Recent News

  • By Filane Mikee Cervantes, September 12, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1233226 MANILA – The House of Representatives is targeting the approval of the proposed PHP6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 on the third and final reading by Sept. 25, a House leader said on Thursday. House Appropriations Committee senior vice chair and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is scheduled for plenary debates beginning Sept.16. She said the plenary debates would run from Sept. 16 to Sept. 25. “Hopefully po kung masusunod po namin ang schedule, hopefully… ay matatapos namin pong mauprubahan on third reading ang General Appropriations Bill by Sept. 25 (Hopefully, if we can adhere to the schedule, hopefully… we will be able to approve the General Appropriations Bill on third reading by Sept 25),” Quimbo said during a press conference. In most cases, the budget bill is usually certified as urgent by the President, allowing Congress to expedite the legislative process by approving it on the second and third reading on the same day. The schedule of floor deliberations will start with the Department of Finance, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management, lump sum funds, the judiciary, and the Department of Justice on Sept. 16. On Sept. 17, the chamber will tackle the budgets of the Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, and Department of Labor and Employment. The Sept. 18 debates will focus on the budgets of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Commission on Elections, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Higher Education, Games and Amusement Board, Philippine Space Agency, Philippine Sports Commission, Anti-Money Laundering Council, and state universities and colleges. The budgets of the Department of National Defense, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the budgetary support to various government corporations will be deliberated on Sept. 19. On Sept. 20, the chamber will discuss the budgets of the Presidential Communications Office, Department of Information and Communications Technology, several executive offices, budgetary support to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and allocation to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Sept. 23 will be scheduled for the budgets of the Office of the Vice President, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and other executive offices such as the Dangerous Drugs Board, National Security Council, Mindanao Development Authority, and the Marawi Compensation Board, among others. The budgets of the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Commission of Senior Citizens, and Department of Transportation will be tackled on Sept. 24. The last day on Sept. 25 will be allotted for the budget deliberations of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Office of the President, and Congress of the Philippines.

  • By Kristine Daguno-Bersamina, August 31, 2024; Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/08/31/2381888/marcos-institutionalizes-etravel-system MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially made the electronic travel (eTravel) system the standard process for all international passengers and crew members. According to Administrative Order (AO) 24 issued on August 27, the eTravel system was designed to streamline procedures for international travel. “The eTravel System is hereby institutionalized as the government’s one-stop electronic travel declaration system for all international inbound and outbound passengers and crew members,” the AO, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on behalf of the president, read. It will now be used by the government for border control, health surveillance, tourism data analysis and other travel-related operations. AO 24 also established a Technical Working Group (TWG) to oversee the system’s usage and improvements. The group, led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as co-chair, includes the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and Bureau of Customs (BOC). All relevant government bodies are ordered to support the TWG to ensure the effective implementation of the eTravel system while adhering to the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The system, which started in 2022, was recently updated to include a single QR code for customs, immigration and other travel requirements. It also added features like customs and currency declaration forms and documents for overseas Filipino workers. Funding for the eTravel system will come from the existing budgets of the involved agencies, with future needs included in their budget proposals. The order, which was released to the media on Saturday, is effective immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper.

  • By Wilnard Bacelonia, August 30, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1232286 MANILA – The Philippine Senate has introduced a new online platform called “Senate Assist” with the goal of transforming public service delivery. Developed with the support from public and private sectors, the platform aims to revolutionize how the Senate provides assistance, like medical and social services, making them more accessible and efficient. In a news release on Friday, Senate President Francis Escudero said Senate Assist removes traditional barriers by allowing Filipinos to request help with just a few clicks, eliminating the need for travel or bureaucratic delays. “With Senate Assist, we are dismantling the barriers that have long separated our people from the help they need. Hindi na kailangan pang maghintay, magbyahe o mang-abala para makahingi ng tulong (There is no need to wait, travel, or bother to get help). Now, with just a few clicks, assistance is within reach,” he said. “No more waiting, no more traveling, no more red tape. Senate Assist puts the power of public service directly into the hands of every Filipino, 24/7,” Escudero said. The platform was first tested in Tuguegarao City during an event hosted by the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. It was also showcased in Talisay City on Thursday at the “Lab For All” program led by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. “This is just the beginning. Senate Assist will evolve, innovate and expand to ensure that no Filipino is left behind. Our mission is clear: to be there for our people, whenever and wherever they need us,” Escudero said. The platform, which can be accessed through assist.senate.gov.ph, will be rolled out nationwide. (PNA)

  • By Presidential Communications Office, August 29, 2024 https://mirror.pco.gov.ph/news_releases/neda-okays-cscs-service-modernization-ncr-priority-bridges-improvement-projects/ The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved on Wednesday the Civil Service Modernization Project, modifications in cost and extensions of the implementation period and loan validity for bridges in Metro Manila, and the inclusion of the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in the NEDA Board. In an interview at Malacañang, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that among the items approved during the 20th NEDA Board meeting was the PhP3.8-billion Philippine Civil Service Modernization Project under the Civil Service Commission (CSC), a vital initiative for the development of human resource management processes in the public sector. The project will be implemented from 2025 to 2029. “It’s quite an important project for the development of human resource management processes in the public sector,” said Balisacan, who heads the NEDA. The Board also approved the request for an increase in cost and an extension of the implementation period and loan validity for the Metro Manila Priority Bridges Seismic Improvement Project (MMPBSIP) to improve the safety and resilience of two bridges in the National Capital Region. The MMPBSIP will strengthen the seismic resilience of Metro Manila’s transport network by replacing, retrofitting, and reinforcing the Guadalupe Bridge and the Lambingan Bridge. The total project cost will be increased by PhP2.41 billion (30.33 percent), from PhP7.93 billion to PhP10.34 billion. There was also confirmation of ad referendum decisions on the upgrade, expansion, operation, and maintenance of both the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and the Laguindingan International Airport. “We also reported on the progress in the implementation of the 186 infrastructure flagship projects and also how those relate with ‘yung earlier reported as problematic ODA (official development assistance) projects. Providing the updates on those projects,” Balisacan said. This is included in the 2024 Second Quarter Progress Report on the Infrastructure Flagship Projects under the Build-Better-More Program. The inclusion of the DA and DepEd Secretaries in the NEDA Board ensures that the administration’s priorities in agriculture and food security, as well as education—particularly the development of skills for a competitive economy—are properly addressed, the NEDA chief added.

  • By Louella Desiderio, August 28, 2024; Philippine Star https://qa.philstar.com/business/2024/08/28/2380976/philippines-benefit-united-kingdoms-economic-integration-program MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is expected to get funding from the United Kingdom’s £25-million program that seeks to support efforts to promote economic growth in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). UK Embassy deputy head of mission Alistair White told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the Policy Reform, lnnovation and Streamlining Management e-learning platform yesterday, the Philippines is part of the countries that would benefit from the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Program (EIP), which is making available £25 million worth of funding to support growth initiatives in the region. “The Philippines will be part of that. And we’ll be developing partnerships and programs with the government of the Philippines over the next months and years as to that program,” he said. He said the amount of funding for the Philippines has yet to be determined as the two countries are still in the development and scoping phase for the cooperation. He said the cooperation between the UK and the Philippines will focus on regulatory reform, financial services and open trade. The UK is working with government agencies such as the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Trade and Industry and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the program. White said a team from the UK is set to visit the Philippines next month to discuss the intervention to be undertaken with the ARTA. “By early 2025, we should be starting to see much better detail,” he said. Launched last April, the EIP is designed to provide targeted support to ASEAN member states through technical assistance, capacity building and knowledge-sharing to foster economic growth and address development barriers. EIP will focus on supporting regulatory reform to facilitate trade and economic activity, promote open trade and develop financial services to increase access for citizens and businesses. White said the program’s overarching goal is to open opportunities for growth and investments both for ASEAN and the UK.

  • By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, August 16, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231382 MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said preparations are ongoing for the implementation of online voting for overseas Filipinos for the upcoming 2025 national elections. In a statement Friday, the DFA said its Overseas Voting Secretariat (OVS) and the Commission on Elections-Office for Overseas Voting (Comelec-OFOV) have so far conducted training and information drives in South Korea, Spain, Hong Kong SAR, and Singapore. “DFA-OVS fully supports Comelec with this additional new mode of voting that will not only encourage our Kababayans abroad to exercise their right of suffrage but will also make the electoral process easier and more convenient for them,” DFA Undersecretary and OVS Chairperson Jesus Domingo said. “Information campaigns on internet voting will also play a vital role in the success of it. The secretariat is committed and ready to assist Comelec through our Foreign Service Posts in this regard,” he added. Similar trainings are scheduled in San Francisco, California in September, Prague in Czech Republic, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in October, Vancouver in Canada this November, and Doha, Qatar soon. “If internet voting for overseas Filipinos proves to be successful, we can use it domestically for our senior citizens, persons with disability and pregnant women,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said. A total of 76 foreign service posts including the Manila Economic Cultural Offices (MECOs) and Mission will conduct internet voting for the 2025 polls. The deadline for overseas voter registration is Sept. 30, 2024. (PNA)

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, August 16, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231349 MANILA – The upgrade of the Philippines’ credit rating to “A-“ with a stable outlook reflects investors’ confidence in the country’s robust economy and fiscal policy, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said on Friday. In an interview with dzRH’s Dos Por Dos, Pangandaman said the implementation of the “whole-of-government” approach played a key part in the country’s improved credit score. “Kumbaga po gumaganda ‘yung katayuan yung estado ng ekonomiya at kaya mong magbayad ng utang. So, kung mangutang ka, maganda ‘yung rates mo and then mag-tiwala sa ’yo ‘yung mga nagpapautang kasi maganda ‘yung rating mo (It seems that the state of the economy is improving and you are able to pay off the debt. So, if you get a loan, your rates are good and then the lenders will trust you because you have a good rating),” she said. Pangandaman said the Philippines’ high credit rating is proof that the Marcos government can sustain the country’s economic growth. She added that it also indicates the effectiveness of the administration’s 2022-2028 Medium-Term Fiscal Framework and the initiatives to ease inflation. “Maganda ‘yung credit rating. Ibig sabihin po nakakabayad kayo at saka nakikita po nila na yung inuutang niyo, ginagamit niyo productively (The credit rating is good. It means that you are able to pay and then they see that you are using the borrowed money productively),” Pangandaman said. The Philippines currently holds two “A-” ratings from the Japan’s Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) and Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR), “BBB” from Fitch Ratings, “Baa2” from Moody’s Ratings, and “BBB+” from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings. R&I, the largest credit rating agency in Japan, on Wednesday upgraded the Philippines to A- with a stable outlook, citing the country’s macroeconomic stability, high economic growth path, and improvement in fiscal balance. An “A-” credit rating reflects strong investor confidence in the country’s macroeconomic stability, high economic growth, and improved fiscal position. Pangandaman earlier said an “A” credit rating is possible for the Philippines as early as 2025. (PNA)

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, August 9, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1230903 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed that his administration would continue pursuing job-generating initiatives that could help in further transforming the Philippine economy. Marcos made the pledge, as he attributed the 6.3-percent economic growth in the second quarter of 2024 to the increase in investments and construction under the Build Better More program. “Inuulit ko, balewala lahat ng ating ginagawa kung walang pagbabago sa buhay ng mga Pilipino (I repeat, everything we do is meaningless if there are no changes in the lives of Filipinos),” he said in a video message uploaded on the Presidential Communications Office’s official Facebook page. “So I assure you, this government will continue to invest in job-generating infrastructure, social protection programs, health and education for all Filipinos. We will not rest on our laurels but use them to propel us forward into social and economic transformation,” he added. The country’s economic growth accelerated to 6.3 percent in the second quarter of 2024, higher than the 4.3 percent during the same period last year and the 5.8 percent in the first quarter of this year. He said the government is doing everything to give Filipinos “decent and formal” jobs to elevate them to middle class. “Kaya patuloy ang ating pagbibigay ng sapat at kalidad na trabaho (That’s why we continue to provide adequate and quality jobs). This June, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.1 percent, one of the lowest on record for the last two decades. Over 50.3 million Filipinos are now employed, with 63.8 percent of them in the formal sector,” Marcos said. Marcos assured Filipinos of his administration’s commitment to combat poverty, saying the goal is already “within its reach” as the latest poverty rate also dropped to 15.5 percent. “[That] means we have lifted two and a half million Filipinos out of poverty and only 10.9 percent of Filipino families remain poor. Our goal is to further reduce this rate to 9 percent by 2028, and improve the lives of eight million Filipinos,” Marcos said. (PNA)

  • By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, August 6, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2024/08/06/612542/water-resources-department-expected-to-boost-access-to-sanitation-services/ THE creation of a Water department will concentrate responsibilities currently held by many agencies in one body, improving access to water and sanitation services, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. “For NEDA’s perspective, we need one responsible institution… it’s really the optimal solution,” NEDA Assistant Secretary Roderick M. Planta said at the SME Finance Forum on Tuesday. The measure seeking to create a Department of Water Resources is among the list of priority bills identified by the Marcos administration, with approval by Congress expected before June 2025, according to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.  “We’d love the support from the private sector to make that happen,” Mr. Planta added. Under the NEDA’s Philippine Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan published in 2021, the Philippines will need an estimated P1.07 trillion until 2030 to achieve universal access to water supply and sanitation. The plan also supports the creation of the Department of Water Resources, which would “unify our fragmented water sector.” “Technically, how do you sort of encourage private sector participation when the regulatory environment is confusing?,” Mr. Planta said. Griselda G. Santos, Water.org regional director for Southeast Asia, noted the progress that has been made, but added that things need to be done with a bill pending to attain sustainable development goals by 2030. “The fact that there’s a law lodged in Congress right now (is) progress itself, but it’s a question of when. In the meantime, do we wait for that law to be in place? Because it’s a whole process, right?,” she told reporters. Ms. Santos said it would take billions of dollars per year to reach sustainable development goals by 2030. “We cannot wait for the law to pass. We need some action between the public and private sector,” she said. Alberto E. Pascual, president and chief executive officer of Philippine Guarantee Corp., said that lending to high-risk projects such those in the water sector might be addressed by an agency in which the proper authority is lodged. “If there’s an agency like maybe the Department of Water (that) will orchestrate everything and will dictate the direction of where financing will be needed, the private banks and other lenders will take the cue,” Mr. Pascual said. “We, as the guarantee institution of the government, provide sovereign guarantees; we can mitigate the risk in lending to these water projects, because water projects are very complex, and there are a lot of risks,” he added. 

