PHILIPPINES HIGHLIGHTS 'CONCRETE' CLIMATE EFFORTS IN COP26, BUT GROUPS SAY GOV'T SHOULD DO MORE

GLASGOW, United Kingdom — The Philippines said it is “moving ahead with urgency” in cutting its greenhouse gas emissions through localized climate change interventions and transition from coal to clean energy, but experts and observers want the government to do more.

In a speech delivered during the high-level segment of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) on Tuesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez enumerated “concrete actions” to demonstrate its so-called leadership in fighting climate change.

Dominguez leads the government's 19-member delegation to COP26, which is billed as humanity's last, best chance to keep global temperature rise under control.

In a national statement delivered at the Scottish Event Campus, the finance chief cited the government’s new panel of technical experts on climate change, which is composed of scientists, and medical and disaster risk reduction from different regions who will implement programs on climate change in their localities.

“We shifted from theorizing about climate change to executing practical adaptation and mitigation projects on the ground,” Dominguez said.

He also mentioned the government’s sustainable financial roadmap that sets the guiding principles that will create the environment for greener policies, as well as the energy transition mechanism facility, which aims to fund the early retirement of coal-fired power plants and replace them with renewable energy alternatives.

“We have very high expectations for COP26 to become not just merely an annual platform for discussion, but a catalyst for concrete action plans. It’s time to do some actual work on the ground and build a framework for climate justice,” Dominguez said, as he called on the world’s biggest polluters to finance the grants, investments and subsidies needed by climate vulnerable nations.

Environmental lawyer Tony La Viña called the national statement “good” as it presented justifications to the claim the country is a leader in fighting climate change.

But are the government’s commitments good enough? No, La Viña said, noting more work needs to be done on agriculture and forestry.

“We signed up to the methane pledge and need to back that up with targets and actions. Same with forestry. We signed up to the deforestation pledge but forest actions are not even in our NDC,” said La Viña, associate director for climate policy and international relations of Manila Observatory.

PH ECONOMY COULD GROW 6.8 PCT IN 2022 AFTER 'RESILIENT' Q3: FITCH RATINGS

MANILA - Following a 7.1 percent growth in the third quarter, the Philippine economy's fourth quarter growth could also be better than expected, Fitch Ratings director of APAC Sovereigns Sagarika Chandra told ANC Thursday.

Chandra said the firm also revised upwards its 2022 forecast for the Philippine economy to 6.8 percent from 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Fitch Solutions on Wednesday raised the outlook for the year to 4.5 percent from from 4.2 percent while downgrading the 2022 forecast to 6.5 percent from the earlier 6.8 percent.

The government estimates that the economy could grow 4 to 5 percent this year, downgraded from its initial target.

Rebounding back to pre-pandemic level could happen in as early as first quarter of 2022, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua earlier said.

DUTERTE TOLD TO STOP 'PROTECTING CRONIES' INVOLVED IN PHARMALLY DEALS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte should stop protecting his "cronies" who benefitted from Pharmally Pharmaceuticals' anomalous deals with government, a senator said Thursday.

Duterte on Tuesday said Pharmally officials who evaded tax collection must be put behind bars. He earlier told the Senate to stop its investigation into the firm's questionable deals with government and ordered Cabinet members to refrain from appearing in Senate hearings.

The President is shifting towards "damage control," according to Senator Risa Hontiveros.

"May he take a step forward to stop defending his officials and cronies na malamang sa hindi nakinabang din sa dubious transactions. Di maglalakas ng loob ang Pharmally officials kung wala silang kasabwat sa kusina," she told ANC's Headstart.

"He doesn’t need to tell us we can cause their imprisonment kasi talagang kapaki-pakinabang ang investigations ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee."

Aside from the allegedly anomalous pandemic supply deals with government, key officials of Pharmally did not file their income tax returns (ITR) last year and the years prior, according to information provided by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Some P3.4 billion out of P7.2-billion purchases that the firm declared to the Bureau of Internal Revenue were supposedly undeclared, according to BIR consultant Mon Abrea.

