon (habagat)—left the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday afternoon. — Gaea Katreena Cabico

ATENEO STILL LEADS PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITIES IN REAL-WORLD IMPACT RANKING

MANILA — Ateneo de Manila University remained the highest-placed Philippine educational institution in a global ranking that measures the contributions of universities to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Ateneo was the highest-rated Philippine university in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings for the third year in a row.

The Jesuit-run university scored 79.1 out of 100 and placed in the 201-300 bracket. Last year, it was in the 100-200 bracket.

De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines placed in the 400-601 bracket.

Other Philippine higher education institutions in the 2023 THE Impact Rankings were the following:

Batangas State University (601-800)

Leyte Normal University (601-800)

Mariano Marcos State University (601-800)

University of Santo Tomas (601-800)

Tarlac Agricultural University (601-800)

Central Luzon State University (801-1000)

Mapúa University (801-1000)

Philippine Normal University (801-1000)

Saint Louis University (801-1000)

Benguet State University (1001+)

Bulacan State University (1001+)

Cebu Technological University (1001+)

Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (1001+)

Central Philippine University (1001+)

Central Philippine State University (1001+)

University of Eastern Visayas (1001+)

Isabela State University (1001+)

Lyceum-Northwestern University (1001+)

Mindanao State University - Ilagan Institute of Technology (1001+)

Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (1001+)

San Beda University (1001+)

University of San Carlos (1001+)

University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (1001+)

Southern Leyte State University (1001+)

St. Paul University Philippines (1001+)

Visayas State University (1001+)

Australia’s Western Sydney University led the overall ranking for the second year in a row. It was followed by the United Kingdom’s University of Manchester and Canada’s Queens University.

THE Impact Rankings evaluate the success of universities in delivering the 17 SDGs. These goals include no poverty, zero-hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals.

A total of 1,591 institutions participated in the ranking.

QUIAPO CHURCH DECLARED ARCHDIOCESAN SHRINE

MANILA — The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, popularly known as the Quiapo Church, has been officially elevated to an archdiocesan shrine by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula.

Advincula announced the parish’s new status during mass at the Quiapo Church celebrated by Fr. Reginald Malicdem, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Manila, on Wednesday.

In a decree dated May 10, Advincula granted the petition of Quiapo Church rector and parish priest Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr. to have the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene declared as an archdiocesan shrine.

The Cardinal consulted the Presbyteral Council or council of priests prior to approving the petition.

With the decree, Quiapo Church has been granted the “rights and privileges as embodied in the statutes and be governed by the Code of Canon Law.”

Malicdem said the declaration of Quiapo Church as an archdiocesan shrine was “long overdue.”

OIL FIRMS SLASH LPG PRICES BY P6/KILO

Prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will go down by at least P6 per kilogram this month.

The price adjustments should translate to a decrease of P67.10 to P68.20 for each regular 11-kg household LPG tank.

Petron said it reduced LPG prices by P6.20 per kilogram; Solane-branded LPG went down by P6.18 per kg; and Phoenix Super LPG went lower by P6.10 per kg.

Meanwhile, Petron and Phoenix also cut their auto LPG prices by P3.47 per liter.

The price rollbacks were effective by 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

“These reflect the international contract price of LPG for the month of June,” Petron said.

On Tuesday, the country’s oil firms raised gasoline prices by P1.10 per liter to reflect the movement of oil prices in the world market.

Diesel prices did not move, but the oil firms cut the price of kerosene by P0.35 per liter.

SC ASKED TO ORDER MAYNILAD, MANILA WATER TO REFUND THEIR CUSTOMERS

Party-list group Bayan Muna on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to partially reconsider its December 2021 decision which barred water consumers from demanding a refund for the income tax collected from them by Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Company, Inc.

This was despite an SC ruling that the two water firms are public utilities, and thus cannot recover their corporate income taxes as operating expenses from consumers.

In its partial motion for reconsideration, Bayan Muna, through its counsel Maria Cristina Yambot, also asked the Court to direct the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to account all corporate income taxes of Manila Water and Maynila it allowed to be included in applicable water rates from 2022 to 2012.

The petitioner said the water utilities should be compelled to refund the “illegally” passed on corporate income taxes to their respective water consumers.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VIRAL: LESBIAN LOVE IN FAST FOOD AD EARNS PRAISE ONLINE

MANILA — A fast food chain ad featuring a lesbian couple has been reaping praise online for making the LGBT community more visible in mainstream media.

In the new commercial for McDonald's, a woman skater circles the ride-thru over and over, ordering all sorts of menu items, hinting at a flirtation between her and the female crew member.

They are later revealed to be romantically involved, as they depart the fast food diner while holding hands.

Released early this week, the ad has since gone viral on social media, garnering over 3.3 million views and some 220,000 reactions on Facebook alone, as of writing.

On Twitter, where the video was re-uploaded by personal accounts and sapphic pages, it has totaled over a million views and over 200,000 likes across tweets.

"While watching, I couldn't help but go 'This is bold, McDo. Very nice.' because having something as BLATANT as a lesbian couple as the main lead of a Filipino ad is BIG," a Twitter user said.

"I cannot get over how cute the new Sapphic McDonald's commercial is," another fan said.

Even Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, who recently came out as bisexual, expressed her support for the romantic portrayal, quote-tweeting the video with a Pride flag.

For McDonald’s Philippines, inclusivity should be ingrained in the daily lives of people, according to corporate relations director Adi Hernandez.

“Despite its rare representation locally, it was important that this love story is depicted as a regular, everyday occurrence at McDonald’s Philippines. Gender inclusivity is ingrained in our brand experience from our customers to our employees," Hernandez said.

"No matter who you are, you are welcome and safe to come back here again and again – that’s what we wanted our audience to know. We wanted to do it right, and we wanted to make sure they (the actors) felt comfortable.”

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 56.26

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. - Eleanor Roosevelt