CHINESE VESSEL IN SULU SEA 'SHADOWED' PH-US NAVAL EXERCISE: DEFENSE CHIEF

MANILA - Contrary to Beijing's claim of innocent passage, the presence of a Chinese ship in Philippine waters last Jan. 29 until Feb. 1 was meant to closely monitor the joint naval exercises of the Philippines and the United States at that time, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Tuesday.

"Ang ginawa nitong barko na 'to ay - mayroong kasi tayong exercise na nangyayari with the US force, US Navy - ay minamanmanan niya," Lorenzana told reporters.

"In intel, that is following and watching... (The ship was) shadowing the RP-US naval exercise in the Sulu Sea which is an inland water of the Philippines," he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said last month it summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian over the presence of a Chinese navy ship in the Sulu Sea without the government's permission.

The People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) vessel reached Palawan's Cuyo Group of Islands, and Apo Island in Mindoro, the DFA had said. It lingered despited being repeatedly directed by the Philippine Navy to leave immediately.

The militaries of the Philippines and the US were conducting the Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2022 at that time.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the sailing of their naval vessels through Philippine waters "was an exercise of the right of innocent passage pursuant to UNCLOS."

While Lorenzana does not find the incident "really disturbing because the vessel did not do any dangerous thing", he said the act of "shadowing the exercise... contradicts the Chinese claim of innocent passage."

"Kung (If it was) innocent passage, it will not take it half a day to traverse Balabac Strait to northern Palawan," the defense chief said.

He said that since those are internal waters as they are located between Palawan and Mindanao, any foreign ships monitoring Philippine assets are not allowed, thus the diplomatic protest against China.

PHILIPPINE ECONOMY SEEN TO GROW BY 6 PCT IN 2022: ADB

MANILA - The Philippine economic growth is seen to gain pace in the next few years due to rising domestic investment and consumption, among others, the Asian Development Bank said Wednesday.

The gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 6 percent in 2022 and 6.3 percent next year, the ADB said in its recent Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2022.

Philippine economic managers have set a target of 6 to 7 percent growth for 2022.

The projected expansion could be attributed to the easing of restrictions that allowed for more business activities, the country's COVID-19 vaccination program and relaxed international travel restrictions.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier announced that the country would allow entry of vaccinated international tourists this month.

“Nearly all indicators point to higher growth for the Philippines this year and in 2023, barring the impact of external factors from geopolitical tensions that may dampen growth globally, including in the country’s key export markets Europe and the United States,” said ADB Philippines Country Director Kelly Bird.

Metro Manila and other areas shifted to Alert Level 1 in March.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the goal is to shift most areas in the country to Alert Level 1 to boost economic activities.

Increased public investment in large infrastructure projects will continue to boost growth, the Manila-based multilateral lender said.

The ADB said recent rules which sought to ease foreign equity ownership and the lowering of minimum paid-up capital of foreign retailers would also support growth.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the amended Public Service Act, to complement the first two key economic measures, namely the amended Retail Trade Liberalization Act and the Foreign Investment Act.

DUTERTE SAYS PHILIPPINES HAS NO QUARREL WITH CHINA

MANILA — Despite the longstanding maritime row in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that there is no quarrel between the Philippines and China and that the two countries can discuss issues related to the dispute, including the fishing rights of Filipinos.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Binondo-Intramuros bridge Tuesday, Duterte called China a "partner" in enhancing the Philippines' infrastructure.

He then told Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian that Manila and Beijing "do not have any quarrel."

"I also thank and with gratitude the People’s Republic of China for the confidence and for being a partner in enhancing key infrastructure projects in our country," the president said.

"Ambassador Huang, the Philippines and China we do not have any quarrel. And we can talk about the Spratly Islands and probably the fishing rights of my countrymen — plain talk, nothing else," he added.

The Chinese envoy was seen noding and applauding after Duterte made the remark.