Abrea noted that their summary list of purchases is P3.2 billion, while their summary list of importation is only P600 million.

DUTERTE, PACQUIAO HOLD 'FRIENDLY TALKS' AFTER PUBLIC SPAT

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday held a "friendly" meeting, months after their public rift started.

Malacañang confirmed this on Wednesday, saying that Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go requested the meeting of both officials.

Go, a close ally of Duterte, said the two had a short talk and "renewal of friendship."

"Walang politika. Important nagkausap sila ni PRRD. Kami naman ni Manny, kaibigan naman kami ni kumpare," he said.

According to Pacquiao's camp, the two discussed "certain matters related to people’s interest and Mindanao development, specifically infrastructure and power industry."

Relationship between the two soured after Pacquiao criticized Duterte's policy on the South China Sea, and accused the health department of graft and corruption activities.

Duterte, in turn, said he would expose the senator as a liar "daily", if the latter fails to name corrupt officials.

Pacquiao is running for president under a faction in the ruling party PDP-Laban. The PDP-Laban wing of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who "kicked out" the senator from the party, said they want Duterte to run for the Senate.

COMELEC MAY DECLARE 205 ASPIRANTS AS 'NUISANCE CANDIDATES'

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) wants to declare as nuisance candidates 205 out of 299 individuals who filed candidacies for president, vice president, and senator for Halalan 2022.

During a Laging Handa briefing Wednesday, Comelec Education and Information Department Director Elaiza Sabile-David said their Law Department has already filed the petitions.

"For the position of president meron pong 82 petitions na finile ang Comelec, 15 for vice president, and 108 for those who filed for senator," Sabile-David said.

During the period of the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for next year's polls:

Based on the Comelec data, 97 filed certificate of candidacy (COC) for president; 28 filed for vice president; and 174 filed for senator.

Under Comelec's rule of procedure, a candidate can be considered a nuisance if he or she:

• wants to put election process in mockery or disrepute

• wants to cause confusion among voters

• clearly demonstrated to have no bona fide intention to run

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez previously said that the final list of names that would appear on the official 2022 ballots should be finalized by December.

DOLE MULLS RAISING NURSES, HEALTH WORKERS DEPLOYMENT CAP

MANILA - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday said there is another call to increase the cap on the deployment of Filipino healthcare workers abroad.

“Meron na namang panawagan ang mga healthcare workers kung maaari dagdagan. Sabi ko teka muna kausapin ko muna ulit yung PRC (Professional Regulations Commission), yung Philippine Nurses Association at Department of Health kung kaya pang magpadala ng additional healthcare workers,” said DOLE Chief Silvestre Bello III.

The Philippine government raised the annual cap of nurses and other healthcare workers seeking work abroad from 5,000 to 6,500. The limit was set to ensure that the country has enough workers if the COVID-19 pandemic persists.

“Naabot na natin yung limitation,” he said.

“That’s why we’re very careful about the deployment,” he added.

Bello said Filipino nurses look for overseas jobs as the pay there is much higher compared to what they are receiving in the country.

"Hindi natin masisisi ating mga healthcare workers kung gusto nilang mangibang bansa para makakuha naman sila ng sahod,” he said.

Bello also added that foreign employers prefer to hire Filipino healthcare workers.

“Ang ating nurses are the most preferred medical worker sa buong mundo. Germany nga lang ilang beses na akong kinukulit ng ambassador nila. They need 15,000 nurses and healthcare workers kaya lang sabi ko hindi namin kaya yan,” he said.

PHILIPPINES SEEKS $500 MILLION LOAN FOR BOOSTERS

MANILA — The Philippines is seeking $500 million (about P25 billion) in fresh loans from two multilateral banks for the procurement of additional COVID-19 vaccines.