  • By Anna Leah Gonzales, August 6, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1230536 MANILA – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday assured that the government is implementing crucial interventions to support the most vulnerable sectors and ensure food security amid La Niña and the higher inflation recorded in July. “The government is relentlessly working to address our nation’s most pressing concern of ensuring food security for every Filipino amid the faster rise in prices in July and the expected typhoons and rains due to the onset of La Niña this August,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that headline inflation settled at 4.4 percent in July, higher than the 3.7 percent in June this year. The increase was primarily driven by higher inflation in food and non-food items, with notable upticks in housing prices, utilities, fuel, meat, corn, and fruits. In a briefing, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said that food inflation went up to 6.7 percent from 6.5 percent in June. Mapa said the increase was attributed to higher inflation rates for meat (4.8 percent from 3.1 percent), corn (17.5 percent from 13.1 percent), fruits (8.4 percent from 5.6 percent), eggs and other dairy products (1.8 percent from 1.3 percent), and ready-made food products (6.0 percent from 5.9 percent). According to Mapa, the recent weather disasters affected agricultural commodities and contributed to the higher prices of vegetables. “So pwede na nagstart na yung impact. But expectation is that normally sa ating historical data, pagkatapos ng typhoon, tumataas price ng vegtable, yun yung isa. Dun tayo may expectation na pwede tumaas itong August 2024. (So it’s possible that the impact already started. But the expectation is that normally in our historical data, after a typhoon, prices of vegetable go up. Our expectation is [prices] may also increase this month),” said Mapa. Rice inflation, however, went down to 20.9 percent from 22.5 percent. Mapa said rice inflation may fall below 20 percent this month, due to base effects and the impact of the rice tariff reduction. For non-food items, transportation inflation rose to 3.6 percent from 3.1 percent in June, which NEDA said was driven by the increase in global petroleum prices due to the unexpected large withdrawals of United States gasoline stocks, optimistic fuel demand forecasts, and the ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East. Housing and utilities inflation meanwhile also went up to 2.3 percent from 0.1 percent, while electricity (-5.4 percent from -13.7 percent) recorded a slower deflation. This change is attributed to the rise in international contract prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the increase of Meralco rates in July. The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market charges normalized after the Energy Regulatory Commission ordered a staggered collection of May generation costs. Gov’t interventions NEDA said that while rice prices already started to ease, the Department of Agriculture launched the Rice-for-All Program to ease the burden of elevated rice prices. Under the program, rice will be sold at PHP45 per kilo at selected KADIWA centers, with prices adjusted according to the fluctuations in rice prices. In preparation for La Niña, DA also assured the availability of the quick response fund, assistance, credit, and seed buffer stock. The agency has also expedited the declogging of farm drainage systems and the construction of water-impounding projects and post-harvest facilities. To assist farmers in dealing with higher fuel prices, DA will provide around PHP510 million in fuel subsidies to crop, livestock, and poultry farmers. It is anticipated that around 160,000 farmers will benefit from over PHP3,000 in fuel assistance between August and September this year. “Between 2023 and 2021, about 2.5 million Filipinos were lifted out of poverty, bringing our country’s poverty incidence down to 15.5 percent from 18.1 percent. Our goal now is to sustain this momentum by addressing the constraints to food security and economic development more broadly,” Balisacan said. “We emphasize that the country’s economic gains are intended to benefit all Filipinos. The government’s economic policies aim to alleviate poverty by ensuring that all Filipinos can afford their basic needs and achieve a decent standard of living toward a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay para sa lahat (stable, prosperous, and peaceful life for everyone,” he added. Medium-term inflation path In a separate statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the latest inflation data is consistent with its assessment that inflation will temporarily breach the government’s target in July due to higher electricity rates and positive base effects. The BSP however noted that inflation will likely follow a general downtrend beginning in August 2024. “The balance of risks to the inflation outlook has shifted to the downside for 2024 and 2025 due largely to the impact of the lower import tariff on rice under Executive Order (EO) 62 (Series of 2024),” said the BSP. The BSP however said higher prices of food items other than rice, as well as higher transport and electricity charges continue to pose upside risks to inflation. “The Monetary Board will consider the latest inflation outturn as well as the Q2 (second quarter) 2024 national accounts in its assessment of the inflation outlook and the balance of risks in the August 2024 monetary policy meeting,” said the BSP. “Moving forward, the BSP will ensure that monetary policy settings remain in line with its primary mandate to safeguard price stability conducive to sustainable economic growth,” it added. One-time uptick For his part, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the 4.4-percent inflation last month is likely a one-time uptick and the rate of price increase for the rest of the year is expected to be tamed. “Pansamantala lamang ang pagtaas ng inflation rate nitong Hulyo dahil sa tinatawag nating base effect sa presyo ng bigas. Para masukat ang pagbilis o pagbagal ng pagtaas o pagbaba ng presyo ng mga bilihin, inihahambing po natin ito sa presyo ng mga bilihin noong Hulyo ng nakaraang taon kung saan hindi pa masyadong tumaas ang presyo ng bigas (The increase in the inflation Read More…

  • By Sheila Crisostomo, August 5, 2024; The Philippine Star https://qa.philstar.com/headlines/2024/08/05/2375494/house-starts-deliberations-p6352-trillion-budget Manila, Philippines — The House of Representatives starts today the deliberations on the proposed P6.352-trillion national expenditure program (NEP) for 2025 of the Marcos administration. First to face the House committee on appropriations will be the economic team, which comprises the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) – the Department of Budget and Management, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. According to Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, committee vice chair, they will begin with the presentation of the DBCC to “determine the macroeconomic assumptions used in formulating the budget presented to Congress, the sources of funds, and priority expenditures.” “This will be the basis of the Committee on Appropriations in filing the General Appropriations Bill that will be approved at the plenary,” Quimbo said, referring to the GAB that contains the NEP. Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House would like to know from the economic managers “how the country could sustain its economic growth and how such growth could benefit our people.” “Our economic expansion, projected by multilateral financial institutions at between 5.9 to 6.2 percent next year, should be felt by our people, especially the poor, in terms of more job and income opportunities, more affordable food on their table and lower consumer prices,” Romualdez said. He noted that many of the poor complain that the economic boom is benefitting only the rich, the big companies and the stock and financial market investors. “They say they cannot eat economic growth. If majority of our people do not feel our economic expansion, they should at least see it in terms of the proper use of the national budget for social services, education, health, infrastructure and direct financial assistance to the poor and other vulnerable sectors,” Romualdez added. Priority sectors Under the NEP, the education sector remains the top priority getting P977 billion in 2025, higher than the proposed P968 billion for 2024. The proposal will cover the budget for the Department of Education, state colleges and universities, Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Coming in close second is the Department of Public Works and Highways with P900 billion in 2025. The proposed budget is lower, though, when compared to the P997.9 billion in the 2024 NEP. Health, including the budget for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., is the third priority sector getting P297.6 billion, down from P308.3 billion in 2024 NEP. The Department of the Interior and Local Government gets a share of P278.4 billion, which is higher than the P263-billion proposal in 2024. Also getting an increase in allotment is the Department of National Defense with P256.1 billion, up from P240.6 billion in 2024. The other priority sectors are the Department of Social Welfare and Development with P230.1 billion, Department of Agriculture and its attached corporations with P211.3 billion, Department of Transportation with P180.9 billion, judiciary with P63.6 billion and Department of Justice with P40.6 billion. The P6.352-trillion NEP for 2025 is 10.1 percent higher than this year’s national budget and is 22.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

  • By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, August 3, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1230413 MANILA – Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Saturday ordered the swift issuance of guidelines for the salary adjustments of government workers. This was after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday signed Executive Order (EO) 64, which grants a salary increase and medical allowance to government employees. “I already instructed our concerned DBM (Deprtment of Budget and Management) officials to swiftly complete the guidelines for the approved salary increase,” Pangandaman said in a statement. “We will rush the implementing guidelines so that government employees will see their first round of salary increases this 2024,” she added. Pangandaman said approximately PHP36 billion from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) under the 2024 General Appropriations Act would be allotted for the implementation of the first tranche of salary increase. She added that the DBM has earmarked around PHP70 billion under the 2025 MPBF to cover the additional cost requirements for both first and second tranches. Pangandaman said the first tranche of salary increase would be retroactively given to government personnel this year. The second, third and fourth tranches will be implemented on Jan. 1 of 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively. “Secured po ang increase this year at may increase din next year (The increase this year and next year is already secured),” Pangandaman said. “Ang computation po para sa initial tranche natin ay (The computation for our initial tranche is) retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, so merong (there would be) salary differential or back pay,” she added. Pangandaman expressed gratitude to Marcos for making her dream to increase government workers’ salaries “finally become a reality.” Government workers will also receive PHP7,000 worth of medical allowance annually beginning 2025, according to EO 64. (PNA)

  • August 5, 2024 9:38 am

    PBBM names new acting DTI chief

    By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, August 2, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1230327 MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has designated Trade Undersecretary Ma. Cristina Roque as Acting Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Malacañang announced on Friday. The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced Roque’s appointment in a Facebook post on the same day Secretary Alfredo Pascual’s resignation took effect. Marcos administered the oath of office to Roque as DTI acting secretary in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila. The PCO shared to reporters several photos of Roque’s oath-taking. Prior to her new stint, Roque served as DTI undersecretary leading the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Group. She has executed various programs and initiatives aimed at helping MSMEs, according to the statement issued by the PCO. “She oversees critical areas including the Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, the Bureau of Marketing Development and Promotions, the OTOP (One Town, One Product) Program Management Office, and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Management Office,” the PCO said. “Additionally, she manages the operations of the Small Business Corporation and the Cooperative Development Authority,” it added. The PCO said Marcos believes Roque is an “excellent choice” to become the acting head of the DTI, given her dedication and leadership in the MSME sector. “The President emphasized the importance of the Department of Trade and Industry and the need for capable leadership. The DTI plays a pivotal role in our nation’s economic growth, particularly in supporting MSMEs,” it said. Roque earned her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management Engineering, minor in Chemical Engineering from De La Salle University. Marcos is expecting a “seamless transition” under Roque’s leadership, the PCO said. Pascual’s resignation was first announced by the PCO on July 31. The PCO said Marcos is grateful to Pascual for his service and contributions to the department. (PNA)

  • By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, July 30, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1230048 MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) aims to empower local government units (LGUs) and engage civil society organizations (CSOs) to contribute to good local governance through a five-year roadmap, an official said Tuesday. During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas hosted by the Philippine Information Agency, DILG-National Capital Region (NCR) director Maria Lourdes Agustin said the ‘UNITE’ Agenda which spans from 2023 to 2028, outlines a transformative course for the department and its attached agencies. ‘UNITE’ stands for unleashing the maximum potential of good local governance; nourishing the bonds of national and local governments to address key sectoral concerns; intensifying efforts to ensure public order and safety; transforming governance through technology and innovation; and enhancing the capabilities of the department by improving the capabilities of its personnel. One of the programs under this agenda, Agustin said, is the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) which serves as the primary performance-based assessment program for excellence in local governance. The SGLG has 10 components — good fiscal or financial administration or financial sustainability; health compliance and responsiveness; disaster preparedness; social protection and sensitivity program; programs for sustainable education; business friendliness and competitiveness; safety, and peace and order; environmental management; tourism, culture, and arts; and youth development programs. “Aside from the UNITE Agenda, one of the focuses of this program is the DILG’s role in coaching and monitoring the LGUs’ implementation of SGLG incentives fund program. This also includes the program to boost the involvement of CSOs in our local special bodies through giving guidance or developing a policy on the accreditation process for CSOs where they can take part for their advocacies to be given attention,” she said in Filipino. Agustin said one of the fruits of this collaboration is the creation of the Pasig City CSO Academy. “The Pasig City CSO Academy is the first NGO (non-government organization)-initiated academy that aims to provide training courses to CSO leaders. The DILG is among those helping the Pasig City LGU in establishing this,” she added. DILG also initiated the Dagyaw Open Government town hall meetings where LGUs, CSOs, and other government agencies tackle policies and develop measures to address various concerns. “Dagyaw” is a Hiligaynon term that means togetherness, aimed at a more responsive, more transparent, and accountable government that will take deliberate steps to ensure that all voices are heard in governmental affairs. The conduct of Dagyaw Town Hall Meetings is a commitment of the DILG to the Philippine National Action Plan under the Open Government Partnership. Agustin said another outcome area of the DILG is the “peaceful orderly safe and secure communities strengthened”, where it engages LGUs to actively join the implementation of the government’s flagship anti-drug campaign “Buhay Ingatan Droga’y Ayawan” (BIDA). BIDA engages communities, stakeholders, and partners to raise awareness, promote wellness, and tackle the effects of illegal drug use and trade, in compliance with the Marcos administration’s bloodless drug war. The BIDA Program is built on three key pillars: prevention; law enforcement, prosecution, and correction; and rehabilitation, wellness, and reintegration.

