ABS-CBN 'FULLY COMPLIANT' WITH LABOR STANDARDS: DOLE EXEC

Two former workers testify vs ABS-CBN on labor issues

MANILA -- ABS-CBN Corp. complied with Philippine labor standards following a

routine inspection by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), an

official told congressmen hearing the shuttered broadcast network's

application for a new operating franchise on Monday.

"After finding of being fully compliant with the directive of the

department," Labor Undersecretary Ana Dione said the network was dropped as

respondent "in the matter of inspection conducted in its premises."

The inspection took place from July to September 2018 to audit ABS-CBN's

adherence to general labor standards, occupational and health standards, and

security of tenure, said Mark Nepomuceno, former head of ABS-CBN corporate

services group.

"ABS-CBN is fully compliant with labor laws," he said, citing the DOLE's

final order of inspection dated January 28 this year.

"Hindi sya nakitaan ng anumang violations."

Nepomuceno described the company as a "good employer," citing several

awards.

Rejecting the network's application for a new broadcast franchise, he said,

would jeopardize the livelihood of thousands of employees under ABS-CBN

Corp. and 16 other companies under the ABS-CBN Group.

NTC ADMITS ABS-CBN DIDN'T VIOLATE FRANCHISE WITH MULTIPLE TVPLUS PROGRAMS

MANILA--The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Monday admitted

that ABS-CBN Corp. did not violate the terms of its old franchise when it

introduced multiple programs through its TVplus digital boxes.

Digital television technology allows broadcast franchise holders to provide

up to 6 programs using a single 6 MHz frequency, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel

Cordoba told a joint congressional hearing on ABS-CBN's application for a

new operating franchise.

"Insofar as 6 programs in 1 channel is concerned, okay po yun (they're

okay)," he said.

Asked by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones if the network violated its franchise with

its multiple TVplus programs, Cordoba replied: "Wala po (There's none)."

A group of cable TV operators showed up at the hearing to oppose ABS-CBN's

franchise application, insisting on a supposed "one franchise, one channel"

rule.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin asked Cordoba to clarify if

ABS-CBN's previous 25-year franchise contained any provision that prohibited

the operation of multiple programs.

Cordoba said digital TV was not yet available when the franchise was granted

in 1995 through Republic Act No. 7966. "Baka hindi po yun na-forsee ng RA

7966," he said.

Aragones noted that ABS-CBN's previous franchise mentioned "frequency" and

not "channel."

Cordoba agreed and explained how advances in digital TV technology allowed

the more efficient use of an existing frequency.

Garbin asked: "But if there's no regulation, would you consider that there's

a violation of any law? An activity that has not been regulated, would you

consider that there's a violation even if it's not regulated?"

Cordoba said ABS-CBN should have waited for the implementing rules from NTC.

If found to have indeed committed a violation, ABS-CBN can be fined P200 for

every unauthorized offer of PPV, under the Public Service Act, he said.

'NO SURVIVORS FOUND' FROM PH FISHING BOAT AFTER COLLISION, CARGO SHIP AGENCY

SAYS

MANILA - The agency managing a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship on Tuesday

said the vessel's crew tried to search for survivors after it collided with

a fishing boat off Mamburao town in Occidental Mindoro on June 28.

AM Nomikos, which manages the bulk carrier MV Vienna Wood N, said in a

statement that as the cargo ship was sailing off the coast of Occidental

Mindoro, it crashed into an "object what they had thought to be a fishing

boat."

"Vienna Wood N stopped and the crew conducted an emergency damage

assessment. The collision was reported soon after to Maritime Rescue

Coordination Centre (MRCC), Manila," it said.

Due to the collision, AM Nomikos said the Vienna Wood crew had to conduct

damage assessment before returning to the location of the collision to

search for survivors.

"An overturned hull of what appeared to be a small vessel was spotted and

reported to the Coast Guard, no survivors have been found," it said.

AM Nomikos said Vienna Wood N remained in the area and waited for the

Philippine Coast Guard to arrive.

"Once the Coast Guard arrived, Vienna Wood N remained on scene until cleared

to sail to a nearby port for surveys and repairs of the damages she

sustained. She was escorted by the Coast Guard to Batangas Bay,

Philippines," it added.