This new funding will be sourced from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

Based on the project document released by AIIB, a total of $553.66 million is needed to finance the Second Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit COVID-19 under the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility Project (HEAL 2).

Of the total project cost, $250 million (about P12.5 billion) each will be funded by ADB and AIIB while the remaining $53.66 million (P2.68 billion) will be shouldered by the government.

Financing approval is expected this fourth quarter while the estimated date of loan closing is September 2024.

The fresh $500 million in loans form part of the $900 million (roughly P45.5 billion) which Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said is being secured for booster shots.

CARLOS NAMED NEW PNP CHIEF

MANILA — President Duterte has appointed a former national police spokesman as the next chief of the country’s 200,000-strong police force.

Lt. Gen. Dionardo Carlos, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988, will assume office as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief on Nov. 13. Duterte signed his appointment paper yesterday.

“We confirm that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed today, Nov. 10, 2021, the appointment of Dionardo Bernardo Carlos as the new Chief of the Philippine National Police, effective Nov. 13, 2021,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

“We are confident that Gen. Carlos will continue making the PNP a professional, capable and reform-oriented organization that we envision it to be. We wish Gen. Carlos all the best as the new PNP chief,” he added.

Carlos will succeed Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Saturday. He is the chief of the PNP’s directorial staff, the fourth highest post in the police force.

The incoming police chief served as director for integrated police operations in the Visayas and in Southern Luzon. He also led the Highway Patrol Group, the information and communication technology management and police community relations directorates, and the Aviation Security Group.

Carlos was the PNP spokesman during the time of former police chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa.

IMMIGRATION WARNS OF FAKE AGENTS HARASSING FOREIGN NATIONALS

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration has warned foreign nationals in the country of individuals posing as personnel of the agency to harass them.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has issued an advisory after the bureau received reports of fake BI employees that harass and sometimes extort foreign nationals in the country.

“A victim sent us a letter for verification of a notice he received via courier, inviting him to the BI office in connection to a purported investigation, lest be charged and deported,” Morente said.

The letter was signed by a certain Special Agent Juanito Balmas, but BI records showed that he is not their employee.

Morente said the victim was asked to appear to the BI office on Saturday, but the bureau’s offices are closed during weekends.

“We suspect that whoever was trying to harass him will meet him nearby and possibly extort money from him,” he said.

Morente clarified that legal notices sent to foreign nationals in the country bear the bureau’s official letterhead and are signed by their legitimate employees. Should the public wish to verify communication sent to them, they may also reach BI offices through contract information found on their website in this link.

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QUEZON CITY COVID-19 CASES DOWN – OCTA

MANILA — The COVID-19 situation in Quezon City has further improved, with the average number of new cases already close to last year’s figures, the OCTA Research Group reported yesterday.

OCTA said the average number of new COVID cases in the city dropped from over 1,100 per day during the peak of the surge last September to only 104 cases from Nov. 2 to 8.

The number inched closer to less than 100 COVID cases recorded daily during the same period last year.

The reproduction rate, which measures the number of individuals that a COVID-positive person can infect, also dropped to 0.38 from 0.77 in 2020.

“We are very happy about this report. These numbers prove how well the city government has focused on COVID-19 response throughout this pandemic,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“Even though there are surges, like in the rest of the country, the city government has managed the virus transmission to be able to decrease the number of cases,” Belmonte added.

“We remind every QCitizen to still practice basic health protocols, especially minors who are now allowed to go out. While many are already protected by the vaccine, we can still get infected,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City government will construct a 12-story socialized housing that is expected to benefit hundreds of poor families.

Belmonte led the groundbreaking of the housing project, which will have over 200 units, in Barangay Balingasa last Friday.

She also led local officials in the inauguration, blessing and turnover of a three-story housing project in the same barangay.