  • By Betheena Unite, July 29, 2024; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2024/7/29/philippines-climbs-in-global-anti-red-tape-rankings The Philippines has improved its ranking in the global anti-red tape rankings, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) announced. “The Philippines proudly climbs three spots in Government Efficiency, ranking 49th in the 2024 World Competitiveness Report by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD),” ARTA said in a statement on Monday, July 29. The IMD recognizes the crucial role of governments in providing an environment characterized by efficient infrastructure, institutions, and policies that can encourage sustainable value creation for private enterprises. It created the World Competitiveness Ranking 36 years ago in a bid to provide actionable data analysis on economies, regions and sub-regions according to how they optimize their individual competencies in order to achieve long-term value creation for their people. The ranking provides benchmarking and exposes trends, using both statistics and real-world survey data. This year’s edition, released in June, provides extensive coverage of 67 global economies and is a worldwide reference on the competitiveness of economies. With the improvement, ARTA said the government remains “committed to streamlining and digitalizing government services for a more competitive and business-friendly Philippines.” ARTA’s mandate is to transform the way government services are delivered, and to achieve this goal through a whole-of-nation approach, especially one that fosters innovation and good regulatory practices.

  • By Zaldy De Layola, July 26, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1229846 MANILA – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Friday ordered the agency’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) to ensure the full automation of the inventory management of the Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC), which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. described in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) as “the central hub for the government’s disaster response effort.” “We have to perfect the DRCC automation of the inventory management or the Automated Data Management System for Inventory. Basta ang importante, naka-preposition tayo (The important thing is, we have prepositioned [relief goods] with an aggressive digitalized system for inventory),” Gatchalian told DRMG officials during a meeting, according to a news release. Gatchalian said the prepositioning of relief goods is an innovation of President Marcos. “This is the vision of the President. We just put this [prepositioning] into action. It was started by then Secretary Erwin Tulfo and we built on it,” Gatchalian earlier said in a TV interview. In his SONA on Monday, President Marcos acknowledged that the government has established infrastructures that serve as protection and center for coordination, especially along the delivery of services and relief goods. “Within the past two years, almost a hundred evacuation centers have already been built. While in January of this year, we started the operations of our Disaster Response Command Center, which shall serve as the central hub for the government’s disaster response efforts,” the President said. Since its launch in January, the DRCC stands as a central hub for disaster monitoring, reporting and coordination of response efforts. The DRCC utilizes advance information and communication equipment/assets to ensure the seamless collaboration between the DSWD central office, DSWD field offices (FOs), member-agencies of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and other stakeholders. Gatchalian said the DRCC is reinforced by the Mobile Command Centers (MCCs), which bridge the communication gap during disaster or emergency operations by providing linkage from the disaster-stricken area to the Regional Operations Center (ROC), DRCC or the Regional DRRMC. Each MCC is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite internet, gadgets, and generators that can be used as a source of power supply and internet connection for communities in disaster areas. “This means that it can help a lot of affected residents to connect with their loved ones when the power supply in their area is down,” he said. Aside from aiming to fully automate the DRCC, Gatchalian also ordered the DRMG to develop perfectly the “Buong Bansa Handa” (BBH or Entire Nation Ready) program of the Department. “The BBH has to be perfected. This BBH program was built for any type of disaster, man-made or natural,” he said. The BBH establishes two parallel supply chain mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response which enhance the capacity of the Department in meeting the needs of affected families in various disaster-stricken areas. The first mechanism features a national and local government-driven supply chain that improves the production capacities and processes of the DSWD’s National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Cebu, and the warehouse and storage facilities across the 16 DSWD FOs. The second mechanism refers to the Department’s forging of partnerships with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage on their technical expertise and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain. Under these partnerships, the DSWD aims to achieve a more effective and reliable supply chain, ensuring comprehensive coverage and timely assistance. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has deployed 71 search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) teams to help in ongoing relief efforts due to the effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and Typhoon Carina. In a statement Friday, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the 71 SRR teams consist of 1,882 personnel, along with 66 land assets, 10 water assets and one air asset. Inclement weather persists in some areas while floods in some provinces in Luzon have yet to subside as of posting time. “In addition, 557 SRR teams with 5,741 personnel, 428 land assets, 50 water assets, and 10 air assets are on standby alert to ensure readiness for further deployment as needed,” he added. In line with the President Marcos’ instructions, Trinidad said the military is assisting local government units and the Office of Civil Defense in providing immediate needs to isolated areas, conducting rapid damage assessment and needs analysis and facilitating recovery and relief operations. Trinidad said the Civil-Military Operations Coordinating Center has been activated to coordinate with government agencies, civic organizations and international humanitarian communities, ensuring continuous delivery of basic services, especially in severely affected areas. (with Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)

  • By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, July 25, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/07/25/610131/ng-budget-deficit-narrows-in-june/ THE NATIONAL Government’s (NG) budget deficit narrowed by 7.24% year on year in June, as revenue collection grew at a faster clip than spending, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Wednesday. Treasury data showed the budget gap shrank to P209.1 billion in June from P225.4 billion a year ago. Month on month, the budget deficit widened by 19.54% from P174.9 billion in May. In June alone, revenue collections jumped by 10.93% to P296.5 billion from P267.3 billion in the same month last year. Tax revenues rose by 3.37% to P249.3 billion in June, mainly driven by the 4.71% increase in collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to P172.5 billion, net of a P4.3-billion tax refund. Collections by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) inched up by 0.67% to P74.6 billion, while those by other offices fell by 5.54% to P2.2 billion. Nontax revenues surged by 80.6% to P47.2 billion in June, driven by the 158.57% jump in revenues by other offices to P39.8 billion. Revenues by the Treasury declined by 31% to P7.4 billion in June, “due to lower dividend remittance and income from BTr-managed funds.” On the other hand, state spending increased by 2.62% year on year to P505.6 billion in June. “The increase was mostly attributed to the implementation of capital outlay projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of National Defense under its Revised AFP Modernization Program, the preparatory activities of the Commission on Elections for the 2025 National and Local Elections, and the higher National Tax Allotment shares of local government units (LGUs),” the Treasury said. However, this was tempered by lower subsidy releases and lending to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs). Primary expenditure (net of interest payment) rose by 2.3% to P450 billion in June. Interest payments went up by 5.22% to P55.6 billion. GAP WIDENS For the first six months, the budget gap widened by 11.2% to P613.9 billion from P551.7 billion a year ago. The six-month deficit was 7.24% below the P661.8-billion program for the period as revenues were better than expected. For the January-to-June period, revenue collections jumped by 15.56% to P2.15 trillion from P1.86 trillion last year. It exceeded the P2.08-trillion target for the first half by 3.49%. Tax revenues, which accounted for 85% of the total revenues, rose by 10.05% to P1.84 trillion as of end-June. This was 1.43% lower than the government’s first semester goal of P1.86 trillion. BIR collections went up by 11.72% to P1.36 trillion but missed the P1.4-trillion target by 2.92%. Revenues by Customs increased by 5.1% to P455 billion and also exceeded the P442.6-billion goal by 2.91%. Nontax revenues in the first six months surged by 63.3% to P314.2 billion from P192.4 billion last year. This was 46.10% higher than the P215.1-billion target. Treasury income jumped by 76% to P163.9 billion “on account of higher dividend remittance, interest on advances from GOCCs, and NG share from PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) income.” The Treasury exceeded the revised midyear program by 26.91% and is only P23.1 billion short of the P187-billion full-year target. Meanwhile, expenditures for the January-to-June period increased by 14.6% to P2.76 trillion from the P2.41 trillion a year ago. It was 0.9% higher than the P2.74-trillion target for the six-month period. Primary expenditure increased 12.06% to P2.39 trillion in the first half from P2.13 trillion a year prior. In the first six months, interest payments jumped by 33.55% to P377.2 billion from P282.5 billion last year. “While June showed improvement in deficit reduction, the first-half deficit widened year over year. However, the government’s ability to exceed revenue targets and keep the deficit below the midyear goal indicates some level of fiscal discipline,” Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said in a Viber message. Mr. Roces said the challenge for the government is to keep a balance between revenue growth and spending to ensure the budget deficit is under control. Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at professional service firm Reyes Tacandong & Co., said the government would still need additional funding for the priority programs that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. identified in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA). “(Programs for) agriculture, infrastructure and disaster preparedness needs funding, so where will it come from? The DoF said no new taxes. Likely from higher borrowings,” he said in a Viber message. The NG’s borrowing program is set at P2.57 trillion this year, of which 75% will come from domestic sources and the rest from foreign sources. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the collection of withholding taxes from online sellers, which started on July 15, is expected to boost tax revenues for the rest of the year. “(The withholding tax collection) will help increase the country’s recurring tax revenues, narrow the budget deficit, and improve the overall fiscal performance,” he said. For this year, the government set the deficit ceiling at 5.6% of gross domestic product, equivalent to P1.48 trillion. At the end of 2023, the budget deficit stood at P1.51 trillion, exceeding the P1.499-trillion ceiling.

  • By Luisa Cabato, July 20, 2024; Philippine Daily Inquirer https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1962909/marcos-signs-laws-to-improve-govt-procurement-system-curb-online-scams#:~:text=In%20a%20ceremony%20at%20the,more%20economical%20and%20responsive%20process. Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) and the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA). In a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on Saturday, July 20, Marcos signed the NGPA or Republic Act 12009, which is a harmonized version of Senate Bill No. 2593 and House Bill No. 9648, that aims to address loopholes in the current government procurement system for a more economical and responsive process. “The NGPA streamlines the procurement process from three months to just 60 days by standardizing procurement forms and institutionalizing electronic procurement,” Marcos said in his speech. One of the significant features of the NGPA is the provision of 11 new modalities of procurement that will give government agencies greater flexibility in choosing ways to procure goods and services. Moreover, the new law introduces the “Most Economically Advantageous Responsive Bid,” which evaluates both the qualitative and economic value of a proposal, as opposed to the current practice of selecting the “Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bid.” On the other hand, AFASA or RA No. 12010, intends to protect Filipinos from online scams. “This new law mandates financial institutions to implement necessary safeguards to protect our citizens’ accounts. It will protect our people from falling prey to perpetrators who target their banks and e-wallet accounts,” Marcos said. “This is essential in this time as cybercriminals use technology to defraud fellow Filipinos — causing not only personal economic loss through them but also a loss of trust in financial institutions,” he added. The Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council led by Marcos tagged the two laws as priority measures. In a separate statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it welcomes the passage of AFASA. “We express our full support for the new anti-financial account scamming law. This will help us strengthen consumer protection and foster trust and confidence in the Philippine financial system,” said BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. AFASA authorizes the BSP to investigate cases that violate the law, apply for cybercrime warrants and orders, and request assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police in the investigation of cases. It also allows the BSP to examine and investigate bank accounts, e-wallets, and other financial accounts that are involved in prohibited acts.

  • By Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral, July 18, 2024; Philippine Daily Inquirer https://business.inquirer.net/469138/ph-still-among-aseans-fastest-growing-economies The Marcos administration will hit its growth target this year amid easing inflation and expectations of interest rate cuts, but economic expansion next year might fall short of the state’s goal, according to the latest outlook of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In its flagship “Asian Development Outlook” report released on Wednesday, the Manila-based multilateral lender kept its gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection on its host country at 6 percent for this year. The ADB’s forecast, if realized, would give President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a GDP growth rate that would match the lower end of his 6- to 7-percent target range for this year. At the same time, the Philippines would tie with Vietnam as the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia, or Asean, in 2024. Both countries would also beat the 5-percent average growth rate projected for Developing Asia, which refers to the 46 developing members of the ADB. 2025 growth may fall below gov’t target For 2025, the ADB retained its 6.2 percent growth projection for the Philippines, which would settle below the government’s growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for next year. Nevertheless, the Philippines would still share the top spot with Vietnam as the best performers in the region in 2025, if ADB’s forecasts come true. The ADB said softer price increases and upcoming rate cuts by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would help support consumer spending, which historically accounts for over 70 percent of the country’s GDP. “Moderating inflation and expected monetary easing in the second half of 2024 will support household consumption and investment,” ADB said. Based on government data, growth of household spending eased to 4.6 percent in the first quarter—the weakest reading since the 4.8-percent contraction at the height of COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2021—amid stubbornly high inflation and interest rates. That, in turn, held back the first quarter GDP growth to 5.7 percent, slower than market consensus. Benign inflation With inflation expected to cool down following the government’s decision to reduce import duties on rice, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said the central bank might start its easing cycle in August, likely ahead of the US Federal Reserve. In its report, the ADB also left its inflation forecasts for the Philippines untouched at 3.8 and 3.4 percent for this year and next, respectively. If realized, inflation would settle within the BSP’s 2- to 4-percent target range. “Most of Asia and the Pacific is seeing faster economic growth compared with the second half of last year,” said ADB chief economist Albert Park. “The region’s fundamentals remain strong, but policy makers still need to pay attention to a number of risks that could affect the outlook, from uncertainty related to election outcomes in major economies to interest rate decisions and geopolitical tensions,” Park added.

