US, PHILIPPINES AGREE TO COMPLETE ROAD MAP FOR SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR NEXT 5-10 YEARS

WASHINGTON— The top defense and diplomatic officials from the United States and Philippines agreed on Tuesday to complete a road map in coming months to cover the delivery of U.S. defense assistance to the Philippines over the next five to 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever joint military exercises on Tuesday, as the longstanding allies seek to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the long-time allies, which share concerns about an increasingly assertive China, discussed delivery of “priority defense platforms” including radars, drones, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defense systems at a so-called 2+2 meeting in Washington that also involved U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine counterparts.

A joint statement said “adoption of a Security Sector Assistance Roadmap in the coming months will guide shared defense modernization investments and inform the delivery of priority platforms over the next 5 to 10 years.”

Philippines Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told the same news conference the two sides “redoubled” their commitment to modernizing the Philippines-U.S. alliance in recognition that “our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order.”

Experts say the United States sees the Philippines as a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

Austin said that it was “too early” to discuss what assets the United States would like to station at Philippine military bases under a recently expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

The joint statement said the United States expects to boost its allocated spending for EDCA sites to over $100 million by the end of 2023, against a previously announced $80 million.

The two sides also agreed to fast track new bilateral defense guidelines.

DFA WARY OF ‘REPERCUSSIONS’ OF NEIGHBORS’ ROW

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has warned in a forum in the United States that the tensions in the Taiwan Strait may have “adverse repercussions” on the Philippines.

This was after China said it had “successfully completed” three days of war games around Taiwan on Monday, capping a show of force that saw it simulate targeted strikes and practice a blockade of the self-ruled island.

Chinese warships and aircraft were still operating around Taiwan on Tuesday, the island’s defense ministry said, a day after Beijing declared an end to its massive war games.

Speaking during the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) forum held in Washington DC, Manalo stressed there are 150,000 to 200,000 Filipinos living and working in Taiwan, which just sits 200 kilometers north of the Philippines.

“Taiwan is literally next door to the Philippines. So just looking at that, any kind of escalation of tensions or, even worse, some kind of a conflict, military conflict, would have really adverse repercussions on the Philippines. Of course, it would probably have repercussions on the entire region, but particularly the Philippines, given our proximity,” the Foreign Affairs chief said.

“We have always been very concerned if tensions escalate. Of course, there have always been tensions. But occasionally they tend to erupt and become more intense. And so we naturally look with concern at that,” Manalo added.

DEFER LRT FARE HIKES, PBBM ORDERS DOTR, ‘STUDY ECONOMIC IMPACT FIRST’

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation to defer fare increases for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2 “pending a thorough study on the economic impact” to commuters after the agency announced the planned hikes on Tuesday.

During yesterday’s briefing, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista explained that the DOTr will comply with the President’s instruction and will carefully study the economic repercussions of the increase to passengers of the three major rail lines in Metro Manila, which includes the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3).

“In compliance with the President’s instruction, we will thoroughly study how a fare hike today will impact passengers of our three rail lines in Metro Manila,” the transport chief said, adding that the increase for MRT-3 was likewise deferred “due to infirmities in complying with the requirements and procedure.”

The last approved fare hike for rail lines LRT-2 and MRT-3 was back in 2015. The LRT-1, which was privatized in 2015, has filed petitions for fare adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 — all of which, according to Bautista, were deferred.

The Light Rail Manila Corporation, which operates LRT-1, is allowed to apply for fare adjustments “of at least 10.25% every two years after the effectivity of the contract,” he said.

“The fare adjustment will help sustain the two commuter rail lines’ affordable mass transport services,” Bautista added.

MARCOS, DUTERTE ENJOY MAJORITY APPROVAL, TRUST RATINGS IN LATEST PULSE ASIA SURVEY

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte enjoyed majority approval and trust ratings in March, results of a Pulse Asia survey showed Wednesday.

The survey results showed that Marcos had an approval rating of 78 percent, while Duterte had 83 percent.

"Majority approval scores are enjoyed by the President and the Vice-President in all geographic areas and socio-economic groupings," Pulse Asia said.

Their ratings were "virtually unchanged" between November 2022 and March 2023, the pollster noted.

Both Marcos and Duterte are also "trusted by most of the country's adult population," Pulse Asia said.

Marcos enjoyed a trust rating of 80 percent, while Duterte scored 85 percent.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, meanwhile, tied in their approval ratings after they both got 51 percent.

Their trust ratings slightly differed, however, with Zubiri gaining 48 percent and Romualdez obtaining 44 percent.

Among the country's top national officials, Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo recorded the lowest approval and trust ratings with 43 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

The pollster further noted that public assessment of the administration's performance was "generally positive," with very few changes recorded between the March survey and the previous poll it held last November.

The Pulse Asia survey was conducted between March 15 and 19, using in-person interviews with 1,200 adults aged 18 above across Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. It had a ± 2.8 percent error margin.

MARCOS HOLDS GAB ON BUREAUCRATIC EFFICIENCY, PPPS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday held a sectoral meeting on improving bureaucratic efficiency at the State Dining Room in Malacañang Palace.

Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director General Ernesto Perez presented the agency’s projects and initiatives, mainly composed of public-private partnership (PPP) projects with Aboitiz, Meralco, and Unified Logistics Pass.

He also outlined the Ease of Doing Business Strategy Map throughout the country, focusing on the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Program, Regulatory Reform Program and the CHECC (Clean, Honest, Efficient, and Customer Centric) Program.

President Marcos Jr. directed the ARTA to simplify the Business Processing and Licensing Systems (BPLS) manual and expand its usage by the local government units (LGUs) nationwide, as well as simplify the eBOSS (Electronic Business One Stop Shops).

The President also received several updates as he leads a sectoral meeting on the Department of Transportation’s accomplishments and projects for completion this year, as well as the Philippines’ compliance with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Convention.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista presented the DoTr’s list of projects under its airport development, port development, railways target milestones and active transportation, noting that at least 18 airport development projects and at least 13 port development projects are either underway or almost 80% accomplished.

NO DISSENT: SUPREME COURT OKS NEW CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LAWYERS

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has approved the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, which is a "modern, relevant and responsive guide for a lawyer’s conduct."

In a statement on Wednesday, the SC Public Information Office said the high court unanimously approved the CPRA in its en banc session in Baguio. This is part of the SC’s efforts to update the 34-year-old Code of Professional Responsibility.

The CPRA is set to be launched on April 13.

The launch is the culmination of the Ethics Caravan, a series of consultative discussions that in the cities of Cebu, Davao, Naga, Baguio and Manila.

"Over 2,000 legal practitioners nationwide took part in the Ethics Caravan held from September 2022 to January 2023," the SC PIO said. The consultations, led by the Sub-Committee for the Revision of the Code of Professional Responsibility, were held in person and remotely.

In an earlier statement, the SC PIO said the CPRA "follows a values-based framework, divided into canons on independence, propriety, fidelity, competence, diligence, equality and accountability, similar to the New Code of Judicial Conduct."

The CPRA shall also include new provisions promoting the responsible use of social media. This shall include "prohibition on posting, sharing, uploading, or otherwise disseminating false or unverified statements and claims, or any other act of disinformation; the prohibition on maintaining or operating social media accounts for the purpose of obscuring a lawyer’s identity to circumvent the law; and the expansion of the scope of impermissible advertisement to include social media."

A revised Lawyer’s Oath shall also be part of the CPRA.

LOCAL CAR SALES BALLOON IN MARCH DESPITE INFLATION

MANILA, Philippines — The public’s appetite for gas guzzlers did not show signs of slowing down as local car manufacturers saw sales fatten in March.

Total motor vehicle sales in March leapfrogged 29% year-on-year to 36,880 units in March, a joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed on Wednesday.

Sales in March proved to be higher than the preceding month, benefitting largely from the domestic economy’s full reopening. The industry was roiled by headwinds, as sales waxed and waned, since the pandemic ravaged the global economy in 2020.

“It is worth noting that the March 2023 sales performance is the second highest monthly performance in a post-pandemic time, after the more than 37,000-unit sales level recorded in December last year,” said CAMPI President Rommel Gutierrez.

First-quarter sales amounted to 97,824 units, expanding 30.1% on-year, CAMPI noted.

In 2022, the economy grew at an average of 7.6% year-on-year, a figure that exceeded expectations as consumption showed resilience in the face of a multi-year high inflation.

Data broken down showed sales of passenger cars, comprising a 27.27% market share last month, skyrocketed 51.8% year-on-year. On a monthly basis, growth trailed at 39.91%.

Commercial vehicle sales rose 16.3% year-on-year to 26,822 units in March. This segment accounted for 72.73% market share in the previous month, inching up 13.1% month-on-month.

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NO EXTENSION FOR APRIL 17 ITR FILING DEADLINE: BIR

MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue said on Wednesday there would be no extension for the annual income tax return (AITR) filing and payment deadline on April 17.

Any extension will result in inadequate funding of government programs, the BIR said in a statement.

“We are all partners in nation-building. Timely payment of taxes results into immediate funding of priority government programs. There will be no extension. The deadline for filing and payment of our 2022 AITRs is on the 17th day of April 2023, Monday," Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr. said.

Taxpayers are encouraged to use the "file and pay anywhere" process introduced earlier by the BIR as well as the tax assistance centers nationwide.

The BIR said there is no reason for non-compliance since the processes are now more convenient.

Payments beyond the deadline will entail interests, surcharges and penalties, the agency said.

MWSS: MM TO SUFFER MASSIVE WATER SHORTAGE IN ‘24

Metro Manila will suffer a massive water shortage next year, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said Tuesday, following a forecast of an El Niño dry spell in the first half of 2024 and increasing demand for water during the hottest months of the year.

The water regulator said the demand from Angat Dam, which supplies over 90 percent of potable water to the National Capital Region, reached 5,680 million liters per day (MLD) in 2020 from 4,395 MLD in 2010. Given this trend, the agency said, Metro Manila will experience a water deficit in 2024.

Former MWSS chairman, now Future Water Asia CEO Ramon Alikpala said the China-backed New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project is the only viable long-term solution to the perennial water supply problems in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“The threat of another water crisis is serious, and this should be immediately addressed so that Filipinos will not suffer. We cannot afford to face another water crisis. That’s why we must accelerate the development of long-term water resources such as the Kaliwa Dam,” Alikpala said during the Pandesal Forum on Tuesday.

Industry stakeholders fear that any further delay in the project’s completion—on top of climate change, increasing siltation, and unaddressed logistical and infrastructural problems—may cut Metro Manila’s already dwindling supply of water.

“A new operating dam is much needed because the Angat Dam, which is Metro Manila’s main water source, can no longer keep up with the spiking demand for water. Simultaneously, there is also overpopulation and climate change that call for an immediate solution,” Alikpala added.

SMART SEEKS EXTENSION OF SIM REGISTRATION DEADLINE

MANILA — Smart Communications on Wednesday said it would request an extension of the mandatory SIM registration deadline to give subscribers more time to comply with the law.

In a statement, PLDT FVP and Corporate Communications Group Head Cathy Yang said Smart and TNT would send a formal letter of request to the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

So far, Smart and TNT have an average of 46 percent of SIMs out of its total subscribers registered, Yang said.

"We see the need to give subscribers more time to secure the government IDs required to register their SIMs. We stand ready with government to support any undertaking to fast track completing the SIM Registration process as required by law," Yang said.

Failure to register SIMs before the April 26 deadline will result in deactivation of mobile services, based on the SIM registration act.

Globe Telecom has also urged the government to consider extending the SIM registration deadline. The DICT earlier said it was mulling an extension of the registration.

AFP TO PROVIDE AID TO ZAMBALES FISHERS AFFECTED BY 'BALIKATAN'

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines is coordinating with the Zambales government to provide assistance to fisherfolk affected by the no-sail zone policy as Filipino and American forces hold the Balikatan exercises.

According to AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar, this year's Balikatan will be the largest-ever joint combat military of Manila and Washington, with nearly 18,000 troops taking part in the exercises.

"We are considering attending to some issues that are... arising out of the live-fire exercises, especially the fishermen in Zambales because even if it only will happen in a few hours on April 26, they are still affected," he told ANC's "Headstart".

"We are coordinating with the concerned local government unit to make sure that appropriate assistance will be provided to them."

AMANG TO BRING HEAVY RAINS OVER PARTS OF LUZON: PAGASA

MANILA — Tropical depression Amang will dump heavy rains over parts of Luzon as it lingers near Catanduanes province on Wednesday morning, PAGASA said.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said an accumulated 50 to 100 mm of rainfall is expected from Wednesday to Thursday morning in Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Quezon.

Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and the southern portion of Aurora will also experience an accumulated rainfall of 50 to 100mm in the next 3 days, the weather agency said.

This amount of rainfall is equal to 50 to 100 liters of rain in a square meter area in 24 hours, according to ABS-CBN News resident meteorologist Ariel Rojas.

PAGASA warned that heavy rainfall from Amang could spawn isolated flash floods and landslides.

Amang was "almost stationary" over the coastal waters of Virac, Catanduanes at 7 a.m. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and 55 kph gusts.

PAGASA raised signal no. 1 over the following areas, where 39 to 61 kph winds could cause "minimal to minor threat to life and property."

PAGASA said Amang was expected to move west northwestward towards the Camarines provinces, Lamon Bay, and mainland Quezon.

Amang is forecast to weaken into a low pressure area by Thursday or earlier, PAGASA said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VICE GANDA, ION PEREZ INTRODUCE 'BABY DAUGHTER'

MANILA, Philippines — Celebrity couple Vice Ganda and Ion Perez introduced their "baby daughter" to the public.

In Vice Ganda's YouTube channel, the couple shared why they wanted to have a "baby."

“Siyempre ‘pag wala ako, siyempre mas kailangan mo ng nasa kwarto, ‘yung binabantayan mo,” Ion said.

Vice said that they wanted to have a baby to add joy to their home.

“Gusto naming magka-baby para lalong sumaya ‘yung bahay namin, para may mapag-sharean ng saya ‘tas mayroon magpapasaya sa’ming bago. Mayroon kaming lalambingin, mayroon kaming mamahalin, aalagaan, para lalong maging masaya ang life,” Vice said.

“So, we plan to have a baby para mas gumanda ang mundo. ‘Pag mas maraming masaya, mas maganda ang mundo. Para happy, dadagdagan namin ng member ang family namin para lumaki-laki naman ang pamilya namin kasi dalawa lang kami,” he added.

The couple then went to a pet shop and bought a black and white pomeranian priced at P380,000.

Apart from their new fur baby, Ion previously shared on social medoa that he has dogs namely Femi, Adele and Mishka.

Vice and Ion exchanged vows in a commitment ceremony in The Little Vegas Chapel in October 2021.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We succeed in enterprises which demand the positive qualities we possess, but we excel in those which can also make use of our defeats. - Alexis de Tocqueville