SENATE EXPECTS DUTERTE TO SIGN BUDGET ON JANUARY 6MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is hopeful President Duterte will be ableto sign by Jan. 6 the P4.1-trillion national budget after Senate PresidentVicente Sotto III signed the final copy of the national spending program onFriday night.Sotto said the six-day delay in the signing of the 2020 national budget willhave no effect on the spending program of the government. He explained thatthe delay was due to longer printing period and to successive holidays aheadof Christmas and New Year.Sotto said the Senate will not attach any note of recommendation in theGeneral Appropriations Bill (GAB) that it would submit to President Duterte.“The President knows so there is no need for annotation. We have anunderstanding, period. That’s it,” said Sotto, without elaborating.He said he is not authorized to divulge other details.He stressed the budget process is transparent and whatever concerns theSenate has, the executive department is already aware of them.GOVERNMENT SELLING STAKE IN MVP-LED TOLLWAYS FIRMMANILA, Philippines — The government is bidding out its 20 percent stake inTollways Management Corp. (TMC) for P2.58 billion.In an invitation to submit offers for the negotiated sale of shares ofstock, the Privatization Office (PMO) said interested parties have untilMarch 16, 2020 to submit bids for the government’s 76,000 shares in TMC.TMC is the operator of the North Luzon expressway (NLEx), Subic-Clark-Tarlacexpressway (SCTEx), and Manila-Cavite expressway (CAVITEx) controlled bybusinessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.“The government shares are being offered at the minimum base price. Theprice is payable in cash and exclusive of any and all taxes. All taxes,fees, and expenses pursuant to or in relation to the sale shall be borne bythe buyer. Qualified offerors must submit an offer not lower than theminimum base price,” the PMO said.Each interested bidder must accomplish and submit to the PMO dispositioncommittee a letter of intent and duly notarized confidentiality agreementfrom Jan. 27 to Feb. 21 next year.Interested parties are also required to pay a non-refundable participationfee of P50,000 in the form of a manager’s check drawn on any reputable bankin Metro Manila acceptable to the PMO DC and payable to the order of the“Privatization and Management Office”.Upon compliance with the foregoing, the disposition committee shall issue toqualified bidders the negotiated sale package that includes theauthenticated specific rules on negotiated sale, as well as the drafttransaction documents.The qualified parties may conduct due diligence on TMC as well aspreliminary conference and one-on-one meetings.GOV'T, REDS AGREE TO PUSH FOR HOLIDAY CEASEFIREMANILA -- The government's peace panel and the National Democratic FrontPanel (NDFP) have agreed to recommend a nationwide ceasefire over theholidays following President Rodrigo Duterte's hint at a possible resumptionof peace negotiations.In a joint statement posted on social media by exiled communist leader JoseMaria Sison, the two parties said they recommended a "unilateral andreciprocal" ceasefire from 12 a.m. of Dec. 23 to 11:59 p.m. of Jan. 7."The ceasefires are intended to generate a positive environment conducive tothe holding of informal talks preparatory to the formal meeting to resumethe peace negotiations," it read."These shall be measures of goodwill and confidence building during thetraditional celebrations of Christmas and New Year holidays."Those who signed the statement were former chief negotiator, Labor SecretarySilvestre Bello III, government negotiator Hernani Barganza, NDFP senioradviser Luis Jalandoni, and NDFP chairperson Fidel Agcaoili.Malacañang earlier said the government is still keen on restarting peacenegotiations with communist rebels even after Duterte ordered the militaryto crush its armed wing, the New People's Army.Bello said government might restart stalled peace talks with communistrebels next month after the 2 sides iron out several "goodwill measures."ANGKAS SEEKS HELP TO KEEP 17,000 BIKERS AFTER LTFRB LIMITS MOTORCYCLE TAXIOPERATIONSMANILA - Motorcycle-hailing app Angkas on Saturday appealed to the public tohelp "save" some 17,000 drivers who are expected to lose their jobs afterthe government slashed more than half of the motorcycle taxi company'sworkforce.The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has deniedAngkas' petition to have more drivers, and instead limited themotorcycle-hailing app's drivers to 10,000 from 27,000."That's a compromise to the quality of service you can expect, and a directblow to 17,000 Filipino families," Angkas said in a statement."Bakit kailangan bawasan at tanggalan ng trabaho ang mga bikers natin? Bakitkailangan parusahan ang mga bikers na nakapag-training at