The MV Vienna Wood N is a 55,768 dwt, Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier built

in 2011, according to AM Nomikos.

The agency said its managers, crew and other staff are "cooperating fully

with authorities" for the ongoing investigation.

"Our thoughts are very much with the missing individuals and with their

families," AM Nomikos said.

CEBU CITY SHOULD STAY UNDER STRICTEST LOCKDOWN: CIMATU

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte should keep Cebu City under the strictest

lockdown level to contain the increasing cases of the new coronavirus

disease in the city, his designated pandemic response leader there said

Tuesday.

Duterte from June 16 placed the urban center under enhanced community

quarantine (ECQ) which limits economic activity to utility services, food,

water and other essential sectors.

"We have to maintain pa rin itong quarantine level here. My recommendation

is that kailangan, per se, to stop the bleeding," Environment Secretary Roy

Cimatu told ANC.

Cebu City has the highest COVID-19 tally in the country, with 4,639 cases as

of Monday. Of this figure, 987 were tallied in the last 14 days, according

to the health department.

The city on Monday also tallied 13 deaths due to the respiratory disease,

its highest single-day COVID-19 fatality count. The national fatality rate

is at 10 to 12 deaths per day, said Cimatu.

He said he would also keep the "hard lockdown" of 12 barangays in Cebu City

with the most COVID-19 cases unless they show "dramatic improvement."

PALACE ON WHO REPORT: DUTERTE DOING HIS BEST

MANILA — President Duterte has urged critics to stop politicking while the

country is grappling with the pandemic, Malacañang said yesterday, as it

disputed a World Health Organization (WHO) report that the Philippines has

the fastest increase in infections in the Western Pacific.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the President was doing his best and

that while the governmentÂ’s response to coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19

was not perfect, the health crisis remains under control.

“Did the government make the right move? Our answer is yes. We are not

perfect. Perhaps we could have done better. But we are already here and one

thing I can assure you, the President did the very best that he can and we

are in control of the situation,” he said at a press briefing.

“You know, the President only has one message – stop politics during

COVID-19. But criticisms continue to be hurled at us and we have to respond

to them. They said there are shortcomings. We asked them what they are...

but they did not give any,” he added.

Roque said quarantine measures, including lockdowns, have spared the country

from having to deal with 3.6 million COVID-19 cases. “We imposed an enhanced

community quarantine and the growth of the cases slowed and we are capable

of treating those who are sick.”

The government also disputed WHO data stating that the Philippines has the

fastest increase in COVID-19 cases in the Western Pacific.

“We beg to disagree. If you look at the increase in the number of cases, it

should be in relation to your population. Why compare it to Singapore, which

has (a population of) five million? It’s just as big as one city,” Roque

said.

He claimed the Philippines would only be sixth behind India (549,197 cases),

Pakistan (202,955 cases), Bangladesh (137,787), Indonesia (54,010) and

Singapore (43,459) if one divides the cases with the population.

“It is clear that data do not lie. We are not the country with the fastest

increase in the number of cases in the Western Pacific region. We will let

the data respond to the report of WHO,” he stressed.

DUTERTE TO CONGRESS: NO IRREGULARITIES IN DA FERTILIZER DEAL

MANILA-- President Rodrigo Duterte reported to Congress on Monday that there

were no irregularities in the Department of Agriculture's purchase of urea

fertilizers as the Senate prepares to investigate claims of overpricing from

farmers' groups.

Duterte, in his 14th report to Congress on the government's pandemic

response, said the agriculture department reported that bidding for the

procurement of the fertilizers was transparent.

"As to the alleged overpricing in the procurement of urea fertilizer, the DA

has reported that the centralized fertilizer bidding is above board,

transparent, and has in fact brought urea prices down," the President said

in his June 29 report.

Farmers' group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) earlier alleged

that the DA bought overpriced fertilizers, upon comparing the results of

their canvass to the price ceiling set by the agency.

The group claimed that the DA could have saved P2.5 million if it bought

fertilizer for the commercial price of P850 a bag instead of P990.

