PBBM BRINGS HOME $14.36 BILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENT PLEDGES

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he secured some $14.36 billion (about P804 billion) worth of investment pledges during this four-day state visits to Indonesia and Singapore.

“My inaugural state visits to our two important Asean neighbors were fruitful and engaging,” Mr. Marcos said in his arrival speech in Manila late Wednesday evening.

“We will do everything that we can to ensure that what we have started in my inaugural state visits will be completed, until ordinary Filipinos feel the impact of these investments. We look forward to doing the detailed work necessary to bring all of these proposals to fruition,” he added.

Malacañang earlier announced that Mr. Marcos has secured $8.484 billion worth of investment pledges from his three-day state visit to Indonesia.

Before he left for Manila, Mr. Marcos courted the Singaporean business community to invest in the Philippines, which he described as “Asia’s fastest rising star.”

He said the Southeast Asian country became the Philippines’ top investor last year, with Singaporean companies maintaining big-ticket projects in telecommunications, infrastructure, startup and innovation, renewable energy, and health care.

He said the next six years under his administration would be grounded on a favorable investment policy environment, sound macroeconomic fundamentals, and a solid and decisive economic team.

“We are on a steady path to a strong recovery from the pandemic and robust economic expansion,” the President said.

“My administration is committed to establishing an even more competitive business climate conducive to high-value investments. More investments translate to higher economic activity, more jobs, and a better life for all Filipinos,” he added.

“We proactively attract investments in our country in order to accelerate post-pandemic growth and create more jobs in the Philippines.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that the Philippines can recover from the hardships caused by the pandemic. Hand in hand, we will all rise together,” he said.

JOBLESS RATE EASES IN JULY BUT UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE RISES

MANILA - There were fewer jobless Filipinos in July this year as the unemployment rate declined and the employment rate improved, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday.

However, the number of underemployed workers also climbed, underscoring what analysts earlier said was an issue of job quality in the country's jobs market.

The unemployment rate declined to 5.2 percent in July, which is equivalent to 2.6 million jobless Filipinos. This was an improvement over the previous month's 6 percent unemployment rate, which was equivalent to 2.99 million jobless workers, the PSA said.

July's figure was also an improvement compared to the 5.7 percent or 2.76 million unemployed in April 2022 and the 7.2 percent or 3.23 million jobless in July last year, data showed.

Meanwhile, the number of underemployed persons was estimated at 6.54 million in July, higher than the 5.89 million estimated in June. The underemployment rate also climbed to 13.8 percent in July from 12.6 percent in June.

People are classified as underemployed by the PSA when they already have jobs but still want to work more hours to add to their income. People can be working more than 40 hours per week but still be classified as underemployed, especially in the informal sector.

The employment rate also improved to 94.8 percent for the period, which is equivalent to 47.39 million. This is higher by 5.72 million and 1.76 million compared to July 2021 and April 2022, respectively, the PSA said.

In April 2022, the employment rate was 94.3. It was 92.8 in July last year.

ORCHID NAMED AFTER FIRST COUPLE

Singapore has named a purple orchid hybrid after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos during the last day of their state visit to the Lion City on Wednesday.

The Marcoses got a first-hand look at the Dendrobium orchid when they visited Singapore’s National Botanical Garden on the last day of their state visit, according to Malacañang.

“Dendrobium Ferdinand Louise Marcos” was described as “a robust and free-flowering orchid hybrid.”

It produces semi-arching inflorescences of 50 to 70 centimeters in length that bear 20 to 30 well-arranged flowers, with each flower measuring approximately 4 centimeters in width.

The orchid’s curled sepals have a white background adorned with lavender striations, while its petals are white and flushed with bluish mauve.

Mr. Marcos is the latest leader to be honored under the so-called “orchid diplomacy,” a tradition of naming a new orchid species grown in Singapore after a foreign leader or celebrity.

Singapore Botanical Garden curator Whang Lay Keng said the orchid naming shows the close diplomatic ties between the two countries which will “grow and propagate” just like the orchid.

“We are very honored to have an orchid named after the President and [his] spouse,” Whang said.

IATF FOR OPTIONAL USE OF MASKS OUTDOORS, PILOT TEST INDOORS

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has recommended the voluntary use of face masks outdoors, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

In a Palace media briefing, DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the optional wearing of a face mask is only for low-risk individuals and in low-risk settings.

“We liberalized the use of masks outdoors but for low-risk individuals and in low-risk settings meaning they are not elderly. And low risk setting, meaning in uncrowded areas and with proper air ventilation,” she said.

The recommendation also includes a pilot study on the wearing of masks indoors in selected areas.

IATF noted that its implementation must be done in phases to ensure the population’s protection against the coronavirus.

“We are now gathering pieces of evidence; we’re also creating a concept paper where and how the pilot study will be implemented” Vergeire said.

She said the optional wearing of face masks outdoors is not yet a policy as the President has yet to issue an executive order accepting the IATF recommendation.

A pilot test of the proposal, if approved by the President, will happen “toward the last quarter of 2022,” she said.

PRIVACY WATCHDOG DOWNPLAYS 'DATA BREACH' IN RISE OF 'PERSONALIZED SMS SCAMS'

MANILA - The recent proliferation of personalized text scams is unlikely due to a large-scale data breach, or because of contact tracing apps, the National Privacy Commission said citing the results of its preliminary investigation on Wednesday.

The NPC addressed public comments linked to the personalized text scam during a webinar on Wednesday.

Although the possibility of a data breach was not ruled out, initial information pointed out to other possible leads, NPC Complaints and Investigation Division chief Michael Santos told ABS-CBN News.

“Kung meron siyang galing sa isang breach, we are not closing our doors, pero so far wala tayong indication na ganon ang way na naha-harvest ang pangalan and number," Santos said.

Santos said the personal details of users could have been collected through "data scraping and harvesting."

"Kasi alam naman natin dun sa isang payment channel. You can type in your number, once you are in the platform, type in your number, and lalabas yung name. Dun naman sa messaging app, yung buong pangalan naman ang format," he said.

Personal data is also unlikely to have been collected from contact tracing apps, Santos said. Manually written contact tracing data is also not profitable, he said.

"Based doon sa format ng mga pangalan, pangalan at number lang, wala sa top leads natin ang contact tracing," he said.

The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation are working together to discover the root cause of the problem but did not give a target date on when the investigations will be completed.

PALACE TO KEEP MUM ON VELOSO CASE AT THIS POINT

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not express his stand on the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino on death row in Indonesia, until his government crafts a policy on the issue, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles said Wednesday.

Cruz Angeles said the President will stay mum despite the appeal of the Veloso family for Mr. Marcos to bring up the matter with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo.

“When it’s matters of international relations, the President will make a pronouncement only when the policy is already set in place and after recommendations made by DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs),” she said.

“We are always very careful about any statements because they have repercussions later on. We also do not want to transgress the sovereignty of another state,” the Press Secretary added.

CA CONFIRMS GARCIA FOR COMELEC, NOGRALES FOR CSC

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the appointments of George Erwin Garcia and Karlo Alexei Bendigo Nograles as chairmen of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Civil Service Commission (CSC), respectively.

Garcia was initially appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte as Comelec commissioner in 2022.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. then appointed him as Comelec chairman.

He was a former election lawyer of President Marcos in his election protest against former Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential election.

The CA Committee on Constitutional Commissions and Offices chaired by Senator Cynthia Villar also favored Nograles’ designation as CSC chief.

Nograles was appointed by then President Duterte. He was also designated by President Marcos to the same post.

With the confirmation, Garcia will serve as Comelec chairman and Nograles as CSC chairman until Feb. 2, 2029.

5 CAVITE TEACHERS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT FACE FORMAL CHARGES: DEPED

MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued formal charges against 5 of the 7 high school teachers accused of sexual harassment in Bacoor, Cavite, its spokesperson said Thursday.

But DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa could not immediately specify the charges against the teachers.

In a press briefing, Poa said the investigation against the teachers, who were placed under a 90-day preventive suspension, was administrative in nature.

In late August, a viral post on Twitter alleged that several teachers at a high school in Bacoor have been making sexual advances and other inappropriate comments towards their students.

The issue at the Bacoor high school is the latest case of a Philippine school whose teachers are facing similar accusations of sexual harassment or abuse.

PHILIPPINES' GROSS INT'L RESERVES DECLINE ANEW TO $99 BILLION IN AUGUST

MANILA - The country's gross international reserves (GIR) level slightly declined again in August to $99 billion from $99.8 billion the previous month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

The total is "more than adequate" external liquidity buffer equivalent to 8.3 months' worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income, the BSP said in a statement.

It is also about 7.1 times the country's short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.6 times based on residual maturity, the central bank added.

"The month-on-month decrease in the GIR level reflected mainly the National Government’s foreign currency withdrawals from its deposits with the BSP to settle its foreign currency debt obligations and pay for its various expenditures, and the downward adjustment in the value of the BSP’s gold holdings due to the decrease in the price of gold in the international market," it said.

In previous years, the country's "hefty" dollar reserves enabled the government to swiftly address the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's economic managers have said.

BSP Governor Felipe Medalla earlier said the country's reserves act as a "safety net" from global headwinds.

Recently, however, the Philippine peso breached its all-time low for 4 straight trading days, closing at P57.135 to $1 on Sept. 7. Medalla and several economists have agreed that the weakening was mainly driven by the US dollar rally.

PHILIPPINES REMOVED FROM TAIWAN’S VISA-FREE LIST

MANILA — Taiwan has removed the Philippines from the list of countries eligible for visa-free entry starting next week.

Taiwan’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced that visitors from Brunei, Chile, Dominican Republic, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Russia are under the “Temporarily Suspending” visa-free category.

On Sept. 5, Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said it would restore visa exemption treatment for citizens of Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand and countries in Europe as well as Taiwan’s diplomatic allies starting on Sept. 12.

“The CECC reminds the public that border and relevant epidemic prevention measures will be adjusted on a rolling basis based on developments in the pandemic situation,” CECC said in a statement posted on its website.

Travelers to Taiwan will still be required to undergo a three-day quarantine and polymerase chain reaction test upon arrival.

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PHILIPPINES CONFIRMS 1,750 NEW COVID CASES, 49 NEW DEATHS

MANILA — The Philippines recorded 1,750 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, according to the Department of Health (DOH), raising the country's total to 3,896,541.

This is the second straight day that the daily tally was less than 2,000, ABS-CBN Data Analytics Team head Edson Guido said.

Forty-nine new deaths were also recorded, raising the total number of people in the country who succumbed to the respiratory disease to 62,167.

Active cases stood at 22,899, while those who recovered from the illness have now reached 3,811,475.

Of the newly reported infections, 665 are from Metro Manila.

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, the country's average daily infections were at 2,449, which is 10 percent lower compared to the previous week.

Coronavirus infections in Mindanao are showing signs of plateauing, the DOH said recently. The Visayas is on a plateau, while rest of the areas in the country are on a slow downward trend, it added.

At least 72.6 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against the respiratory disease, of whom 18.3 million have received their booster shots.

MURDER RAPS FILED VS. COPS LINKED TO ‘BLOODY SUNDAY’

Murder charges have been filed against 30 police officers and personnel allegedly involved in the “Bloody Sunday” incident on March 7, 2021 that led to the deaths of nine activists and the arrest of six others in the Calabarzon region, the Department of Justice said on Wednesday.

Justice Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said the murder complaints against the policemen arose from the operation to serve search warrants in Batangas that led to the deaths of the activists.

“For those involved in Bloody Sunday, as per the EO 35 team, there were murder cases filed with the Office of the Prosecutor against 30 PNP officers and personnel,” Dulay said during the budget hearing conducted by the House committee on appropriations.

Dulay was responding to ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro’s inquiry regarding updates on the investigation into the Bloody Sunday incident.

The DOJ official said a preliminary investigation is ongoing, even as he committed to submit the status of the cases to the committee.

SINGIL SA KURYENTE TATAAS NGAYONG SETYEMBRE: MERALCO

Inanunsiyo ngayong Huwebes ng Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) na tataas ang singil nila sa kuryente ngayong Setyembre.

Ayon sa Meralco, P0.39 kada kilowatt hour (kwh) ang halaga ng dagdag-singil sa September bill.

Katumbas umano ito ng P78 dagdag para sa mga kumokonsumo ng 200 kwh kada buwan, P117 sa konusmong 300 kwh, P156 sa konusmong 400 kwh, at P195 sa konsumong 500 kwh.

Ito'y kasunod ng 2 buwang bawas-singil sa kuryente ng Meralco.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

DEREK RAMSAY SURPRISES WIFE ELLEN ADARNA WITH A LUXURY CAR

MANILA -- Actor Derek Ramsay surprised his wife Ellen Adarna with a new luxury vehicle for their upcoming anniversary as married couple.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Ramsay posted a video showing the arrival of a blue Bentley for Adarna.

"Advanced happy anniversary to the love of my life. Thank you for giving me so much love. I've really found true happiness. I love you so much!!!! So so much!!," Ramsay wrote.

In the comment section of his post, Adarna left her message for Ramsay.

"I like it but you know my love language is physical touch and quality time soooo your hugs and kisses are myyyyy number 1. i love youuuuuu. I know ull Enjoy driving my car nyahahhahahahahahahahahahahah," Adarna wrote.

Ramsay and Adarna became a couple on February 4, 2021, after just weeks of dating. They got married the same year, on November 11.

SPORTS

PBA: POGOY EMERGES AS PH CUP TOP SCORER, FAJARDO LORDS REBOUND DEPARTMENT

RR Pogoy took over his teammate Mikey William's spot as the PBA Philippine Cup's top scorer.

The Talk 'N Text gunner normed 18.9 points in 25 games, replacing Williams, who averaged 18.8 markers after his scoring dip in the finals against San Miguel Beer.

Pogoy was most prolific during the Texters' 7-game title series with the Beermen, where he scored as much as 31 points.

Williams, meanwhile, got checked and at one point only managed to score a career-low 2 points in Game 6.

San Miguel's June Mar Fajardo, meanwhile, averaged 18.7 points for the third spot. He was followed by NorthPort's Robert Bolick (18.5) and his SMB teammate CJ Perez (18.4).

Fajardo, who dominated the boards with 14.2 rebounds per game, was eventually named Player of the Conference and Finals MVP.

NorthPort's Jamie Malonzo was deemed second-best rebounder with an average of 10.3 boards.

Malonzo's teammate Roi Sumang, Perez, and Barangay Ginebra's Japeth Aguilar showed the way in assists, steals, and shot blocks, respectively.

Sumang's 6.5 assists per game put him ahead of former Phoenix star Matthew Wright (5.90), last season's MVP Scottie Thompson of Ginebra (5.86), Magnolia's Jio Jalalon (5.8) and Bolick (5.6).

Perez's 2.5 steals put him at top position versus Magnolia's Marc Barroca (2.3), Malonzo (1.9), Jalalon (1.84) and NLEX' Calvin Oftana (1.64).

Aguilar, meanwhile, was the king of swat this conference with 2.6 shot blocks per game. He was followed by NorthPort's Arwind Santos (1.9), TNT's Poy Erram (1.5), and Malonzo (1.4) ran next.

PBA Season 47 games can be streamed live and on-demand on iWantTFC with a Premium subscription, available worldwide except PH and US.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 57.13

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill