PHILIPPINES Q1 GDP SLOWS TO 6.4%, BUT FASTER THAN FORECAST

MANILA— The Philippine economy expanded 6.4% in the first quarter from a year earlier, the statistics agency said on Thursday, topping expectations.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, growth slowed to 1.1% from the earlier reported 2.4% expansion in the previous three-month period.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) to grow 6.1% on an annual basis.

The Southeast Asian economy’s stronger-than-expected first quarter performance was within the government’s 6.0% to 7.0% target for 2023.

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan in a press conference said the Philippines was returning to its high-growth trajectory, despite global headwinds, although interest rate hikes by the central bank could dampen future growth.

He said the government was ready to withstand shocks and risks to the growth outlook, adding that high inflation remained a challenge but appeared to have peaked.

MARCOS SETS CABINET SHAKE-UP 

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — President Marcos has announced that there will be a reorganization of the Cabinet following the end of the one-year appointment ban on those who ran in the May 2022 elections.

“Yes, there’s really going to be – I don’t know about reshuffle but – a reorganization of the Cabinet,” Marcos told reporters in an interview at the Ayana Hotel here Tuesday night.

He said he has already evaluated who performed well during his first year in office and will be picking additional Cabinet members from among competent individuals who lost in the May 2022 polls.

Marcos has yet to appoint full-time heads for the Departments of Agriculture (DA), of Health (DOH) and of National Defense (DND).

The President concurrently heads the DA, while Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire and Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. serve as officers-in-charge of the DOH and the DND, respectively.

At the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the three-member Board of Commissioners was completed following the appointment of lawyer Daniel Laogan as deputy commissioner.

The three members of the board are Commissioner Norman Tansingco who was appointed last September; Laogan and DepCom Joel Viado, who was appointed last April.

‘ASEAN MUST UPHOLD INT’L LAW’

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia—The Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) must take decisive and responsive action and be “the master of its future” on geopolitical issues concerning the region, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday as he urged the bloc to “double its efforts” when it comes to upholding international law.

Mr. Marcos made the call during the opening of the plenary session, a day after saying he would continue to push for the completion of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea during the 42nd edition of the ASEAN Summit.

“In order to harness the potential of our region, I believe that ASEAN must double its efforts especially in these following priority areas: first, ASEAN should uphold international law and the international rules based system which has underpinned the peace, security, stability, and prosperity of our region,” said Mr. Marcos who is scheduled to return to Manila tonight (Thursday evening).

Meanwhile, the bloc’s nations said Wednesday they are “deeply concerned” about the violence ravaging Myanmar, and condemned a recent attack on a convoy of diplomats delivering humanitarian aid in the country.

Turmoil in junta-ruled Myanmar has dominated talks at this week’s summit in Indonesia, as the regional bloc faces criticism for its perceived inaction.

Mr. Marcos also introduced several recommendations to help the ASEAN achieve its shared regional aspirations and recognize the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation in synergizing regional efforts towards tackling shared challenges.

“We thank the AIPA for continuing to support our vision for a rules-based, people-oriented, and people-centered ASEAN,” he said.

“We have 2,000 more or less Filipino nationals who are living in Lao and working in Lao PDR and we are very proud of the contributions that they have made, especially in the educational sector,” Mr. Marcos said with the Lao PDR official.

ASEAN VOWS ACTION ON HUMAN TRAFFICKERS OPERATING ONLINE

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — Southeast Asian nations vowed Wednesday tougher action on human trafficking as criminals increasingly use social media and other online platforms to recruit and exploit victims.

International alarm is growing over internet scams in the region that are often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.

Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have emerged as "countries of destination" for victims, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc, which is meeting in Indonesia this week, adopted a declaration pledging to "strengthen cooperation and coordination" to catch traffickers and identify victims.

Among other things, the member countries agreed to boost the capacity of law enforcement and other agencies to investigate, collect data and evidence of trafficking, exchange information and conduct joint operations.

The IOM has said most people trafficked into these illegal online operations came from around Asia -- including from Vietnam, India and Bangladesh -- but some were from as far away as Brazil and Kenya.