The agriculture department however defended its procurement, saying the

awarded bidding price that ranged from P900 to P995 per bag is lower than

the national average price of urea fertilizer which was at P1,051 per bag as

of April this year.

The President added that the DA has improved its fertilizer distribution

system for transparency.

"The DA has taken the necessary measures to enhance the system of fertilizer

distribution, including geo-tagging, posting of all recipients or

beneficiaries, system digitization, and institution of an 'integrity

group'," Duterte said.

AT LEAST 122 CHILDREN KILLED IN GOVERNMENT’S DRUG WAR — REPORT

MANILA — At least 122 children have been killed in the government’s war on

drugs—often directly and deliberately targeted—two organizations said as

they called on the United Nations and other international bodies to take

action.

In a report released ahead of the three-week session of the UN Human Rights

Council, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the Philippine-based

ChildrenÂ’s Legal Rights and Development Center documented 122 killings of

children—aged one to 17 years old—between July 2016 and December 2019.

At least seven children have been also killed from January to March of this

year.

The non-governmental organizations fear that real figure of killed children

is higher.

“This number is a minimum: with parents and relatives often too afraid of

reprisals to report or testify, it is likely that the actual figures are

higher,” the report read.

They said children were directly targeted, sometimes for witnessing other

killings; killed as proxies when real targets could not be found; victims of

mistaken identity; or killed by stray bullets during police operations.

The report highlighted six cases, including that of a seven-year-old boy it

said was targeted because he had witnessed a shooting of another person.

“These revelations must be a wake-up call for the international community,

who has been largely absent as the Philippine government has kept trampling

human rights,” Gerald Staberock, OMCT secretary general, said in a release.

INTERNET ACCESS FOR 7,000 PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BE COMPLETED IN 10 MONTHS:

DUTERTE REPORT

MANILA-- President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday the provision of internet

access to some 7,000 public schools is expected to be completed in 10 months

even as distance learning is set to start in August.

The President, in his 14th report to Congress on the government's pandemic

response, said the Department of Education is procuring internet connection

for more public schools at a P700 million price tag.

"The target completion of the project, which costs P700 million, will be in

10 months," Duterte said in his June 29 report.

Earlier this month, President Duterte also reported that the Department of

Information and Communications Technology is working with education agencies

to provide free WiFi in schools.

He said the DICT directed its regional offices to coordinate with DepEd and

the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) "for the prompt installation and

deployment of the Free WiFi Internet Access Service."

Online learning is one of the modes of education delivery under the DepEd's

"blended" learning plan for the opening of classes of Aug. 24. It however

clarified that printed modules, radio, and television would also be used for

the education of students.

In-person classes have been prohibited to avoid exposing students and

teachers to the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

The month-long enrollment for the basic education level is set to end on

Tuesday.

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PALACE: RENAMING NAIA UP TO CONGRESS

MANILA — Malacañang is leaving it up to Congress to decide on the bill filed

by President DuterteÂ’s son, Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte, seeking to rename

the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Duterte co-sponsored House Bill 7031 along with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan

Jay Velasco and ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Go Yap. The measure aims to rename NAIA as

the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas.

“We are leaving that to Congress because a law is needed to change the name

of the NAIA,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.

Critics of the Duterte administration said the filing of the measure was

ill-timed as the country is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

Some sectors believed that the measure, which seeks to remove the name of

the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III was politically-motivated.

PHILIPPINES RECORDS 985 NEW COVID-19 CASES, TOTAL AT 36,485

The Department of Health on Monday reported 985 COVID-19 cases (643 "fresh"

cases and 432 "late" cases), pushing number of virus-infected persons in the

Philippines to 36,438.

The health department also confirmed 270 new recoveries, bringing the total

number of recovered patients to 9,956.

Meanwhile, the 11 additional reported deaths raised the national death toll

to 1,255.

COMELEC EXTENDS SUSPENSION OF VOTER REGISTRATION UNTIL AUGUST 31

MANILA — The Commission on Elections extended the suspension of voter

registration until the end of August due to rising COVID-19 infections in

the country.

In a statement posted by News5, Comelec said it extended the suspension of

voter registration, including satellite registration, until August 31.

