SENATE PASSES RECORD 166 BILLS ON THIRD READING IN A SINGLE DAY

 

 

 

MANILA — The Senate said it approved a record 166 bills on third reading on Monday, the most number of measures it cleared in a single day in the past ten years.

 

Many of the bills call for the creation of state universities and colleges, primary and secondary schools, hospitals, and marine hatcheries; and the establishment of provincial offices for the Commission on Higher Education, the Land Transportation Office, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

 

"I thank our presiding officer, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his guidance and leadership, allowing us to become incredibly productive. And I thank all our colleagues for diligently studying and voting on each and every measure," Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who led the approval of the bills, said in a statement on late Tuesday.

 

"I can say without a doubt that this Senate body has been one of the most hardworking groups in Senate history," he added.

 

Nine out of 166 measures have national applications. Some of these include: the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act, the COVID-19 Benefits and Allowances for Health Workers Act, the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, and the Act declaring Aug. 30 as National Press Freedom Day in honor of Filipino journalist Marcelo H. Del Pilar.

 

Also passed were nine bills of national application including Strengthening Protection Against Trafficking in Persons, Granting COVID-19 Benefits to Health Workers, Promoting the Rights of Abandoned Children, Amendments to the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. Charter, Providing Compensation for the Loss of Properties in the Marawi Siege, Regulating the Use of Vintage Automobiles, Creating a Second Congressional Commission on Education, Institutionalizing the Extended Producer Responsibility and Declaring Aug. 30 as National Press Freedom Day.

 

Once a bill is cleared on the third reading, it is submitted to the House of Representatives for consideration.

 

When both chambers give their final approval, the measure will be signed by the speaker of the House and the Senate president.

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE PASSES MOTORCYCLE TAXI BILL

 

 

 

MANILA — The House of Representatives has passed a measure legalizing and regulating motorcycle ride-hailing services in the country.

 

Congressmen decided unanimously in hybrid plenary session on Monday to approve on third and final reading House Bill 10571, a consolidated version of 18 bills that seek to make motorcycle taxi services a public transport option.

 

One hundred eighty-nine House members voted to pass the bill that will grant motorcycle taxis and delivery services a franchise from the government and will also benefit riders through fare regulation.

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE GIVES FRANCHISES TO MORE TELCOS, BROADCAST FIRMS

 

 

 

MANILA — The Senate approved on third and final reading on Monday several bills granting telecommunications and broadcast companies legislative franchises.

 

Sponsored by Senate committee on public services chair Sen. Grace Poe, the approved measures from the House of Representatives sought the grant and renewal of legislative franchises to institutions and companies to be able to operate in various parts of the country.

 

These include House bills proposing to expand the franchise granted to the Davao City government for its radio broadcasting stations as well as franchises for Mt. Apo Science Foundation College Inc., Capricom Broadcasting Network Corp., Amapola Broadcasting System, South Cotabato Communications Corp., Prime Broadcasting Network Inc., National Council of Churches in the Philippines and GVM Radio/TV Corp.

 

Also approved were the franchises for Ismo Inc. Aspire Media Technologies and Ventures Inc., Linkserve Telecommunications Network Inc., Derecho Telecommunications Inc., Unicorn Communications Corp., Purple Flower Telecommunication Corp., Calapan Telephone System Inc., Bicol Telephone and Telegraph Inc., Lukban Telephone System Inc., Continental Telecommunications System Inc., Victorias Telephone System Inc. and General Telephone System Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

PHILIPPINE DEBT HITS P11.73 TRILLION IN 2021, DEBT-TO-GDP RATIO AT 60.5 PERCENT

 

 

 

MANILA - The Philippine national government ended 2021 with a total outstanding debt of P11.73 trillion, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio slightly higher for the year, data from the Bureau of Treasury released Tuesday showed.

 

For the month of December, total debt decreased 1.7 percent due to net redemption of domestic securities, the BTr said in a statement.

 

Debt-to-GDP ratio was at 60.5 percent, higher compared to the 54.6 percent in 2020 "but still within accepted sustainable threshold as the economy continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic," the BTr said.

 

Domestic debt in December was at P8.17 trillion, lower by 3.2 percent compared to the previous month as the repayment of the P540 billion provisional advance from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas outpaced the net issuance of government securities, data showed.

