SSS, GSIS CAN INVEST IN MAHARLIKA PROJECTS: DIOKNO

MANILA - National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that while the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) are prohibited from investing in the Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC), they can still invest in its projects.

This comes as critics of Maharlika said if the sovereign wealth fund loses money, the pensions of Filipino will be affected.

Speaking at a media briefing in Manila, De Leon said SSS and GSIS cannot invest or subscribe even in bonds. “Bawal directly and indirectly,” said the National Treasurer.

But De Leon and Diokno also clarified that SSS and GSIS may invest in the project level, but not in the MIC itself.

“Gusto mag-subscribe, mag-invest ng GSIS businesses in that project, they can do it…Sa project, not equity," De Leon said.

Both officials say the investment fund can help the economy and there will be a risk management unit to determine where the money will be invested.

They said MIC can also form a joint venture with conglomerates for big-ticket Public Private Partnership projects as well.

“Maharlika could be able to co-invest, maybe not in such a significant way dahil maliit pa lang ang kapital. But also the very fact na nandoon din si Maharlika, it means it is a seal of good governance given very transparent and accountability measures that’s already in the fund,” De Leon said on Maharlika’s co-investment opportunity with PPP projects.

Diokno, who will become the head of MIC as Secretary of Finance, said they will check all possible investment projects- big or small. They will also work on developmental projects that could have a high return.

Among the additional sources of fund for Maharlika will be proceeds from the disposition of assets by the Privatization Management Office (PMO). P2.5 billion pesos of government properties are lined up to be sold this year, with around P152 million worth of assets just approved for sale last May 31, 2023.

GALVEZ CALLS FOR RULES-BASED ORDER AMID TENSIONS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA

MANILA — Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. on Saturday called on neighboring countries to uphold the rule of law in the South China Sea amid persisting tensions in the disputed waters.

Speaking to his fellow defense chiefs at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Galvez said adhering to international law is an effective way to settle maritime disputes, calling it the "greatest equalizer among states."

He cited the Philippines' 2016 legal victory before the Permanent Court of Arbitration as an example of how tensions in the South China Sea could be resolved.

"We view the 2016 arbitration award as not only setting the reason and right in the South China Sea, but also as an inspiration for how matters should be considered by states facing similar challenging circumstances," Galvez said in the dialogue attended by Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu and US defense secretary Lloyd Austin.

But Galvez clarified that the Philippine victory was "not directed at any country," noting that it was a decision "favoring all nations subscribing to the rule of law."

"President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has strongly emphasized his directive to safeguard every square inch of our territory from any foreign power... The UNCLOS and the 2016 arbitration are and will continue to be the twin anchors of our policies and actions in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea," he said.

CHINA DEFENSE MINISTER WARNS 'NATO-LIKE' TIES IN ASIA-PACIFIC MAY LEAD TO CONFLICT

SINGAPORE — China's defense minister warned Sunday against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict.

Li Shangfu's comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides.

"Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Li said these alliances would "plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts".

Li did not name any country, but his comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States seeking to shore up alliances in the region.

The United States is a member of the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain.

Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan.

"Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques," Li said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit.

"We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself."

644 FILIPINOS REPATRIATED FROM KUWAIT SINCE MAY: GOV'T

A total of 644 overseas Filipino workers have been repatriated from Kuwait since May, a Department of Migrant Workers official said Monday.

Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said he cannot confirm reports that some 302 Filipinos were deported by the Kuwaiti government recently. 

"We can't confirm that information but between May and June, we have 644 repatriated, distressed OFWs from Kuwait. We still have 2 more flights arriving till June 8," he told TeleRadyo.

He said the repatriated workers include "distressed workers with labor cases, those with problems with employers and some who were overstaying their visas or had decided to stay without work permits."

He said these OFWs are endorsed to the Kuwaiti Ministry of the Interior and the immigration department after processing.

The Kuwaiti government has demanded that the Philippines close shelters housing migrant workers who escape from their employers.

But Manila has stood firm on maintaining these shelters, saying that this is non-negotiable.

The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said all actions taken by the Philippines Embassy and government are "to ensure the safety and welfare of our own nationals."

"Providing protection to a country's citizens abroad is a well established duty of consular offices under international law and conventions," the statement said.

MAYON’S ALERT STATUS RAISED TO LEVEL 2

MANILA — State volcanologists raised Monday the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 2, saying it has been exhibiting “increasing unrest.”

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the raising of the alert level means “there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.”

Phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions. Meanwhile, lava or tephra is ejected from a magma source within the earth in magmatic eruptions.

What to do?

Phivolcs advised the public to be vigilant and refrain from entering the six kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone to minimize the risks from sudden explosions, rockfall and landslides.

“In case of ash fall events that may affect communities downwind of Mayon’s crater, people should cover their nose with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask,” it said.