napatunayan na anggaling sa daan?""Your everyday heroes in traffic will enter this Christmas season notknowing whether they will have money to feed their families next year."Angkas stressed the importance of having motorcycle taxis amid MetroManila's gridlock."The traffic in our thoroughfares is getting heavier each day, and there aremore and more commuters to serve as time goes by," it said."Kahit patawa at balasubas kami sa social media (While we are funny andcrass in social media), we prioritize the safety the safety of ourpassengers and the welfare of our bikers, which will now become harder to dowith these new rules."Angkas said it would mount a "unity gathering" in front of the People PowerMonument along EDSA White Plains early Sunday morning to protest the LTFRBpolicy.Several lawmakers have filed bills to legalize operations of motorcycletaxis in the Philippines."The demand for this service simply cannot be ignored," Sen. Sonny Angarasaid of the measure filed last September.DUTERTE, TOP GOV'T OFFICIALS' TRUST, APPROVAL RATINGS IMPROVE IN LASTQUARTER OF 2019MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte's trust and approval ratings soared inDecember, bouncing back from the "significant decline" his administrationsuffered in the previous quarter, according to a Pulse Asia survey releasedSaturday.Among those who participated in the December 3-8 survey, 87 percent approvedof Duterte's performance, an improvement of 9 percentage points from hisSeptember rating.Duterte, who hails from southern Philippines, received the highest approvalrating from respondents in Mindanao and Visayas, where he earned approvalratings of 98 and 93 percent, respectively.His approval rating from Luzon jumped 14 percentage points to 83 percent,but support from the capital region dropped to 78 percent, 2 percentagepoints lower than his marks last quarter.The President's trust ratings also improved to 83 percent, an upgrade of 9percentage points from his 74 percent grade in September.Nearly 100 percent of respondents from Mindanao said they trusted the ChiefExecutive. Duterte earned an 89 percent trust rating in Visayas, 78 percentin the national capital region, and 75 percent in Luzon.ROBREDO'S RATINGS ALSO UPVice President Leni Robredo's approval rating also rose to 58 percent, fromher previous 50 percent grade in September. The second-in-command's trustnumbers climbed 7 notches to 53 percent.Legislative leaders saw double-digit improvements in their scores in thelast quarter of 2019.Senate President Vicente Sotto III got an 84 percent approval and 78 percenttrust rating, while House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano's approval and trustscores were at 80 percent and 76 percent, respectively.'STRATOSPHERIC APPROVAL'Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo welcomed the development, sayingthe "stratospheric approval rating is unprecedented.""History tells us that no President has passed the midpoint of hispresidential term with such a high approval rating. It has always been adowntrend," Panelo said in a statement, noting that Duterte's disapprovalrating was "reduced to a measly 5 percent.""The figures of the survey graphically show how the Filipino people areunited in cementing their support to PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte),and in agreement with the government programs geared toward uplifting thesocial and economic condition of the masses of our people," he said.The ratings "mirror" the performance of the Duterte administration, thespokesman said.‘SLAIN NPAS TARGETED DUTERTE, OTHER OFFICIALS’MANILA, Philippines — The three men killed in an encounter with policeoperatives in Quezon City earlier this week were part of the team directedby the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to assassinate high-rankinggovernment officials, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday.Año claimed Eleuterio Agmaliw, Fredde Daileg and Lucio Carbonel were part ofthe special team deployed by the CPP-New People’s Army (NPA) to killofficials in their supposed hit list.“These NPA leaders are part of the special teams directed by the CPPleadership to assassinate senior government officials that include thePresident. But we got to them first and we will not stop until every one ofthem is arrested and brought before the bar of justice,” Año said in astatement.The three were killed in a shootout last Friday with policemen who wereabout to arrest them on charges of destructive arson, murder, frustratedmurder and rebellion.Officials said Agmaliw and Daileg were high-ranking NPA leaders.Carbonel, on the other hand, was supposedly a liaison of the NPA in Manilaand the owner of the safe house in Barangay Damong Maliit, Novaliches,Quezon City.Lawmen recovered an M-16 rifle, a .38 revolver, a .45 pistol and an MK2 handgrenade.Three other people who were in the safehouse were also arrested to facecharges of obstruction of justice and harboring wanted persons.Año warned communist rebels have no place to hide.