 

For the full year, domestic debt grew 22 percent in line with the borrowing program that favors domestic issuance to mitigate foreign exchange risks and support local capital market development, Treasury said.

 

External debt, meanwhile, rose 1.9 percent at P67.81 billion in December compared to the previous month, data showed.

 

The Bureau said the increase in external borrowing for the month was due to the impact of peso depreciation against the US dollar amounting to P40.87 billion and the net availment of external obligations worth P33.83 billion.

 

In 5 and a half years, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has nearly doubled the country's debt from P5.95 trillion at the end of June 2016.

 

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has said the next administration will see the country’s debt rise to around 63 percent to 64 percent of its GDP, from just 29 percent in 2019.

 

To bring the debt level to around 40 percent of GDP, the Philippines will need to grow 6 to 6.5 percent per year, he said.

 

 

 

 

 

'PUBLIC FUNDS PLUNDERED': SENATE COMMITTEE SEEKS RAPS VS DUQUE, PHARMALLY EXECS

 

 

 

MANILA — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has recommended the filing of charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and other officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. for allegedly plundering public funds meant to address the pandemic, a preliminary report showed on Tuesday.

 

The Senate committee also recommended charges against other key individuals tagged in the probe —former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, former budget undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, and Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Liong, a former director at the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

 

In its partial report, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee said senators found that "public funds (were) plundered as the Filipino people struggled" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The panel said the government "favored an unqualified, undercapitalized company" that was assisted by China-based businessman Yang, President Rodrigo Duterte's former economic adviser.

 

Yang earlier denied the claims and said he only introduced "friends" to Pharmally executives to aid in the pandemic supply deals with PS-DBM.

 

Duterte, on the other hand, "betrayed public trust" as he also continued to defend the personalities "close to him" who are also linked in the deals, the Blue Ribbon Committee said.

 

"Instead of ensuring that crucial supplies were made available, the public servants who were supposed to be responsible for the people’s welfare lined their pockets, acquiring grossly overpriced equipment for stockpiling, favoring an unqualified, under capitalized company," the preliminary report signed by committee chairman Sen. Richard Gordon read.

 

"[They were] exceedingly assisted by the foreign citizen Presidential Adviser on the economy who turned out to be so influential in the critical acquisition of supplies favoring his supplier-friends abroad," it added.

 

The panel also recommended filing charges against a certain Dickson Panti for allegedly violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

 

Senators also said Lin, Yang, and Qing Jin Ke should be deported for being "undesirable aliens."

 

The panel is also seeking estafa charges against Mago and Mohit Dargani while Lao and Liong, the lawmakers said, should be charged with Frauds Against the PublicTreasury and Similar Offenses.

 

Senators have said that Pharmally won some P11 billion in government contracts from 2020 to 2021 for face masks and COVID-19 test kits even if it was only incorporated in 2019 and only had a capital of about P625,000.

 

The committee also blasted Duterte for intervening in their investigation and for his failure to go after those being tagged in the anomalies.

 

"Unfortunately, based on the President’s own behavior, one cannot help but conclude that he was aware of, allowed, and condoned the misdeeds of his closest associates and appointees. For this, he must be held accountable," the partial report read.

 

Senators also questioned Duterte's intent for defending the people close to him— notably Lao and Yang — and for issuing an order barring executive officials from attending the Senate hearing.

 

The committee also said Duterte discredited the Commission on Audit's findings and the Senate's mandate to investigate such matters "and in doing so attempting to render inutile the Senate’s role in investigating corruption."

 

The committee described the government deals as "premeditated" with Lao designated as the "concertmaster."

 

Malacañang cannot yet comment on the committee report as it has yet to receive a copy and the document has not been adopted by the Senate, said acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles.

 

 

 

 

 

'LENDING MONEY NOT A CRIME': LAWMAKER DEFENDS MICHAEL YANG

 

 

 

A party-list lawmaker on Wednesday came to the defense of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang after the Senate Blue Ribbon draft report recommended the filing of charges against Yang and several others for their role in the government's billion-peso supply contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp.

 

House Committee on Good Government chairperson and Diwa Rep. Mike Aglipay said the Senate Blue Ribbon draft report has no evidence to support charges against some of the individuals.

 

"The Senate Blue Ribbon report walang evidence to support the other charges. Example is Michael Yang. He is not liable in this Pharmally case. He is just a financier and lending money is not a crime," he said in a statement.