  • By RG Cruz, July 15, 2024; ABS-CBN News https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/15/bills-bills-bills-congress-plays-catch-up-with-priority-bills-as-2025-elections-loom-1619 More than 2 years into President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s 6-year term, his congressional allies are racing against time to deliver his growing wish list of priority bills. Emerging from the June 28, 2024, Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council Meeting, the President and congressional leaders came up with 10 top priority bills set for passage before the end of the 19th Congress next year. Of the 10, the newest would be the Amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act. The rest are long standing proposals including: The Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act, The bill creating the Department of Water Resources Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act The Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), Reforms to Philippine Capital Markets Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, and Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law Senate President Francis Escudero and House Speaker Martin Romualdez see these proposals as an added come-on to foreign investors as moves to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution remain stalled. Escudero’s proposal is to lengthen long-term leases on land to 99 years from the current 50, which is renewable by another 25, as there is no legal impediment. This, he said, will stabilize long term leases with the grant of a certificate of leasehold while allowing leaseholders to collateralize the land. Such long-term leases are being done in places such as Singapore, Europe, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, he said. “Dahil sa Leasehold, dahil sa konsepto at karapatan ng Leasehold na may papel kang pinanghahawakan galing mismo ng gobyerno at hindi simpleng Contract of Lease lamang sa pagitan mo at ng pribadong lessor mo o nagpaupa sa’yo,” Escudero said in an exclusive sitdown with ABS-CBN News. Romualdez, who is the President’s cousin, has publicly supported Escudero’s proposal. Escudero took over the leadership of the Senate last May, replacing Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, following months of disagreement with the House over charter change. “I’ll join Senate President Francis Escudero sa initiative niya dito sa Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Law para ito ay isang hakbang para ma-attract natin ang foreign investors. Hindi sila pwede bumili pero mahaba naman ‘yung long term lease contract sa lupa. So hindi ito binebenta sa foreigners. Sa foreign investors, long term lease contract aabot ng 50 years , aabot ng 99 years. Effectively may long term plan ang mga investors na mae-encourage dito at wala namang binebenta dito na sarili nating lupa sa mga dayuhan,” he said in a separate one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN News. Eight other bills are already in advanced stages of legislation and nearing the finish line. These 8 pieces of legislation will also be prioritized. The Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act, Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act, VAT on Digital Services and The new Government Auditing Code. Ten other bills have been marked as Second Priority. These are: the Blue Economy Act, Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act, Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, Open Access in Data Transmission Act, Waste-to-Energy Bill, Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel, E-Government Act / E-Governance Act, Amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law, and The Philippine Immigration Act. Congress’ list of unfinished priorities however goes on with 19 other bills. These are the following: Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, Comprehensive Infrastructure Development Master Plan, National Disease Prevention Management Authority, Free Legal Assistance for Police and Soldiers, Eastern Visayas Development Authority, Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, National Land Use Act, Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE), Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone, Enabling Law for the Natural Gas Industry, Amendments to the Cooperative Code, Medical Reserve Corps / Health Emergency Auxiliary Reinforcement Team (HEART), Virology Institute of the Philippines, National Government Rightsizing Program, Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law, Budget Modernization Bill, National Defense Act, and Amendments to the Fisheries Code. Outside the LEDAC, Congress has other priorities including its annual deliverable that takes up most of its time – the National Budget. “Within the week ng presentation ng State of the Nation Address ay tradisyon po na ilalatag o isu-submit ng ating Pangulo through the Department of Budget and Management  Secretary ‘yung sinasabing NEP or National Expenditure Program  for the ensuing year 2025. Aabangan natin ‘yan. ‘Yan ang magiging panukalang budget  for 2025, ‘yun ang pinakamalaki at pinakamahalaga kasi lahat po ng programa, lahat ng proyekto at initiatives  ng ating presidente ng administrasyon – ni President BBM – ay ilalatag,” Romualdez added. Separately, Congressional leaders have also agreed to prioritize in their schedule the local bills of congressmen which are specific and parochial to their constituencies so they have something concrete to show to voters during election time. “Iyung mga parochial concerns ng kada kongresista  so sinabi naman natin kay Senate President Chiz kung  pwede tignan niyo as a priority din kasi wala naman itong kaso. In other words di na siguro mahirapan kayo i-debate ito sa Senado kasi parochial ito, kada distrito may mga concerns. So we will prioritize each congressman, anong priority 1-2 legislations nagkasunduan,” Romualdez said. “Matutuwa lahat ng mga congressman lalo na di ba may filing ngayon ano ipapakita ng ating mga congressman sa kanilang distrito. At least masasabi nila naipasa na nila ito, may isang panukalang batas na  malaking benepisyo sa distrito. Ito ang kanilang ipagmamalaki kaya on that score ‘yung sa local legislation ‘yan, isang priority din  basta tapusin nila lahat ng mga priority local legislations ng mga congressmen. Malaking bagay po din ‘yun.” Escudero notes many Senators now were also congressmen so they are cognizant of the needs of their colleagues in the Lower House. Aside Read More…

  • By B.M.D.Cruz, July 15, 2024; Business World https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/07/15/607979/143-ppp-projects-in-the-pipeline-neda/#:~:text=THE%20GOVERNMENT%20has%20143%20public,over%20these%20past%20few%20months. The government has 143 public-private partnership (PPP) projects valued at P3.095 trillion in the pipeline as of July, with new projects centered on health and waste management, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. “The number of pipeline projects has grown over these past few months. As of early July, we have 205 PPP projects, including those in local government units, under implementation and 143 projects in the pipeline,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan was quoted as saying in a statement. Nine PPP projects amounting to P65 billion were added to the pipeline as of July. “We are also encouraged to note that more and more social infrastructure projects in health, water and sanitation, as well as solid waste management, are in the pipeline,” Mr. Balisacan added. The National Government leans on support from the private sector in shouldering its budgetary and infrastructure project implementation shortfalls. It has passed several policies over the past months that seek to create an enabling environment for infrastructure development. Republic Act No. 11966 or the PPP Code, which took effect in December last year, sought to increase private sector participation in financing, operating, and maintaining infrastructure projects. Under the Marcos administration’s “Build Better More” program, the government has 185 infrastructure flagship projects (IFP) valued at P9.54 trillion in the pipeline. Mr. Balisacan also said that 63 IFPs, including the Pasig-Marikina River channel improvement project, Central Luzon Link Expressway, and the Panguil Bay Bridge project, are currently underway. The NEDA chief said 31 more IFPs have been approved for implementation, six are awaiting government approval, and 82 are in the preparation stage. The government’s move to allow full foreign ownership in renewable energy projects as well as public utilities like telecommunications, domestic shipping, railways, subways, airlines, expressways, tollways and airports, is expected to increase foreign investments in infrastructure, Mr. Balisacan said. To fast-track implementation of infrastructure projects, the NEDA chief said there is a need to streamline and enhance processes and speed up the acquisition of right of way. In April, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. also signed Executive Order (EO) No. 59 to fast-track the processing of permits for infrastructure flagship projects. “By expanding and upgrading our infrastructure, we aim to create enabling conditions for high-quality job creation for millions of Filipinos, raise the competitiveness of our local industries, diversify our growth drivers to strengthen economic resilience, and enhance regional connectivity by linking our leading and lagging regions,” Mr. Balisacan said. Terry L. Ridon, a public investment analyst and convenor of think tank InfraWatch PH, said the pace of implementation of IFPs would depend on government agencies. “With legislation and policy frameworks in place, faster infrastructure development will now be determined by capable leadership of infrastructure agencies,” he said in a Viber message. “This leadership has not been apparent in the Transportation department with only one concluded PPP (Ninoy Aquino International Airport rehabilitation) by the President’s State of the Nation Address (in July.) The public is still waiting for its urgent action on the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) busway and MRT-3 (Metro Rail Transit Line 3) PPPs.” In May, the PPP Center said that its evaluation of Megawide Construction Corp.’s unsolicited proposal for the EDSA busway system is nearing completion. The Department of Transportation also said it is reviewing the terms of reference for the auction of MRT-3’s operations and maintenance contract by the first quarter of 2025. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the government has implemented several measures, including the establishment of “green lanes,” to attract more investors in the Philippines. As of June 20, around P2.32 trillion worth of projects, mostly in renewable energy, have been approved to go through the “green lane” system, the Board of Investments said earlier. The government, through EO No. 18, established the “green lane” in all government agencies to speed up the approval and registration process for priority or strategic investments.

  • By Filane Mikee Cervantes, July 12, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1228875 MANILA – A House leader on Friday pushed for the passage of a measure providing for a comprehensive and responsive civil registration and vital statistics system in the country. In a media forum, Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre highlighted the importance of a responsive, free, and accessible delayed birth registration system for marginalized Filipinos. Acidre said many unregistered individuals come from marginalized communities, as they face challenges such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and disability, among others. He said House Bill 9572 or the proposed Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Act would make the registration process responsive and accessible, thereby addressing disparities and ensuring that “no one is left behind”. “This bill is especially crucial for Filipinos who, due to various circumstances, were not registered at birth. Delayed birth registration must be accessible to all, free from bureaucratic hurdles and financial burden,” the lawmaker said on his keynote speech. He said civil registration is an important part for an individual to establish legal identity, civil status, and family relations. “Birth certificates are not merely pieces of paper; they are the enduring and official documentation of a person’s existence. They are intricately linked to the rights of identity, nationality, and legal recognition. Without a birth certificate, an individual faces significant barriers in accessing social services, healthcare, employment, and education,” Acidre said. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), 3.5 million Filipinos have no birth certificates, a chunk of them coming from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The House of Representatives is targeting to pass the bill before the 19th Congress ends in May 2025. Acidre said the chamber is collaborating with the PSA to strengthen the agency’s mandate and make it a more capable and effective pillar of the state in bridging the gaps in the civil registration system. Acidre said the proposal would ensure that every Filipino is recorded and documented, noting that the CRVS system will be a cornerstone in the government’s efforts to promote “inclusive development and social equity”. “By ensuring that every birth is registered, we are laying the foundation for a society where everyone can exercise their rights and access essential services,” he said. Aside from Acidre, other authors of the bill are Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, and BHW party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co. (PNA)

  • By Justine Irish D. Tabile, July 2, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2024/07/02/605708/tatak-pinoy-registration-medical-aid-applications-targeted-for-streamlining/ THE Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said it is proposing “green lanes” for registering Tatak Pinoy projects as well as the streamlining of the application process for medical and financial assistance at government hospitals. ARTA Director General Ernesto V. Perez said the green lanes will be implemented via the joint memorandum circular (JMC) adopted for expediting the establishment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine manufacturing facilities. “We’re trying to see if we can apply this JMC to other sector initiatives. And this initiative may be utilized in the institutionalization of green lanes for Tatak Pinoy projects and exports,” he said. He also added that the JMC could be adopted to attract investors and manufacturers of drugs and medical devices, specifically by easing the import and export rules. JMC No. 1 Series of 2021 established green lanes, which expedited and streamlined the process of issuing permits for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing facilities. Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association President Higinio P. Porte, Jr., said Tatak Pinoy will benefit Philippine-made drug products. “This is what we are pushing to the pharmaceutical industry; however, we do not have a competitive advantage in the manufacture of generic or synthetic drug products,” Mr. Porte said. “Our competitive advantage is in herbal drug products. Pascual Laboratories, Inc., for instance, is among the top manufacturers for Lagundi and Sambong drug products,” he added. He said manufacturers can register herbal products backed by clinical studies through Tatak Pinoy as they are innovative and can be exported. “Under Tatak Pinoy, we can benefit from the government by being tax-free for several years. And when we build a facility, machinery imports will have zero tariffs,” he added. Signed into law in February, Tatak Pinoy (“Filipino brand”) seeks to improve the export competitiveness of Philippine companies by incubating and incentivizing products that carry the ‘made in the Philippines’ trademark. “Another recent initiative of ARTA in the health sector is the streamlining and harmonization of the provision of medical and financial assistance in government hospitals,” he said. “We aim to streamline the requirements, the process, and the turnaround time in processing applications for medical and financial assistance in all government hospitals nationwide,” he added. Aside from these initiatives, ARTA is also proposing the issuance of a joint administrative order (JAO) that will resolve the jurisdiction overlap between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Bureau of Animal and Industry (BAI). According to Mr. Perez, previous issuances by both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health affected importers whose shipments have been held up by the Bureau of Customs in the absence of an FDA clearance, despite being cleared by BAI. “A JAO will be finalized to delineate their regulatory functions, thereby resolving the jurisdictional overlap issues,” he added.

  • By Louella Desiderio, July 2, 2024; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/07/02/2367020/neda-blueprint-job-creation-out-november Manila, Philippines —  The government expects to complete the country’s employment master plan under the Trabaho Para Sa Bayan (TPB) Act by November this year, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. “The plan will be drafted from September to October, with its finalization expected by November,” the NEDA said in a statement issued over the weekend. It said regional consultations will be conducted for the TPB blueprint from July to September. Under Republic Act 11962 or the TPB Act signed by President Marcos in September last year, the government is mandated to create a master plan aimed at increasing the number and quality of employment opportunities in the country, as well as enhancing the employability of the Filipino workforce. This plan will be crafted by the TPB Inter-Agency Council (IAC) chaired by the NEDA secretary and co-chaired by the secretaries of trade and labor. Also part of the council are the heads of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Departments of Budget and Management, Finance and the Interior and Local Government, as well as representatives from the employers’ organizations, labor groups, marginalized or vulnerable sector and informal sector. During the National Employment Summit held at the Manila Hotel from June 26 to 27, the TPB-IAC presented the plan’s guiding document. The plan will prioritize the creation of more quality and decent jobs, as well as have robust employment policies with strong implementation measures, efficient monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It will also advocate for equal employment opportunities regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or creed, and promote skills development and training as well as the collaboration of the government, formal and informal institutions and workers’ and employers’ organization to achieve goals. In addition, it will address future work challenges and ensure full protection for all workers, while recognizing the rights of both workers and enterprises. As the country is working on social and economic transformation, NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan underscored the importance of a cohesive strategy for employment generation and preparations for  changes in the employment landscape. “This stance will help us prepare a more resilient workforce and enable us to design appropriate policies to support employers, employees, the vulnerable sector and the informal sector,” he said in his message delivered by NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon.