Pilots are also advised to avoid flying close to the summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.

What happened?

According to Phivolcs, monitoring of the summit crater since the last week of April showed an increase in rockfall events from Mayon’s summit lava dome. The number of rockfall events recently increased to 49 per day from only five events in a day.

A total of 318 rockfall events have been recorded since April 1, while 26 volcanic earthquakes have been logged in the same period.

Phivolcs said the lava dome has increased in volume by around 83,000 cubic meters since February 3 and nearly 164,000 cubic meters since August 20, 2022.

It added the highest sulfur dioxide emission measured on April 29 averaged 576 tons per day, and the last measurement on May 23 averaged 162 tons per day.

“These low-level volcanic earthquakes, ground deformation, and volcanic gas parameters are overshadowed by recent steep increases in rockfall events which may possibly lead to further dome activity,” the institute said.

The raising of the alert level comes nearly three months after Phivolcs downgraded the status of Mayon to Alert Level 1.

GOV’T TO BRIDGE ‘DIGITAL DIVIDE’ WITH MORE CONNECTIVITY PROJECTS

The government intends to narrow down further the so-called digital divide in the country as it focuses on implementing connectivity projects in geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), the Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT) said on Saturday.

DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said the agency is prioritizing its connectivity projects in the countryside, targeting the GIDAs as private telecommunications companies implement their infrastructure projects in highly urbanized areas.

“Kung titingnan po natin, iyong lahat pong nilalatag at ginagastusan ng connectivity programs ng DICT ay hindi po sa urban areas because dito po, nandito na iyong commercial players. So iyong inuuna po natin are really the GIDA areas,” the DICT official said in a news forum in Quezon City.

To further underscore the importance of the digital inclusivity push of the Marcos administration in line with the National ICT Month, Sigue noted that the closing ceremonies of the celebration on June 30 will be at Sacol Island in Zamboanga City, one of the far-flung locations in the country.

“Napakalayong island pero maraming bata, maraming pamilya. Last year, first time in their lives, nakapag-send po, nakapag-post sa Facebook kasi nilagyan ng internet ng DICT. Doon po magtatapos iyong ating National ICT Month sa Sacol Island and I’m proud to announce that Sacol Island has been named by the International Telecommunications Union as a potential location to be as a smart village of the world,” Sigue said.

“Hindi po namin iiwan itong mga isla na ito. Hahanap-hanapin namin hanggang ang bawat bata sa mga isla na ito ay makapag-Facebook o makapanood ng vlog or kung ano pa sa internet,” she added.

On Friday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the kick-off of the eGov PH Super App in Malacañang to underline the importance of digital transformation in governance and economic development. 

To date, Sigue said internet connectivity coverage in the Philippines is around 73 percent.

UP SYSTEM PRESSES GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT RIGHTS OF MISSING ACTIVIST ALUMNI

MANILA — The University of the Philippines System has joined public clamor to safeguard the rights and well-being of three UP alumni who rights groups believe were taken into custody by state forces in connection to their work as activists.

A first under the Marcos Jr. administration, the UP system released a statement over the weekend urging the government and law enforcers to locate three UP alumni who have gone missing in recent months and to “uphold (their) constitutional rights.”

This comes after four UP constituent universities — Manila, Baguio, Cebu and Visayas — expressed grave concern over the disappearance of indigenous rights activists Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus and Dexter Capuyan (UP Baguio) and peasant and youth organizer Patricia Nicole Cierva (UP Manila).

Just a day before the statement, Cierva and fellow peasant and youth organizer Cedric Casano, who soldiers reportedly arrested on May 18, appeared before the media as rebel surrenderees at a press conference held by the Cagayan governor and members of the provincial anti-communist task force.

Cierva and Casano were among the 20 individuals tagged as former rebels who were made to take their "oath of allegiance" to formalize their surrender, according to a Rappler report.

De Jesus, Capuyan still missing

However, former UP Baguio student leaders De Jesus and Capuyan have remained missing for more than a month since they disappeared. A fellow IP rights advocate said that they were taken by men who identified themselves as operatives of the police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Ecumenical youth group Student Christian Movement of the Philippines has sounded the alarm on at least 21 cases of alleged abductions of activists and organizers by military personnel since the start of Marcos' presidency, some reportedly killed or tortured. Along with De Jesus and Capuyan, many remain missing.

“The UP System urges all government agencies especially those engaged in the administration of justice and law enforcement, with the support of the public in general, to ensure that our missing alumni are located, and to guarantee their safety and to uphold their constitutional rights,” the university said.

“The UP System reiterates its commitment to upholding human rights without which our freedoms cannot long endure.”

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PAGCOR WARNS PUBLIC ON ILLEGAL GAMING SITES

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reiterated its call to the public to be extra vigilant when engaging in online gaming activities as illegal online gaming sites continue to proliferate.