 

Pharmally bagged at least P11 billion worth of contracts with the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service despite having a paid-up capital of only P625,000 in 2019.

 

Pharmally chairperson Huang Tzu Yen earlier told senators the company had to borrow money from Yang to finance the procurement of face masks and RT-PCR test kits.

 

"We did receive Mr. Michael Yang's help. We borrowed money from him. Since we were not able to finance these things, he offered to lend us the money so we will be able to pay for it. We will pay him back once we receive the money from the government," he said.

 

 

 

 

 

NEARLY 100 EX-GOV'T OFFICIALS OF AQUINO ADMIN BACK ROBREDO'S PRESIDENTIAL BID

 

 

 

MANILA — Nearly a hundred former government officials, mostly who served during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III. Have endorsed the run of Vice President Leni Robredo.

 

Ninety-five cabinet officials and military chiefs expressed support for Robredo’s presidential bid in the 2022 national elections. More than 20 retired ambassadors also signed the joint statement.

 

“We share our people’s aspirations for a government led by a President who is competent, experienced and committed to the principles of integrity, democracy and genuine public service,” they said in a statement released Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

BI READY FOR PHILIPPINES REOPENING TO FOREIGNERS

 

 

 

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is ready for the influx of international passengers after the government scrapped facility-based quarantine for fully vaccinated foreigners starting Feb. 10.

 

“We have the manpower to address this projected increase in passenger volume at our airports,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said yesterday.

 

He said 401 immigration personnel, most of them assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), have returned to work after they recovered from COVID-19.

 

Morente said they would continue to operate at full capacity at various airports.

 

He said the BI formed a reserve team of immigration officers to assist their frontliners at the airport if the need arises.

 

 

 

 

 

THE REST

 

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PH REPORTS 9,493 MORE COVID CASES, 28.8PCT POSITIVITY RATE

 

 

 

MANILA - The Philippines on Tuesday reported 9,493 more COVID-19 cases, the first time the tally fell below 10,000 since nearly a month ago, as Metro Manila and nearby provinces eased its COVID-19 restrictions.

 

The positivity rate was at 28.8 percent, based on test results of samples from 31,053 individuals on Jan. 30, Sunday.

 

Ten laboratories, which contribute on average 5.5 percent of samples tested and 4.4 percent of positive cases, were unable to submit their data, the DOH said.

 

Of the newly reported cases, 6,961 or 73 percent occurred within the recent 14 days. Metro Manila (1,041 cases), Calabarzon (775 cases), and Central Luzon (696 cases) were the top regions with cases in the recent two weeks, the DOH said.

 

The number of additional confirmed infections is the lowest in 28 days or since Jan. 4 when 5,434 were announced, noted the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

 

 

 

 

 

DAVAO DEL SUR GRAPPLES WITH LOW VACCINATION RATE AND HIGH COVID CASES

 

 

 

MANILA - Davao Del Sur came second to the National Capital Region in terms of fresh number of cases on Sunday, as the province still struggles to vaccinate 70% of its population.

 

"Many areas are geographically isolated, we are only at 38.64 percent, and in Digos City we are only 46.28 percent," Davao Del Sur Governor Marc Cagas said in an interview with ABS-CBN on Wednesday.

 

The local government unit has been aggressive in its vaccination efforts, particularly in upland areas where indigenous peoples communities are hesitant to get jabbed.

 

"We go there and give lectures and seminars, and we give incentives like rice to convince them to do the vaccination. We bring the Janssen jab kasi one shot lang ang Janssen, kasi may areas na malalayo," Cagas shared, adding that the response was mostly positive.

 

Cagas said that most of the province's cases are asymptomatic or mild to moderate, with a larger portion under home isolation and in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.

 

 

 

 

 

ARE CURRENT VENTILATION GUIDELINES VS COVID ENOUGH? WIND EXPERT SAYS THEY'RE VAGUE

 

 

 

MANILA — Guidelines on ventilation of indoor spaces are vague and place the responsibility for ensuring airflow on individuals instead of on the government and on building owners, a wind dynamics expert said.

 

Ventilation—or the process of bringing fresh air into indoor spaces—can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, which also undergoes airborne transmission.

 

Joshua Agar, a civil engineer specializing in wind dynamics, said the guidelines on ventilation issued by government agencies are "vague" and do not call for changes like installing filters in ventilation systems.