“As I promised, we will get you first even before you get near us. There isno safe place for you in Metro Manila and in any urban center around thecountry. If I were you, I better give up before it’s too late,” he said.INTER-AGENCY BODY DENIES ANGKAS' CLAIM, SAYS MORE 'MOTOR TAXIS' TO JOINPILOT RUNMANILA -- An inter-agency body on Saturday belied claims that fewermotorcycle taxis will be made available to the public and said it added morebikers from 2 other firms to avoid Angkas' monopolization.This after Angkas appealed to the public to help "save" some 17,000 driverswho are expected to lose their jobs after government limited themotorcycle-hailing app's drivers to 10,000 from 27,000.In a statement, the inter-agency body described Angkas' statement as "untrueand without basis," saying there will be a total of 39,000 motorcycle taxiriders, including bikers from Move-it and Joy Ride, who will join the pilotrun from the original 27,000 Angkas riders.“Nagdagdag tayo ng dalawang TNCs (transportation network companies) upanghindi ma-monopolize ang mga datos ng mga kalahok sa pag-aaral na ito,” saidAntonio Gardiola Jr., chairman of the inter-agency for motorcycle taxis.“Hindi ekonomiya o kita o trabaho ng mga riders ang pinag-aaralan dito kayakailangan 'yung angkop sa pinagaaralan ang kailangan talakayin sa mgausapin."The inter-agency body had extended the duration of the motorcycle taxis'pilot run from Dec. 23 to March 23, 2020.Thousands of Angkas riders gathered Sunday at the People Power Monument toexpress their grievances against the inter-agency's ruling.George Royeca, Angkas' chief transport advocate for Angkas, questioned thebody's decision despite the company's high performance.“Paano po nangyari 'yun? 'Yun ang gusto natin malaman," he said.REFORMS SOUGHT AS PALACE LAMENTS MASSACRE INJUSTICEMANILA, Philippines — Citing the agony of the 56 accused in the Maguindanaomassacre case who had to spend years behind bars before being acquitted,presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo has called for reforms in thecountry’s judicial system that would speed up court processes and ensureprotection for the innocent.Panelo lamented how the lives of those acquitted had been wasted in the lastdecade while their families suffered in anguish and humiliation.Their acquittal, Panelo said, would never be enough to ease the dire effectsof their incarceration, as the families of many of them have becomedysfunctional and targets of humiliation.“This is an injustice that cannot be countenanced or continue. It must notfind print ever again in the pages of our history as a nation,” he said.While last Thursday’s promulgation on the Maguindanao massacre case was atriumph of the rule of law, Panelo said it has also proven “that there areserious flaws in our justice system long existing and must be rectified, ifwe are to be faithful to the rule of law and due process as enshrined in ourConstitution.”While the efforts of the prosecutors are commendable, Panelo said he hadpersonally witnessed how an individual had been accused of wrongdoingwithout proper evidence. He did not name the individual.“A major cause of this aberration is the filing of charges before the courtagainst any accused even if the evidence presented before the investigatingpublic prosecutor cannot sustain a conviction of an accused of a crime to beproven beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.TROPICAL DEPRESSION MAY DAMPEN CHRISTMAS IN MINDANAOMANILA – Some parts of the country may experience a rainy Christmas day astwo weather systems are currently being observed close to the Philippines.In its latest advisory, state weather bureau PAGASA said a new tropicaldepression off Mindanao is expected to enter the Philippine area ofresponsibility (PAR) by Monday and is forecast to make landfall betweenEastern Visayas and Caraga region on Christmas day.As of 11 a.m., Pagasa said the tropical depression was last spotted 1,885kilometers east of Mindanao. It will be named "Ursula" when it enters PARbetween Sunday night and Monday morning."Beginning Tuesday (24 December), moderate to occasionally heavy rains mayprevail over Visayas and northeastern Mindanao," PAGASA said.The tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers perhour near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph.At the moment, it has no direct effect on any part of the country.Meanwhile, the low pressure area inside PAR was located at 410 kilometerseast southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 10 a.m.It will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Caraga and theprovinces of Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley).Residents