  • By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, June 28, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227851 MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday called on Filipinos to remain vigilant and critical in using and sharing information to avoid falling prey to disinformation efforts. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. made the call, citing an “alarming surge” in disinformation campaigns aimed at eroding the public’s trust in the institution and the Philippine government. “We urge the public to verify sources and seek information from credible and official channels. Let us stand together in the face of these desperate attempts to spread discord,” Brawner said in a statement. He added that these disinformation efforts sow panic, divide the nation, and distract Filipinos from pressing issues that demand collective attention. “Disinformation not only distorts the truth but also undermines our unity and make(s) the country vulnerable to external challenges that threaten national security and stability,” Brawner said. He assured that the AFP remains committed to protecting the country and upholding the peace and security agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. “We call on every Filipino to join us in this endeavor, fostering a spirit of solidarity and resilience against those who wish to weaken our resolve,” the military chief added. (PNA)

  • By Filane Mikee Cervantes, June 27, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227844 MANILA – The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has pegged at PHP6.352 trillion the proposed national budget for 2025, its chairperson announced on Thursday. In a press briefing following the meeting, DBCC chairperson and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the proposed spending plan for next year is equivalent to 22 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and 10.1 percent higher than this year’s budget of PHP5.768 trillion. Pangandaman said the DBCC will submit to Congress the proposed 2025 national budget on July 29, one week after the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The proposed budget is anchored on the theme “Agenda for Prosperity: Fulfilling the Needs and Aspirations of the Filipino People”. In line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, the proposed budget for next year aims to develop and protect the capabilities of individuals and families, transform production sectors to generate more quality jobs and produce competitive products, and foster an enabling environment encompassing institutions, physical and natural environment. Growth targets for 2024 to 2028 During the same briefing, Pangandaman said the DBCC maintained its economic growth targets for this year through 2028. Pangandaman said the Philippine economy is expected to “finish strong” at 6 to 7 percent in 2024, and expand further to 6.5 to 7.5 percent in 2025. “Despite external headwinds, we are expected to continue surpassing most emerging economies,” she said. She added the “robust growth momentum” is expected to continue over the medium term with a GDP projection of 6.5 to 8 percent from 2026 to 2028. “We are committed to implementing growth-enhancing strategies to mitigate these risks such as sustaining government efforts to address inflation, promoting and adopting digitalization to improve efficiency in government spending, accelerating infrastructure development, expanding skills development for our workforce, and strengthening inter-industry supply chain linkages, among others,” Pangandaman said. “This growth trajectory puts us firmly on the path to becoming an upper-middle-income economy in less than two years and reducing the poverty rate to single-digit levels by 2028,” she added. Meanwhile, Pangandaman said the DBCC expects inflation to settle between 3 percent and 4 percent this year, closer to the previous assumption of 2 to 4 percent. Pangandaman, however, said the country’s inflation outlook is “significantly lower than the average inflation in other emerging markets and developing economies at 8.3 percent and the global average of 5.9 percent, as projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The DBCC expects inflation to be within the 2 to 4 target range between 2025 and 2028 through the proactive implementation of monetary policy measures and well-targeted government interventions that address the primary drivers of inflation. “This includes implementing the new Comprehensive Tariff Program for 2024 to 2028 to improve the affordability of essential commodities amid the rising global prices, and the Food Stamp Program to mitigate the impact of elevated food prices on the poor and vulnerable sector,” Pangandaman said. The DBCC lowered its assumption for Dubai crude oil prices this year to USD70-USD85 per barrel from the USD70-USD90 range previously. “The assumption of USD65 to 85 per barrel from 2025 to 2028 was maintained as global oil production is expected to rebound over the medium term, consistent with the backwardation observed in oil futures markets,” Pangandaman said. The DBCC updated its peso-dollar exchange rate assumption for 2024 from PHP55 to PHP57 against the US dollar to PHP56 to PHP58. “This is expected to broadly stabilize at PHP55 to PHP58 against the USD for the remainder of the medium term, given increasing tourism receipts, growing BPO (business process outsourcing) revenues, and robust overseas Filipinos remittances that will support and keep the currency stable and resilient against persisting global headwinds,” Pangandaman said. For this year, the DBCC raised its goods exports growth target to 5 percent from 3 percent, considering the “better-than expected outturn in the first quarter and an improved outlook for the global semiconductor market”. Goods exports are expected to grow to 6 percent in 2025 to 2028. Meanwhile, the DBCC lowered its growth projections for goods imports to 2 percent in 2024 and 5 percent in 2025 amid moderation in international commodity prices alongside the impact of tight monetary policy tempering consumption and investment activity. The previous growth targets for goods imports were pegged at 4 percent for 2024 and 7 percent for 2025. Pangandaman said the goods imports will remain supported by sustained infrastructure investments and are expected to grow by 8 percent from 2026 to 2028. The DBCC reviews and approves the government’s macroeconomic targets, revenue projections, borrowing level, aggregate budget level and expenditure priorities and recommend to the Cabinet and the President of the consolidated public sector financial position and the national government fiscal program. (PNA)

  • By Louella Desiderio, June 26, 2024; Philippine Star https://qa.philstar.com/headlines/2024/06/26/2365675/neda-board-approves-digital-infrastructure-project MANILA, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board yesterday approved a digital infrastructure project and adjustments to nine other ongoing infrastructure projects. In a statement, the NEDA said the NEDA Board chaired by President Marcos approved during its meeting yesterday the P16.1-billion Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP), which is expected to help enhance broadband connectivity and bring high speed internet to disadvantaged areas. To be financed through official development assistance from the World Bank, the project is a flagship initiative of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. It involves the construction of a public broadband infrastructure network. The project has five components: backbone network; middle-mile network; access network (last-mile); network security and project management support. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said broadband services have opened up opportunities for Filipinos like work-from-home arrangements, digital access to critical public and private services, including the latest technological tools such as artificial intelligence. “This project will enable us to connect more Filipinos to markets and networks, spurring economic development,” he said. Apart from the PDIP, the NEDA Board approved adjustments to the parameters of nine ongoing infrastructure projects, seven of which are part of the Infrastructure Flagship Projects list or priority infrastructure projects. The changes involve the scope, cost and extension of the project’s implementation period and loan validity. Projects with approved changes are the Local Governance Reform Project, Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility, New Cebu International Container Port Project, Light Rail Transit Line 1 South Extension Project, Malolos-Clark Railway Project Tranche 1, Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase 1, Reconstruction and Development Plan for a Greater Marawi Stage 2, Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project and the Panguil Bay Bridge Project. “The adjustments to these ongoing infrastructure projects were necessary to ensure their successful completion, advancing our national efforts to expand and upgrade our infrastructure, improve connectivity and create more jobs,” Balisacan said.

  • By Alexis Romero, June 26, 2024; Philippine Star https://qa.philstar.com/headlines/2024/06/26/2365682/congress-pass-20-priority-bills MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers yesterday committed to pass 20 priority measures aimed at promoting development and attaining socioeconomic transformation within the remaining sessions of Congress. Members of the Cabinet and congressional leaders came up with a list of priority bills during the fifth Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting led by President Marcos at Malacañang. “The council came up with a list of top priority bills that the members, the leaders of both houses of Congress, commit to pass within the remaining period of the current session,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office. “So, these are ten bills that are considered top priority. And there’s a second list that consists of another ten. I think that’s another ten bills. And also the other bills that are in advanced stages, that are either at the (bicameral) stages or already enrolled bills,” he added. In an Instagram post, President Marcos said the priority bills were related to addressing rising prices, job generation and fighting poverty. “Just concluded the 5th LEDAC meeting, where we laid out our top legislative priorities – addressing rising prices, increasing job opportunities and reducing poverty,” Marcos said. “We continue to work hand in hand with the Senate and House of Representatives in enacting transformative legislation for a Bagong Pilipinas,” he added. The ten priority measures that lawmakers aim to approve before the end of the 19th Congress are the Reform to Philippine Capital Markets, Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act, Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics, Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime, Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA, Department of Water Resources, CREATE MORE Act, Amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act and Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law. Measures included in the second priorities list are the Blue Economy Act, Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act, Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, Open Access in Data Transmission Act, Waste-to-Energy Bill, Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel, E-Government Act or E-Governance Act, Amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law and the Philippine Immigration Act. Bills that are in advance stages of deliberation are the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, Amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act, Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program Act, VAT on Digital Services and New Government Auditing Code. “We see the current leadership of Congress responding to these needs of our economy, of our society, so that we can achieve the socioeconomic transformation that is a program under the Marcos administration,” Balisacan said. A total of 17 out of 59 bills in the LEDAC common legislative agenda have been signed into law. ‘We did our job’ All of the priority measures listed by President Marcos have been passed by the House of Representatives, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said yesterday in his report to the LEDAC meeting. “The House of the People has done its homework,” he said, revealing the chamber has approved on third and final reading last March, or three months ahead of schedule, all of the 20 priority LEDAC measures targeted for passage by the end of June 2024. “Our accomplishments reflect our proactive stance in catering to the needs of the people by passing these much-needed legislations that are attuned to the Philippine Development Plan and the 8-point socio-economic agenda under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework of the President,” he added. He rendered the report to the full LEDAC meeting presided over by the President in Malacañang. Romualdez said the chamber that he leads is just now awaiting Senate action on several of the priority legislative proposals of the President and the LEDAC. The Speaker informed the LEDAC of the status of the 20 bills: three have been enacted into law and three are undergoing enrollment process – two conference committee reports adopted by both chambers and one adopted as an amendment to the House bill. Four bills are under deliberation by bicameral conference committees, while the 10 other measures have been approved on third and final reading by the House – some as early as September and December 2023 and four last March.

  • By Adrian Parungao, June 8, 2024; Philippine Daily Inquirer https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1949578/marcos-streamline-governments-performance-evaluation-systems Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the streamlining of the government’s Results-Based Performance Management System (RBPMS) and Performance-Based Incentive System (PBIS). The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement Saturday that Marcos issued on June 3, 2024, Executive Order (EO) No. 61, which suspended Administrative Order No. 25-2011 and Executive Order No. 80-2012. AO No. 25 established a unified and integrated RBPMS across all departments and agencies within the Executive branch of government while EO No. 80, as amended by EO No. 201-2016), adopted a PBIS that comprises Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) and Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) to motivate higher performance and exact greater accountability in the public sector and ensure accomplishment of government commitments and targets. According to the PCO, the RBPMS and PBIS “have been duplicative and redundant with the internal and external performance audit and evaluation systems of the government.” They “lacked a review mechanism leading to the accumulation of rules, regulations, and issuances from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring, Information and Reporting Systems,” it added. The PCO also noted that the prevailing RBPMS and PBIS “makes compliance burdensome, bureaucratic, laborious, and time consuming for government agencies.” EO No. 61 states: “It is imperative to streamline, align, and harmonize the RBPMS and PBI System with ease of doing business initiatives, and reform the government performance evaluation process and incentives system towards a more responsive, efficient, agile, and competent bureaucracy.” The PCO said the presidential directive mandates the creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will review the existing RBPMS and PBIS. The Executive Secretary should form the TWG, which would include the chiefs of the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, and National Economic and Development Authority; and the director general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority. EO No. 61 says the TWG may consult other government agencies to fulfill its task. The TWG was likewise instructed to submit a report to the Office of the President after conducting the review. EO No. 61 takes effect immediately.

  • By Cai U. Ordinario, June 3, 2024; Business Mirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/06/03/pipeline-for-ppps-now-covers-134-projects-worth-%E2%82%B13-03t/#:~:text=THE%20national%20government’s%20pipeline%20for,billion%2C%20and%20delisted%20four%20projects. The national government’s pipeline for public private partnerships (PPPs) now covers 134 projects amounting to P3.03 trillion, according to the PPP Center. The pipeline was recently updated to include 13 new projects, estimated to cost at least P38 billion, and delisted four projects. With this, the pipeline is shorter than the 137 projects initially included which amounted to P3.1 trillion. The four delisted projects were the Cavite Tagaytay Batangas Expressway Project; Unsolicited Proposal for EDSA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); Unsolicited Proposal for the Development, Operations, and Management of the Davao International Airport; and Advance Passenger Processing and Passenger Name Record (APP-PNR). “The change in the number of projects in the pipeline is due to the addition in the list of unsolicited proposals endorsed by the PPP Center to Implementing Agencies [IA] for their decision to proceed with detailed evaluation or rejection of the same; addition of projects included in the Lists of PPP Projects submitted by IAs to the PPP Center; [and] delisting of PPP projects,” the PPP Center said in a document it recently shared with reporters. In terms of the latest addition to the PPP pipeline, the largest projects were Pampanga Bulk Water Supply Project and Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services, which were estimated to cost P18.70 billion and P16.89 billion, respectively. The Pampanga Bulk Water Supply Project is an unsolicited proposal that is currently under evaluation by the IA. It will be undertaken by the provincial government of Pampanga and Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc. The Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services, meanwhile, is also an unsolicited proposal that has been endorsed to an IA for their decision to proceed with the detailed evaluation. It will be undertaken by the Bureau of Immigration and Securiport LLC. Of the 13 projects added to the list, two still do not have cost estimates as they are under conceptualization. These are the establishment of Bulk Water Facility for La Union and the La Union Integrated Terminal Exchange. The PPP Center also said there are no cost estimates yet for three projects due to the need for verification. These are the establishment of Dialysis Center in all Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) District Hospitals (DH) and La Union Medical Center (LUMC), and the Bus Rapid Transit System in Cavite. Earlier, the PPP Center said it expects at least 20 solicited projects to advance to the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) and/or the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) for approval this year. Initially, PPP Center Undersecretary and Executive Director Ma. Cynthia C. Hernandez said only 15 projects are expected to be approved this year. Hernandez said there could be more projects, depending on the number of unsolicited projects that could be submitted for ICC or Neda Board evaluation and approval. Right after the passage of the PPP Code, the PPP Center has already processed 20 unsolicited projects.

  • By Jean Mangaluz, May 30, 2024;  Inquirer.net https://business.inquirer.net/461567/philippines-ranks-first-in-asia-for-budget-transparency MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines ranked first in Asia for transparency in the 2023 Open Budget Survey (OBS). The OBS is a survey done by the international non-government organization International Budget Partnership, which is based in the United States. The survey measures transparency, budget oversight, and public participation. According to the OBS Survey, the Philippines got a 75 out of 100 for transparency. A score of 61 and above indicates that a country is releasing enough material to the public to keep it informed. “The Philippines climbed seven points in the OBS for transparency, garnering an open budget index score of 75 out of 100. This is a marked improvement from the score of 68 in 2021, beating the government’s target score of 71 under the Philippine Development Plan 2023 – 2028,” said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in a statement on Thursday. Globally, the Philippines ranked 15th out of 125 countries for budget transparency. The Philippines also garnered an 83 out of 100 for budget oversight, with both legislative and audit oversight being deemed adequate. The country ranked sixth in the world for budget oversight. Lastly, the Philippines only got a score of 33 out of 100 for public participation, meaning that the OBS found that there were few opportunities for the public to engage in “meaningful participation in the different stages of the budget process.” “This is very welcome news, especially as we are also celebrating this year’s Open Gov Week and solid proof that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. works for and with the people to promote good governance in the country. Rest assured that the DBM will continue its best practices in ensuring a transparent, participatory, and accountable People’s Budget,” Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said in a statement.

  • By: Chino S. Leyco, May 28. 2024; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/28/dof-expects-two-year-process-for-tax-system-digitalization Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto admitted the daunting challenge of digitizing the government’s tax system, prompting the need to explore non-tax revenue sources for additional funding. Recto told Manila Bulletin on Tuesday, May 28, that the Marcos administration’s digitalization initiatives to improve tax administration could take about two years to reach their full effectiveness. At the Philippine Economic Briefing last Monday, Recto cited the importance of improving tax administration in the e-commerce sector through digitalization, but “admittedly, [it] will take some time.” “In the meantime, we have strategically tapped into non-tax revenue streams to generate additional funds without imposing new or increased taxes on our people,” Recto said. The United Nations E-Government Survey revealed that the Philippines falls behind its regional peers in key areas of digital development such as digital transformation and trade, digital government, and digital security. In terms of digital government, the country was ranked 89th out of 193 countries, trailing behind Singapore (12), Malaysia (53), Thailand (55), Indonesia (77), and Vietnam (86). Despite the substantial increase in digital transactions in the Philippines, the bill seeking to levy a 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital services provided by both resident and nonresident digital service providers has not yet been enacted into law. To mitigate the impact of tax leaks, the Department of Finance has decided to increase the dividend payments of state-owned firms from a minimum of 50 percent to 75 percent. As of the end of April, government non-tax revenues have totaled P188.8 billion, a 49 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This growth is primarily driven by higher dividend remittances from government-owned and controlled corporations amounting to P88.6 billion as of May. Furthermore, the government is looking to leverage non-recurring revenues through the privatization of state-owned assets. Recto wants to generate P100 billion from the sale of government assets currently in the pipeline. One of the proposals put forth by the finance chief involves selling the 600-hectare land currently occupied by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.

  • By Louella Desiderio, May 8, 2024; Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/05/08/2353350/eo-59-accelerate-infrastructure-development-neda MANILA, Philippines — An executive order (EO) streamlining the permitting process for the government’s priority infrastructure projects will support the push for infrastructure development by expediting project implementation, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. In a statement, NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that EO 59 signed last April 30 would support the goals of the country’s overall development plan or the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028, through the upgrade of the country’s infrastructure. Through the streamlined processing of the government’s priority or infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs), he said “we are making it easier for implementing agencies and more attractive for our partners in the private sector to execute transformative infrastructure projects that would spur job creation for our people and enable us to sustain our economy’s rapid expansion.” EO 59 simplifies the requirements for projects included in the IFP list approved by the NEDA Board. At present, there are 185 projects valued at P9.14 trillion under the IFP list. As part of the EO, all national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) need to review their Citizen’s Charters to remove redundant and burdensome procedures. “The primary goal of this EO is to minimize, if not eliminate, delays in the implementation of IFPs. We are in a hurry to catch up with our neighbors in the region so the government must enable – not hinder – the timely completion of these projects,” Balisacan said. The EO also directs national government agencies and LGUs to adopt an online system and/or electronic submission and acceptance of applications, as well as issuance of licenses and permits for the IFPs. To promote seamless data sharing, government agencies are mandated to automate and computerize their databases. LGUs are encouraged to coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to adopt the electronic system maintained by the latter to ensure interoperability. Also part of the EO is the establishment of one-stop shops for IFPs. With the EO in place, Balisacan said “the Marcos administration signifies its commitment to aggressively advance infrastructure development as a key driver to our social and economic transformation.”

  • By Louella Desiderio, May 5, 2024; The Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/05/05/2352590/neda-pushes-eo-strengthen-rdcs-role#:~:text=During%20the%20meeting%2C%20the%20NEDA,project%20implementation%20and%20addressing%20bottlenecks. Manila, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is pushing for the issuance of an executive order (EO) aimed at strengthening the role of Regional Development Councils (RDCs) as part of efforts to achieve inclusive growth and development. In a statement, the NEDA said a meeting was held on April 30, with RDC chairpersons and President Marcos to discuss various regional development initiatives aligned with the strategies under the country’s overall development blueprint or the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028 and Regional Development Plans. During the meeting, the NEDA presented the proposal for an EO aimed at enabling the RDCs to play a greater role in formulating regional development plans and investment programs, as well as in reviewing agency budgets, monitoring project implementation and addressing bottlenecks. Serving as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the sub-national level, the RDC is responsible for coordinating and setting the direction of economic and social development efforts in the region. “RDCs play a vital role in steering socioeconomic development at the regional and local level by bridging the gap between national agencies and local government units,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. The NEDA said the proposal would build upon the foundation laid by EO 325 issued in 1996 by addressing weaknesses including the RDCs’ limited presence in the local government units (LGUs) and role in terms of funding for priority regional programs and projects. It will also address the lack of budget for RDCs’ monitoring and capacity-building activities. “With these amendments, the RDCs will be given the mandate to identify priority inter-LGU and special development projects and further pursue capacity-building activities at the local level,” Balisacan said. NEDA expects the EO to complement its ongoing efforts to promote regional development including the Regional-National Investment Programming dialogues, capacity-building activities for monitoring and evaluation, conduct of studies for effective implementation of the full devolution initiative, as well as the approval of Infrastructure Flagship Projects and public-private partnership projects. RDC chairpersons also presented their proposed priority programs and projects during the meeting. “With even brighter economic prospects on our country’s horizon, it is indeed high time that we strengthen the mandate of our RDCs to make them more effective at serving as the highest policymaking and coordinating body in our regions. They will also play a crucial role as we approach the operationalization of the full devolution process,” Balisacan said.

  • By Priam Nepomuceno, May 3, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223951 SAN NARCISO, Zambales – The Philippines will face a greater risk of cyberattacks from foreign cyberthreat groups, especially in the coming elections, a threat assessment presentation said. “Cyberattacks are anticipated in the mid-term 2025 and 2028 national elections” and could disrupt the peaceful and orderly conduct of the polls, the presentation showed during the National Security Cluster Communications of the “Bagong Pilipinas” Media Engagement and Workshop held at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) here Thursday. The threat assessment also warned that the “misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) could become a destructive tool in (the) cognitive domain (and) have a divisive effect in the public and social order during (the) PHL election period.” Without directly identifying the source of the cyberthreats, the threat assessment noted that the challenge to the country’s “cybersecurity defense domain” will come from “foreign adversaries.” These cyberattacks are considered “hybrid warfare” and will target information and communications technology networks of the national government and private entities, it said. The threat assessment comes on the heels of recent cyberattacks on several government websites, purportedly from Chinese hackers. In February, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it foiled a cyberattack that targeted various government email addresses, including that of the Philippine Coast Guard and even the private website of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. It said other targets were government Google Workspaces, specifically the domain administrators of the Cabinet Secretary, the Department of Justice, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department of the Congress, the National Coast Watch System, and the DICT. Also in January, the DICT was able to thwart the attempted hacking of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s web applications. (PNA)

  • By BusinessWorld Staff, May 1, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/infographics/2024/05/01/592037/philippines-lags-in-national-technological-strength-list-2/ The Philippines fell by two notches to 63rd out of 65 countries in the 2023 edition of most technologically advanced countries ranking by international magazine Global Finance. The report ranks a country’s technological strength across four metrics: internet users as a percentage of a country’s population; LTE users as a percentage of the population; IMD World Competitiveness Center’s Digital Competitiveness Score; and share of a country’s research and development spending to its economic output. Among 11 East and Southeast Asian countries included in the report, the Philippines ranked the lowest with a composite score of -5.77.

  • By Elizabeth Marcelo, May 1, 2024; Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/05/01/2351693/csc-strengthens-government-workers-right-organize MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has strengthened the policy on government workers’ right to organize as it launched the consolidated rules and regulations on conciliation services, the effectivity of collective negotiation agreements and recognition of national employees’ organizations. “Good employee relations are vital in advancing employee welfare and participatory governance,” CSC Chairman Karlo Nograles said on Monday during the ceremonial signing of the 2024 Rules and Regulations Governing the Exercise of the Right of Government Employees to Organize. The event was held at the Justice Hall of the Department of Justice building in Manila. Among the key features of the 2024 Rules and Regulations is the inclusion of the latest policies on the administration of a public sector employee organization, establishment of employees’ organization transition group, merger and consolidation, as well as change of name and modes of dissolution of employees’ organizations, the CSC said. It also includes the latest policies on the determination of the sole and exclusive negotiating agent, dispute resolution and automatic accreditation of the winner in a certification election, the CSC noted. The 2024 Rules and Regulations is an integration of promulgated and published policy resolutions approved by the Public Sector Labor Management Council (PSLMC) over the years, following the latest amendment in 2004, the CSC said. Nograles is chair of the PSLMC. “We recognize that the new rules and regulations may not be absolutely perfect, considering the dynamic environment that they will operate within. However, this acknowledgment should not deter us from actively engaging in shaping the trajectory of employee relations in the public sector,” he maintained. The PSLMC shall have the authority to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the exercise of the right to self-organization in the public sector, according to Executive Order No. 180 signed on June 1, 1987. PSLMC vice chair and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Justice Undersecretary Fredderick Vida, Finance Undersecretary Niño Raymond Alvina and Budget Undersecretary Leo Angelo Larcia attended the event.

  • By Cristina Chi, April 30, 2024; Philippine Star https://qa.philstar.com/headlines/2024/04/30/2351583/dict-most-govt-agencies-failed-respond-cybersecurity-warnings MANILA, Philippines — Only around one out of ten government offices that were recently notified by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of a vulnerability in their cyber systems took action to protect themselves, Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Day said on Tuesday. Just 55 out of 388 government agencies which were contacted about vulnerabilities in their public assets (data or devices part of a computer system) responded to the DICT, Dy told a House panel probing the series of hacking incidents on government websites. These agencies include national government agencies and sub-agencies and smaller government offices housed under different agencies. “This is very low compared to what we expect,” Dy said. Dy said that the DICT’s network scanning initiative called Project SONAR has detected over 30,000 vulnerabilities after scanning the assets of over 800 agencies since being launched in December 2023. Vulnerabilities do not refer to actual hacking attempts and instead point to certain parts of a government’s cybersecurity infrastructure that are at risk of being breached. The DICT official explained that Project SONAR scans the systems of agencies without permission and informs them the next day of the extent of their vulnerabilities. “So that if they need to procure something to defend themselves, that can happen,” Dy said. Most agencies notified of having vulnerabilities did not respond to the DICT. Dy said that there needs to be assigned focal persons who will respond to the DICT when informed about weaknesses in their cybersystems. The DICT official also said that it has suggested for the Department of Budget and Management to include agencies’ responses as part of their scorecard — a system that measures agencies’ quality of good governance. Dy said Project SONAR was created as a response to the multiple government hacking attempts that took place the year before. In February, the DICT bared that its investigation found that cyberattacks targeting multiple government servers were traced to IP addresses based in China. A breach into the PhilHealth database in 2023 allowed hackers to steal millions of personal data and confidential memorandum, which they used to try to goad the government into paying a $300,000 ransom. Despite promises by authorities to ramp up cybersecurity, according to a 2023 report by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, the Philippines remains highly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to “widespread internet usage, low cybersecurity awareness, and underdeveloped cybersecurity infrastructure.”

  • By BusinessWorld Staff, April 30, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/infographics/2024/04/30/591730/philippines-moves-up-in-state-and-governance-indexes/#google_vignette The Philippines improved in the 2024 edition of the biennial Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index (BTI). The country inched up by a notch to 59th out of 137 countries in the Status Index, while it rose four spots to 83rd place in the Governance Index. The index evaluates a country’s progress towards democracy and market economy, as well as the quality of governance on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest.