MARCOS DIPS AS ROBREDO RISES IN MARCH PULSE ASIA SURVEY

MANILA — A newly released poll showed that former Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is still leading the presidential race by a wide margin, even as his numbers declined, while Vice President Leni Robredo, his closest rival for Malacañang, surged.

In a survey by private pollster Pulse Asia, Marcos dropped four percentage points to 56% from 60% in February, while Robredo leaped nine percentage points from 15% to 24%.

The poll was conducted from March 17 to 21, capturing the presidential debates of CNN Philippines and the Commission on Elections, which Robredo attended but Marcos skipped. It was also during this time that Robredo held mammoth rallies across the country, including in Pasig City which was attended by some 130,000 people.

Marcos’ four-point drop was due to his decline in all regions and in all economic classes, except for A and B, which Pulse Asia still did not provide numbers for.

In contrast, Robredo posted two-digit leaps in Balance Luzon (+14), Class C (+13) and D (+10) and only declined by one point in Metro Manila.

Prior to the release of this survey, the Robredo campaign was saying that the polls that have been released have yet to capture the groundswell of support for the independent presidential candidate, which they said is seen in her massive rallies.

Meanwhile, voter preference for other presidential candidates were practically unmoved, with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso getting 8%, Sen. Manny Pacquiao with 6% and Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson with 2%.

Marcos' running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is also still leading the pack of vice-presidential candidates as she increased by three percentage points to 56% from 53%.

Lacson’s running mate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, comes in at a far second at 20%, followed by Robredo’s running mate, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, at 15%, and Domagoso’s running mate, Willie Ong, at 5%.

ROBREDO, PANGILINAN INK PACT WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

RIZAL — Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, vowed Tuesday that their administration will protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensure their participation in government.

Robredo and Pangilinan made this commitment as they signed a covenant with 1Sambubungan, a coalition of 18 tribes from across the country, here in Antipolo City.

Key points in the pact include ensuring that Indigenous peoples would be included in the 2025 census, that their free, prior and informed consent is secured for infrastructure projects on their ancestral lands and that their leaders are protected from state violence.

In her speech, Robredo said their vow to protect them goes beyond the covenant that they signed, as they have long been fighting for Indigenous peoples’ rights.

“Iyong amin pong pinirmahan ay hindi lang po iyon sa papel. Ang aming pinirmahan ay hindi lang po ngayong kampanya. Ang pagpapatunay po nito na kahit hindi pa po kami nakaupo ay talagang ginagawa namin iyong aming makakaya para maasikaso kayo,” she said.

Prior to the death of her husband, former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, which catapulted her into politics, Robredo was working as an alternative lawyer for Saligan, where she represented Indigenous peoples in court.

During her grand rally in Antipolo attended by some 43,000 people who endured non-stop rains, Robredo also harped on what she has done for the city and the province of Rizal even before the election frenzy.

She noted that even though she lost the province to her archrival, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., in the 2016 vice presidential race, her office still poured in projects for Rizal.

“Iyong mga bumoto po sa akin dito, hindi ko po sinayang ang tiwala niyo,” Robredo said.

PALACE: DE LIMA GIVEN DUE PROCESS

MANILA — Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has been accorded due process in all stages of her criminal prosecution, Malacañang maintained yesterday.

Acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar was reacting to the senator’s statement that the drug charges filed against her are meant to persecute her over her criticisms of the Duterte administration’s drug war, which according to police records killed over 6,000 suspects.

“Sen. Leila de Lima’s latest remarks are spoken in the middle of the campaign season. It is therefore understandable (that) she wants to get sympathy votes from the Filipino electorate,” Andanar said in a statement.

“The rule of law, as President Duterte said (on) numerous occasions, must always prevail,” he said.

Andanar also welcomed the views of some presidential candidates on De Lima’s detention during the Commission on Elections’ second presidential debate last Sunday.

“While we respect the opinions of the presidentiables who gave their stance on Senator de Lima’s detention, we have to underscore that the senator has been accorded due process in all stages of her criminal prosecution,” he said.

Labor leader Leody de Guzman believes de Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte, should be freed.

For Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, the senator should be allowed to exercise her right to defend herself in court.

De Lima has been detained on drug charges since February 2017.

DOF: GOVERNMENT IS INTENT ON COLLECTING ALL TAX LIABILITIES

MANILA — By hook or by crook, the government will collect all taxes due, including those that the Marcos family owes to the state, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Tuesday.

Dominguez was commenting on a Manila Bulletin report quoting anonymous officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as saying that the Marcos heirs could not be compelled to pay their P203-billion estate tax due. The finance chief was also reacting to a statement from former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile defending the Marcoses.

"Neither are official statements of the BIR," Dominguez said in a Viber message. "The DOF (Department of Finance) and the BIR are intent on collecting ALL (sic) taxes due.”

The finance chief’s remarks were one of the Duterte administration’s clearest rebukes of claims absolving the Marcos family of their estate tax liabilities.

MARCOS JR. ATTENDS ARROYO’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

MANILA – Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday attended a birthday dinner for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Quezon City.

Arroyo, who is supporting the Marcos-Duterte UniTeam tandem for Halalan 2022, celebrated her 75th birthday.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was in a campaign rally in Lubao town, Pampanga on Monday, which also served as an advance birthday gathering for Arroyo.

In her speech, Arroyo, who had served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, urged Kabalens to vote for the UniTeam.

“Tiyakin natin na UniTeam ang tutulungan natin ... Kailangan ni BBM , kahit matalino siya, para maging magaling na presidente, kailangan niya si Mayor Inday Sara Duterte bilang bise presidente. 'Yun ang isang dahilan bakit ineendorso natin si Mayor Sara,” she said.

Arroyo is running unopposed for Pampanga's 2nd District congressional seat.

THE REST

========

MANNY VILLAR REMAINS PHILIPPINES' RICHEST, NET WORTH AT $8.3 BILLION: FORBES

MANILA - Tycoon Manuel "Manny" Villar remains the richest person in the Philippines, with net worth estimated to be at $8.3 billion, according to the latest Forbes' world's billionaires list.

The real estate titan's estimated net worth of $8.3 billion landed him in the 263rd spot in this year's list from 352nd in 2021, Forbes said.

Villar's net worth is also over $1 billion higher compared to his $7.2 billion total last year, the report showed.

Villar chairs Vista Land. He also has an expansive interest in property development and mall chains, among others.

Port and casino magnate Enrique Razon was the second Filipino on the list at the 369th spot with an estimated net worth of $6.7 billion. Razon jumped higher from his 561st ranking last year, Forbes said.

Tied at the 1096th spot were SM Group's Henry Sy Jr and Megaworld's Andrew Tan with an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion.

The other Sy siblings also made it to the list, followed by San Miguel Corp's Ramon Ang, JG Summit's Lance Gokongwei, Jollibee Group's Tony Tan Caktiong and Philippine Airlines' Lucio Tan.

New entrants on the list include Converge ICT Solutions Inc's Maria Grace Uy and Dennis Anthony Uy, Monde Nissin's Betty Ang as well as the members of the Genomal family, who owns Page Industries, or one of the biggest licensees for underwear maker Jockey, Forbes said.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk was named the world's richest man with a net worth of $219 billion.

Musk's portfolio includes Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, among others. He also recently bought over 9 percent stake in the social media platform Twitter.

Musk "tops the World’s Billionaires list for the first time," Forbes said.

Amazon and Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos, LVMH's Bernard Arnault and family, Microsoft's Bill Gates and investing legend Warren Buffet rounded up the world's top 5 billionaires.

In Russia, there were 34 fewer billionaires, it said.

The US meanwhile, still leads with the most number of billionaires followed by China.

MPTC BRACES FOR HOLY WEEK TRAFFIC JAM

MANILA — The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) will implement measures to manage the expected surge in the volume of vehicles along expressways during Holy Week.

A “blockbuster week for travel” is expected as many people troop to the provinces, MPTC president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco told a press briefing yesterday.