“Our field personnel continue to outfit their existing offices and procurer

supplies in order to be COVID-19 ready. We are continuously refining our

guidelines and health safety protocols so that we do not contribute to the

further spread of the virus,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez was quoted

in the statement.

LTO SUSPENDS ISSUANCE OF STUDENT DRIVERÂ’S PERMIT

MANILA — The issuance of student driver’s permits will be suspended

beginning tomorrow, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced

yesterday.

LTO chief Edgar Galvante said students applying for a permit should undergo

the mandatory 15-hour theoretical driving course under the agency or any of

its accredited driving schools starting Aug. 3.

“Effective July 1, we will be suspending the issuance of student permits

because by August, we will be requiring applicants to go through 15 hours of

theoretical session first,” Galvante said.

The policy is pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. 2019-2176, which states

that the course should be completed within two years from the date of

enrollment.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has reported that

around 12,000 drivers in the National Capital Region committed an average of

three traffic violations weekly.

Galvante said the 15-hour theoretical session would tackle driving laws and

regulations.

Before getting behind the wheel, aspiring drivers have to apply for a

student permit at the LTO as a prerequisite in securing a non-professional

or professional driverÂ’s license.

For non-professional, a person must have had a studentÂ’s permit for at least

a month before applying for a driverÂ’s license. Those who are aiming to get

a professional license need to train for five months in order to legally

drive public utility vehicles.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VIC URGES VICO SOTTO TO COURT SAN MANUEL TARLAC MAYOR

MANILA — Kapuso TV host Vic Sotto played as a matchmaker between his son

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Tarlac Mayor Donya Tesoro, who are among the

country's youngest politicians.

In “Eat Bulaga’s” Bawal Judgmental segment last Saturday wherein the

contestants were mayors, the veteran comedian joked about calling the Pasig

mayor upon learning that the San Manuel, Tarlac mayor has no boyfriend and

suitor at the moment.

“May nanliligaw ba sa inyo ngayon?” Vic asked Donya.

“Hi Bossing! Parang wala. Parang ayaw naman nila sa akin,” the 28-year-old

mayor answered Vic.

Vic jokingly grabbed his phone and said, “Hello Vico! Hello? Diniretso ko

na.”

VicÂ’s co-hosts Paolo Ballesteros and Jose Manalo also interviewed Donya.

“Ano po ang type niyong boyfriend?” Paolo asked Donya.

‘Ako kasi hindi naman ako particular sa looks eh. Basta hindi babaero...

Siyempre ’yung maiintindihan ’yung trabaho ko,” she answered.

“Kailangan mayor din ’yung mapangasawa mo!” Jose said, asking if she has

time for love.

“Sa ngayon hindi siya priority. Kaya nga palagi kong nilalagay na

#notimeforlove,” she replied.

Last April, netizens were matching Vico and Donya on Twitter after both

millennial mayors exceeded expectations in handling the novel coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in their respective cities.

SPORTS

PBA: RANIDEL DE OCAMPO JOINS TNT AS ASSISTANT COACH

MANILA -- Ranidel de Ocampo is returning to the team where he spent the bulk

of his professional career -- but this time, in another capacity.

De Ocampo is now the newest member of the TNT KaTropa coaching staff, the

team confirmed to ABS-CBN News on Monday.

This comes after De Ocampo retired at the end of the 2019 PBA season, where

he played sparingly for the Meralco Bolts. De Ocampo played for the TNT

franchise from 2008 to 2017, helping them win six championships.

"Coach Ranidel brings us a wealth of experience and basketball knowledge

that will definitely help our team reach our aspirations for another

championship," TNT team manager Gabby Cui said in a statement.

A two-time Finals MVP and a nine-time All-Star, de Ocampo was also the Best

Player of the Conference in the 2014 PBA Governors' Cup. His ability to

stretch the floor as a power forward made him one of the most versatile big

men in the league during his prime.

De Ocampo was also a key player for the Philippine national team, and was a

part of the squad that won silver in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship.

He returns to a TNT squad that is eyeing its first PBA title since the 2015

PBA Commissioner's Cup, where De Ocampo was the Finals MVP.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as

being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick

the trait of persistence. - Richard M. Devos