ISKO SAYS UNBOTHERED BY SARA DUTERTE'S WITHDRAWAL FROM DAVAO MAYORAL RACE

MANILA — Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer, said he is unbothered by news that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has withdrawn her bid for reelection, a move that could signal a run for higher office.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest daughter did not state any reasons for her withdrawal on Tuesday, but this did not stop speculations that she will be seeking a national post.

"I don’t care about what they want to do with their politics. We're not involved with the group, and we are not part of their politics," he was quoted as saying by ABS-CBN News at the sidelines of an event in Pilar, Bataan.

Domagoso has been critical of some of the Duterte administration's policies, particularly on pandemic response. In the past, he had expressed support for other policies, including the "war on drugs." He said then that only President Duterte had "tried to confront" illegal drugs.

SAN JUAN CINEMAS SAFE FOR MOVIEGOERS – ZAMORA

MANILA — San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora yesterday led the inspection of cinemas in the city to check compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

Moviehouses in Metro Manila reopened yesterday after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) eased the region’s quarantine restrictions under Alert Level 2.

“I know how Filipinos miss watching movies in cinemas, which have been shut down for almost two years due to the pandemic, but now the long wait is over,” Zamora said after he inspected moviehouses at Greenhills Promenade.

He said people should take extra precaution and observe safety protocols amid the threat of COVID-19 despite the easing of restrictions.

“I want to make sure that cinemas in San Juan are safe not only for the moviegoers but for the employees of these establishments as well,” Zamora said.

The government has allowed the reopening of cinemas, spas, parks and other leisure establishments under Alert Level 2.

Under the IATF guidelines, moviehouses can operate at 50 percent capacity, but only those who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter.

Moviegoers are prohibited from eating inside the cinemas.

DFA TAKES DOWN PASSPORT TRACKER SITE

MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has taken down its online passport tracker system over privacy issues that might expose the personal data of thousands of Filipinos.

The DFA said it was made aware of the data privacy issue involving the platform, which was launched last September to allow applicants to view the status of their passport application.

A report cited a misconfigured system, which allows the public to access the data.

The DFA said its Information Technology Unit is looking into the circumstances surrounding the issue and is taking appropriate measures to secure the data that may have been exposed.

“An internal audit will be conducted to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” the DFA said.

The DFA has yet to confirm if personal data of passport applicants were exposed.

The agency assured the public that it continues to prioritize the privacy of the data it handles in accordance with the Data Privacy Act.

The DFA said it is working with the National Privacy Commission in resolving the issue.

THOUSANDS DISPLACED IN DAVAO FLOODING

DAVAO CITY — Thousands of residents evacuated their homes as floods hit parts of this city due to heavy rains and caused the Davao River to swell in the past two days.

As of 10 a.m. yesterday, residents of Jade Valley subdivision were stranded on the rooftop of their homes.

Maa Gravahan, El Rio Vista Phase 5, Matina Gravahan, Pag-asa Bankerohan and San Antonio Bacaca were the other areas submerged in floodwaters.

Rescuers of the Davao City 911 Emergency Response Center and other volunteer groups responded to calls of residents trapped in their houses.

The city government provided food and other relief goods to affected residents, who fled to evacuation centers.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES NOV 9

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

Bucks5-6          30        31        30        27        118

76ers8-4           39        19        35        16        109

WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA

SCORING LEADERS

G. Antetokounmpo MIL

31 PTS 16 REB 4 AST

T. Maxey PHI

31 PTS 5 REB 4 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

Hawks4-8         28        22        30        18        98

Jazz8-3 30        32        33        15        110

VIVINT ARENA, SALT LAKE CITY, UT

SCORING LEADERS

K. Huerter ATL

28 PTS 3 REB 3 AST

D. Mitchell UTA

27 PTS 3 REB 5 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

Trail Blazers5-6 26        29        24        30        109

Clippers6-4       33        23        27        34        117

STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

SCORING LEADERS

D. Lillard POR

27 PTS 5 REB 6 AST

P. George LAC

24 PTS 9 REB 7 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.06

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do. - Jane Austen