MARCOS SUSPENDS PHILHEALTH CONTRIBUTION HIKE AS FINANCIAL RELIEF TO FILIPINOS

The scheduled hike in Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) contribution will not push through this year, according to a memorandum released by Malacañang, citing an order by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The premium rate for PhilHealth was supposed to increase to 4.5 percent from 4 percent in 2023 based on Section 10 of the Universal Health Care Act.

Marcos instructed PhilHealth to defer the hike based on the current economic conditions, the memo said.

“In light of the prevailing socioeconomic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide financial relief to our countrymen amidst these difficult times, please be informed that the President has directed the PhilHealth to suspend the above mentioned increase in premium rate and income ceiling for CY 2023, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations,” the memo states.

In 2021, the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte also suspended the scheduled rate hike due to the pandemic.

Several business groups have also lobbied for the suspension of the contribution hike citing inflation and other economic woes.

'SABOTAGE OR INCOMPETENCE': PROBE SOUGHT OVER PH AIRPORT MESS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

MANILA — At least three senators on Monday sought an investigation into the "baffling" technical problem that paralyzed inbound and outbound flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport during New Year’s Day.

"An investigation should be done to make sure that this unfortunate incident doesn’t happen again. It's either sabotage or plain incompetence," Sen. JV Ejercito said in a statement.

Hundreds of flights inbound and outbound the Philippines were put on hold on New Year’s Day for almost six hours after a power outage knocked out the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines' (CAAP) Air Traffic Management System.

The radar and communication system is used by aviation authorities to monitor the location of planes and man the traffic airspace capacity entering or leaving the Philippine air space. The upgraded system was inaugurated in 2018.

Ejercito called out the CAAP for not having a back up system to respond to such emergency.

"CAAP... [has] a lot of explaining to do... What is baffling is that the Air Traffic Management System should have a backup. Having a totally non functioning radar system is not only dangerous for air travel but is a concern of national security," Ejercito lamented.

Sen. Nancy Binay is calling for a "full audit of all navigational and communications equipment installed in all airports in the country."

"What happened on Sunday clearly demonstrates how vulnerable we are, and with either a hardware or software glitch, we can all be crippled," Binay pointed out.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the government must ensure that the incident will not happen again "given the impact it would have on affected passengers and the negative impression that it would have on our foreign visitors."

Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate panel on public services, said an inquiry will be conducted to hold accountable the agencies responsible for the airport mess, which she described as a "national security concern."

BUSINESS LEADERS SPLIT ON PRIVATIZING AIRPORTS AFTER AIRSPACE OUTAGE FIASCO

MANILA — The business sector disagreed on whether airports in the Philippines should face privatization, as traffic in the country’s airspace disappeared for a few hours on January 1, disrupting a busy season for airlines and the tourism sector.

George Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was not in favor of privatizing airports in the country.

“You cannot privatize all the airports. I wouldn’t go along that line. The private sector is not foolproof,” he said in a call with Philstar.com.

The PCCI head, whose flight from Dubai was among the thousands delayed, said he would feel safer if the government remained involved in the business of running airports, especially in matters of navigation.

“I heard foreigners commenting it was such a disappointment since the country was progressive. This is a wake-up call, for us to raise our standards,” Barcelon added.

That said, Joey Concepcion warmed up to the idea of a 2018 proposal to create a consortium to modernize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Concepcion is the founder of Go Negosyo and a member of the Marcos Jr. administration’s private sector advisory council.

"[The Ninoy Aquino International Airport] is strategically located and any improvements made here will redound to so many benefits to the country," he said in a statement.

If the national government took the proposal seriously, the rehabilitation of NAIA’s near-decrepit state would have started in 2021 til 2024.

MARCOS OFF TO CHINA FOR THREE-DAY TRIP, SEA ISSUES UP IN TALKS WITH XI JINPING

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to raise important issues affecting bilateral ties between the Philippines and China—including maritime concerns in the West Philippine Sea—as he leaves at 1 p.m. today (Tuesday) for a three-day state visit to Beijing.

Mr. Marcos, who will have a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, will also witness the signing of 14 bilateral agreements on trade and investments, agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure, development cooperation, and people-to-people ties.

“We do not wish to preempt or second guess what the president will say, but the president will raise important issues affecting our bilateral relations… The president has said the maritime issues don’t define the totality of our relationship with China, but he acknowledges the importance of this issue,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Nathaniel Imperial said in a press briefing ahead of today’s state visit.

Mr. Marcos, who will be in Beijing from Jan. 3-5, is the first state leader to visit China this 2023.

Aside from his bilateral dialog with Xi, he will also meet with the chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress of China Li Zhanshu, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

He is also expected to renew the Philippines’ accord in its participation on the “Belt and Road” initiative of China.

Imperial said the Philippines is also looking at possible grants from China amounting to 1.5 billion renminbi (RMB).

DA BANKS ON COMING HARVEST FOR P170/KILO OF ONIONS

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday it expects onion prices, which have shot up to more than P700 a kilo in some markets, to fall below P170 a kilo later this year as the supply of the commodity stabilizes with the coming harvest.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and DA spokesperson Kristine Evangelista also said cold storage facilities put up in strategic areas would extend the shelf life of the onions that are harvested.

“I hope it will be less than P170. I hope we can see months wherein we see P80. But the thing is, we are also looking at price stability. We’re trying to help our farmers make price points at which their farm gate prices will be stable. They know how to spread their losses as well, and to come up with price points that will be stable all throughout the year, considering also the cost of cold storage facilities,” Evangelista said in an interview on ANC.

By the middle of January, the DA said it is expecting a lower price of onions amid efforts to boost the supply in markets.

“Jan. 15 is the start of harvest. Of course, the peak is March and April, but with the better supply, then we can see prices going down,” she said.

The Agriculture Department on Thursday set the suggested retail price (SRP) of red onions per kilo in the wet markets in the National Capital Region (NCR) at P250—but the actual price of the commodity has reached three times that amount in one Cebu City public market.

In Blumentritt Market in Manila where red onions go for P640 a kilo, some consumers have resorted to buying sliced onions because the cost of whole onions is so high, a GMA News report said.

Vendors said they could not comply with the P250/kilo SRP because they bought the red onions at P440 per kilo from wholesalers in Balintawak.

In the Senate, Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint a full-time secretary of Agriculture, as the price of onions continued to skyrocket.

GOV’T VOWS FULL DIGITAL SERVICES IN ‘23

The Marcos administration on Monday vowed to make government services fully digital this year for the public to access and use them more easily.

In a statement, Malacañang said improving bureaucratic efficiency is among President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s socioeconomic agenda in the near term, “putting a premium on digitalizing, harmonizing, and standardizing government data.”

“In 2023, the government shall remain steadfast and continue to pursue streamlining initiatives to ensure the delivery of efficient government services to the people and fight corruption by eradicating all forms of red tape,” the Palace said in its yearend report.

The administration said it would strengthen TradeNet, a one-stop online shop aimed to reduce processing time and harmonize the permitting procedures involved in import and export in the country.

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), with the help of other government agencies, will pursue the National Policy on Regulatory Management System (NPRMS) that provides a common framework for good regulatory practices, and enforcement and compliance strategies, the Palace said.

“The government plans to advance NPRMS components such as the Philippine Business Regulations Information System (PBRIS) to provide stakeholders and government agencies access to proposed and existing government regulations and avoid overlapping,” it added.

“The administration will also address the fragmentation of the justice system through the implementation of the National Justice Information System and Middleware Exchange Platform,” the Palace said.

PHILIPPINE OUTSTANDING DEBT SLIGHTLY UP AT P13.64 TRILLION IN NOVEMBER

MANILA - The national government's total outstanding debt reached P13.64 trillion as of the end of November, slightly higher than the previous month, the Bureau of Treasury said on Tuesday.

The minute 0.02 percent increase from October was due to the impact of the Philippine peso's appreciation against the US dollar on foreign currency loans, the BTr said.

Compared to December 2021, the total national government debt rose by P1.92 trillion or 16.33 percent, it added.

Domestic debt in November amounted to P9.43 trillion, which is P72.73 billion or 0/78 percent higher compared to October, data showed.

Meanwhile, external debt amounted to P4.22 trillion, P69.58 billion or 1.62 percent lower than October's level due to the P106.98 billion impact of local currency appreciation and P13.38 billion net repayment. This was tempered by the net impact of third-currency fluctuations against the US dollar at P50.78 billion, data showed.

External debt comprised 30.90 percent of the total debt portfolio, the BTr said. Compared to December 2021 level, external debt rose 18.49 percent to P658.07 billion, it added.

The administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr expects to bring down the current debt-to-GDP ratio of 63.7 percent as of the end of September to 51.1 percent by 2028.

Prior to the pandemic, a debt-to-GDP ratio of 60 percent is considered high.

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PHILIPPINES RECORDS 3,458 NEW COVID CASES, 164 DEATHS IN PAST WEEK

MANILA — The Philippines recorded 3,458 additional COVID-19 cases in the past week, the Department of Health said Monday.

From December 26 to January 1, an average of 494 daily infections were recorded in the country, which is 39 percent lower compared to the previous week.

Of the new infections during the week, 3 were severe and critical, or 0.09 percent of new cases, according to DOH's latest bulletin.

As of Sunday, 433 or 10.7 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency said.

At least 350 or 16.2 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 16.9 percent.

During the past week, the DOH has also verified 164 more COVID-related fatalities, citing late encoding of death information.

AT LEAST 5,000 AFFECTED BY FLOODING IN LANAO DEL NORTE TOWN

MANILA — At least 5,000 people in the town of Tubod, Lanao del Norte were affected by flooding caused by the trough of a low-pressure area (LPA), disaster authorities said Tuesday.

In a social media post, the town's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that 5,300 individuals—or 1,044 families—were affected by the flood.

About 1,634 people—or 376 families—were staying in evacuation centers, it added.

Because of the flooding, Tubod Mayor Dionisio Cabahug Jr. ordered the suspension of work in government and private offices in the town on Tuesday.

PAGASA had issued a flood advisory on several parts of Mindanao, including the rivers of Lanao del Norte, due to the LPA trough affecting the eastern sections of Visayas and Mindanao.

KEROSENE LEADS NEW FUEL PRICE HIKES AT P3.05/L, GAS P2.90/L, DIESEL P2.10/L

Higher pump prices will kick off the new year for motorists today (Tuesday) with oil firms implementing a price hike of as much as P3.05 per liter for kerosene.

Gasoline prices will go up by P2.90 per liter while diesel will go up by P2.10 per liter, according to Petron Corp., the country’s biggest oil company.

Aside from Petron, Seaoil Philippines and PTT Philippines also issued their latest price advisories, while other companies are expected to follow.

The higher pump prices followed the decrease in cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) implemented by the oil companies on Jan. 1.

Oil firms cut the price of LPG by P3.09 per kilo or P33.99 per 11-kilo tank to reflect the lower contract price of LPG in the world oil market.

MANILA LOGS 73 FIREWORKS INJURIES

MANILA — The Manila government recorded 73 fireworks-related injuries in the city’s district hospitals during the New Year revelry.

The injuries from firecrackers were registered in five hospitals in the city, according to the Manila public information office.

Ospital ng Sampaloc and Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center tallied the most number of fireworks-related injuries with 23 and 22, respectively.

These were followed by Sta. Ana Hospital with 12, Ospital ng Tondo with 10 and Ospital ng Maynila with six.

No injuries were recorded at the Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital.

Of the number of victims, 33 were minors and 24 were adults aged 18 to 35.

HOUSE ALLOTS P254 MILLION FOR PINOY CENTENARIANS

MANILA — A total of P254 million has been earmarked in the national budget for the payment of cash gifts amounting to P100,000 each for Filipinos who will turn 100 years old this year.

“We in Congress are determined to sustain the annual funding required for the P100,000 cash gift of every Filipino who turns 100 years old,” Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said yesterday.

“Since 2017, we’ve set aside an aggregate of over P1 billion including the sum allocated for this year to pay for the cash grant of more than 10,000 Filipino centenarians,” Campos, vice chair of the House appropriations committee, said.

The P254 million allotted for the centenarians‘ cash gift under the 2023 General Appropriations Act is 43 percent higher than last year’s P178 million, he said.

Under Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Law of 2016, every Filipino who turns 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, is entitled to receive the P100,000 tax-free gift and a congratulatory letter from the President.

The funds are included in the annual budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which pays out the cash gift.

The gift is on top of all other rewards that centenarians may receive from their respective local government units or from other sources.

In Makati, for instance, the city government pays on its own a separate P100,000 one-time cash gift to every resident-centenarian.

A Makati resident who turns 100 years old receives a combined cash gift of P200,000 – P100,000 from the DSWD and P100,000 from the city government.

Since 2016, Makati has granted P100,000 cash gift each to 79 resident-centenarians.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

KYLIE PADILLA WELCOMES 2023 WITH RUMORED NEW LOVE

MANILA — Over a year after her breakup with Aljur Abrenica, Kylie Padilla welcomed the New Year in Thailand with a mystery man rumored to be her new boyfriend.

For the past two days, Kylie shared videos on her Instagram Stories and feeds of her sojourn in Thailand. Most of the videos featured her visiting temples and scenic locations.

Many internet users, however, noticed that in some of her videos there is a man whose limbs are inked with tattoos but whose face is never seen.

“Wandering with another fellow wanderer,” she wrote on her video touring the town of Kanchanaburi by train.

In another post, Kylie shared a video of her visiting a temple in Thailand.

“All there is, is gratitude. Paalam, 2022,” she wrote.

Aljur and Kylie broke up in 2021. Kylie's dad, Robin Padilla, revealed that the reason of the split was an alleged third party. Aljur was linked to actress AJ Raval, but he denied that the actress was the reason of the breakup. Aljur had admitted that he and the VivaMax star were in a "getting to know each other" stage. The actor had recently said that he was open to reunite with Kylie.

Kylie and Aljur were married in 2018. They have two sons, Alas and Axl.

SPORTS

CRISTIANO RONALDO TO BE UNVEILED BY AL-NASSR TODAY AFTER BECOMING HIGHEST-PAID PLAYER IN WORLD FOOTBALL

Cristiano Ronaldo will be officially unveiled as an Al-Nassr player on Tuesday at an open training session in front of the club's supporters at the team's Mrsool Park in Riyadh.

Ronaldo, 37, signed a 2½-year contract worth $75 million per year with the Saudi Arabian team on Friday, six weeks after he mutually terminated his Manchester United deal following a series of disciplinary issues at the club.

The former Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus forward will be the highest-paid player in world football with Al-Nassr, who are attempting to win the Saudi Pro League for the first time since 2019.

Sources have told ESPN that Ronaldo will arrive in Riyadh on Monday before undergoing a medical examination and then being presented at a news conference at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) Tuesday.Al-Nassr will then train at the 25,000-capacity Mrsool Park, with Ronaldo meeting coach Rudi Garcia's squad for the first time.

Al-Nassr, who lead the Saudi Pro League, are due to play Al Taee at home Thursday, but sources told ESPN that Ronaldo will not make his debut in that game. The Riyadh derby away to Al-Shabab on Jan. 14 will most likely be his first game for the club.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

This world, after all our science and sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful, inscrutable, magical and more, to whosoever will think of it. - Thomas Carlyle