 

"They’ve just issued guidelines of reaching what are already given in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) guidelines for the air-change rates to meet the targets of reducing the relative risk factor," Agar told Philstar.com last week.

 

For Agar, most of the measures "reek of individual responsibility."

 

"The call to revamp the ventilation system of indoor establishments are still missing. Specific evidence-based provisions and implementation of the filtration procedures for indoor establishments and air-conditioned modes of transportation are still missing," he said, noting the transportation department has yet to install adequate filters in trains in the capital region and in air-conditioned modes of transportation.

 

Plastic or acrylic barriers are still being used in buses and taxis. According to Jose-Luis Jimenez, an aerosol expert and chemistry professor from the University of Colorado-Boulder, plastic barriers do not reduce the spread of COVID-19.

 

 

 

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

 

 

 

 

 

'WE'RE DATING': JANELLE LEWIS REVEALS REAL SCORE WITH KIKO ESTRADA

 

 

 

MANILA -- Beauty queen Janelle Lewis finally admitted that she is dating actor Kiko Estrada.

 

The Miss World Philippines 2021 Second Princess set the record straight in a press conference for her latest project, the psychological suspense thriller "Takas," which will premiere via KTX.ph on February 10.

 

“We're dating po. Me and Kiko po are dating po. Yes po,” the 20-year-old actress said.

 

Lewis also made it clear that she has nothing to do with the breakup of Estrada and actress Heaven Peralejo.

 

"Just to set things straight po, I came into the picture a few months after,” she said.

 

It was last October, a month after deleting all her photos with Estrada on social media, when Peralejo confirmed that she is single.

 

She and Estrada revealed being a couple in late August, but only a week later drew fresh speculation when he appeared to sever their connection on social media.

 

 

 

 

 

SPORTS

 

 

 

 

 

NBA SCORES JAN 31

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Clippers26-27    27        28        30        31        116

 

Pacers19-33     30        30        24        38        122

 

GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

            A. Coffey LAC

 

27 PTS 5 REB 4 AST

 

            I. Jackson IND

 

26 PTS 10 REB

 

 

 

FINAL/OT

 

1          2          3          4          OT       T

 

Grizzlies35-18   30        28        22        31        8          119

 

76ers31-19       39        24        21        27        11        122

 

WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

J. Morant MEM

 

37 PTS 5 REB 5 AST

 

T. Maxey PHI

 

33 PTS 3 REB 8 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Pelicans18-32   19        20        27        24        90

 

Cavaliers31-20  17        21        22        33        93

 

ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE, CLEVELAND, OH

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

            D. Graham NO

 

20 PTS 2 REB 4 AST

 

            B. Goodwin CLE

 

21 PTS 1 REB 1 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Heat32-19         14        31        25        22        92

 

Celtics27-25      27        27        40        28        122

 

TD GARDEN , BOSTON, MA

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

M. Strus MIA

 

27 PTS 3 REB 2 AST

 

J. Brown BOS

 

29 PTS 4 REB 2 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Kings18-34       23        18        25        30        96

 

Knicks24-27      31        23        30        32        116

 

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

            T. Haliburton SAC

 

21 PTS 1 REB 8 AST

 

            A. Burks NY

 

21 PTS 5 REB 4 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Raptors25-23    25        23        32        26        106

 

Hawks24-26      24        33        15        28        100

 

STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

            G. Trent Jr. TOR

 

31 PTS 6 REB 1 AST

 

            K. Huerter ATL

 

26 PTS 2 REB 2 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Warriors38-13   23        38        26        35        122

 

Rockets14-36    25        27        26        30        108

 

TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON, TX

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

S. Curry GS

 

40 PTS 5 REB 9 AST

 

C. Wood HOU

 

24 PTS 13 REB 2 AST

 

 

 

FINAL

 

1          2          3          4          T

 

Trail Blazers21-30         31        16        14        20        81

 

Thunder15-34   19        20        26        33        98

 

PAYCOM CENTER, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

 

SCORING LEADERS

 

            C. McCollum POR

 

21 PTS 3 REB 7 AST

 

            L. Dort OKC

 

18 PTS 6 REB 3 AST

 

 

 

 

 

INDICATORS

 

 

 

FOREX $1 = P 50.95

 

 

 

 

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 

 

 

A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death. - Albert Einstein