Victims tended to be "middle-class graduates who have limited employment opportunities" at home, Itayi Viriri, IOM regional spokesman for Asia Pacific, told AFP in February.

The scam centers were involved in online gambling, cryptocurrency, online money lending and romance applications, Viriri said.

ASEAN MEETING: MARCOS JR. SAYS TO RAISE NEED TO FINALIZE COC ON S. CHINA SEA

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. aims to bring up the finalization of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea during his attendance at the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Indonesia.

In a chance interview with reporters on Tuesday night, Marcos said the document is among the "solution of all of these problems."

It is important to raise the conclusion of the document "sooner rather than later because the tensions are increasing," he said.

“So yes, I will bring it up again because when we talk about – when we talk about the issues on the West Philippine Sea, South China Sea, hindi magkakalma ‘yan hanggang mayroon na tayong Code of Conduct,” Marcos said.

“Kaya paulit-ulit ko laging sinasabi ‘yan. In every forum I can find, sinasabi ko, 'Code of Conduct kailangan nating tapusin',” he added.

"You know, iba-ibang bansa ‘yan eh and everyone has a different agenda. But if we talk about it and with a common thought in mind, I think we will get there."

Marcos said he is hoping the COC will reduce the possibility of miscalculations in the South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea.

A negotiation for the conclusion of the COC, however, will be separate from the ASEAN summit, he pointed out, keeping in mind why this has been stalled and how the parties could fix issues surrounding the negotiations.

CHINA'S ROCKET LAUNCH FORCES TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF PHILIPPINE NAVIGATION ROUTES

MANILA — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Wednesday issued Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) following reports from the Philippine Space Agency that debris from China's rocket launch would reach the country's territory.

The agency closed several navigation routes in the country in preparation for possible debris drops from the rocket launch.

"Though the debris from the rocket launch will unlikely fall on inhabited land, it may still pose a danger to aircraft and seacraft," CAAP said in its press release on Thursday.

The issued NOTAM identified possible drop zones approximately 65 to 79 kilometers from Bajo de Masinloc or the Scarborough Shoal.

"There are no reported incidents from the expected debris drops last night," CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said.

"Negative sightings of debris so far," Apolonio added.

The Philippine Space Agency has been monitoring debris from the Long March 7 rocket confirmed to have launched at 9:22 p.m. on Wednesday from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan, China.

PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM TO EXPAND RELATIONS BEYOND RICE TRADE

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit on Wednesday to discuss opportunities for further cooperation on trade, tourism as well as defense and security.

Marcos Jr. said ties between the two countries should expand “beyond just in trading in rice” and should go into other areas such as rehabilitating tourism following the pandemic or even try the trade of other products.

He added that discussions between Philippine and Vietnamese foreign service and military leaders may be initiated soon.

“I think that the market is ripe for continued development in the areas of course as I mention, in agriculture, transfer of technologies for climate change, the different areas that we have been looking at also at specific products that Vietnam has been successful at,” Marcos Jr. said.

The Philippines is Vietnam’s largest rice market, with Manila receiving 2.47 metric tons of rice from Vietnam in 2022. Rice export to the Philippines last year stood at $1.4 billion.

Pham assured Marcos that Vietnam will continue trying “to provide a long-term strategic supply” to the Philippines products it can produce.

He also expressed “great sympathy” for Manila, as among the factors affecting the country’s agricultural productivity is its vulnerability to natural disasters.

MERALCO SEES HIGHER POWER RATES DRIVEN BY GENERATION CHARGE HIKE

Customers of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will likely experience higher electricity rates in May driven by the P0.34 per kilowatthour increase in the generation charge.

Meralco’s generation charge went up to P7.6697 per kWh in May from P7.3295 per kWh, according to its latest billing distributed to consumers.

“There is an upward pressure on electricity bills this month, mainly due to the expected increase in the generation charge,” Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said.

Higher demand drove Wholesale Electricity Spot Market prices in April, which will be reflected in the May billing. WESM is the trading floor for electricity.

“The peso depreciation, which affects our PSAs [power supply agreements] and IPP [independent power producer] contracts, may also weigh on the generation charge,” Zaldarriaga said.

He said this month’s generation charge will also include the last installment of deferred costs from last March, equivalent to about P0.20 per kWh.

“In addition, this month’s bills will reflect the P0.0433 per kWh increase in Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification as ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Zaldarriaga said.

SENATE TO PASS BILL ON P150 WAGE HIKE

MANILA — Despite warnings from employers about business closures and consequent job losses, the Senate aims to pass in June a bill granting an across-the-board daily minimum wage hike of P150, claiming it would improve worker productivity, reduce crime and provide long-term economic benefits.

The committee on labor and employment, chaired by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, approved in principle the measure at the close of the first and last hearing on the wage hike bills that are supported by labor organizations but resisted by business groups, which cited lingering economic effects of the pandemic on the financial viability of most companies in the country.

“We expect that the committee report will come out in about two weeks, and we hope to pass the bill before we adjourn in June,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri told reporters after the hearing.

Zubiri and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda are authors of Senate Bill 2002 that seeks to legislate a P150 increase in the daily minimum wage while Sen. Bong Revilla filed SB 2018.

The committee also took up bills authored Sen. Raffy Tulfo and Estrada, seeking a review of labor and wage policies and Republic Act 6267 or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, which created the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards.

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SARA DUTERTE IS NEW CO-VICE CHAIR OF NTF-ELCAC

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte, concurrently education secretary, has been designated as the co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Duterte accepted the designation during the NTF-ELCAC’s executive meeting on Wednesday, National Security Advisor Eduardo Año said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

“Her unstilting commitment to the cause of the NTF-ELCAC will undoubtedly be valuable to the task force, and we thank her for accepting the challenge,” he said.

Año added that Duterte, as co-vice chairperson of the government’s anti-communist task force, will help supervise “regional peace and development” in the different regions.

Año said in the same press briefing that Marcos’ “marching orders” to the task force is to “sustain (the) whole-of-nation approach to peace and development to prevent communist-terrorist (sic), their front organizations and other lawless elements from recruiting and gaining power.”

ONION PRICES GOING UP AGAIN

MANILA — The retail prices of onions have increased again by at least P20 per kilo as the highest selling price reached P200 per kilo compared to P180 per kilo last week, according to the monitoring of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Based on DA monitoring on Monday, the bulbs were priced as high as P200 per kilo at Guadalupe Public Market in Makati and Marikina Public Market in Marikina City.

The retail prices of onions ranged between P160 and P190 per kilo in other Metro Manila markets, including New Las Piñas City Public Market; San Andres Market, Quinta Market, Pritil Market in Manila; Pamilihang Lungsod ng Muntinlupa; Pasay City Market; Pasig City Market; Commonwealth Market, Muñoz Market, Mega Q-Market in Quezon City and Malabon Central Market.

Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) president Rosendo So said the DA should prepare for the importation of white onions in August to prevent another crisis in December.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE CROWNED MISTER INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES

MANILA -- Fifty-five candidates from different parts of the Philippines will compete to secure the Mister International Philippines (MIPH) crown.

Set to take place on June 28 at the New Frontier Theatre in Cubao, Quezon City, MIPH will switch to an even higher gear with a series of workshops dedicated to strengthen the skills and abilities of each candidate in grooming, professional imaging, personality development, Q&A, financial literacy and leadership excellence.

According to owner Atty. Manuel Deldio, this year’s pageant will focus on what the “King” stands for and how he inspires other people to be a good human being.

“Someone who is not only distinctively handsome but someone who has genuine heart for people,” said Deldio on what he’s looking for.

During the media presentation, each “King” showed his charisma and personality while securely parading to convince the judges that they have what it takes to become the next Mister International Philippines and represent the country to the international stage.

“Male pageants matter too. Just like our beauty queens, our Kings have something to say too. Proudly Pinoy with a heart ang talagang hinahanap namin,” Deldio said.

Aside from press favorites Austin Cabatana of Quezon City, Nathaniel Tiu of Cebu City, and Jay Mark Omolon of Palawan, other early standouts were Ralph Lawrence Regala of Sta. Mesa, Hassan Fernandez of Isabela, Micahelle Joy Dumalaon of Olongapo City, and Kenneth Aniban of Cavite City.