living in low-lying areas are advised to take appropriate measuresagainst possible flooding and landslides.RODJUN CRUZ, DIANNE MEDINA TIE THE KNOT AT MANILA CATHEDRALMANILA—After more than a decade of being together, actor Rodjun Cruz finallytied the knot with longtime girlfriend, actress and TV anchor Dianne Medina,at Manila Cathedral on Saturday.Co-actor Matteo Guidicelli and "Star Circle Quest" finalist Joross Gamboashared photos of the newlyweds during the ceremony in a series of Instagramstories.Various political personalities including San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora,Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles and Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go were alsoamong the attendees.Cruz and Medina were engaged in October 2017 in Boracay, after being in arelationship for more than a decade.Nearly a year later in 2018, they announced that the wedding would be onDec. 21, 2019."Para mas makaipon pa,” Cruz said."Kasi gusto namin, di ba festive 'pag Pasko tapos may mga kamag-anak na nasaibang bansa na uuwi. Tapos ang gusto talaga namin 23, kaso hindi siyaSaturday. Kasi 'yung monthsary namin 23. Malapit na sa Pasko so bakamaraming hindi makapunta so tinarget namin na 21," he told entertainmentsite PEP.PBA: BASER AMER, MERALCO TOP TNT, FORCE SEMIS DECIDERAllen Durham tallied 36 points and Baser Amer scored 10 of his 12 points ina solid fourth quarter, as Meralco beat TNT 95-83 in the 2019 PBA Governors'Cup at Ynares Center in Antipolo on Saturday.The result sends their best-of-5 semifinals series to a deciding game onMonday at the same venue, with the winner facing Barangay Ginebra in thetitle series.Chris Newsome added 10 points and 9 rebounds for Meralco, while Durhamregistered 15 rebounds and 5 assists and Amer tacked 7 assists and 4 stealsto go with 2 3-pointers.Meralco was down by as many as 13, 17-4 in the first quarter, and was behindby 10 points early in the second quarter, before a balanced effort keyed a25-9 run that put the Bolts in the driver's seat 51-45 at halftime.Coach Norman Black and co. never relinquished the lead, but they weren't incontrol of the game either.They were up just 73-71 to start the fourth quarter, until Amer hit a3-pointer and a layup that gave Meralco a cushion it maintained the rest ofthe way.KJ McDaniels led 5 TNT starters in double-digit scoring with 26 points, andTroy Rosario added 15 points for the KaTropa.NBA SCORES DEC 20FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Grizzlies 10-19    27    24    36    20    107team logo Cavaliers 8-21    25    30    26    33    114SCORING LEADERSJ. Jackson Jr. MEM24 PTS, 3 REB, 1 ASTJ. Clarkson CLE33 PTS, 6 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Kings 12-16    32    25    22    26    105team logo Pacers 20-9    30    38    24    27    119SCORING LEADERSR. Holmes SAC20 PTS, 9 REB, 0 ASTT. Warren IND23 PTS, 4 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Wizards 8-19    23    29    33    33    118team logo Raptors 20-8    40    28    28    26    122SCORING LEADERSB. Beal WAS37 PTS, 7 REB, 6 ASTK. Lowry TOR26 PTS, 4 REB, 9 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pistons 11-18    26    22    21    24    93team logo Celtics 19-7    28    32    31    23    114SCORING LEADERST. Maker DET15 PTS, 7 REB, 0 ASTJ. Brown BOS26 PTS, 5 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Suns 11-17    23    27    41    17    108team logo Thunder 14-14    26    31    44    25    126SCORING LEADERSR. Rubio PHO24 PTS, 2 REB, 8 ASTS. Gilgeous-Alexander OKC32 PTS, 4 REB, 3 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Knicks 7-22    20    27    27    40    114team logo Heat 21-8    39    31    28    31    129SCORING LEADERSB. Portis NY30 PTS, 8 REB, 2 ASTB. Adebayo MIA20 PTS, 8 REB, 3 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Mavericks 19-9    35    28    25    29    117team logo 76ers 20-10    28    29    20    21    98SCORING LEADERST. Hardaway Jr. DAL27 PTS, 4 REB, 1 ASTJ. Embiid PHI33 PTS, 17 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Timberwolves 10-17    20    31    24    25    100team logo Nuggets 19-8    33    28    21    27    109SCORING LEADERSA. Wiggins MIN19 PTS, 3 REB, 6 ASTJ. Murray DEN28 PTS, 6 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Magic 12-17    13    31    31    28    103team logo Trail Blazers 13-16    31    26    36    25    118SCORING LEADERS    N. Vucevic ORL23 PTS, 12 REB, 1 AST    D. Lillard POR36 PTS, 3 REB, 6 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pelicans 7-23    16    28    37    21    102team logo Warriors 6-24    31    25    22    28    106SCORING LEADERS    J. Holiday NO25 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST    D. Russell GS25 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST