HOUSE PASSES MAHARLIKA ON FINAL READING AS MARCOS CALLS FOR BILL'S IMMEDIATE ENACTMENT
The House of Representatives on Thursday night approved the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill, which had earned the solid support of 90 percent or 282 out of the 312 members of the chamber who were officially named as co-authors of the measure.
Voting 279 against six, the House approved House Bill (HB) 6608 on third and final reading, after it was certified as urgent by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Exhaustive floor deliberations on the measure—including nearly three hours of interpellation conducted Wednesday night by Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman—led to the fine-tuning of the provisions, which even former critics acknowledged to have resulted in a “much better and improved version” of the bill.
Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, the principal author of the bill, said the amendments introduced to the measure, especially the inclusion of more safeguards against possible abuse and fraud, “is our way of addressing the concerns of our people.”
“The proposed sovereign wealth fund will help President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. keep the country on the high-growth path. We want to assure the public that the management of the fund will follow best practices and the principles of transparency and accountability,” he said.
Romualdez said the bill, as finalized, would insulate the MIF from political influence.
As revised, the proposed law lists the Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. (Pagcor), and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as MIF contributors.
Their initial contributions are P50 billion for Land Bank, P25 billion for and 100 percent of dividends the BSP will give the national government. Pagcor’s share will be 10 percent of gross gaming revenues.
The number of independent directors on the board was increased from two to four to widen private sector representation. These directors should have no conflict of interest in relation to the fund.
Operational expenses of the corporation shall not exceed 2 percent of the funds managed.
MARCOS TOUTS $9.8B INVESTMENT PLEDGES FROM BRUSSELS TRIP
The Philippines has garnered an estimated $9.8 billion in investment pledges from European leaders and business officials, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday night as he arrived in Manila from Belgium, where he attended an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) business summit.
During his arrival speech, Marcos said a business roundtable served as an “important catalyst for the renewed relations” between the Philippines and European business communities.
He also said that leaders of the ASEAN and EU member-states have had fruitful discussions on a wide array of issues that concern both sides.In his arrival statement, the President said that both the ASEAN and EU member-states’ leaders have had fruitful discussions on a wide array of issues that concern both sides.
“I’m pleased to be back in Manila, after what was a very productive ASEAN-EU Business Summit and Commemorative Summit in Brussels, Belgium. Yesterday, during the Commemorative Summit, we had fruitful discussions with Asean and EU members-states’ leaders,” Mr. Marcos said.
“We exchanged views on what is in store for ASEAN-EU cooperation, particularly on areas of mutual interest and concerns such as connectivity, trade, digital transition, food security, climate change, geopolitics, amongst others,” he added.
The commemorative summit gave Mr. Marcos the opportunity to put forward the Philippines’ stance on pressing global issues as well as its plans, including post-pandemic recovery, with fellow world leaders.
President Marcos had bilateral meetings with the King of Belgium, leaders from Estonia, the Czech Republic, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Finland, the Netherlands, and the European Union.
ECOP APPEALS FOR SSS HIKE POSTPONEMENT TO MITIGATE INFLATION IMPACT
MANILA — The government should postpone the scheduled contribution hike for the state-run pension fund to mitigate the impact of rising prices for both workers and employers, Employers Confederation of the Philippines president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr said on Friday.
The Social Security System is set to raise members' contributions by 1 percent in 2023.
"All agencies of the government are being asked to look at some ways how to assuage the people because of the increases in prices, inflation. It's a no brainer an increase that is pending is one way of doing that," Ortiz-Luis said.
"I don’t think 1-year postponement will matter much to SSS life and therefore we are appealing that perhaps it can be postponed to another year. Nowadays any increase, even P1 in the cost is felt by the workers and employers," he added.
He said he hoped President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would enforce the authority to intervene granted to him by Congress.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines earlier said the intention of the increase might be good but the timing was not right.
GOV'T URGED: BRING STUDENTS BACK, NOT MANDATORY MILITARY TRAINING
Congress should focus on bringing students back to the classroom instead of bringing back mandatory military training for college students, the National Union of Students of the Philippines said Friday.
Voting 276-4-1, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved on 3rd and final reading House Bill 6687, or the proposed National Citizens Service Training Program Act which mandates military training for students.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier urged Congress to pass a law mandating the implementation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, which could help bolster the country’s disaster response capability.
Aki Liongson, National Union of Students of the Philippines deputy secretary general, believes it is unnecessary to pass a law on mandatory military training considering there are other education issues that need to be prioritized.
"It is the last thing that we should be doing in our education system. Our education system is in need of a lot of budget para mas maraming kabataan ang makapag-aral," he said.
He noted that many students have stopped school because of rising inflation, joblessness and the COVID-19 pandemic. "Maraming estudyante ang huminto, maraming estudyante ang nangungutang," he said.
Instead of focusing on military training, Liongson urged government to expand its scholarship and student aid programs. He said this would remove the burden of students having to work in order to go to school.
He said reforms in the K-12 program and the return of subjects that imbue nationalism could also be tackled. "The government keeps adding programs without consulting the studentry and they expect us to follow these programs," he said.
Liongson also warned of the return of abuses inside mandatory military training, citing the death of UST student Mark Welson Chua for exposing corruption in the ROTC program.
DEPED FORMS PANEL TO INVESTIGATE 'MATERNITY LEAVE' SCAM
The Department of Education has formed a fact-finding committee to investigate an alleged "maternity leave" scam wherein teachers allegedly filed maternity leaves up to "11 times in three years".
DepEd spokesman Atty. Michael Poa said the fact-finding committee will be composed of officers from DepEd regional offices, not schools division offices, to maintain impartiality of the investigation.
First on the agenda, he said, is to check the records on the alleged filing of the maternity leaves and if the teachers involved were really pregnant and had given birth at the time.
He urged a whistleblower and other individuals who may know about the scam to forward and give their statement.
"We want to know if this is an isolated case or if it is widespread," he said.
DepEd-TAPAT Curriculum Implementation Division Chief Dr. Ellery Quintia on Thursday showed documents wherein one teacher received money ranging from P35,000 to P61,000 from 2016 to 2019 as she filed for maternity leaves during that time.
He explained these are the salaries of the said teacher, given in lump sums supposedly availed of through the said benefit.
Under the Expanded Maternity Leave Law signed in 2019, female workers in the public sector, who include public school teachers, "shall be granted maternity leave of 105 days with full pay", and "shall be entitled to maternity leave of 60 days with full pay for miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy."
"Good as cash ito. Kung titingnan mo ito, cash na ito na ibababa sa account ni teacher... Hindi ko naman siya kinausap tungkol dito. Maaaring hindi nga siya aware kung ano iyong nangyari at nanganak siya ng 11 beses sa loob ng tatlong taon... Maaaring si teacher, biktima rin. Ginamit din... Ito ay conspiracy ng mga nasa itaas," Quintia said.
Quintia said in 2019, some personnel noticed the anomalous filing of maternity leaves, and the accounting and bookkeeper at that time filed a joint report on the matter.
In 2021, Quintia learned of the said issue and decided to come out now.
Speaking to ABS-CBN News on Thursday, "Teacher Rose", the teacher identified in the documents, said she has not filed for leaves since she began teaching in a school in Taguig in 1999. Rose also said she does not have a child.
Capistrano said maternity leaves are commonly availed of by personnel once a year, except for extraordinary cases like miscarriages, which are also included in the said benefits.
DOH: DENGUE CASES INCREASE BY 190%
MANILA — Up to 201,509 dengue cases were recorded in the country from Jan. 1 to Nov. 12, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.
The latest DOH Disease Surveillance Report showed the cases were 190 percent higher compared to the 69,505 reported during the same period last year.
Central Luzon logged the highest number of cases with 40,011; National Capital Region, 23,330 and Calabarzon, 17,046.Cagayan Valley recorded the highest increase in cases at 1,607 percent or from 979 to 16,712; Zamboanga peninsula, 814 percent or from 1,037 to 9,478, and Caraga, 644 percent from 574 to 4,270.
Data from the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau showed that dengue-related deaths increased this year at 656, a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.3 percent.
During the same period last year, 251 deaths were recorded, a CFR of 0.4 percent.
Central Visayas recorded the highest number of deaths due to dengue at 98 followed by Central Luzon with 85, and Western Visayas, 83.
The DOH reiterated its reminder to the public to practice the 4S strategy to prevent dengue.
The 4S strategy stands for search and destroy breeding places, secure self-protection, seek early consultation and support fogging or spraying in hotspot areas.
THOUSANDS ATTEND 1ST DAY OF SIMBANG GABI AT QUIAPO CHURCH
Thousands of churchgoers attended Friday the first day of the traditional nine-day dawn masses or "Simbang Gabi" at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.
The Manila Police District said at least 2,500 people attended the 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Mass at Quiapo Church.
Police encouraged churchgoers to continue to wear facemasks despite the loosened the coronavirus restrictions.
Over 800 police officers have been deployed to 61 Catholic churches in Manila to maintain peace and order during the dawn masses.
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BORACAY RECEIVING 4,000 TOURISTS A DAY, STILL WITHIN CARRYING CAPACITY: MAYOR
MANILA – The island of Boracay is now receiving about 4,000 tourists per day, which is still within its carrying capacity allowed by the government, its mayor said Friday.
Malay, Aklan Mayor Floribar Bautista’s statement came a day after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said the tourist destination’s carrying capacity must be observed after more than 800 sinkholes were seen on the island.
“Basta hindi tayo bababa sa 4,000 a day…ang mga residents na lang sa Boracay nasa 38,000 yan eh,” Bautista told TeleRadyo.
“Ang anong capacity kasi dyan ng Manila 6,400 or 6,500 tourists a day,” he added.
The mayor said they are strictly implementing the rules when it comes to the number of visitors allowed on the island.
QUEZON CITY IS TOP ONLINE DATING HOTSPOT IN PH IN 2022: TINDER
MANILA -- Quezon City is the top online dating hotspot in the Philippines for 2022, according to Tinder.
In its recently released Year in Swipe, Tinder said Filipino users swiped in the City of Stars the most this year using the app's Passport feature.
Cebu City ranked second in Tinder's list of "Top 10 local cities to passport to in 2022," followed by Baguio, Davao, Dasmariñas in Cavite, Taguig, San Pedro in Laguna, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Olongapo.
Overall, Filipino Tinder users "passported" to London in England the most this year, followed by Los Angeles and New York City in the United States, and Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.
Quezon City also made the cut at seventh place, followed by Toronto in Canada, Seoul in South Korea, and Chicago and San Diego in the US.
Tinder also noted that users in the Philippines are the "chattiest" as they used the video chat feature the most this 2022. This list also includes India, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Singapore, Vietnam, and Spain.
Tinder users in the Philippines tend to pick simple activities over fancy dinner dates this year. Popular dates involve talking a walk, grabbing a coffee, and checking out new brunch spots.
22 COPS RELIEVED OVER BILIBID DEATH CASES
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Thursday put 22 officers in restrictive custody over their alleged involvement in the deaths of high-profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison, which were originally passed off as COVID-19 casualties in 2020.
NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said the police officers were relieved from their posts while an administrative case was going on.
He said they were still waiting for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to file a case against the 22 officers. In July, the NBI recommended murder charges.
Bureau of Corrections acting Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. this week said he received information that a convicted drug dealer who was said to have died of cardiopulmonary arrest due to COVID-19 in June 2020, was killed at Site Harry, a coronavirus isolation area inside Bilibid.
He said he passed this information on to the NBI.
GRAB INCREASES FLEET AT NAIA FOR HOLIDAYS
MANILA, Philippines — Ride-hailing giant Grab Philippines has scaled up its fleet roving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as part of its commitment to serve more passengers during the holidays.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced yesterday it signed a partnership with Grab to improve transport service within the NAIA.
The program, called Airport to Anywhere, will deploy a fleet of 200 Grab units at the airport to serve the transport needs of passengers.
Commuters can book a transport service through the Grab app, with fixed pricing based on their drop-off location.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
GARY VALENCIANO ASSURES FANS HE'S 'GETTING MUCH BETTER'
MANILA --- Veteran singer Gary Valenciano assured that he is now feeling better after some of his fans were alarmed over his tweet asking for God's "miraculous touch."
On December 14, Valenciano tweeted: "Lord… I’m going to need your miraculous touch to get me through tonight and the next few nights to come. Help me not lose the sense and spirit of Christmas in the middle of all@these challenges. Kindly help in keeping me healthy at all times Lord. In Your name Jesus I pray. Amen."
After his cryptic tweet, Valenciano took to the microblogging site to share that he is "getting much better."
"Hi everyone. Looks like my last tweet caused many to panic. My apologies. Thanks for your genuine concern. I’m on my way to getting much better, friends. We all hit moments when our bodies just need to rest and I know that’s what I need. I love you all. Thanks again. I’m OK," Valenciano shared.
Valenciano, 58, has been living with diabetes since he was 14.
In May 2018, he underwent an emergency open heart surgery after his doctors discovered that his left anterior descending artery was blocked due to diabetes.
That same year, Valenciano also revealed that he had kidney cancer.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES OF DEC 14
1 2 3 4 T
Hawks14-15 22 40 32 30 124
Magic9-20 50 26 29 30 135
Amway Center, Orlando, FL
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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D. Hunter ATL SF
25 PTS , 6 REB , 3 AST
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F. Wagner ORL G
24 PTS , 3 REB , 4 AST
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Pistons8-22 35 38 34 20 14 141
Hornets7-21 33 36 28 30 7 134
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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A. Burks DET PG
27 PTS , 3 REB , 3 AST
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K. Oubre Jr. CHA SG
28 PTS , 8 REB , 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Warriors14-15 26 28 33 32 119
Pacers15-14 27 47 19 32 125
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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S. Curry GS PG
38 PTS , 7 REB , 7 AST
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T. Haliburton IND PG
29 PTS , 4 REB , 6 AST
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Knicks15-13 29 35 28 25 11 128
Bulls11-16 28 27 33 29 3 120
United Center, Chicago, IL
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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J. Randle NY PF
31 PTS , 13 REB , 7 AST
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D. DeRozan CHI SF
32 PTS , 5 REB , 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Kings15-12 23 36 29 36 124
Raptors13-15 31 31 32 29 123
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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D. Fox SAC PG
27 PTS , 6 REB , 10 AST
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F. VanVleet TOR PG
39 PTS , 8 REB , 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Heat14-15 31 33 22 24 110
Thunder11-17 31 21 32 24 108
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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T. Herro MIA PG
35 PTS , 3 REB , 2 AST
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S. Gilgeous-Alexander OKC SG
27 PTS , 8 REB , 7 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Trail Blazers16-12 39 34 24 31 128
Spurs9-19 28 29 32 23 112
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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D. Lillard POR PG
37 PTS , 5 REB , 8 AST
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K. Johnson SA SF
25 PTS , 7 REB , 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Cavaliers18-11 26 34 23 22 105
Mavericks14-14 19 22 27 22 90
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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D. Mitchell CLE SG
34 PTS , 3 REB , 4 AST
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L. Doncic DAL PG
30 PTS , 5 REB , 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Wizards11-18 31 36 28 33 128
Nuggets17-10 38 34 30 39 141
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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K. Kuzma WAS PF
24 PTS , 2 REB , 4 AST
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N. Jokic DEN C
43 PTS , 14 REB , 8 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Timberwolves13-15 21 22 22 23 88
Clippers17-13 19 19 29 32 99
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
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A. Edwards MIN SG
19 PTS , 7 REB , 3 AST
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K. Leonard LAC SF
19 PTS , 8 REB , 1 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 55.68
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
All the effort in the world won’t matter if you’re not inspired. - Chuck Palahniuk
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