SPORTS

SEA GAMES 2023 PHILIPPINES MEDALISTS MAY 10

No.       Medal   Name                           Sport                                        Event                            Date

GOLD

26         Gold    Joseph Arcilla    Soft tennis pictogram.svg Soft tennis            Men's individual singles 10 May

SILVER

40         Silver   Jennifer Alumbro           Cricket pictogram.svg Cricket            Women's 6 a side          10-May

                        JK Andreano

                        Josie Arimas

                        Catherine Bagaoisan

                        Joan Diosino

                        Jonna Eguid

                        Joelle Galapin

                        Johannah Hulipas

                        Christine Joy Lovino

                        Lolita Olaguier

                        Romera Osabel

                        Riza Penalba

                        April Saquilon

                        Alex Smith

                        Simranjeet Smith

41         Silver   Janry Ubas       Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Men's decathlon          10-May

42         Silver   Paulo Bersamina           Khun black.svg Ouk chaktrang            Men's doubles 60 minute           10-May

                        Jan Emmanuel Garcia

43         Silver   Dines Dumaan  Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat            Men's tanding Class A (45–50kg)           10-May

44         Silver   Bambi Zoleta     Soft tennis pictogram.svg Soft tennis            Women's individual singles        10-May

45         Silver   John John Bobier          Sepaktakraw pictogram.svg Sepak takraw  Men's hoop       10-May

                        Joshua Bullo

                        Ronsited Gabayeron

                        Jason Huerte

                        Rheyjey Ortouste

                        Vince Torno

46         Silver   Deseree Autor   Sepaktakraw pictogram.svg Sepak takraw            Women's hoop  10-May

                        Allyssa Bandoy

                        Kristine Lapsit

                        Mary Ann Lopez

                        Abegail Sinogbuhan

                        Jean Sucalit

BRONZE

No.       Medal   Name                           Sport                                                    Event                                                    Date

46         Bronze Gregmart Benitez          Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat      Men's tanding Class C (55–60kg)           10-May

47         Bronze Denmark Abdurasad      Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat      Men's tanding Class D (60–65kg)           10-May

48         Bronze Ian Christopher Calo      Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat      Men's tanding Class E (60–65kg)           10-May

49         Bronze Joash Cantoria  Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat            Men's tanding Class H (80–85kg)           10-May

50         Bronze Angeline Virina  Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat            Women's tanding Class A (45–50kg)      10-May

51         Bronze Rogielyn Parado            Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat      Women's tanding Class C (55–60kg)      10-May

52         Bronze Angel-Ann Singh           Pencak silat pictogram.svg Pencak silat      Women's tanding Class D (60–65kg)      10-May

53         Bronze Moises Ilogon    Muay Thai pictogram.svg Kun Khmer            Men's -60kg      10-May

54         Bronze John Cristopher Tolentino          Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics  Men's 110m hurdles      10-May

55         Bronze Jarod Hatch      Swimming pictogram.svg Swimming            Men's 50m butterfly       10-May

56         Bronze Nathaniel Cabero          Electronic sports pictogram.svg E-sports   Valorant – mixed team   10-May

                        Jed Jamir

                        Xavier Juan

                        George Lachica

                        Brheyanne Reyes

                        Mark Tuling

57         Bronze Jasmine Alkhaldi           Swimming pictogram.svg Swimming           Women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay          10-May

                        Xiandi Chua

                        Chloe Isleta

                        Teia Salvino

58         Bronze Nicole Albo       Badminton pictogram.svg Badminton            Women's team  10-May

                        Bianca Carlos-Dalisay

                        Mika de Guzman

                        Christel Rei Fuentespina

                        Eleanor Inlayo

                        Alyssa Leonardo

                        Thea Pomar

                        Susmita Ramos

59         Bronze Natalie Uy         Athletics pictogram.svg Athletics Women's pole vault          10-May

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 55.67

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Excellence does not come from believing in excellence, but from constant change, challenge, and improvement - Jeffrey Fry