  • By Benjamin Pulta, April 24, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1223346 MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday assured that the government remains resolute in reforming law enforcement in the country to protect and promote human rights under the Bagong Pilipinas of the Marcos administration. “We guarantee that reforms are in place to change the mindset and attitude of erring law enforcers and make them responsible for their actions. We are taking all the necessary steps to strengthen the criminal justice system and hold to account the perpetrators of these violations,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement. Remulla issued the statement following a report by the United States State Department that human rights abuses, including extra judicial killings (EJKs), continue to be a problem for the Philippines in 2023. He added the DOJ always remind law enforcement agencies, and those in charge of the administration of justice that “there are no shortcuts in enforcing peace and order.” “It is of primordial consideration that we, as responsible State enforcers, uphold the rule of law and resolve to protect and promote human rights. The DOJ, as the principal law agency and legal counsel of the government, remains deeply committed to the administration’s thrust towards a Bagong Pilipinas – one that is safe, peaceful, and just,” Remulla said. In its 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US State Department noted that while human rights issues continue to be a problem in the Philippines, the number of incidents of arbitrary and extrajudicial killings and of some other abuses by government agents decreased. It also noted that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. continued the antidrug campaign – which began under the Duterte administration – “albeit with a focus on treatment and rehabilitation, due process, and rule of law-based investigations.” In its latest report on the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) in November last year, the European Union (EU) has cited the willingness of the Marcos administration “to engage the international community on the issue of human rights,” having actively participated in multiple mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). It noted “several positive steps” taken by the government, including its “new focus” on prevention and rehabilitation in the campaign against drug and the visits of several UN Special Rapporteurs. In February this year, visiting United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan took note of the DOJ’s measures to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of violence against journalists and human rights defenders, and asked the government to further strengthen the agency’s Administrative Order (AO) 35. AO 35 is a government mechanism that brings together various agencies of the government against impunity. Last March 14, the DOJ and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) aimed at facilitating assistance to victims of human rights abuses, summary executions, torture, and enforced disappearances, among others.

  • By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, April 24, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/04/24/590373/inflation-may-ease-in-2nd-half-neda/ HEADLINE INFLATION may start easing in the second half of the year as pressure on food prices subsides after the El Niño weather event ends, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief said. “In the second half of this year, we expect the pressure from food prices to diminish, because a big part of that food inflation was imported in the sense that food prices, particularly for staple, have been rising in the world mar-ket,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told reporters on the sidelines of a forum on Monday afternoon. Inflation rose for a second straight month in March to 3.7% amid rising food prices. Food inflation accelerated to 5.7%, its fastest pace in four months, mainly driven by rice. Rice inflation surged to 24.4% in March, the highest since the 24.6% print in February 2009. “But for rice, (pressure) is expected to decline, (as prices) reached the peak and will start falling after June as the El Niño phenomenon is waning,” Mr. Balisacan said. The El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to persist until May, but the Philippines may continue to feel its impact until August, the Department of Science and Technology said earlier. Mr. Balisacan said he is hoping that April inflation would fall within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2-4% target band, although oil prices pose a risk. He noted April inflation will likely be close to the 3.7% print recorded in March. “[The] 2-4% is still a fighting target. Of course, we are watching closely the developments in the Middle East. If the oil prices would be affected by the development, there would be some pressure for us,” Mr. Balisacan said, refer-ring to the conflict between Israel and Iran. The local statistics agency will release April inflation data on May 7. Mr. Balisacan said that economic growth in the first half may be affected if inflation continues to breach the target. “[It’s] a challenge because domestic consumption, particularly home consumption and investment, are very sensitive to inflation and interest rates,” he said. Earlier this month, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) revised its gross domestic product (GDP) growth target range to 6-7% this year from 6.5-7.5% previously amid geopolitical tensions, price upticks, and trade restrictions. The local statistics agency is set to release first-quarter GDP data on May 9. “With food prices starting to come down, that should be good for growth. But of course, if the energy prices continue to rise, then it could affect logistics, distribution, and it could impact food prices too. But we hope that it will not be serious,” Mr. Balisacan said. Oxford Economics economist Makoto Tsuchiya said he expects inflation to quicken to 3.9% in April due to base effects. He also noted that sequential momentum was largely flat this month. “Although rice prices remain elevated, prices for other agricultural products including vegetables and fruits are starting to decline, which should help ease inflationary pressures in the coming months,” he said in an e-mail. “Higher oil prices due to escalation of the conflicts in the Middle East is an emerging risk, but so far the impact remains limited.” Monetary Board Member V. Bruce J. Tolentino said the government should keep a close eye on global developments that could impact commodity prices and stoke inflation. “The elections in India are ongoing, and if Mr. [Narendra] Modi wins, he will focus on his domestic priorities of ensuring that food prices are low in India. That means the export ban [on non-basmati rice] may continue, which will worsen inflation,” he said in a Viber chat. Last year, India imposed export curbs on non-basmati rice and other commodities to address rising domestic prices. The supply shortage drove global prices higher, affecting the Philippines which is one of the biggest importers of rice. Mr. Tolentino noted that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war may cause an uptick in fertilizer prices and constrain wheat supply. “It is crucial that the government maintain its efforts to invest in productivity-enhancing measures. These have been paying off in the record rice harvests attained over the past 2-3 years,” Mr. Tolentino said.

  • By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto, April 22, 2024; Business Mirror https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/04/22/adb-to-help-digitalization-human-ware-disaster-prep/#:~:text=THE%20Asian%20Development%20Bank%20(ADB,(CPS)%20for%20the%20Philippines. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed to supporting the Philippines in enhancing digitalization, human capital and infrastructure, and disaster preparedness through a new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for the Philippines. In a statement on Sunday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto secured commitments from ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa during a high-level meeting with the ADB and the country’s economic managers on April 17. The key strategic priorities in these areas will be reflected and aligned in ADB’s upcoming CPS, which also encapsulates the development priorities of the current administration, the DOF said. According to the ADB, the CPS is the multilateral lending bank’s platform for designing operations to deliver development results at the country level. Recto said the slow adaptation to digitalization amidst the rise of e-commerce would result in an “immense potential revenue leakage” since a fourth of Filipino consumers have shifted to e-commerce. For its part, the ADB has committed to collaborate closely with the Philippine government on a proposed Digital Transformation Project for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). This is in line with the Bank’s long-standing support for Philippine tax reform measures and domestic resource mobilization efforts, the DOF added. Recto also urged the ADB to boost assistance for human capital development, particularly in education and nutrition programs, to uplift the quality of life of every Filipino. Banking on the recently enacted Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, Recto encouraged the ADB to help the country attract more investors for its flagship infrastructure projects to boost competitiveness, particularly in power and physical and digital connectivity. The Finance chief also called for increased cooperation in utilizing renewable energy resources to hasten the Philippines’ switch to sustainable energy. Lastly, the DOF sought the Bank’s support for Manila’s proposal to host the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF)—a global climate fund established in November  2023 under the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The ADB is the Philippines’s second-largest official development assistance (ODA) partner with a total ODA commitment of USD11.40 billion, as of December 31, 2023. Around USD4.48 billion in ODA loan financing has been secured from the ADB for priority programs and projects for business and employment, agriculture, inclusive finance, domestic resource mobilization, and infrastructure development since the start of Marcos Jr.’s administration. The meeting was joined by ADB’s Vice President of Southeast Asia Operations Scott Morris; General Counsel Tom Clark; Director General for Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Department Tomo Kimura; and Chief Advisor to the President Haruto Takimura. Recto was accompanied by National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman.

  • By Chino S. Leyco, April 16, 2024; Manila Bulletin https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/16/four-lg-us-join-global-anti-corruption-alliance Four local government units (LGUs) from the Philippines have been accepted into the global partnership that focuses on promoting transparency, fighting corruption, and strengthening governance. In a statement on Tuesday, April 16, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said that Tagbilaran (Bohol), Larena (Siquijor), Quezon City, and Baguio City are now members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Pangandaman, who also serves as the chairman of OGP-Philippines, noted that these four LGUs have now joined the initiative, following the acceptance of South Cotabato and Borongan into the group in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Among the benefits of joining the OGP is the impetus it brings to strengthen civil society participation in local planning and development to further improve LGU delivery of basic services. “I am happy that OGP is now present in NCR [national capital region], Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao! This is a big boost to our campaign for open governance,” Pangandaman said. “I look forward to working with you in making our government more open, transparent and accountable,” she added. The Philippines is one of the eight founding countries of the OGP along with Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Aside from national governments, since 2016, the OGP Local program has opened membership to local governments for initiatives promoting the values of OGP that are even closer to the people. Pangandaman also initiated the institutionalization of OGP last year. Open government in the Philippines has been gaining momentum with the backing of no less than our President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. who issued the landmark Executive Order No. 31, s. 2023 institutionalizing OGP,” Pangandaman explained. “With this EO, we are able to provide a solid policy and legal framework to ensure that the open government principles are embedded in programs and policies in all branches of government.” the budget chief concluded.

  • April 17, 2024 5:57 pm

    IMF hikes growth forecast for PHL

    By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, April 17, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/04/17/588624/imf-hikes-growth-forecast-for-phl/ THE INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines for this year and 2025.  In its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), the IMF upwardly revised its Philippine growth forecast to 6.2% for this year from 6% previously. This is within the government’s revised 6-7% growth target. “Real GDP growth for 2024 was revised slightly to 6.2% from the January WEO forecast of 6%, reflecting carryover from a better-than-expected outturn in the last quarter of 2023,” IMF Representative to the Philippines Ragnar Gudmundsson said in an e-mail. The Philippine economy grew by 5.5% in both the fourth quarter and full-year 2023. Based on IMF projections for emerging and developing Asia, the Philippines is expected to post the second-fastest GDP growth this year, just behind India (6.8%). It is ahead of Vietnam (5.8%), Indonesia (5%), China (4.6%), Malaysia (4.4%) and Thailand (2.7%). “Growth in emerging and developing Asia is expected to fall from an estimated 5.6% in 2023 to 5.2% in 2024 and 4.9% in 2025, a slight upward revision compared with the January 2024 WEO Update,” according to the report. The multilateral lender sees five Association of Southeast Asian Nations member economies (ASEAN-5) to expand by an average of 4.5% this year, slightly lower than the 4.7% forecast it gave previously.  The ASEAN-5, composed of the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, is forecast to grow by 4.6% next year, slightly higher than its 4.4% projection in January. For 2025, the IMF sees Philippine GDP growing by 6.2%, a tad higher than its previous forecast of 6.1% but below the government’s 6.5-7.5% target. Mr. Gudmundsson said the forecast for 2025 is supported by expectations of an “acceleration in domestic demand and investment.” Next year, the Philippines has the second-fastest projected growth in the region, just behind India and Vietnam (both at 6.5%). “Over the medium term, structural reforms to close infrastructure and education gaps, attract greater foreign direct investments (FDIs), and harness benefits from the digital economy should help realize a (Philippine) growth potential of about 6-6.5%,” Mr. Gudmundsson said. “These reforms should be complemented by strengthening existing social protection schemes and addressing climate change through a more integrated strategy that includes a carbon pricing scheme,” he added. Economic managers are targeting 6.5-8% growth from 2026 to 2028. Meanwhile, the IMF sees global growth settling at 3.2% for both 2024 and 2025. It raised its 2024 forecast by 0.1 percentage point but kept its 2025 projection unchanged from January. “Nevertheless, the projection for global growth in 2024 and 2025 is below the historical (2000-2019) annual average of 3.8%, reflecting restrictive monetary policies and withdrawal of fiscal support, as well as low underlying productivity growth,” the IMF said. It said that emerging market and developing economies are expected to “experience stable growth through 2024 and 2025, with regional differences.”