“With the easing of travel restrictions, there’s a lot more outdoor activity for the general public. As we return to some normalcy as compared to recent years, we have anticipated this increase in volume by fielding additional personnel and offering special roadside services,” Franco said.

The MPTC is implementing its motorist assistance program ”Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko” from April 8 to 18.

Included in the program is the deployment of additional patrol crews, traffic marshals, security teams and toll plaza personnel to ensure the safety of motorists and provide them immediate assistance.

Emergency medical services and incident response teams will be augmented and stationed in strategic areas on expressways.

LPA TO BRING RAINS OVER VISAYAS, MINDANAO

MANILA — A low-pressure area will bring rains over parts of the Visayas and Mindanao Wednesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

The brewing storm was last spotted 65 kilometers south-southeast of Tagbilaran, Bohol as of 8 a.m., weather specialist Ana Clauren-Jorda told Teleradyo.

The weather disturbance will bring widespread rainshowers and thunderstorms over Palawan and Mindanao, she said.

Jorda warned that possible flash floods or landslides may occur during moderate to heavy rains.

The LPA will also bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over the Visayas.

Meanwhile, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Quezon will experience cloudy skies with rains due to the northeasterly windflow.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have fair weather with chances of isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VIVIAN VELEZ, CELEBRITIES LAUNCH BAYAD BUWIS MOVEMENT

MANILA — Celebrities Vivian Velez and Rez Cortez led the launching of the Bayad Buwis Movement on Thursday aiming to get the P203 billion unpaid estate taxes of the Marcos family.

Vivian said that the event, which gathered around 3,000 people in Quezon City Memorial Circle, had no political color.

“Walang kulay dito, welcome ang lahat,” she said.

“Kaming mga artista nagbabayad din ng tamang buwis, tulad din ng ibang prospesyon. Kaya dapat ‘di manalo ‘yung may utang na P203 billion!” she added.

Movie producer Edith Fider said that the performing artists in the event, such as Quest, Dotty’s World, J Brothers, Good Harvest, and other talents didn’t receive talent fees nor payments.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa kanilang suporta,” she said.

“Iba naman talaga ang boses ng nasa entertainment industry. Talagang nakakatawag-pansin so sana marami pa tayong makasama sa mga next rally!” Vivian added.

SPORTS

PBA: MERALCO, GINEBRA SET TO OPEN LATEST CHAPTER OF RIVALRY

MANILA – Will Barangay Ginebra keep the status quo or will Meralco finally get over the hump?

For the fourth time, the Gin Kings and the Bolts tangle in a PBA title duel as they dispute the Governors’ Cup crown in a best-of-seven finals starting on Wednesday, April 6.

History is on the side of Ginebra considering it beat Meralco in all their previous championship showdowns in the 2016, 2017, and 2019 editions of the season-ending conference.

This time, the Gin Kings – representing the San Miguel Corporation – seek to finish off all of the teams of rival conglomerate MVP Group after surviving twice-to-beat TNT in the quarters and NLEX in the semis.

But the Bolts hope the fourth time will be a charm.

Just like Ginebra, Meralco eyes a sweep of all SMC squads after utilizing a win-once incentive against San Miguel in the last eight and edging top seed Magnolia in the final four.

All eyes will be on Best Import frontrunner Justin Brownlee and Best Player of the Conference contender Scottie Thompson as the Gin Kings’ hopeful expect another championship from the crowd darlings.

Finishing the eliminations outside the top five of their respective awards races, Brownlee and Thompson both impressed in the playoffs to vault into contention.

On the other side, spitfire guard Chris Banchero and big man Raymond Almazan are expected to be the X factors for the Bolts.

Banchero will play in his first finals with Meralco, while Almazan aims to stay healthy after his injury in Game 3 of the 2017 finale led to Ginebra wrapping up the series in five games.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 51.19

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Everyone in your life gives you something. The bad ones give you experience, the worst ones a lesson; the good ones give you memories, the best ones, joy. - Jeffrey Fry