The renewed call from the country’s gaming regulator came on the heels of news reports that a certain website — www.starspangled200.org – which was printed on close to 800,000 registered vehicle plates in Maryland, USA to promote the state’s history, was used by fraudsters as a link to an illegal gambling website allegedly operating in the Philippines.

According to PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, the URL www.starspangled200.org printed on these Maryland plates which redirects to https://www.globeinternational.info/  has been used as an illegal gambling platform that not only violates players’ rights but also places the Philippines in a bad light.

“PAGCOR has nothing to do with the said websites, as well as the gaming activities happening therein. As the country’s gaming regulator, PAGCOR does not condone illegal online gambling. Engaging or betting on illegal gambling activities is not only a criminal act; it also takes away from the government billions of pesos in revenues which can be used to fund priority programs that will benefit a greater number of Filipinos. Hence, we have been continuously working with various government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that our gaming policies are in place and the online gaming platforms that we regulate are safe and credible,” he said.

“We have referred this matter to our Security and Monitoring Cluster for investigation. The website was also referred to the appropriate government agency for immediate action.” Tengco added.

Tengco strongly calls for gaming aficionados to only take part in its licensed online-based gaming platforms for a truly enjoyable and safe gaming experience.

The list of registered and legitimate websites can be found through this link: https://www.pagcor.ph/regulatory/index.php.

NAIA TERMINAL 3 SADDLED WITH LONGER PASSENGER QUEUES

MANILA — Passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 are facing long lines at the immigration area, particularly during peak hours, as the gateway handles 143 departure and 144 arrival flights daily.

The Media Affairs Division of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said that for local air carriers, Cebu Pacific Airways operates 23 international destinations and 35 domestic flights while AirAsia Philippines operates 13 international flights each day at the NAIA Terminal 3.

In addition, 16 foreign airlines operate at the same terminal: All Nippon Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airlines, Emirates Air, United Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Jetstar Aisa/Japan, Scoot, Starlux Airlines, Jeju Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Thai Airways and Gulf Air.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval confirmed the increase in passengers coming through Terminal 3 and, in order to cope, it has maximized manpower and adjusted the number of open lanes as needed.

“We have likewise resumed posting updates on social media of our operations during weekends and holidays, for the guidance and convenience of the traveling public,” Sandoval said.

She also assured the public that BI is committed to providing seamless and efficient border management. “There is a move by the Manila International Airport Authority to add immigration counters in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 to ease long lines of passengers, especially counters for overseas Filipino workers,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the MIAA have jointly submitted a proposal for the NAIA-solicited Public Private Partnership project to the National Economic and Development Authority Board for approval.

The project aims to enhance NAIA’s capacity, improve passenger experience and ensure safe operations by requiring an interested private concessionaire to invest in modern air traffic control equipment, rehabilitate runways and taxiways and improve existing terminal facilities.

OIL FIRMS ANNOUNCE PRICE ROLLBACK FOR JUNE 6

MANILA — Oil firms on Monday said they would implement a price rollback effective on June 6.

The following changes will take effect on Tuesday:

PILIPINAS SHELL

- Gasoline P0.60 per liter rollback

- Kerosene P0.60 per liter rollback

- Diesel P0.30 per liter rollback

CLEANFUEL

- Gasoline P0.60 per liter rollback

- Diesel P0.30 per liter rollback

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

KRIS AQUINO MARKS 28TH BIRTHDAY OF SON JOSHUA

MANILA -- Television host-actress Kris Aquino turned to social media to share her birthday greeting for her eldest son Joshua, who turned 28.

In an Instagram post on Monday morning, Aquino uploaded a photo of Joshua, who is now in the Philippines based on her previous social media post.

"Kuya, I miss you and I love you so much… you’re where you want to be, surrounded by so many who love & care for you. Yesterday was only the 4th time in 1 year of being in the (US) that mama went to a mall because i wanted to be the one to choose your new clothes. I’m so proud of you! Because of your discipline, jogging & swimming everyday, you’ve already lost more than 20 pounds," Aquino wrote.

In her post, Aquino also gave update about her medical condition after she recently shared that she has 5 autoimmune conditions.

"Some people who love & miss you from here + 1 super special person will arrive in a few days to personally bring home all your gifts. Kuya, I wish I could join them, but mama needs a year & a half minimum of treatment because my latest blood panel confirmed I have 5 autoimmune conditions. Mama will need to semi-isolate in 3 weeks because my immunity already went down. You promised me you’ll spend Christmas up to my birthday here. Please keep praying for all of us? Happy Birthday to our super guapo Kuya, I love you so much & yes I’m taking care of myself (that’s how he ends all his messages by telling me he loves me so much & to 'take care of yourself, mama')," Aquino wrote.

Joshua is Aquino’s son with veteran actor Philip Salvador. She has another son Bimby, with ex-husband James Yap.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. – Anonymous