  • By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, April 9, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/04/09/586852/philippines-likely-to-post-fastest-gdp-growth-among-asean3-countries-this-year-2025/ THE PHILIPPINES is expected to grow faster than Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, China, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong this year and in 2025, but elevated inflation remains a key risk to the outlook, a regional think tank said on Monday. In its Regional Economic Outlook quarterly update, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) kept its 6.3% gross domestic product (GDP) growth outlook for the Philippines, unchanged from the January report. This is faster than the revised 5.5% GDP growth in 2023 and within the government’s revised 6-7% target for this year. AMRO also sees the Philippines expanding by 6.5% in 2025, also within the government’s 6.5-7.5% goal. “I think 6.3% is very strong growth (for this year), among the highest in the region,” AMRO Chief Economist Hoe Ee Khor said in a virtual briefing. “The Philippines will also benefit from the upswing, you know, in terms of external demand… Manufacturing sector will benefit from that and the recovery in tourism.” For this year, AMRO’s growth projection for the Philippines is ahead of Cambodia (6.2%), Vietnam (6%), Indonesia (5.2%), Malaysia (5%), China (4.4%) Laos (4.7%), Hong Kong (3.5%), Myanmar (3.2%), Thailand (2.9%),  Brunei Darussalam (2.7%), Singapore (2.6%), South Korea (2.3%) and Japan (1.1%). For 2025, the Philippines and Vietnam are expected to be the growth leaders in the region. “The Philippine economic outlook is clouded by various risk factors and challenges. In the near term, growth prospects are relatively robust, but high inflation is a risk, especially as a result of local supply shocks in the food sector and the impacts of geopolitical conflicts on international energy prices. These will exert upward pressure on inflation which can dampen domestic demand,” AMRO said in the report released on Monday. Philippine inflation will be among the fastest in ASEAN+3 this year at 3.6%, alongside Vietnam, according to AMRO estimates.  Only Myanmar (16.1%) and Laos (14.3%) will likely post faster inflation.  For 2025, the think tank sees Philippine inflation easing to 2.9%. AMRO’s inflation forecasts for the Philippines are lower than the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 3.8% and 3.2% estimates for this year and next year. “I think there’s a slight risk that this year, because of the synchronized upswing in the global economy, that inflationary pressure may actually be on the upside rather than on the downside, so it may slow down the moderation in the growth rate,” Mr. Khor said. He noted that upside risks to inflation could delay rate cuts by the BSP, which on Monday kept policy rates at a near 17-year high of 6.5%. “(Inflation) has not come down low enough for the [Philippine] central bank to feel comfortable to ease the rate… Our view is that monetary policy also needs to remain fairly tight until inflation has come off and reach its (2-4%) inflation target,” he added. AMRO said the Philippines also faces risks from an economic slowdown in major trading partners, volatilities in financial markets and tighter financial conditions. “Looking at the longer term, the growth potential will largely hinge on the economic scarring effects of the pandemic, the pace of infrastructure development and heightened geopolitical tensions between China and the United States,” it said. The Philippines also faces rising social and economic costs from climate disasters. AMRO said the country needs to craft a comprehensive strategy for “resilient, sustainable and inclusive long-term growth.” ‘ENGINE OF GROWTH’ The ASEAN+3 region is seen to expand by 4.5% this year and by 4.2% in 2025, according to the AMRO report. The ASEAN region alone is projected to grow by 4.8% this year, higher than AMRO’s 4.5% projection in January. For 2025, the region is expected to grow by 4.9%. Inflation in ASEAN+3, excluding Laos and Myanmar, is forecast to slow to 2.5% this year, and to 2.3% in 2025. “Domestic demand is likely to remain resilient, underpinned by recovering investment and firm consumer spending,” AMRO said. “Export recovery, especially in semiconductors, and tourism should provide an additional lift to growth.” The think tank said the ASEAN+3 region will continue to be the “engine of growth” for the world economy, as it is projected to contribute as much as 45% of global growth through 2030. However, AMRO warned the near-term outlook for the region faces risks from a sudden spike in global commodity prices due to an escalation in geopolitical tensions or weather shocks. “Other key risks include slower-than-expected growth in China, adverse spillovers from the US presidential election campaign and possible recession in major advanced economies outside the region,” it added. AMRO also noted that the outlook gives ASEAN+3 economies a chance to rebuild policy space that was lost during the pandemic. “Going forward, the priority for fiscal policy should be directed mainly at restoring buffers while providing targeted support for the economy. Meanwhile, it is essential for monetary policy to be focused on anchoring inflation expectations given the continued upside risks to inflation,” it said.

  • By Pia Lee-Brago, April 8, 2024; Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/04/08/2346060/philippines-reaffirms-human-rights-resolve MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has reaffirmed its resolve to continue efforts to strengthen domestic human rights mechanisms. Technical assistance and capacity building have a high potential to catalyze transformative change that advances rights causes, Ambassador Carlos Sorreta said on April 3 at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council’s general debate on technical assistance and capacity building. Sorreta renewed the Philippine government’s resolve, building on the gains of the UN Joint Program (UNJP) on human rights in the Philippines. “It is so when done right, that is, when states are given the driver’s seat in capacity-building initiatives and programs are responsive to national priorities and needs. We say this with the benefit of insights gained from our three-year joint program with the UN on human rights (or the UNJP),” he said. In 2021, the Philippines and the UN launched the joint program that facilitated technical cooperation and capacity building in support of national initiatives and institutional frameworks in six areas: domestic investigation and accountability mechanisms, data gathering on alleged police violations, national mechanism for monitoring and follow-up, civic space and engagement with civil society, drug control and counterterrorism. The UNJP will conclude in July 2024, accomplishing its objectives of bolstering domestic human rights policies, programs and institutions. “As the UNJP draws to an end, we take ownership, with re-invigorated domestic institutions to better address complex governance issues, we take ownership with human rights, justice and accountability principles well embedded in programs and strategies and the mindset of government frontliners,” the Philippines’ envoy to the UN in Geneva said. The UNJP was managed through a multi-stakeholder steering committee, led by the Department of Justice and the UN resident coordinator, bringing together various agencies, the Commission on Human Rights, UN agencies, civil society organizations and representatives of donor countries. These countries provided funding to the UNJP Multi-Partner Trust Fund under the stewardship of the UN country team: Australia, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. The Philippine government provided $200,000 in addition to the budgetary resources allocated by relevant national agencies for specific projects under the UNJP. “We will establish a human rights coordinating council to sustain and broaden what we had achieved under the UNJP. As we forge ahead, we will continue to work with our international partners bilaterally, as we had done even before the UNJP, in order to maximize resources and ensure efficiency,” Sorreta said.

  • By Ian Laqui, April 4, 2024; Philippine Star https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/04/04/2345275/govt-cuts-growth-target-6-7-neda MANILA, Philippines — The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth target for 2024 has been adjusted to a range of 6% to 7%, down from the previous range of 6.5% to 7.5%, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) chief Arsenio Balisacan said. In a press briefing with the members of the press on Thursday, Balisacan said that the country’s economic growth target had been revised following a careful consideration of factors such as the global economic slowdown, rising oil prices and inflation trends. Balisacan also said that the growth target for 2025 was adjusted to a range of 6.5% to 7.5%, down from the initial range of 6.5% to 8.0%. Meanwhile, the growth projections for 2026 to 2028, ranging from 6.5% to 8.0%, remained unchanged. Last year, the Development Budget Coordination Committee also revised the 2024 GDP target to a range of 6.5% to 7.5%, from the previous 6.5% to 8%. At the close of 2023, the country’s GDP reached 5.6%, falling below the government’s targeted range. This was influenced by elevated interest rates due to high inflation, which restrained consumer spending. On the other hand, the country’s inflation rate has ballooned to 3.4% as the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages surged. The inflation report for the month of March will be reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority on April 5.

  • By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, April 3, 2024; BusinessWorld https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/04/03/585331/panel-to-address-right-of-way-issues-hounding-railway-projects/ THE MARCOS administration has created an interagency panel to fast-track the acquisition of land for national railway projects, as Philippine infrastructure plans continue to be hounded by right-of-way (RoW) issues. Under Administrative Order No. 19, which was signed on March 25, the Inter-Agency Committee for Right-of-Way Activities for National Railway Projects will “study and devise an efficient and collaborative mechanism to streamline the process of land acquisition necessary for the implementation of all railway projects.” The panel will be chaired by the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and co-chaired by the secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. Members of the committee include the departments of Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare, Environment, Finance, Budget, and Justice, as well as the Office of the Solicitor General. The Philippine National Railway (PNR), the committee’s secretariat, is directed to provide administrative and technical support to the body. The committee will submit to the President a bi-annual report on the status of RoW activities for ongoing railway projects. It will also take the lead in coordinating railway policies and programs among government agencies. The panel will ensure “effective completion” of programs related to land acquisition and other right-of-way activities such as livelihood programs, income restoration, and resettlement. It may also act on issues or complaints raised to the body. Terry L. Ridon, convenor of think tank InfraWatchPH, said the new committee could skip necessary social preparations as the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) was not included as a member. “Conspicuously absent among the member-agencies is the PCUP, which is the lead agency for social preparation activities of urban poor communities affected by infrastructure projects such as railways,” he said in a Facebook Messenger. “Without PCUP having a seat at such a high-level committee, the government may be blindsided on the direct sentiments of urban communities affected by railway projects,” he added. The DoTr in a statement said the new committee is a “huge lift” for the Philippine railway sector. “It will help us bring back the glory days of the Philippine railway system.” The government’s infrastructure projects have been hampered by RoW issues that have delayed their completion. Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said in early March RoW issues are threatening the 2029 deadline for the completion of the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project. While the construction of the subway tunnels began in January 2023, Mr. Bautista said last month the government had yet to secure 45% of the RoW. The Marcos administration’s priority infrastructure projects for the transport sector also include the North-South Commuter Railway System, Mindanao Railway Project, and Philippine National Railway South Long Haul. A 2016 law authorizes the government to acquire real property needed as RoW sites or for any National Government infrastructure project through donation, negotiated sale, expropriation, or any other mode of acquisition. Randy P. Tuaño, dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, said the government should have included representatives from the private sector and civil society groups in the committee “so that issues raised by these sectors could be discussed.” All concerned agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including state corporations and local government units, have been directed to support the order’s implementation.

  • By B.M.D.Cruz, April 2, 2024; Business World https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2024/04/02/585060/world-bank-raises-philippine-gdp-growth-projection-for-2025/ The World Bank (WB) maintained its economic growth forecast for the Philippines this year but raised its 2025 growth projection, amid expectations of higher consumer spending and foreign investments. In its latest East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Economic Update, the World Bank said it expects Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 5.8% this year, the fastest in Southeast Asia along with Cambodia. The Philippines and Cambodia are seen to expand faster than Vietnam (5.5%), Indonesia (4.9%), Malaysia (4.3%), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (4.0%), Timor-Leste (3.6%), Thailand (2.8%) and Myanmar (1.3%). For 2025, the World Bank raised its GDP forecast for the Philippines to 5.9% from 5.8%. However, the World Bank’s growth forecasts for the Philippines are lower than the government’s target of 6.5-7.5% for 2024 and 6.5-8% for 2025 to 2028. “What has sustained growth in the Philippines, like much of the region, has been consumption and the recovery in services,” WB East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Aaditya Mattoo said at a virtual briefing on Monday. He noted foreign investment flows into the Philippines might increase after the government implemented significant reforms such as Republic Act No. 11659 or the Public Service Act, which allows full foreign ownership in key sectors such as telecommunications and airlines. “(The reforms) should begin to pay off in terms of greater foreign investment, which though in the short run… the flows have been less strong than we would have expected,” Mr. Mattoo said. Climate and geopolitical shocks, as well as elevated inflation and high interest rates are risks to the growth outlook. “If there is a resurgence in inflation, for example in the United States, which might well see interest rates even higher for longer, that would certainly affect growth throughout the region as we have estimated,” he said. The World Bank projects GDP growth for East Asia and the Pacific at 4.5% this year and 4.3% for 2025. This is slower than the region’s projected 5.1% expansion in 2023. “Most economies in developing East Asia and Pacific, other than several Pacific island countries, are growing faster than the rest of the world, but slower than before the pandemic,” the World Bank said. The region’s slower growth is partially due to China, whose economy is expected to slow to 4.5% this year and 4.3% next year. “China is aiming to transition to a more balanced growth path but the quest to ignite alternative demand drivers is proving difficult,” the World Bank said. Excluding China, the region’s GDP is projected to expand by 4.6% this year and 4.8% in 2025. “The likely rebound in global goods trade and the gradual easing of global financial conditions are expected to offset the impact of China slowing down,” it said. Poverty to Decline Meanwhile, the World Bank expects Philippine GDP growth to average at 5.9% from 2024 to 2026, driven by strong domestic demand. “The medium-term outlook will be driven by robust private consumption activity, supported by declining inflation, a healthy labor market and steady remittance inflows,” it said in its Macro Poverty Outlook for the Philippines. It expects poverty in the Philippines to decline despite risks from extreme climate events. “Poverty incidence using the World Bank’s poverty line for lower middle-income countries of $3.65/day, PPP (purchasing power parity) is projected to decrease from 17.8% in 2021 to 12.2% in 2024 and further decrease to 9.3% in 2026,” it said. The World Bank said risks to this outlook include high inflation that would “dampen economic activity by keeping the policy rate higher for longer, erode purchasing power and threaten to deepen poverty and worsen economic vulnerability.” “The possibility of higher-than-expected global inflation, still tight global financing conditions, a further slowdown in the growth of China and escalating geopolitical tensions could cause a sharper-than-expected growth slowdown which would further dampen external demand,” it added.

  • By Jose Cielito Reganit, March 21, 2024; Philippine News Agency https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221283 MANILA – The proposed New Government Procurement Reform Law may be ready for signing by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in May. Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said he met with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday to discuss the proposed new procurement law. “Pinag-usapan po namin ni Senate President Migz na maipapasa by May. At siguro po, before SONA (the President’s State of the Nation Address in July), okay na po ‘yung ating (bagong) Procurement Law, (I discussed with Senate President Migz that it will be passed by May. And hopefully, before the President’s SONA in July, we already have a New Procurement Law)” Gonzales said in a press conference at the House of Representatives on Thursday. The proposed New Government Procurement Act, principally authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Gonzales, is one of the priority measures included in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). The House passed House Bill 9648 (HB) on Dec. 12 last year. The Senate opened second-reading deliberations on its version on Monday. Gonzales noted that the enactment process for the proposed new law could be shortened further if the Senate would just adopt HB 9648, which seeks to repeal and replace Republic Act (RA) 9184, the present procurement statute. “So, ang gusto ko po sana kung pupuwede, kaming dalawa ni (Budget) Secretary Mena (Amenah Pangandaman) at ni Speaker, gusto namin talaga mapabilis itong (My point is if it’s possible. I and Budget Secretary Pangandaman, and Speaker Romualdez want to hasten the passage of the) Procurement Act,” he said. He said in the case of the judiciary, the Supreme Court has “pipeline projects all over the country,” like more courtrooms, but cannot be immediately bid out because RA 9184 has to be amended first. Among the salient features of the new law is the reduction of the procurement process from 120 days to just 27 days, “starting from the advertisement up to the notice of award, notice to proceed, and signing of contract and (with) one publication only.” The measure aims to adopt a “single electronic portal” known as the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) for all procurement activities — from planning to implementation. Another salient feature of the proposed new procurement law is the removal of the requirement for the post-qualification of bidders. On Tuesday, Pangandaman said passing the New Procurement Act would be a “significant step” in promoting transparency and good governance and, at the same time, help government agencies utilize their budget efficiently. “This is a significant step that will promote transparency, efficiency, and good governance, aligning with President Bongbong Marcos’ vision of Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines),” Pangandaman said in a statement.

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